If it's your first time in DC, or if you just have a few days to see it all, start with this itinerary of must-see sights that's perfect for visitors of all ages.

DAY 1

The National Mall, home to many of the magnificent museums of the Smithsonian Institution, is a great place to start your day. See the magnificent jewels, dinosaurs and mammals on display at the National Museum of Natural History, the airplanes and interactive flight simulators at the National Air and Space Museum, and the stories, arts and crafts at the National Museum of the American Indian. And it's all free of charge. The museums also offer free tours to groups who reserve in advance.

There's more to explore on the National Mall than just the Smithsonian Institution. Art lovers won't want to miss a visit to the National Gallery of Art, while the National Archives is a must for any American history buff.

Evening
Enjoy a quick dinner in downtown or at a Capitol Hill neighborhood eatery then go to Union Station. The glorious train station is the departure point for tours of the monuments at moonlight offered by Tourmobile and Old Town Trolley. Bike the Sites and City Segway Tours (ages 16 & up) also offer evening tours in season departing from other points in the city. If you've booked a private charter, resist the temptation to see all of the monuments during the day and stop on your way back from dinner to see a few of them at night time.

DAY 2

After breakfast, tour the Capitol Hill neighborhood and explore the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and Supreme Court. The neighborhood is also home to Union Station and the Folger Shakespeare Library, which houses the largest collection of Shakespeare memorabilia outside of England.

For lunch, take Metro to downtown's Penn Quarter neighborhood. You'll also find lots of dining options-from casual barbeque to elegant French-near the Verizon Center. Or, feast on fresh noodles and flavorful soups in DC's Chinatown.

Go undercover at the International Spy Museum, where you can crack codes, take on covers and even let your group take on its own covert operation. Or, stop by the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum, the newest addition to the Smithsonian system. Other neighborhood must-sees include Madame Tussaudsand the Newseum (opening April 11).

Ride to the top of the Washington Monument (tickets required) or the Old Post Office Pavilion for a panoramic view of the city. Animal lovers may also wish to pay a visit to the National Zoo, home to giant pandas, cheetahs, tigers and other exotic species.

Evening
Discover DC's theatre scene. The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage offers free performances at 6:30 pm nightly. Other theatres, such as the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Arena Stage, Warner Theatre, National Theatre, regularly present familiar classics. For something a bit more contemporary, catch a show at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company or Studio Theatre.

DAY 3

Start your morning in one of DC's prized neighborhood attractions, like the Anacostia Community Museum, The Phillips Collection, Washington National Cathedral or Hillwood Museum & Gardens, then head to Georgetown for fantastic shopping and sightseeing in a charming historic setting. Step back in time with a mule-driven barge ride on the historic Chesapeake & Ohio Canal and stop for lunch at a casual bistro.

Evening
Sports fans can watch the Washington Nationals, Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, Washington Capitals or DC United in action. If your group is looking for nightlife, head to U Street for live jazz music or Adams Morgan to experience DC's eclectic, international scene.

Sample Itinerary: DC Insider: Get to Know the Neighborhoods

If you've been to DC before, or if you want to get to know DC from a local's point of view, follow this insiders' tour.

DAY 1

Start your morning by jogging or cycling around the scenic monuments or memorials. The Mount Vernon and Capital Crescent Trails take you past some of the city's most familiar sites. On your way back to the hotel, refuel with coffee or tea and a pastry or sandwich at a neighborhood café.

Spend your day shopping for funky home furnishings and vintage clothing in the Logan Circle/U Street neighborhood. Indulge in a chocolate milkshake and chili half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street, Washington, DC's historic Black Broadway. A neighborhood heritage trail guides visitors past the historic Lincoln Theatre, the boyhood home of Duke Ellington, the African-American Civil War Memorial and other points of interest.

Evening
Enjoy a cocktail and catch a live jazz show on U Street, or head to the Adams Morgan neighborhood, where you'll find an endless variety of cuisines from around the globe. Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Latin American… take your pick. Live blues music pours out of Madam's Organ and salsa dancing beckons at Havana Village, while stylish crowds flock to bars like Chloe, The Reef and Felix.

DAY 2

Have breakfast in Georgetown, where you'll find casual bistros and cafes situated on and around M Street and Wisconsin Avenue. Try on clothing and jewelry by local designers, rising names in fashion and international retailers in upscale boutiques in this neighborhood-one of the city's most famous shopping districts. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, head to the Georgetown Waterfront. Rent a kayak or canoe for a view of the city from the water, or hop on a bike and travel on the scenic C&O Canal Towpath.

