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Great Escape
A look at what to do in the major U.S. and
worldwide tourist destinations. -- July 10, 2006
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The nation's capital sits at the center of the region which
is traversed by the Potomac River. The seat of the Nation's government
provides visitors with some of the world's most famous landmarks. Here is a
presentation of 16, but there are so many more!
Never before has Washington, D.C. provided so much to do in
so many places. Culture, heritage, nationally-acclaimed theater, free musical
concerts, festivals, world-renowned shopping and all the inspiring monuments
and museums you've heard about, offer ideal touring choices. The list of
performances is constantly changing in Washington, D.C., thanks to an active
cultural community and special-exhibits spanning the arts, history and
science. Not only are Washington's sightseeing options large in number, nearly
all of them offer free admission.
Don't forget to tour the White House, Supreme Court, United
States Capitol building, The Pentagon and the Bureau of Engraving &
Printing (the U.S. Mint). The Federal Bureau of Investigations was closed in
2005 for renovations, so don't forget to tour that (to see how it's changed)
as well.
Median income -- $40,127
Median house value -- $157,200
For more information visit www.washington.org
, www.seewashington.net , or www.dcchamber.org
or call 202-347-7201.
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| The Top 16
Attractions in Washington, D.C. |
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Monuments & Memorials
| African-American Civil
War Memorial 202-667-2667
This new memorial is a sculpture
commemorating the 185,000 African American soldiers who fought
in the Civil War. |
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| Arlington National
Cemetery
America's largest national burial
ground with more than 600 acres of landscaped hills. Among the
thousands of white headstones are the graves of President John
F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and the Tomb
of the Unknowns. |
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| Friendship Arch
The "gateway" to
Chinatown, this multi-colored structure contains seven thousand
pieces of glazed tile, golden carved dragon panels and an
engraved marble center panel with Chinese characters. |
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| Lincoln Memorial
202-426-6841
This memorial is dedicated in
memory of President Abraham Lincoln. Lincoln is flanked be
engraved readings of the Gettysburg Address. |

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| National Law
Enforcement Officers Memorial 202-737-3400
This memorial is dedicated to
slain law enforcement officers. Individuals honored include
infamous Billy the Kid and officers killed September 11, 2001. |
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| Washington Monument
202-426-6841
This majestic obelisk is one of
the tallest masonry structures in the world, dedicated in 1885
to the nation's first president, George Washington. |
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Museums
| Ford's Theatre
202-347-4833
The site of the 1865
assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, the renovated museum
tells the story of the assassination. |
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| National Air &
Space Museum 202-357-2700
The world's most visited museum
houses the Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer, Lindbergh's Spirit of
St. Louis, Appollo II and more. |
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| National Aquarium
202-482-2826
The nation's first public
aquarium has 70 tanks that house sea turtles, American
alligators, sharks, piranha and 1,200 other specimens of marine
life. |
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| National Archives
202-501-5000
The "nation's file
cabinet" houses the original Declaration of Independence,
the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. |
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| National Zoological
Park 202-673-4717
The National Zoo offers a
collection of more than 3,000 exotic animals, birds and
reptiles. "Amazonia" is a re-creation of the world's
largest rain forest. |
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| Smithsonian Institute
202-357-2700
Known as the Castle, the oldest
of the 15 Smithsonian museums in Washington house the crypt of
founder James Smithson, scale models of Washington's monumental
core and so much more. |
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| United States
Holocaust Memorial Museum 202-488-0400
The museum depicts the history of
the 6 million Jews and others who suffered during the Nazi rule
of Germany. |
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| International Spy
Museum 202-393-7798
Featuring the largest collection
of international espionage-related artifacts open to the public,
the museum chronicles the history of spying throughout the ages
and across the globe. |
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| Folger Shakespearean
Library 202-675-0375
Home to the world's largest
Shakespeare collection, the Folger is a major international
center for scholarly research and a lively venue for exhibitions
and the performing arts. |

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Shopping
| Union Station
202-289-1908
For nearly a hundred years, Union
Station has been the gateway to the nation's capital. Every
year, 29 million visitors enjoy shopping, entertainment and an
international variety of food in the Beaux Arts transportation
hub. |
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Copyright © 2006 Great Escape. All Rights Reserved
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