Highest-rated things to do in Washington, D.C., according to Tripadvisor

"For those who are lost, there will always be cities that feel like home," Simon Van Booy wrote in his 2011 novel "Everything Beautiful Began After," and what better way to find the cities that might feel like home than to get lost? Travel beckons, and there are many great cities to explore in the U.S. From New York to Los Angeles, Chicago to Miami, and Las Vegas to San Francisco, metro regions in the U.S. offer an incredible range of activities, attractions, and cultural monuments to enjoy.

Every city has its own unique history—stories of industry, immigration, and imagination. Plus, each city offers its own geographical specificity: San Francisco's gorgeous heights and quad-killing hills; the bustling boroughs of New York and how they wind around bodies of water; the flat desert of Las Vegas with its tremendous, wide-open sky (try stargazing at the nearby Red Rock Canyon for awe-inspiring views of the heavens).

Each city also has its own flavor. Some metros are practically a Baskin-Robbins of adventure, featuring all kinds of flavors, some of which might be complex, unfamiliar, or even new. Los Angeles, for example, can be experienced in so many ways, from its history as the motion picture and entertainment capital to its modern incarnation as one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world—there are many versions of LA to visit, just as there are many iterations of San Francisco, New York, and Las Vegas. Cities, after you scratch the surface, reveal even more treasures within—but first, you must know where to begin!

Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated things to do in Washington, D.C. using data from Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of May 31, 2024.

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#30. Museum of the Bible

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,211 reviews)
- Address: 400 4th St. Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#29. John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

- Rating: 4.5/5 (1,778 reviews)
- Address: 2700 F St. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#28. Capitol Hill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,488 reviews)
- Address: First St. and East Capitil St. Northeast Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#27. The National Archives Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,577 reviews)
- Address: 701 Constitution Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#26. Georgetown

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,029 reviews)
- Address: Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#25. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

- Rating: 5/5 (1,916 reviews)
- Address: 400 Michigan Ave. Northeast Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#24. International Spy Museum

- Rating: 4/5 (5,676 reviews)
- Address: 700 L'Enfant Plaza Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#23. Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

- Rating: 5/5 (1,315 reviews)
- Address: 4155 Linnean Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#22. Washington National Cathedral

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,121 reviews)
- Address: 3101 Wisconsin Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#21. United States Botanic Garden

- Rating: 4.5/5 (2,862 reviews)
- Address: 100 Maryland Ave. Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#20. White House

- Rating: 4/5 (8,231 reviews)
- Address: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#19. National Museum of American History

- Rating: 4.5/5 (5,078 reviews)
- Address: 1400 Constitution Ave. Northwest Between 12th and 14th St. Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#18. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (5,838 reviews)
- Address: 1850 West Basin Drive Southwest Near West Basin Drive Southwest & Independence Ave. Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#17. Jefferson Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (6,535 reviews)
- Address: 701 East Basin Drive Southwest At the south shore of the Tidal Basin Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#16. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (5,985 reviews)
- Address: 1850 West Basin Drive Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#15. National Portrait Gallery

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,599 reviews)
- Address: 8th and G Streets Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#14. Ford's Theatre

- Rating: 4.5/5 (4,413 reviews)
- Address: 511 Tenth St. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#13. National Museum of African American History and Culture

- Rating: 5/5 (3,738 reviews)
- Address: 1400 Constitution Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#12. National World War II Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (10,212 reviews)
- Address: 1750 Independence Ave. Southeast Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#11. Washington Monument

- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,510 reviews)
- Address: 2 15th St. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#10. U.S. Capitol

- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,153 reviews)
- Address: East Capitol St. Northeast & First St. Southeast Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#9. National Mall

- Rating: 4.5/5 (8,414 reviews)
- Address: Constitution Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#8. Korean War Veterans Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (11,096 reviews)
- Address: 10 Daniel French Drive Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#7. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (11,998 reviews)
- Address: 5 Henry Bacon Drive Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#6. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (11,345 reviews)
- Address: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Plaza Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#5. National Gallery of Art

- Rating: 5/5 (9,360 reviews)
- Address: Constitution Ave. Northwest 6th St. and Constitution Ave. Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#4. Library of Congress

- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,159 reviews)
- Address: 101 Independence Ave. Southeast Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#3. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

- Rating: 4.5/5 (12,527 reviews)
- Address: 10th St. and Constitution Ave. Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#2. National Air and Space Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (23,577 reviews)
- Address: Independence Ave. Southwest 600 Independence Ave. Southwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

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#1. Lincoln Memorial

- Rating: 4.5/5 (32,032 reviews)
- Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir Northwest Washington DC, District of Columbia
- Read more on Tripadvisor

This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Andrea Richards, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 100 metros.