Washington DC Driving Tour
Every time we visit Washington, D.C. we do a car tour of the area. Our favorite Washington, D.C. drive is a quick tour through the heart of the nation’s capital.
This drive is basically a simple drive along the National Mall and the area stretching from the Potomac River and Lincoln Memorial to the U.S. Capital. The route goes by many of major monuments, museums and government buildings.
Washington, D.C. is known for its traffic, but this central area can be surprisingly uncrowded. The entire drive can be done in less than half an hour.
This route closely follows the Red Loop of the Washington, D.C. hop-on, hop-off bus tour. If we were visiting the area for the first time, we would definitely do this tour as it adds some other more complicated routes. They also provide narration of the many historic sites on the route. This tour is available through for a discount through the Go Washington DC Pass.
I was born a block from the White House at George Washington University Hospital. Although I live In San Diego I have been to Washington, D.C. hundreds of times. Nevertheless, I am always amazed at the new discoveries I make. This is an area where history is currently being made every day.
NOTE: Most of the pictures from the post were taken in an actual drive on this route in April 2019. We also did this drive in November 2019. It is designed to give you an indication of what you are likely to see without dressing it up. There are a couple of exceptions but they are indicated in the caption.
Our basic route comes from Virginia across the Potomac River on the I-66 freeway. This goes across Theodore Roosevelt Island in the middle of the Potomac between Arlington, Virginia and D.C. For many years my parents lived in Arlington right by Theodore Roosevelt Island.
As you enter the District of Columbia, the I-66 will take you straight onto Constitution Avenue. Constitution Avenue is the main route along the north end of the National Mall. It runs parallel to Independence Avenue on the south end of the Mall.
You start on Constitution Avenue by the Lincoln Memorial which will be directly on your right. There is significant road work going on in this area and it limited our drive through we did at the end of 2019.
The “National Mall area” starts on the right from the Lincoln Memorial to the Capital. The official National Mall is the area from 14th St to the U.S. Capital. However, this is the start of one continuous green space that encompasses the area from the Potomac River to the Capital.
On the left at 22nd street is a statute of Albert Einstein. The Vietnam Memorial is directly to the right but is not visible from the road.
Constitution Avenue goes along the Reflecting Pools in front of the Lincoln Memorial until 17th Street. On the right at 17th Street is the World War II Memorial. Beyond 17th Street, the Mall area opens to the grounds of the Washington Monument. The Monument just reopened in late 2019 after several years of repair.
Along this route there are many monuments and memorials that are not readily known. This is where a guided tour can really enhance the experience. For example at the corner of 17th and Constitution is what I have always called the Flaming Sword Memorial. It is actually the Second Division Memorial. It was dedicated in 1936 with the 18-foot flaming sword meant to represent the 2nd Division’s defense of Paris in World War I.
On the left of Constitution Avenue between 17th and 15th Street is the Ellipse and the White House Lawn. You can get a distant view of the White House which is officially at 16th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue (1600 Pennsylvania). You used to be able to get much closer to the White House, but this will be your best view from a car.
Going past 15th Street you enter the official National Mall area that runs one mile from the Washington Monument to the U.S. Capital. This is the start of museum row with the large (and free) Smithsonian Institution museums.
The first museum you will see is the impressive new National Museum of African American History and Culture. Lines for this museum are still long and you need a timed ticket.
Next to the African American Museum are two family favorites, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.
On the left on Constitution Avenue are government buildings where much of the work of the federal government is done. Starting at 15th St is the Department of Commerce. Between 10thh and 14th Street is the Federal Triangle area with buildings named after President Reagan, President Clinton and a Trump International Hotel. The IRS, EPA, US Customs and other agencies have their headquarters here.
The Department of Justice takes up an entire block along Constitution between 10th and 9th St. At 9th Street, just past the Natural History Museum is the National Archives on your left. This impressive building is home to many historical documents including the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.
On the right on Constitution Ave, from 9th to 7th St., is the outdoor National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. This leads to the massive National Gallery of Art complex which runs across two main buildings from 7th St to 3rd St.
Constitution Avenue merges right onto Pennsylvania Avenue before 4th St. Pennsylvania Avenue runs diagonally from the U.S. Capital to the White House.
