Day 1 :  WASHINGTON DC                                    

Begin your day with a tour of the U.S. Capitol, seat of the legislative branch of the United States' government. The Capitol Guide Service offers a free 45-minute guided tour, which includes the current chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives, when these bodies are not in session. Depart the Capitol and stroll across the street to the U.S. Supreme Court, home of the judicial branch of the government. On the ground floor visitors can view changing exhibits which depict the history of the Court. Just a block away is the Library of Congress, the world's largest library with 26 million books, films, documents and photographs. Daily tours begin at the James Madison Memorial Building.

During lunch you can continue your tour of this historic area with a walk through Union Station. This beautifully restored train station now houses shops, restaurants, a nine-screen movie complex, plus a busy Amtrak and Metro subway station.

A must-see in Washington are one of the 14 Smithsonian Institution Museums, which include the National Air & Space Museum, National Museum of African Art, National Museum of American Art, and the National Museum of Natural History. Since it is impossible to see all 14 museums in a single visit, pick a few and save the rest for your next trip.

Next, visit the National Gallery of Art. The West Building features a collection of international masterpieces from the 13th to the 19th centuries, including the only da Vinci painting in the Americas. The modern East Building, designed by I.M. Pei, houses a unique collection of 20th-century art. Complete your afternoon with a visit to the National Archives which displays America's most treasured documents, those which define our government and national philosophy: the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

This evening visit one of Washington's most colorful neighborhoods: eclectic Adams Morgan! Where you can choose your favorite cuisine from Italian to Ethiopian, Vietnamese to Russian, Japanese to French, Latin American to Afghan, there is a menu to whet even the most adventuresome appetite!

Courtesy of the Washington DC Convention and Visitors Bureau