At the age of ten, my family took a trip to Washington, D.C
. It was my first time visiting the capital of the United States, and I was filled with excitement and awe. We stayed in a hotel located just a few blocks away from the White House, which was one of the highlights of the trip.
On our first day, we took a bus tour of the city, which was a great way to see all the famous landmarks and monuments. We passed the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, which looked much bigger than I had seen in pictures. We also got a peek at the Capitol Building and saw some of the beautiful cherry blossom trees that bloom in the spring.
One of my favorite parts of the trip was visiting the Smithsonian museums, which are free to the public. We spent hours exploring the National Air and Space Museum, where we saw the Wright Brothers' plane, the Apollo 11 capsule, and the space shuttle Discovery. We also visited the National Museum of American History, where we saw the original Star-Spangled Banner and other fascinating artifacts.
Another highlight of the trip was seeing the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The soldiers were dressed in full ceremonial uniform, and the precision of their movements was impressive.
Of course, no trip to Washington, D.C. is complete without a visit to the White House. We took a tour of the public areas, including the East Room and the State Dining Room. It was surreal to stand on the same floors that so many world leaders have walked before.
Overall, my trip to Washington, D.C. was a memorable experience. It taught me a lot about American history and politics and sparked a lifelong love for travel and exploration.