3-Day Washington D.C., Niagara Falls from New York

D1

Day 1 New York → Philadelphia → Washington D.C.

• Attractions

  Independence National Historical Park

  US Capitol

  National Archives

  Washington DC

  White House

  Lincoln Memorial

  Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Accommodation

  Springhill Suites Gaithersburg / Comfort Inn Shady Grove - Gaithersburg - Rockville / similar

• Description

  Today, we'll drive to Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love, to visit Independence Historical Park and witness the history of American independence. We'll then travel to Washington, D.C., the political center of the United States. Home to the White House and Congress, it's also home to numerous museums and is a renowned tourist destination.
  
  Itinerary:
  New York → Philadelphia → Independence National Historical Park (30 mins) → Washington D.C. → U.S. Capitol In-depth Tour + The National Archives (Optional, inside visit U.S. Capitol & The National Archives + outside visit Supreme Court of the United States & Library of Congress, 120 mins) → White House (Outside visit, 30 mins) → Lincoln Memorial + Vietnam Veterans Memorial (45 mins) → Hotel
  
  Special Notes:
  1. If unable to enter U.S. Capitol, the attraction will be replaced with the Washington D.C. In-depth Tour (optional). Washington D.C. In-depth Tour itinerary: Air Force Memorial (20 mins)→ Thomas Jefferson Memorial(20 mins) → World War II Memorial (20 mins)
  
  Transportation: Drive from New York to Philadelphia
  Distance: 100KM
  Time: 1h40m
  
  Independence National Historical Park
  Philadelphia is a land that witnessed the independence and birth of the United States. The National Independence Historical Park, built in the spirit of the American War of Independence, contains some historical buildings related to the American Revolution and the founding of the country. It is known as "the most historic square mile in the United States." In the park, you can see the Independence Square surrounded by green trees, the towering milky white clock tower, and the bronze statues of the founding heroes standing on the lawn. The overall atmosphere here makes people feel solemn and dignified.
  
  Transportation: Drive from Independence National Historical Park to Washington D.C.
  Distance: 140KM
  Time: 2h30m
  
  U.S. Capitol
  As the political center of the United States, Washington has many iconic political and cultural landscapes, such as the Capitol Building and the U.S. Supreme Court. We will enter the Capitol Building, the geometric center of Washington, DC, walk along the gorgeous and exquisite congressional corridors, listen to the stories behind each mural and each statue, and deeply understand why this is the highest symbol of a government owned by the people, governed by the people, and for the people.
  
  The National Archives
  The National Archives houses precious documents, photographs, and video footage from various periods of American history. Among its most notable collections are the original parchment manuscripts of the founding documents, drafted at the founding of the nation in 1776. These documents include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Other collections include the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863, issued by Lincoln during the Civil War to free slaves, the surrender of Nazi Germany at the end of World War II, and the Watergate tapes that exposed Richard Nixon's corruption and ultimately brought him down.
  
  Washington D.C. In-depth Tour
  First, we'll visit the Air Force Memorial, composed of three curved steel columns over 80 meters long. Its design was inspired by the three white smoke trails left in the sky by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds during their aerobatic performances. We'll then visit the Jefferson Memorial, which commemorates the ideal that "all men are created equal," in front of Taidou Lake. We'll then visit the World War II Memorial, which honors the 16 million American service members who served during World War II.
  
  The White House
  The White House is a white neoclassical sandstone building covering an area of more than 73,000 square meters. It consists of the main building and the east and west wings. The White House is the office and residence of successive US presidents and is also synonymous with the US government. Many important US decision-making bills are signed and announced by the president in the White House. George Washington, the founding father of the United States, once expressed his views on the construction of the US President's residence: it must not be a palace, and it must not be luxurious, because the masters working here are servants of the state.
  
  Lincoln Memorial
  The Lincoln Memorial is a white ancient Greek temple-style building built to commemorate the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is regarded as an eternal statue of the United States and a symbol of Washington. It is also the most famous rally for the pursuit of peace and democracy. Martin Luther King delivered his speech "I Have a Dream" here.
  
  Vietnam Veterans Memorial
  The Vietnam Veterans Memorial is located north of the Lincoln Memorial. It is a 500-foot-long V-shaped monument made of black granite. It is used to commemorate the American soldiers and generals who died while serving in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The glittering black marble wall is engraved with the names of more than 57,000 US soldiers who died in the Vietnam War between 1959 and 1975, in chronological order of the date of each person's death.
  
  Transportation: Drive from Washington D.C. to Gaithersburg hotel
  Distance: 25KM
  Time: 40m