Visit Washington, D.C.

Flying into Washington Dulles International Airport is an easy way to start exploring the Capitol Region. Whether you’re heading into D.C. or exploring the wider D.C./Baltimore area, it’s all within reach. Consider renting a car to make it even easier to explore as much of the area as you please. Before you leave, though, make sure to explore the iconic main terminal building designed by Eero Saarinen.

Whether your visit takes you to nearby Sterling, to D.C.’s neighboring Arlington or Alexandria, or to D.C. proper, there’s plenty to explore in the Capitol Region. Sure, the National Mall is a can’t-miss sightseeing stop, but if you’re a frequent visitor to the area, you may want to broaden your horizons a bit on your next trip.

Arlington National Cemetery, the final resting place honoring those who have served the United States, is a common place for visitors to explore, but the area has a richer history than many realize. A portion of the estate upon which the cemetery is housed was a Civil War-era Freedman’s Village, established for freed and escaped slaves from the South and neighboring communities. Arlington is rich in African American history thanks to the strong communities of freed Americans that grew there, and there are several historic sites that tell the stories of these communities and how they forged their lives in the Capitol Region. Visit the Green Valley Pharmacy, an African American-owned pharmacy established in 1952 and the only one in the region that would serve everyone. It still operates today. To learn more about Freedman’s Village, desegregation, and other historic moments in African American lives, spend a day exploring the Black Heritage Museum.

From tracing the steps of George Washington in Alexandria, to museum and monument hopping in D.C. and exploring other towns that dot the region, there’s plenty of American history and modern charm to enjoy. See what you’ll discover on your next visit.

The D.C./Baltimore area has plenty for you to explore. Start your Capitol Region adventure by booking a flight on Southwest®. Southwest Airlines flies to Washington Dulles International Airport often, which makes it easy to plan your next visit. Of course, having a memorable trip is about more than finding cheap flights to Washington, D.C. (Dulles). Learn more about the Southwest® Experience and book your upcoming flight.

Other airports in the D.C./Baltimore area.

Want to fly into another airport Southwest serves? Consider booking a flight to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport or Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

Got flexible travel plans?

Use our Low Fare Calendar to find the lowest fares on flights to Washington, D.C. (Dulles) available inside your travel window.

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Things to do in Washington, D.C.

Memorable monuments
  • Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
  • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Enriching outings
  • Arena Stage
  • National Symphony Orchestra
  • Washington Ballet
Can’t-miss museums
  • Black Heritage Museum (Arlington)
  • National Museum of African Art
  • United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

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