Great places (besides the Washington Monument) for great views

The Washington Monument is the place for unparalleled 360-degree views of the nation’s capital. But the only people allowed up these days are inspectors in climbing harnesses who began scaling the 555-foot tower Tuesday to check on damage from the 5.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the area on Aug. 23.

Ditto for the National Cathedral, the fourth-tallest structure in the city, which remains closed but usually allows visitors to embark on tower climbs up the 333 stairs for dazzling views from the bell tower.

So what’s a camera-toting tourist to do? Check out these snap-worthy alternatives and feel free to hunt down (and share in the comments) your own.

Old Post Office Tower (12th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue N.W.): This old gem of a building from the 1890s is the third tallest (315 feet) in the capital. Go to the observation deck at 270 feet above the city, and watch busy Pennsylvania Avenue and the city unfold below. Check out the old tower clock and the Bells of Congress, dupes of those at Westminster Abbey in London too.

Note: The Knight’s Tower at the ornate National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception (400 Michigan Ave. NE) is the second-tallest building in D.C., but no one except bell ringers are allowed to go to the top.

Newseum (555 Pennsylvania Ave.): After bits of the Berlin Wall and the Unabomber’s cabin, the Hank Greenspun Terrace at D.C.’s journalism museum offers a breath of fresh air and some breath-taking wide-angle views of the Capitol, the Washington Monument and Pennsylvania Avenue.

W Hotel’s POV Lounge (515 15th St. N.W.): The rooftop terrace next door to the White House is a D.C. scene-maker. Though the W imprint is relatively new, the building is old (the historic Hotel Washington). The White House lawn and the Capitol remain within visual reach -- and almost always present show-stopper views at night.

The Kennedy Center (2700 F St.): The top terrace of the waterfront center looks out on a different part of the city: the Potomac River, Georgetown, little-known Roosevelt Island and Rosslyn, Va., across the river. While there, take a free tour of the halls and theaters at the center too.

Monumental sights: The city’s biggest landmarks also have some of the biggest views too.

--The top steps of the Lincoln Memorial underscore the visual line that joins the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the memorial.

--There are good views of the White House from the top steps of the Jefferson Memorial.

--Take the long view of the city-- from Arlington House, which sits atop a hill in Arlington National Cemetery. This was the one-time plantation home of Robert E. Lee and his family.