The National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial honors the 184 lives lost in the headquarters for the Department of Defense and on American Airlines Flight 77 during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The touching memorial is a must-see on a capital area trip.

The Marine Corps War Memorial (Iwo Jima) depicts a Pulitzer-Prize winning photo by Joe Rosenthal of the Associated Press as he witnessed the flag-raising at the end of the World War II battle in 1945.

Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 service members. Visit the gravesites of President John F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and world champion boxer Joe Louis. Dozens of other memorials include the Coast Guard Memorial, the Spanish-American War Memorial and the USS Maine Memorial. See the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and visit the former home of Robert E. Lee.

The U.S. Air Force Memorial, whose three stainless steel spires soar from the promontory reaching 402 feet above sea level, honors those who have served in the U.S. Air Force.

The Women in Military Service for America Memorial includes a Visitors Center with indoor exhibits that explore women’s roles in American military history. Enjoy a film presentation, “In Defense of a Nation,” and view the Hall of Honor.

Museums & Memorials in Washington D.C.

Just across the Potomac River, you could easily spend a week exploring the treasures of the Smithsonian Institution, such as the Air and Space Museum (moon rocks!), American History Museum (the flag!) and Museum of Natural History (butterflies!). And it’s free!

Start at the Smithsonian Castle, where the visitor is king, and get a grasp of the scope and scale of the Smithsonian from in-house experts. They can point you to the National Museum of the American Indian and the National Museum of African American History and Culture, nine other museums and galleries on the National Mall and six more plus the National Zoo in the capital area. See the largest collection of American art in the world featuring such luminaries as John Singleton Copley, Winslow Homer and Georgia O’Keeffe at the American Art Museum. Experience the outdoor classroom, the National Mall, and you’ll find the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the U.S. Capitol and the White House. Get snaps of the Jefferson Memorial, World War II Memorial, FDR Memorial and Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.