The Best Websites in Washington, D.C.

• www.bwiairport.com: Ground transport, terminal maps, flight status, and airport facilities for Baltimore-Washington International Airport.

• www.culturaltourismdc.org: Cultural Tourism DC is a grass-roots, nonprofit coalition of more than 230 arts, heritage, community, and cultural organizations collaborating to promote the less-known stories and attractions of Washington. The website lists tours, itineraries, calendars, and plenty of background information about historic and cultural sites that you won't find anywhere else.

• www.dc.gov: This is the city of Washington's website, full of details about both federal and local D.C., including history and tourism. Every day, the site lists a calendar of what's going on around town.

• https://washington.org: Destination DC is the Washington, D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation. This website leads you through various screens of information on what to see and do in D.C. and provides travel updates and tips on where to stay, dine, shop, and sightsee.
  
  
• www.house.gov: This is the site for the U.S. House of Representatives. Find out about the legislative process, what's going on in Congress, and what's going on with your own representatives -- the site links you to the individual websites for each of the representatives.

• www.kennedy-center.org: Find out what's playing at the Kennedy Center and listen to live broadcasts through the Net.

• www.metwashairports.com: Ground transport, terminal maps, flight status, and airport facilities for Washington Dulles International and Ronald Reagan Washington National airports.

• www.mountvernon.org: Click on "Plan Your Visit" for daily attractions at Mount Vernon and a calendar of events, as well as information on dining, shopping, and school programs. For a sneak preview, click on "Virtual Tour" to see images of the master bedroom, dining room, slave memorial, and the Washingtons' tomb.

• www.nps.gov: This National Park Service site includes links to some dozen memorials and monuments. When you click "Find a Park" then click "DC" on the map, a map of the capital's National Park sites appears, including the National World War II Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, National Mall, Ford's Theatre, FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, and Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

• www.opentable.com: This site allows you to make reservations at most of the capital's restaurants.

• www.senate.gov: In the U.S. Senate site, click on "Visitors" for an online virtual tour of the Capitol building and information about touring the actual Senate Gallery. Also, find out when the Senate is in session. The site connects you with the websites for each of the senators; you can use this site to e-mail your senator.

• www.si.edu: This is the Smithsonian Institution's home page, which provides information about visiting Washington and leads you to the individual websites for each Smithsonian museum.

• www.visitthecapitol.gov: The Capitol Visitor Center's website posts the history of the Capitol and the center, discusses the art and architecture of the buildings and the legislative work that takes place within, and is the portal to the online reservation system for booking tours of the Capitol.

• www.washingtonian.com: The print magazine of the same name posts some of its articles here, including information on what's going on at museums, theaters, and other cultural showplaces around town, and a directory of reviews of Washington restaurants. The magazine really wants you to buy the print edition, though -- for sale at bookstores, drugstores, and grocery stores throughout the area.

• www.washingtonpost.com: The Washington Post's site is an extremely helpful source for up-to-date information on restaurants, attractions, shopping, and nightlife (as well as world news).

• www.wdcahotels.com: This nicely designed site recommends hotels suited for families, urbanistas, sightseers, or business travelers.

• www.whitehouse.gov: Click on "Tours and Events" to learn about visiting the White House and about upcoming public events. You'll find all sorts of links here, from a history of the White House, to archived White House documents, to an e-mail page you can use to contact the president or vice president. Twitter, Facebook, and other connections are all here.

• www.wmata.com: Timetables, maps, fares, and more for the Metro buses and subways that serve the Washington, D.C., metro area.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.