Places worth the detour in Washington, D.C.
323 places worth going out of your way for lie within 20 km of Washington, D.C., United States, across 7 kinds of detour; castles, monuments & landmarks are the largest group (181). Best known: Washington Monument. 287 of them rank as little-known. Click any card to open it on the map.
The 60 best known, ranked 323
Ranked by how many Wikipedia editions cover them. The other 263 are on the map and on the United States pages.
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1.Washington Monument
Built landmarks · 19th century · Renowned
Obelisk on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
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2.Smithsonian Institution
Museums & culture · 19th century · Renowned
Group of museums and research centers administered by the United States government
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3.Arlington National Cemetery
Parks & cemeteries · 19th century · Renowned
National cemetery in Virginia, United States
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4.National Gallery of Art
Museums & culture · 20th century · Renowned
National art museum in Washington, D.C.
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5.Lincoln Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Renowned
Memorial in Washington, D.C., United States
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7.Washington National Cathedral
Sacred sites · 20th century · Renowned
Neo-Gothic cathedral located in Washington, D.C.
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8.Jefferson Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Renowned
Memorial in Washington, D.C., United States
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9.United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
United States' official memorial to the Holocaust in Washington, D.C.
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10.Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
US national memorial in Washington, D.C.
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11.National Museum of Women in the Arts
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Art museum in Washington, D.C., United States
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12.Kryptos
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
Encrypted sculpture by American artist Jim Sanborn
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13.National Museum of the American Indian
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Museum in Washington, D.C., a division of the Smithsonian Institution
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15.Marine Corps War Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
Monument consisting of a large sculptural group on a circular base in Arlington, Virginia, United States
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16.National Zoological Park
Fun & leisure · 19th century · Notable
Zoological park in Washington, D.C., United States
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17.National Museum of African Art
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Museum about African Art located in Washington, D.C., a division of the Smithsonian Institution
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18.Air Florida Flight 90
Ruins & the uncanny · 20th century · Notable
Flight that crashed in 1982 near Washington (D.C.) National Airport
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19.Dumbarton Oaks
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Research institution concerning Byzantine and Pre-Columbian studies and garden and landscape studies
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21.Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
Art museum in Washington, D.C., a division of the Smithsonian Institution
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23.Newseum
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Museum dedicated to news and journalism in Washington, D.C.
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24.Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Museum of Asian art in Washington, D.C.
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25.The Phillips Collection
Museums & culture · 20th century · Notable
Art museum in Washington, D.C.
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26.United States Botanic Garden
Parks & cemeteries · 19th century · Notable
Botanical garden in Washington, DC
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27.Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
Built landmarks · 21st century · Notable
Memorial located in West Potomac Park in Washington, D.C.
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28.World War II Memorial
Built landmarks · 21st century · Notable
War memorial in Washington, D.C., United States
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29.Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
National memorial honoring Franklin Delano Roosevelt
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30.Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle
Sacred sites · 19th century · Notable
Catholic cathedral in Washington, D.C.
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32.Korean War Veterans Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
National memorial in Washington, D.C., United States
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33.Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Notable
Artwork and war memorial in Washington, D.C., by Henry Shrady and Edward Pearce Casey
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34.Statue of Freedom
Built landmarks · 19th century · Notable
Artwork by Thomas Crawford, statue on top of the US Capitol
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35.Corcoran Gallery of Art
Museums & culture · 19th century · Notable
Former museum in D.C., part of whose collection moved to the National Gallery of Art in 2014
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37.Theodore Roosevelt Island
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Island and a national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.
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39.Statue of Abraham Lincoln
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Statue at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
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40.White House Rose Garden
Parks & cemeteries · 20th century · Hidden gem
Garden outside the White House in Washington, DC, United States
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42.International Spy Museum
Museums & culture · 21st century · Hidden gem
Museum in Washington, D.C., United States
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43.Folger Shakespeare Library
Museums & culture · 20th century · Hidden gem
Library in Washington, D.C., United States
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45.National Building Museum
Museums & culture · 19th century · Hidden gem
Museum in Washington, D.C.
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46.United States National Arboretum
Parks & cemeteries · 20th century · Hidden gem
National arboretum and research institution in Washington, D.C., US
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48.Arlington House, The Robert E. Lee Memorial
Built landmarks · 19th century · Hidden gem
Historic Custis family mansion operated by the U.S. National Park Service, located within Arlington National Cemetery
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49.Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Historic funerary monument in Arlington dedicated to deceased U.S. service members whose remains have not been identified
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52.John Ericsson National Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Sculpture by James Earle Fraser
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53.District of Columbia War Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Artwork by Frederick H. Brooke
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54.Lafayette Square
Built landmarks · 19th century · Hidden gem
Urban park and square in Washington, D.C.
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55.House of the Temple
Museums & culture · 20th century · Hidden gem
Masonic temple in Washington D.C.
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56.Arts and Industries Building
Museums & culture · 21st century · Hidden gem
Smithsonian Institution building
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58.National Christmas Tree
Nature & landscapes · Hidden gem
Christmas tree in Washington, DC, United States
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59.George Washington Masonic National Memorial
Built landmarks · 20th century · Hidden gem
Masonic building in Alexandria, Virginia, United States
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60.John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame
Built landmarks · Hidden gem
Presidential memorial in the United States
