It takes two elevator rides to reach the 270-foot-high observation gallery of this 1899 tower, which affords some of the best views available of the downtown Washington skyline and the Mall. The first ride, in a glass-walled elevator, whisks you up through the ornate, nine-story (160-foot-tall) atrium, which once served as the city's major mail depot and is now lined with offices of federal agencies dedicated to the arts and humanities. Then you take a dogleg through a hallway to a second, enclosed elevator, where you're carried up three stories more to the tower's observation deck. Two sides are enclosed in Plexiglas, but two sides are strung with protective wires, so you can feel the breeze and enjoy a sense of really being "up there," (The view is in some ways superior to what you get at the Washington Monument, and the lines at the Post Office are rarely long.
Expect no wait at all midday on a winter weekend.)

Make sure you take the narrow staircase down a few flights to visit the bell chamber, where you can get a close view of the Congress Bells, a gift from Great Britain for our national bicentennial in 1976. The bells are replicas of the 400-year-old set in London's Westminster Abbey. The largest bell, placed in the center of the arrangement and weighing in at 2,953 pounds, is big enough to accommodate an entire family of four. The bells are rung only for state and other special occasions, but you can press a button to hear a rather unconvincing recorded rendition. Note the extended evening summer hours -- a great chance to beat seasonal crowds.

-- John Kelly and Craig Stoltz

Words to the wise: If you drive, expect to pay $5 or $6 to park for the day on weekends. Otherwise, you'll have to cruise a long time for the few unrestricted on-street parking places.

Notes: Wheelchair access to bell area can be arranged. There are a few shops; kids have a hard time resisting the one featuring magic, juggling and other toys.

Food: The food court in the middle of the Post Office is an easy place to grab a snack, but other restaurants are in the area if you prefer.