The steep set of stairs dropping down to M St is a popular track for joggers, but more famously it's the spot where demonically possessed Father Karras tumbles to his death in horror-film classic The Exorcist (1973). Come on foggy nights, when the stone steps really are creepy as hell.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
13.66 MILES
One of America's most visited historic sites, Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington.
2.98 MILES
The legendary exhibits at the National Air and Space Museum include the Wright brothers' flyer, Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1, Charles Lindbergh's Spirit of St…
2.89 MILES
Two buildings. Hundreds of masterpieces. Infinite enjoyment. It's easy to spend a full day at the National Gallery of Art, which showcases a whole range…
1.56 MILES
Anchoring the National Mall's west end is the hallowed shrine to Abraham Lincoln, who gazes across the Reflecting Pool beneath his neoclassical, Doric…
National Museum of African American History & Culture
2.26 MILES
Located in Washington, DC, the sensational National Museum of African American History & Culture is devoted exclusively to the documentation of African…
3.48 MILES
Since 1800, this is where the legislative branch of American government (ie Congress) has met to write the country's laws.
1.9 MILES
Play image association with the words “Washington, DC,” and chances are the first thing that comes to mind is the White House. The president’s pad is…
1.52 MILES
Sprawling across hills above the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for America’s most revered…
Nearby attractions
0.16 MILES
Georgetown is one of the nation's top universities, with a student body that's equally hard-working and hard-partying. Founded in 1789, it was America’s…
0.19 MILES
Near the Georgetown University campus' east gate, medieval-looking Healy Hall impresses with its tall, Hogwarts-esque clock tower.
0.21 MILES
A pretty little refuge with a quiet courtyard on Georgetown University's campus.
0.52 MILES
This park is a favorite with couples on first dates, families on an evening stroll and power players showing off their yachts. Benches dot the way, where…
0.55 MILES
Built in 1766 in what was then the British colony of Maryland, the capital's oldest surviving building has been a tavern, a brothel and a boardinghouse …
0.57 MILES
This 1816 neoclassical mansion was owned by Thomas Peter and Martha Custis Peter, the granddaughter of Martha Washington, and lived in by six generations…
7. Mt Zion United Methodist Church
0.66 MILES
Founded in 1816, Mt Zion United Methodist Church is DC’s oldest black congregation. Its original site, on 27th St NW, was a stop on the Underground…
0.68 MILES
The mansion's 27 acres of enchanting formal gardens are straight out of a storybook. The springtime blooms – including heaps of cherry blossoms – are…