In the afternoon, venture over to Dupont Circle and explore a fascinating collection of art galleries and book shops. In the circle itself, locals mix and mingle over pick-up games of chess. Take in an exhibition at The Phillips Collection, the nation's original modern art museum, home to some of the world's most prized paintings by Cezanne, Renoir and other noted artists.

Evening
See for yourself why Washington, DC's live music scene has earned such acclaim. Music enthusiasts flock to venues such as the Black Cat and the 9:30 Club, where national and local artists enjoy an intimate playing space. Have dinner and drinks near U Street or Dupont Circle before stepping out to the show.

DAY 3

Start your day in Anacostia, where you can explore DC's African-American heritage at the Anacostia Community Museum, tour the Frederick Douglass House at Cedar Hill and take advantage of a spectacular view of the DC skyline. As you cross the Anacostia River and return to downtown DC, stop at the Southwest Waterfront to lunch on seafood delicacies fresh from the Chesapeake Bay like oysters or steamed crabs at the boisterous Maine Avenue Fish Market.

In the afternoon, explore Penn Quarter, DC's new revitalized downtown district. Visit the high-tech, interactive International Spy Museum or the Donald W. Reynolds Center for Art and Portraiture, home to the National Portrait Gallery and the Smithsonian American Art Museum-the newest additions to the DC art scene.

To experience another up-and-coming neighborhood, wander over to Barracks Row along 8th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue SE, where new restaurants, specialty shops and boutiques are constantly opening. On the weekend, browse the arts, crafts and antiques for sale at nearby Eastern Market.

Evening
Washington, DC's theatre scene is booming. Enjoy a pre-theatre dinner at one of downtown's most fashionable eateries, then take in a show at the edgy Woolly Mammoth Theatre, the unconventional Studio Theatre, the funky Warehouse Theatre or the classical Shakespeare Theatre. Half-price same-day tickets are available at Ticketplace, located on Seventh Street across from the Shakespeare Theatre.

Sample Itinerary: African American Heritage

DAY 1

Start your day on Capitol Hill. Take a tour of the Supreme Court, site of many landmark civil rights decisions. Pay a visit to the Ebenezer Methodist Church, which opened the first public school for Washington blacks in 1863. Explore the school's archives, now housed within the church.

Continue to Lincoln Park, site of the Emancipation Statue. Dedicated in 1876, the statue was paid for solely with funds donated by freed slaves. Also located in the park is the Mary McLeod Bethune Memorial, the first memorial honoring a black American in the nation's capital. Stop for lunch at Union Station, where you'll find the statue of A. Philip Randolph, founder of the Sleeping Car Porters Union and an organizer of the 1963 March on Washington.

Take Metro to Metro Center and walk to the White House for a photo. Afterwards, stop at Freedom Plaza, site of the Martin Luther King, Jr. time capsule. Scheduled to be opened on January 15, 2008, the capsule contains Dr. King's bible, robe and other memorabilia.

Opposite Freedom Plaza is the Willard InterContinental Washington, where King finished his "I Have a Dream" speech. Landmark events in the hotel's history are chronicled in its history gallery. A few blocks away, the Decatur House Museum dedicates an exhibition to chronicle slave life during the federal period in Washington.

Or, trace your family's history at the National Archives, one of the most renowned destinations for serious genealogists.

Evening
Take a tour of the monuments by moonlight. At the Lincoln Memorial, look for a plaque marking the spot where Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have a Dream" speech.

DAY 2

Begin with a visit to the Metropolitan AME Church. Built by black artisans in 1886, it's the oldest continuously black-owned property in downtown Washington. Tour the Mary McLeod Bethune House at Logan Circle.

Continue on foot or in a cab to U Street, known between the 1920s and the 1950s as Washington's "Black Broadway." Stop for a tasty lunch at Ben's Chili Bowl, a DC landmark since 1958 then follow a self-guided neighborhood heritage trail. Be sure to visit the historic Lincoln Theatre, built in 1921, which hosted performances by many great talents from Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Cab Calloway to Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Pearl Bailey. The theater re-opened in 1994 after being beautifully renovated and now serves as a performing arts center.

Make a stop at the African American Civil War Memorial inscribed with the names of more than 209,000 African-American soldiers and their white officers.

