爆料TV

Being an American can be incredibly expensive. While workers in the United States have seen a 1,015% increase in wages over the past 50 years, those gains haven't caught up with the, according to a 2025 report from Consumer Affairs. Between 1973 and 2023, the national consumer price index increased by 586%.

Although Americans have about 63% more purchasing power than 50 years ago, that quickly dissipates when factoring in the increased costs of housing and education. Housing costs have jumped about 1,045%, private college tuition has risen by 158%, and public college tuition has increased by 177%.

That imbalance has put a huge strain on the average American. In 2023, a record-high 42.9 million households were, according to an analysis of Census Bureau data by the Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies.

It's no wonder that maintaining savings, paying down debts and mortgages, and regular expenses are taking precedence. But not everything that's enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's a roster of completely free things to do in Washington, D.C..

From touring landmarks and historical sites to getting out into nature, you can find all this and more without swiping your credit card or crossing state lines.

To help you find your next free activity, compiled a list of the highest-rated free things to do in Washington, D.C. using data from . Tripadvisor ranks places using a combination of metrics, including overall rating, reviews, and number of page views. As a result, an activity with a 5 out of 5 overall rating might rank lower than one with a 4 out of 5. Data is as of Aug. 18, 2025. Only locations that received at least 20 reviews were included.

Read on to start planning a weekend of free fun near you!

You may also like: Highest-paying jobs for people with 2-year degrees in Washington, D.C.

Tripadvisor

1 / 30

#30. Smithsonian American Art Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,585 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

2 / 30

#29. Tidal Basin

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,715 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

3 / 30

#28. Smithsonian Institution Building

- Rating: 4.6/5 (3,553 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

4 / 30

#27. National Postal Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (1,170 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

5 / 30

#26. Union Station

- Rating: 4.2/5 (2,353 reviews)
-

You may also like: Most popular girl names in the 60s in Washington, D.C.

Tripadvisor

6 / 30

#25. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (5,996 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

7 / 30

#24. Capitol Hill

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,499 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

8 / 30

#23. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

- Rating: 4.6/5 (5,861 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

9 / 30

#22. Jefferson Memorial

- Rating: 4.6/5 (6,556 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

10 / 30

#21. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

- Rating: 4.8/5 (1,924 reviews)
-

You may also like: The most popular grocery items for Christmas in Washington, D.C., according to Instacart

Tripadvisor

11 / 30

#20. Korean War Veterans Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (11,115 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

12 / 30

#19. National World War II Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (10,232 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

13 / 30

#18. Georgetown

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,038 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

14 / 30

#17. Smithsonian's National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute

- Rating: 4.2/5 (4,683 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

15 / 30

#16. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (12,013 reviews)
-

You may also like: Washington, D.C. frozen pizza trends, according to Instacart data

Tripadvisor

16 / 30

#15. The National Archives Museum

- Rating: 4.5/5 (3,617 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

17 / 30

#14. National Portrait Gallery

- Rating: 4.7/5 (3,621 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

18 / 30

#13. United States Botanic Garden

- Rating: 4.6/5 (2,896 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

19 / 30

#12. American History Museum

- Rating: 4.4/5 (5,142 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

20 / 30

#11. National Museum of African American History and Culture

- Rating: 4.8/5 (3,819 reviews)
-

You may also like: Best private colleges in Washington, D.C.

Tripadvisor

21 / 30

#10. White House

- Rating: 4.1/5 (8,283 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

22 / 30

#9. Washington Monument

- Rating: 4.5/5 (9,574 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

23 / 30

#8. National Mall

- Rating: 4.6/5 (8,449 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

24 / 30

#7. U.S. Capitol

- Rating: 4.5/5 (7,216 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

25 / 30

#6. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

- Rating: 4.7/5 (11,394 reviews)
-

You may also like: Best colleges in Washington, D.C.

Tripadvisor

26 / 30

#5. Library of Congress

- Rating: 4.7/5 (9,209 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

27 / 30

#4. National Air and Space Museum

- Rating: 4.6/5 (23,673 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

28 / 30

#3. National Gallery of Art

- Rating: 4.8/5 (10,021 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

29 / 30

#2. Lincoln Memorial

- Rating: 4.7/5 (32,125 reviews)
-

Tripadvisor

30 / 30

#1. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

- Rating: 4.6/5 (12,644 reviews)
-

This story features data reporting by Wade Zhou, writing by Jill Jaracz, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 51 states.

You may also like: Richest billionaires in District of Columbia