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The United States Botanic Garden is a haven for not only nature lovers but for anyone who wants to find solace in its exceptional surroundings. The garden is a facility that features controlled climates so that some of the plants that are kept there can thrive as they would in their natural environments. Since the 1800s, this Garden has been gathering different types of plants and flowers from all over the world, not only for conservation efforts but to also explore their medicinal and cultural benefits. After you see all of this in the Garden's conservatory, stroll through Bartholdi Park to breathe in the fragrant flower beds and marvel at the fountain designed by Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, who designed the Statue of Liberty. Check back regularly as the Garden often stages special exhibits and outdoor concerts.

Ford's Theatre has a built-in drama all its own. This is where John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln, and that unsettling episode still resonates in the structure today. Take a tour that retraces the incident, and you can also get a look at some of the interesting backstage areas. And if you are visiting for a performance, the excellent acoustics and inviting seating arrangement will ensure that whether you are watching a play or a musical production, the entertainment takes on a deeper significance when you consider that you are sitting within some truly historic walls.

Getting into the Eighteenth Street Lounge may require getting past the very selective velvet rope. This premier nightlife venue doesn't just let anyone in, as it is a favorite haunt of the city's elite politicos, culture vultures and even the occasional celebrity. Once you do make it inside, you'll enjoy the cool, lounge atmosphere and superbly stocked bar. There are occasional live shows, DJs and various theme nights on the weekly calendar that are all worth checking out.

One of the city's most stunning attractions is the Washington National Cathedral that began construction in 1907 and was not completed until 1990. Theodore Roosevelt was just one of the Presidents who oversaw the cathedral's construction, and every US President has attended services there. The structure is approximately one-tenth of a mile long and it contains more than 200 stained-glass windows that create a mesmerizing effect when the sun shines through. The observation gallery within the cathedral offers still more unbelievable vantage points, and there are regular tours that explain the architecture, history and the church's mission in further detail.