Pennsylvania Avenue ends directly in front of the U.S. Capital. There is a roundabout at 1st Street and Pennsylvania where there are spaces to briefly stop and take pictures. First Street runs parallel to the Capital and Capital Hill. On the right is a memorial to President Grant. It overlooks the Capital Reflecting Pool and the National Mall.
At the other end of the Capital, 1st St comes to another roundabout. This will take you onto Maryland Avenue. The building directly ahead as you come down 1st St is the United States Botanic Garden.
Maryland Avenue runs for just a block before bearing right onto Independence Avenue. Independence Avenue runs parallel to Constitution Avenue on the south side of the Mall. Again, on your right, will be museums and on your left government buildings.
The National Museum of the American Indian is right at the intersection of 3rd St, Maryland and Independence Avenue. Next door is the massive Smithsonian Air and Space Museum which runs from 4th St to 7th St. This museum is going through a massive 5-year reconstruction so there is the possibility of a detour.
On your left along Independence Avenue government buildings you see will include Health and Human Services (3rd St), the Department of Education (4th St), the FAA (7th), the Department of Energy (9th to 12th St) and the Department of Agriculture (12th to 14th St).
Past the donut shaped modern art Hirshhorn Museum between 7th and 9th, is the original Smithsonian complex. The first building is the Arts and Industries Building which was opened in 1881. We have seen many exhibits here, but it is in the process of being restored.
The signature structure is the Smithsonian Institution Building (aka The Castle). It was built in 1855. Today it operates as the Smithsonian Visitor Center. In front of the Castle are two art museums. The Freer Gallery of Art and the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery focus on Asian art. The National Museum of African Art focuses of course on the art of Africa.
From 12th to 14th Street the massive Department of Agriculture complex takes up both sides of the road. At the corner of 14th Street and Independence the official National Mall area ends. To the left is the United States Memorial Holocaust Museum. The Washington Monument area is on the right.
As you drive on Independence along the Washington Monument grounds, to your left is the Tidal Basin. This is where the famous cherry blossoms bloom for a couple of weeks during the end of March/early April (it varies but the mean date is April 4th).
The opposite end of the Tidal Basin is framed by the Jefferson Memorial. This entire area consists of grassy parks on both sides of the street. On the right is the World War II Memorial at the start of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool. On the left at the end of the Tidal Basin is the Marin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Right before the Lincoln Memorial, on the right is the Korean War Veterans Memorial. Like the Vietnam Memorial it is not really visible from the road.
It is here that some issues with our driving route occurred in late 2019. Construction and/or security issues can change plans in Washington, D.C. and one needs to be prepared to run an audible.
Currently there is a great deal of construction going on near the Lincoln Memorial and several roads are closed for either the short or long-term.
Normally the route would be to go across the Arlington Memorial Bridge, but this is closed for major remodeling. Instead our plan was to go along Ohio Dr down the Potomac starting at the Lincoln Memorial. We would turn left on West Basin Dr back to Independence Avenue. We would head back Independence Avenue to 14th Street where we would go right and get on the I-395.
However, the route to Ohio Dr was blocked. Instead, we took Independence Avenue back to Maine Avenue along the Tidal Basin. At this point we picked up the I-395 back into Virginia.
As an alternative route you can circle around the Tidal Basin. Basin Dr runs one-way clockwise around the Tidal Basin. It gives you a good view of the Jefferson Memorial and goes by the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. It meets back up with Independence Avenue by the Martin Luther King Memorial.
Just be aware that this area has regular road closures and many of the streets run one-way. However, even with road closures this is a simple drive. The goal is to get a quick taste of central Washington, D.C.
For some longer drives in the area some top suggestions would be:
- George Washington Memorial Parkway: a scenic drive running on the Virginia side of the Potomac from Washington’s Mt Vernon home in the south to Great Falls National Park in the north.
- Rock Creek and Potomac Parkway: starting from the Lincoln Memorial, the parkway runs along the Potomac River past the Kennedy Center and infamous Watergate buildings. Past Watergate and Georgetown it turns north through the district, going past the zoo and DC’s largest open space park area.
- Massachusetts Avenue: Massachusetts runs through the Northwest section of the District from Union Station to Maryland. It goes by Embassy Row, the Vice=President’s house on the grounds of the National Observatory and the Washington National Cathedral.
