Washington DC Hotel Near Union Station & Top DC Attractions

Dupont Circle.

 Centered around a lively urban park and the white marble Dupont Memorial Fountain, Dupont Circle is a vibrant, cosmopolitan neighborhood with Washington, DC’s finest art museums, historic mansions, unique bookstores, hip restaurants and cool art galleries. The beautiful park attracts picnickers, sunbathers, strollers, cyclists, chess players, and tourists who enjoy the open space in the heart of the city. Dupont Circle is home to the Phillips Collection, one of the city's leading art museums with paintings by Renoir, Cezanne and Degas. Stroll through Dupont Circle to find trendy restaurants, bars, galleries, and bookstores, including Lambda Rising, the nation's most famous gay bookstore since 1974. DC's gay and lesbian hot spot, The Circle has been the kick off point for annual Pride parades and Youth Pride celebrations.

Union Station.

 For 100 years, Union Station has welcomed people to the most vital and vibrant city in the world. The most visited destination in Washington, D.C., the architecturally magnificent building and marble floors echo with the footsteps of presidents, foreign dignitaries and over 32 million people each year. One of the country’s most exhilarating and dynamic shopping destinations, Union Station features two levels lined with 130 shops, specialty boutiques and fashion and gift stores, and a myriad of casual restaurants. Union Station offers a food court with hundred of eateries, a state-of-the-art, 9-screen Phoenix Theatres, special events, Amtrak ticketing, rental cars, an international currency exchange and sightseeing companies like Gray Line and Old Town Trolley. Visit www.unionstationdc.com. [Top]

Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

 A living memorial to John F. Kennedy and the elegant home of the National Symphony Orchestra, the John F. Kennedy Center is the country’s finest performing arts venue, presenting over 3,000 performances and events annually. Overlooking the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Kennedy Center presents an unmatched diversity of theater, musicals, dance, ballet, opera, and music - orchestral, chamber, jazz, popular, and folk - as well as annual festivals and multi-media performances. Millions are touched by performances by the greatest artists in the world. Enjoy free concerts on the Millennium Stage, Holidays at the Kennedy Center and the Open House Arts Festival, which celebrates the Center’s birthday in September. Visit www.kennedy-center.org.

Verizon Center.

 A state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue in Chinatown, Verizon Center hosts over 220 world-caliber events, sports games, concerts, and shows per year. Verizon Center is home to the NBA’s Washington Wizards, WNBA’s Washington Mystics, NHL’s Washington Capitals, and Georgetown Hoyas Men’s Basketball team. The center has hosted rounds of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament, 2007 WNBA All-Star Game, 2005 ACC Tournament, 2003 World Figure Skating Championships, 2001 50th NBA All-Star game, and 1998 NHL Stanley Cup Finals and Disney on Ice. Upcoming events and concerts at Verizon Center include the 2009 NCAA Division I Men’s Hockey Championships, 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars, 50th Annual Washington International Horse Show, Coldplay, The Who and Monster Jam. Visit www.mcicenter.com/. [Top]

The Phillips Collection.

 Located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, The Phillips Collection is America's first museum of modern art, opened in 1921. The outstanding collection includes Renoir's masterpiece Luncheon of the Boating Party, along with Impressionist paintings by van Gogh, Monet, Degas and Cézanne. The comfortable galleries are a perfect setting for works by Braque, Picasso, Matisse, and Klee. This international treasure and D.C.'s best-loved museum also celebrates American artists like Homer, Eakins, Ryder, O'Keeffe, Marin, and Dove, as well as mid-century masters such as Mark Rothko. Phillips after 5 combines live jazz, gallery talks, superb modern art, and a cash bar for a memorable evening on the first Thursday of every month at 5pm. Visit www.phillipscollection.org.

White House.