Howard University is one Metro stop away. Howard's on-campus art gallery boasts an impressive collection of African artifacts and works by African-American artists.

Evening
Stick around U Street to experience the neighborhood's rich jazz legacy at venues like Twins, HR-57 and Bohemian Caverns. Or, head to Georgetown for an evening at Blues Alley, the world's longest-running jazz supper club. Sample savory North African cuisine at one of the Ethiopian eateries located around 9th and U Streets.

DAY 3

Start your day on the National Mall. The National Museum of African Art is the only U.S. museum devoted solely to the collection, study and exhibition of traditional arts of sub-Saharan Africa. The National Air and Space Museum pays tribute to African Americans achievements with its permanent exhibition, Black Wings: The American Black in Aviation. Head to the Southwest Waterfront for lunch at the Maine Avenue Fish Market.

Continue your sightseeing in Anacostia, the city's first planned suburb. Visit Cedar Hill, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site. A film in the visitor center documents the life of this famous abolitionist. Your next stop is the Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum, which provides an in-depth look at African-American history and culture.

Evening
Downtown Washington, DC is home to a number of hip, trendy nightclubs and restaurants. Or, catch a provocative theatrical performance by the African Continuum Theatre Company at the new Atlas Performing Arts Center.

Sample Itinerary: Culture Club

DAY 1

The National Gallery of Art is your first stop, home to an impressive collection of European and American paintings, including the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in North America. Enjoy a light bite in the Gallery's café or picnic in the Gallery's outdoor sculpture garden amidst vibrant art works and an ice-skating rink (open November-April).

Modern works await visitors to the Smithsonian's Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, also located on the National Mall. For traditional artwork, visit the National Museum of the American Indian. The museum's Chesapeake Museum Store features one-of-a-kind works by Native artisans. Admire treasures from around the world at the National Museum of African Art and the Freer & Sackler Galleries.

Leave the National Mall and take the Metro or the DC Circulator bus to Penn Quarter to visit the Donald W. Reynolds Center for American Art & Portraiture, home to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. Unlike the other museums in the Smithsonian system, these stay open until 7 pm to match the late-night vibe of the neighborhood.

Evening
Stop for tapas or a pre-theatre meal downtown then take in a performance at the world-renowned Shakespeare Theatre, where Artistic Director Michael Kahn brings celebrated classics to the stage at the new Harman Center for the Arts. For something more avant-garde, catch a performance at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre or Studio Theatre.

DAY 2

Begin your day early at The Phillips Collection, the first modern art museum in the United States, featuring works by Cezanne, Renoir, Picasso and others. The museum just opened a new addition allowing for more display space and new public programs. Browse Dupont Circle's countless galleries or explore other house museums, including the Woodrow Wilson House Museum and The Textile Museum. Admire the glorious houses and embassies that line Massachusetts Avenue.

Stop in a few of the neighborhood bookshops and boutiques, then travel north on Connecticut Avenue to Hillwood Museum and Gardens, the former home of Marjorie Merriweather Post, renowned for its collection of decorative and fine arts and its lavish gardens (reservations required).

Later, stop by Tudor Place, a Georgetown mansion that was once the home of Martha Custis Peter, granddaughter of Martha Washington. View the magnificent gardens of nearby Dumbarton Oaks.

Evening
Pause for dinner in one of Georgetown's inviting restaurants then take in a world-class performance at the Kennedy Center, home to the Washington National Opera and the National Symphony Orchestra. Or, soak in Georgetown's inviting scenery and take advantage of unique shopping opportunities with a walk along M Street or Wisconsin Avenue.

DAY 3

Begin your day with a visit to the National Museum of Women in the Arts, a little-known Washington, DC museum that features the works of more than 400 women artists from 28 countries. A few blocks away, the National Building Museum boasts one of the city's most magnificent interiors, along with a fascinating selection of exhibitions.

In the afternoon, head to the Corcoran Gallery of Art and stop for lunch in its museum café, then explore DC's oldest art gallery, featuring fine European masterworks and changing exhibitions from contemporary artists. Near the Corcoran, take time to discover the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the DAR Museum.

Evening
Spend an evening at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, a delightful open-air performance venue located in Northern Virginia. In winter, Wolf Trap holds intimate concerts in its Barns. Or, take advantage of extended hours at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museums. Shop the nearby galleries and have dinner in one of downtown's trendiest eateries.