Washington D.C. Bingo: Spot 30 Typically DC Things
Walk the National Mall, tick off the card, snap a photo of every typically DC thing you can find. From the Washington Monument obelisk to the columns of the Lincoln Memorial, this is a 30-item DC bingo that turns any walk into a treasure hunt. No fixed route. Just keep your eyes open.
Challenges (30)
Spot the Washington Monument obelisk
Find the Washington Monument obelisk on the National Mall. Photograph the white spike.
Spot the Capitol dome
Find the U.S. Capitol dome from the Mall or Capitol Hill. Photograph the white dome.
Spot the White House (from across Lafayette Square)
Find a view of the White House from Lafayette Square or Pennsylvania Avenue. Photograph the columned facade.
Spot the Lincoln Memorial columns
Walk to the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the Mall. Photograph the Doric columns or Lincoln himself inside.
Spot an American flag in DC
Find a US flag on a DC building (the Capitol, embassy row). Photograph it.
Spot a DC flag (three red stars two bars)
Find the DC city flag (three red stars over two red bars on white). Photograph it.
Spot a Washington Nationals or Capitals kit
Find a Nationals (red W) or Capitals (red-and-white) jersey. Photograph the kit.
Spot a DC Metro M
Find a brown M sign at any DC Metro entrance. Photograph the sign.
Spot a Smithsonian banner
Find a Smithsonian Museum banner outside any Mall museum (Air & Space, American History, Natural History). Photograph the banner.
Spot a Library of Congress facade
Find the Library of Congress on Capitol Hill (Italian Renaissance facade). Photograph the building.
Spot the Jefferson Memorial dome
Find the Jefferson Memorial across the Tidal Basin. Photograph the dome reflected in the water.
Spot a Lincoln Reflecting Pool view
Walk along the Reflecting Pool and photograph the Washington Monument reflected in the water.
Spot a Smithsonian Castle facade
Walk to the Smithsonian Castle on the Mall, the red sandstone Norman-Romanesque facade. Photograph the towers.
Spot an embassy flag
Walk down Embassy Row on Massachusetts Avenue and find a foreign flag flying outside an embassy. Photograph the flag.
Spot a Georgetown cobblestone street
Walk into Georgetown and find a cobblestone street (M Street side streets, the O Street). Photograph the stones.
Spot a DC row house (Capitol Hill)
Find a brick row house with a stoop on Capitol Hill. Photograph the row.
Spot cherry blossoms (March-April only)
In early spring find pink-and-white cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin. Outside the season find a cherry-blossom mural, sticker or souvenir. Photograph the blossoms.
Spot the World War II Memorial
Find the World War II Memorial fountains on the Mall. Photograph the pool with the state pillars.
Spot the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall
Walk to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and find the black granite wall. Photograph the panel reflectively.
Spot the Korean War Veterans statues
Find the Korean War Veterans Memorial with the marching soldier statues. Photograph the figures.
Spot a half-smoke at Ben's Chili Bowl
Walk to Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street and photograph the storefront with the half-smoke menu.
Spot a DC mumbo sauce takeaway
Find a takeaway with DC mumbo sauce on the menu (Chinese-takeaway-meets-soul-food). Photograph the bottle.
Spot the Old Post Office tower or Trump Hotel
Find the Old Post Office tower (now the Waldorf Astoria) on Pennsylvania Avenue. Photograph the granite tower.
Spot a Supreme Court facade
Find the Supreme Court building on Capitol Hill. Photograph the white marble columns.
Spot a Tidal Basin paddleboat
Walk to the Tidal Basin and find a paddleboat. Photograph the boats.
Spot the Iwo Jima Marines Memorial
Find the Iwo Jima Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington. Photograph the bronze flag-raising.
Spot a DC political-button street vendor
Near the Mall find a vendor selling political buttons, T-shirts and "I ♥ DC" merch. Photograph the cart.
Spot a horse and Park Police officer
Find a US Park Police officer on horseback on the Mall. Photograph the horse and rider.
Spot Union Station main hall
Walk into Union Station and find the main hall with the gold-leaf ceiling. Photograph the interior.
Spot a White House security barrier
Around the White House find the bollards, fences and barriers protecting the perimeter. Photograph the security.
Frequently asked questions
The duration is up to the organizer when they set up the adventure. As a guideline, a full day across the National Mall, Capitol Hill and Georgetown ticks off most of the easy items, and stretching across a weekend lets a determined group complete all 30.
Each of the 30 items is a camera challenge. When you spot the thing, take a photo and submit it; the bingo card tracks progress. Play solo, with friends or split into teams and race to tick off the most items.
Some items (cherry blossoms in April, a White House view) need timing or planning. Sweep the National Mall for the easy items, Capitol Hill for the Capitol, Georgetown for cobblestones, Foggy Bottom for embassies.
The National Mall hits the most items in a walking loop. Add Capitol Hill, Georgetown and the Tidal Basin for the cherry blossoms in spring, and Dupont Circle or the U Street neighbourhood for the harder items.
Yes. Kids love spotting the Washington Monument, the Capitol dome and Smithsonian banners; adults enjoy hunting embassy flags, cherry blossoms and political memorabilia. No alcohol stops are required.