Visit Washington, D.C.

When you deplane at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, hop on the Washington Metro’s Yellow or Blue lines to start your adventure in the nation’s capital. While you may be tempted to rent a car (or may have to if you’re traveling elsewhere in the D.C./Baltimore area), the Metro conveniently serves D.C. proper as well as several areas in Maryland and Virginia. While hopping on and off the train to sightsee, make sure to take in the stunning design of the Metro’s stations: modern architecture with brutalist and neoclassical influences.

If your visit to Washington, D.C. is during early spring, make sure to head to the north bank of the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park to see the cherry trees in bloom. Peak bloom—when 70% of the blossoms have opened—typically occurs in early to mid-March, but these national treasures remain stunning for months. Try to catch the annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, too, which runs from late March to early April.

If you miss cherry blossom season—or you’ve come during an especially sweltering summer and need to beat the heat—there’s plenty to do indoors in the Capitol Region. The Smithsonian Institution museums alone could keep a visitor’s schedule jam packed for weeks. It’s probably best to choose just a few of the 19 museums and 21 libraries that comprise “the nation’s attic” and save others for your next visit to Washington, D.C.—you’ll definitely want to come back.

Of course, a Washington, D.C. visit must include monument and memorial sightseeing. The National Mall and Memorial Parks is often the first stop. Here, you can pay respects at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, ascend the Washington Monument obelisk, and visit Honest Abe. Night owls will appreciate that they can avoid crowds by visiting the Lincoln Memorial overnight; the memorial is accessible to the public 24-hours a day.

Book your next flight to the Capitol Region on Southwest®. Southwest Airlines flies to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport often, making it easy to plan your next getaway. Book with confidence, knowing that the process will be straightforward from flight selection to checkout. Of course, having a memorable trip to Washington, D.C. is about more than finding a great deal on a flight. Learn more about the Southwest® Experience and book your upcoming flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Other airports in the D.C./Baltimore area.

Want to fly into another airport Southwest serves? Consider booking a flight to Washington Dulles International Airport or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

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Things to do in Washington, D.C.

Picture-perfect parks
  • Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Park
  • Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
  • West Potomac Park
Magnificent monuments
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Can’t-miss museums
  • Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  • National Portrait Gallery
  • The Smithsonian Institution museums