Public tour requests must be submitted through your Member of Congress. These self-guided tours are generally available Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted). Requests can be submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days in advance. You are encouraged to submit your request as early as possible as a limited number of spaces are available. The White House tour is free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.

The Capitol Visitor Center welcomes visitors from across the United States and around the world. Identification is not required to enter the Capitol or to enjoy a tour. All visitors tour the historic areas of the Capitol on a guided tour. All tours, programs and activities are free of charge. U.S. residents may also contact the offices of their representative or senators. Many congressional offices offer their own staff-led tours to constituent groups of up to 15 people, and most can assist you in reserving a tour of the Capitol.

Kirsten's favorite memorial and host to many of our engagement photos! Thomas Jefferson played an outsized role as one of the republic's founding fathers, the principal author of the Declaration of Independence, and the third president. Accordingly, he has an enormous statue in a circular, neoclassical, open-air building, based largely on the design of the Roman Pantheon, and standing prominently on the bank of the Tidal Basin. Quotes from Jefferson's writings, including the Declaration of Independence, are reproduced on the walls.

Most of the D.C. memorials, especially those for U.S. leaders, are meant to awe and impress in a very direct manner. None more so than this impressive monument in a commanding location at the end of the Mall. Modeled after the Greek Temple of Zeus, Lincoln sits with a commanding presence overlooking the reflecting pool, straight across the Mall to the Washington Monument and beyond it the Capitol Building. Few monuments in the world can match the simple power of the Lincoln Memorial at night, which is our favorite time to visit this spectacular site.

Rotunda and exhibit hall, Open Daily 10AM-9PM (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day); last admission 30 minutes before closing. The original copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights are on display. We highly recommend making this the last stop of the day, as you will be given much more time to examine the documents--and even press your nose to the glass to read them more closely!

Dine in or take out! Oki Bowl is a quirky noodle house serving ramen and sake bombs (we insist!) in a space packed with various lights and curios. Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from our hotel blocks! Try Kirsten's favorite, the miso bowl if you're looking for some good comfort soup. Or try Michael's, the kimchi bowl, if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge (we're talking heat!). Be sure to wash it all down with bottle of cold sake!

One of the most popular restaurants in all of District of Columbia and certainly one of our favorites: Founding Farmers is a farm-to-table co-op owned American eatery dishing out all sorts of great southern comfort cuisine with a modern twist. Start off with an off-the-menu cocktail from the creative bartenders, but make sure to call for reservations early, as waits can exceed 45 minutes.