With plenty of monumental destinations to visit, and just over a three-hour drive away from campus, Washington, D.C. serves as a great place for students to visit.
The National Mall is one of Washington’s most visited spots — for good reason. Boasting magnificent and historic monuments such as the Washington Monument, the World War I and II Memorials and the Lincoln Memorial, the mall is a must-see for experiencing history come to life.
The mall contains a wide array of monuments, and though it is completely walkable, it is spread out across the city. A thorough tour of the entire site would take at least a full day. I only spent a few hours at the National Mall and barely scratched the surface of all it offers.
Washington is also known for its variety of Smithsonian museums. Each Smithsonian site offers an impressive array of knowledge, history, artifacts and interactive displays that are all free to the public.
While visiting the world’s largest museum complex, each of the Smithsonian Institution’s 21 museums would take at least a day to fully browse on their own, but touring just a floor or two is still a worthwhile venture. The National Air and Space Museum and National Museum of American History should not be missed.
Additionally, Washington is home to the Museum of the Bible, which houses biblical artifacts such as fragments of the Dead Sea Scrolls and a replica of a Gutenberg Bible. The exhibits detail the history of the Bible’s impact on the world, particularly Western civilization, and include several walkthrough experiences demonstrating what life looked like in Jesus’ time.
I found the museum to be quite edifying to my faith. Seeing tangible pieces of Christianity and the Bible’s history in front of me was encouraging — after all this time, God has kept his Word intact.
Before heading to Washington, be advised that most of your traveling will be done on foot. The city is pedestrian and bicycle friendly. Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes with plenty of support.
I’d recommend renting an electric scooter to move around the city faster. Scooting around the sidewalks saved me several hours of walking, and they are easy to find. Most of Washington’s street corners have a few scooters available for rental.
If you are in need of lodging during your trip, finding a hotel or other rental location close to the city would be the most convenient. My group and I stayed in a Hampton Inn & Suites a half hour away from the city. It was a comfortable stay, but a closer hotel would have been more convenient. During your visit, be cautious and try to return to your place before dark.
As for food, the streets are packed with a wide variety of food trucks — so choose wisely. There are a few restaurants within walking distance of the National Mall, but food trucks are typically the most time-efficient option.
When making plans for your next break, consider Washington, D.C. as a possible destination with all it has to offer.
Rath is a feature reporter for the Liberty Champion.