Things to Do in Downtown and Penn Quarter
Theaters, galleries and restaurants between the White House and Chinatown.
See top-rated activities »About Downtown DC
Downtown Washington runs north of the Mall from the White House to Chinatown, and its eastern half, Penn Quarter, is where the city goes out at night. Theaters, the Capital One Arena and many of Washington's best-known restaurants sit within a few blocks of each other, and the Gallery Place and Metro Center stations make it the easiest part of town to reach.
History is close at hand. Ford's Theatre, where Abraham Lincoln was shot in April 1865, is still a working playhouse, and a visit includes a museum in the basement and the Petersen House across the street, where he died the next morning. A few blocks away, the old Patent Office Building holds two Smithsonian museums under one roof, the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum, joined by a glass-roofed courtyard that makes a good place to rest. The National Building Museum, in a vast 1887 hall of brick columns, puts on exhibitions about architecture and design.
Farther west, the White House is best seen from Lafayette Square on the north side or from the Ellipse to the south. Public tours of the White House must be requested through a member of Congress, or an embassy for international visitors, weeks in advance. The Renwick Gallery, opposite the White House grounds, shows contemporary craft and art and is free.
Beyond downtown, Dupont Circle and Embassy Row offer grand mansions and some of the city's best walking, and the Phillips Collection near the circle was one of America's first museums of modern art. Logan Circle, U Street and Adams Morgan, a short ride north, are known for music clubs, bars and restaurants, including Ben's Chili Bowl. U Street was once called Black Broadway, and Duke Ellington grew up nearby; historic markers along the sidewalks tell the story of the jazz clubs and theaters that made it famous.
Don’t Miss
The theater where Lincoln was assassinated, with a museum and the boarding house where he died. Timed tickets are released through the theater.
Presidential portraits, American art from colonial times to now and a covered courtyard, all free in one historic building.
Exhibitions on architecture and design inside a huge Great Hall with 75-foot columns.
The park on the north side of the White House, with its statue of Andrew Jackson, is the classic place to see and photograph the residence.
The Smithsonian's gallery of contemporary American craft and decorative art, in an 1859 building across from the White House grounds.
A museum of modern art in a family mansion, best known for Renoir's Luncheon of the Boating Party and a room of Rothko paintings.
The ornamented gate over H Street marks Washington's small Chinatown, next to the Capital One Arena.
Top-Rated Tours, Tickets & Activities in Downtown DC
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ViatorViatorTours, tickets, prices and reviews from Viator (a Tripadvisor company) and Tiqets — prices are per person, from, and were checked October 27, 2026. Best of Washington, DC may earn a commission when you book, at no extra cost to you.
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Get free trip quotes »Downtown DC — FAQ
How can I tour the White House?
Public tours are free but must be requested through your member of Congress, and requests are accepted well in advance. Foreign visitors ask through their embassy in Washington. Without a tour, the best views are from Lafayette Square and the Ellipse.
Is Penn Quarter a good place to stay?
For a first visit, yes. It is walkable to the Mall, has several Metro lines and is full of restaurants that stay open after the museums close.
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