The Real Washington D.C. - the Mall

Few people know that Washington D.C. is the nation's number one tourist destination. People come to see the White House and the Capital building and the Lincoln Memorial and all the other monuments. They also come to see to see the major museums. All of these are located in a part of Washington D.C. known as the "Mall."

To be more clear, the Mall is the long grassy park that lies between the main avenues of downtown Washington D.C. Constitution and Independence Avenues. It also includes the buildings across both streets and some that lie adjacent. In short, the Mall is the downtown area of Washington D.C. that contains all the buildings, monuments and parks you see on television.

The White House

Probably best known among all the sites to see in Washington D.C. is the White House. Most people that come to the city have seen the White House on television or in movies. They've seen it in pictures on magazines and in books. For most, seeing it first hand though, is an almost surreal experience. It seems so familiar, even though you've never actually seen it. Most people first see it from a car or bus as they are traveling down one of the Avenues. Suddenly, it's just there, looking exactly as you've seen it so many times before. Only this time, it's snuggled in between other buildings; and it's smaller. This is one of the first comments most people make when they see it for the first time. Television and movies make it seem so much larger than life.

There are two main sides to the White House. The front, and the back. You seldom see the front on television, at least not the whole thing. It's the side you see when people are pulling up in limos. The other side, the one facing the ellipse is the one most often shown on television. It looks better from that angle since there is a great expanse of grass in front of it.

You can take a tour of the White House if you wish, but you need to get tickets before you arrive. You get tickets by contacting your state representatives in Washington, either your Senator's office or through your Congressmen.

The Washington Monument