Washington, DC Holidays

Why choose Washington, DC for a holiday?

• Instantly recognisable monuments and memorials
• Smithsonian museums with enough variety to shape several days
• Strong appeal for travellers interested in history, politics and culture
• More than 100 free attractions across the city
• Neighbourhoods that add music, shopping, food and nightlife to the trip

What should you do in Washington, DC?

Begin with the landmark side of the city

The civic core is still the obvious place to start. The Lincoln Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial are among the best-known sights, and the museum line-up nearby is just as strong. The National Air and Space Museum and the National Museum of Natural History are two of the most visited, but the wider Smithsonian group is part of what makes Washington such a strong museum city.

Keep one day for the cultural institutions

Washington’s performance side is easy to overlook until you are there. The National Theatre and the Kennedy Centre give the city a different sort of evening, and they work well if you want to break up the monument-and-museum pattern.

Let the neighbourhoods change the pace

The city feels broader once you move into its districts. Dupont Circle mixes boutiques, bars, museums and bistros around its well-known traffic circle and fountain. Chinatown brings a busier feel, with food, shopping and cultural stops close together.

Use the evenings properly

Washington has long-standing links to jazz and punk, and that musical history still feeds into the city’s atmosphere. The U Street Corridor and H Street Corridor are two of the better-known areas for restaurants, bars and pubs, while Georgetown’s M Street gives you a more polished waterfront setting with higher-end restaurants and the sort of places where the city’s public-facing crowd tends to gather.

Keep family time simple

Washington is one of the easier USA city breaks for families to plan because so many attractions are free. With more than 100 no-charge places to visit, including the National Zoo, it is possible to fill the trip without feeling as though every stop needs advance booking.

A family break is an obvious fit here, while a luxury stay also works well if you want smarter evenings and a stronger hotel base between the main sights.

Where should you stay in Washington, DC?

Neighbourhood choice makes a real difference here, because the city changes noticeably from one area to another.

• A central base keeps the monuments and major museums within easier reach
• Georgetown suits travellers who want shopping, dining and a more polished setting
• Dupont Circle works well for cafés, bars, boutiques and a more local feel
• Areas around Chinatown can suit shorter stays where food and city energy matter

When comparing hotels in Washington DC, it usually helps to think about what you want the city to feel like once the daytime sightseeing is done.

What makes Washington, DC stand out from other USA city breaks?

Few cities combine national landmarks, free museums and local neighbourhood culture in quite the same way. Washington can feel weighty in all the right places, but the trip itself does not have to be formal from start to finish. That is what makes it appealing even for travellers who are not coming purely for politics or history.

How to plan and book Washington DC holidays with Southall Travel

• Southall Travel can help narrow down the right area for the stay, depending on whether the priority is monuments, museums, neighbourhood dining or a broader city break
• If you want to mix the main sights with evenings in Georgetown, Dupont Circle or the U Street area, Southall Travel can help shape the trip around that
• For current fares, hotel options and package availability, call Southall Travel last minute on 0208 843 4444

Check the latest official travel advice before booking and again before travel, including entry requirements.