ANNAPOLIS. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay, Annapolis is more than a state capital: The Treaty of Paris was ratified here in 1784, and the city even served as the nation's capital for a year. And yet, Annapolis is no staid museum exhibit. Naval Academy midshipmen and students from St. John's University impart a youthful vigor to the city. Its restaurants stand poised with cold brews and delicious blue-crab cakes. Boating, yachting and summertime festivals attract folks to the City Dock all year long. Charming and perennially welcoming, Annapolis is great for a day trip or a journey into the past.

ALEXANDRIA. The groundbreaking architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed this beautiful yet functional home in 1940, using natural materials such as cypress and glass. The results are contemporary and magnificent. Don't miss the geometric stained glass that punctuates the walls. Inside, exhibits educate visitors about Wright's life and work.

DOWNTOWN. The Building Museum offers a wide array of exhibits covering architecture, construction and engineering, but the biggest draw here may be the architecture of the facility itself. The Great Hall is the essence of Italian Renaissance splendor, with massive columns, a dramatic fountain, and an ornate ceiling soaring 15 stories high. A 1200-foot terra cotta frieze decorates the exterior. Inside, learn about design through interactive exhibits, or see temporary exhibitions focusing on the development of ghettos, factories, parks, roads and more. A must for the architecture buff or the casual observer. METRO: Judiciary Square.

ADAMS-MORGAN. Completed in 1915, this imposing structure loosely replicates the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. It was built by the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry and includes meeting space, a library and historic archives. Among its most dramatic features are the sphinxes flanking the front door (representing Wisdom and Power) and the inside atrium, which welcomes guests with classical detailing and marble columns. Throughout the space, grand design, beautiful materials and rich furnishings transfix awed spectators. A must for architecture aficionados. METRO: Dupont Circle

NATIONAL MALL. The Smithsonian ­ for many, the image of the 19th-century sandstone "Castle" immediately springs to mind. The Institution itself is larger than most realize (14 museums and the National Zoo in DC alone) and granting only one day to "do the Smithsonian" is a mistake. Always-popular stops are the National Air & Space Museum and the National Museum of American History (closed until Summer 2008); however, the beautiful National Museum of the American Indian has emerged as a hot attraction, and the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Washington-Dulles serves as a fascinating repository of nearly 80% of the Smithsonian's air and space collection. METRO: Smithsonian