Americans are known for employing hyperbole. Everything in the USA is the biggest, the best or the shiniest. Therefore, if you ask the typical American what the most powerful place in the world is, the citizen would answer “Washington DC”. Whether this is true may be open to debate, but there is little doubt that omnipotence oozes out of the nation’s capital, which is a chockfull of powerful places, powerful ideas, powerful people and powerful ego.

The White House

It is the official residence and workplace of the President of the USA. I don’t think Donald Trump nor George Washington ever stayed here, but it has been the home of every president. While all US citizens have to apply for passes from members of Congress, foreigners must contact their embassies in Washington for help with submitting their tour requests. Once you cross that threshold, there is a self-guided tour of the main floor ahead.

Among the rooms that one can visit are the Red, Blue and Green Rooms, the State Dining Room, the China Room (where White House tableware is displayed) and the East Room. If you are lucky, you might spot Bo the First Dog or see a Secret Service agent staring at you behind dark sunglasses. The house is seemingly enormous, with 132 rooms, 35 bathrooms and eight staircases, plus grounds that encompass 18 acres.

US Capitol Building 

Next stop on the Washington power grid is the US Capitol. Aside from plentiful bathrooms and a restaurant, the centre also houses exhibits providing context to the legislative branch of the US government. No reservations are needed for the visitors centre, but reservations are needed to tour the Capitol. You get to see the towering dome, Statuary Hall, jam-packed with likeness of famous Americans – the old US Senate chamber, the first Supreme Court, and a few other nooks and crannies. International visitors can enquire about gallery passes at the House and Senate Appointment Desks located in the visitors centre.

Library of Congress

After studying up on Congress, take the underground tunnel leading to one of those DC institutions that showcases the fact that knowledge is power. The largest library in the world, it houses millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts, including a Gutenberg Bible and a 1507 map of the world. When it opened its doors in 1897, the Library of Congress represented an unparalleled national achievement, as being the largest, costliest and safest library in the world. Its elaborately decorated Great Hall, embellished by the work of dozens of American artists, links the US to classical traditions of learning and depicts the country’s technological and cultural achievements. The Main Reading Room steals the show, with the domed expanse surrounded by looming statues of the muses and of literary and scientific icons, like something straight out of a movie.

Vietnam Veteran Memorial

Honoring the men and women who served in the controversial Vietnam War, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial chronologically lists the names of more than 58,000 Americans who gave their lives in service to their country. The memorial also includes “The Three Servicemen” statue and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial.

The Smithsonian

The span between the Capitol and the Lincoln memorial is lined by museums of the Smithsonian, plus the National Gallery of Art. It was established with funds from James Smithson, an 18th century British scientist who desired to establish in Washington an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge.

For his amount donated, he got 19 museums and the National Zoo. The total count of objects, works of art and specimens in the Smithsonian is about 137 million! The scope is mind-boggling. You can view the world’s largest coin or find 3.5 billion year old fossils. Walk into the National Air and Space Museum, the most popular in the Smithsonian galaxy, and you are in an orbit of famous flyers and their crafts. Be sure to purchase some astronaut ice cream on the way out, it is not out of this world, but it is a tantalising novelty.

The Washington Post

If you behind on the news, pick up the Washington Post or read it on your tablet as there are fewer hardcopies being printed nowadays. It is considered one of the nation’s top dailies, with the Washington Post having taken down presidents and coverage on a wide range of political controversies. While tours of the newspaper’s nondescript headquarters on 15th Street in downtown DC are not available, you can pop by the main entrance and take a look at a historic printing press dating from the 1800s.

Newseum

To get the real inside scoop on American journalism, head to the Newseum across the street from the National Mall. Not surprisingly for a journalistic endeavour, this museum sure knows how to tell a story. Galleries are devoted to all types of subjects, from the First Amendment of the US Constitution to the history of television, radio and the Internet. The display devoted to September 11, centred by an antenna from the World Trade Centre and highlighted by the September 12 front pages of hundreds of international newspapers, inevitably leads strangers to connect while sharing stories of their memories of the fateful day.

CIA Headquarters

Unless you are some security-cleared big shot, you won’ be seeing any of The Central Intelligence Agency campus. It is hidden behind trees, fields and fences in the suburb of Mclean, Virginia. You can take a peak behind the scenes online and discover that the compound displays a chunk of the Berlin Wall, several spy crafts designed to monitor the Soviet bloc during the 1960s and artwork ranging from official portraits of past directors to mysterious sculptures.

NSA Headquarters

The Cryptologic Museum sits adjacent to the National Security Agency (NSA) in remote Fort Meade, Maryland. This gem is a well-kept secret. In realty, it is a priceless collection of the nation’s cryptologic history. It includes early texts on cryptology, American Civil War signal honour flags, codebreaking and intelligence tradecraft from all of the major wars from the 20th century. Would-be spies can even test their skills at encryption and deciphering code on a German Enigma machine dating back to World War II.

To cap off a day of intrigue, head back to the city and spy on the city’s beautiful or powerful people at Cafe Milano. Keeping with the theme of the day, note that this Georgetown eatery was recently the site of some foiled international chicanery. These days, the nation’s capital is awash with a new energy, transforming itself into an exciting, faster-paced East Coast vacation destination.

Have you visited Washington DC and what are your opinions?