 Washington, DC’s most iconic landmark, the White House is the official office and home of the President of the United States and the cabinet. The flagship of American government, the White House is a complex of three buildings, with the original residence housing the president's home and rooms for official ceremonies and entertaining. The White House consists of 6 floors with 132 rooms, 8 fireplaces, 8 staircases, 3 elevators, 5 chefs, a tennis court, bowling alley, movie theater, jogging track, swimming pool, and a putting green. First occupied in 1800, the White House is built of white Aqua sandstone in late Georgian style. Tour The Blue Room, East Room, Green Room, Red Room, and State Dining Room, and end enjoy its architectural beauty and significant history as our greatest symbol of democracy. Visit www.whitehouse.gov. [Top]

US Capitol.

 The heart of Capitol Hill -at the east end of the National Mall - the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, is an impressive symbol of American freedom, democracy and government. Created in 1793, the US Capitol is one of the most architecturally impressive and symbolically momentous buildings in the world. For over two centuries, the US Capitol Building has housed the Senate and the House of Representatives, and is a monument to the American people and government. The powerful pulse of our nation’s capital is derived from Congressional activities under its majestic dome. The Capitol Building is open for guided tours from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday - Saturday. Visit www.aoc.gov/cc/capitol.

National Mall & Memorial Parks.

 Protecting the country’s oldest park lands, the National Mall & Memorial Parks is an open national park in downtown DC. The National Mall & Memorial Parks commemorate presidential legacies, honor the courage of war veterans, celebrate America’s freedom and equality and preserve national treasures of art and history. The National Mall includes famous landmarks such as the Washington Monument, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, WWII Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, National Museum of American History, National Gallery of Art and other. A National Historic Landmark, and one of Washington, DC’s oldest buildings, the National Mall is a magnificent example of Greek-Revival architecture. Visit www.nps.gov/vive/index.htm. [Top]

Lincoln Memorial.

A shrine for President Abraham Lincoln, Lincoln Memorial is one of the most profound and powerful symbols of American freedom and a place to express ideas that unite our nation. This National Historic Landmark is in the form of a Greek Doric temple, with a massive sculpture of Lincoln beneath inscriptions of two of his immortal speeches. Inspired by the spirit of President Lincoln's vision and passion, the memorial was the site of Martin Luther King's famous "I Have a Dream" speech in 1963. Visit www.nps.gov/linc.

 

 

Washington Monument.

 Honoring our nation’s first President, the Washington Monument celebrates the illustrious leadership of President George Washington, who led our country to independence. One of the oldest attractions in Washington, the 555-foot white marble and granite Egyptian obelisk shaped monument captures the imagination and ideals of people from across the globe. The commemorative stones in the monument’s stairwell come from every state in the Union. Open: 9:00 am to 4:45 pm daily. Free tickets are available through the National Park Service. Visit www.nps.gov/archive/wamo/home.htm. [Top]

Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

 An enduring symbol of liberty, the Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a site for inspiration for citizens of the world. Modeled after the Pantheon of Rome, Jefferson Memorial is America's esteemed memorial to our third president and a landmark on the landscape of Washington, DC. Written inside the memorial are the passionate words of Thomas Jefferson, written over 200 years ago, that have shaped American ideals and government. The circular, colonnaded structure of neo-classic style is a symbol of liberty and freedom. The Jefferson Memorial plays host to the annual Cherry Blossom Festival. Visit www.nps.gov/thje/index.htm.

 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Mus. A To commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by leading a collaborative funding, design, and construction process in the creation of a memorial to honor his national and international contributions to world peace through non-violent social change.

Holocaust Memorial Museum.

 A living memorial to the millions murdered during the Holocaust, the US Holocaust Memorial Museum is a national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history. Adjacent to the National Mall, this powerful museum inspires people to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity, and reflect upon the moral and spiritual questions raised by the Holocaust. Since its dedication in 1993, the Museum’s authentic exhibits and inspiring tributes have taught millions about the dangers of prejudice and genocide. The Museum broadens public understanding of the Holocaust through multifaceted programs, exhibitions, art, artifacts and annual Days of Remembrance. Visit www.ushmm.org. [Top]