Explore DC in a Weekend

What comes to mind when you think of Washington DC?  Many would say the White House, Capitol Hill, Smithsonian and the Monuments...  There is so much more to DC! 

If you are planning to visit here in December, you can warm up with a glass of hot apple cider in Eastern Market or hot chocolate at the Love Café on U St. NW. You can also enjoy watching the holiday model trains winding through quaint old towns at Union Station or The Shops at Georgetown. 

BEST TIMES TO VISIT

If you plan to visit another time, consider coming when the flowers are in full bloom in Springtime (March-May) or the leaves are turning yellow, orange & red in Fall (September-November).  The temperature is just right, not too cold or hot.  Summers can be hot & humid since DC was built on a swamp and winters can get quite cold although not as cold as New England! 

TRANSPORTATION

If you fly to DC, try to arrive at Reagan National airport (DCA), instead of Washington Dulles airport in Virginia or Baltimore’s BWI airport.  It can be cheaper to fly to Dulles or BWI, so if you have no choice and have little luggage, you can take public transportation to DC or Supershuttle.

If you are lucky enough to fly to DCA and have little luggage, you can easily take the Metro to DC.  You will be on the Orange/Blue line or the Yellow line.  To check out the Metro schedule or map, check out Metro’s website at http://www.wmata.com.  You can put in your starting point and where you are going, and find out exactly how to get there by bus or train.  Unless you are staying in a place not accessible by Metro, it might be better not to rent a car.  It’s often hard to find parking and it can be quite expensive. 

Plan to bring your best pair of walking shoes.  If you take taxis, familiarize yourself with the zone system and a DC map. DC is divided into four quadrants NW, SW, SE & NE.  Be sure to ask find out the quadrant of the place where you are going because otherwise you may end up at the wrong place on the other side of town.

WHERE TO STAY

When deciding where you stay, consider places located in Dupont Circle.  If you prefer not to stay in one of the large expensive hotels in Dupont Circle, consider staying at the Tabard Inn, a reasonably priced, charming historic hotel.

FRIDAY

If you arrive Friday afternoon and are in the Dupont Circle neighborhood, you have many dinner options.  A few of my favorite restaurants in the neighborhood are: Raku, Pizzeria Paradiso, Teaism, Sala Thai…DC is also known for Ethiopian restaurants, such as Meskerem in Adams Morgan or Dukem on U St NW, where you can also check out live traditional Ethiopian music & dance on Monday & Wednesday evenings. Another great place in the U St. neighborhood is Busboys & Poets, where you can find interesting books, eclectic food and events organized by local groups. If you are in the mood for a cup of chili, hot dogs, fries and a shake, stop by historic Ben's Chili Bowl.  After dinner you can check out live music at Bohemian Caverns, Utopia or Chicha Lounge on U St. or in one of the many restaurants Adams Morgan, including Bossa on 18th St. NW or Havana Village on Columbia Road NW.

SATURDAY

On Saturday morning, for breakfast you can get delicious waffles at Tryst in Adams Morgan or head over to Bread & Chocolate located near the Eastern Market Metro in Capitol Hill.  Afterwards, you can stroll through the market and check out jewelry, rugs, paintings, crafts, books, cds and much more. 

After you are finished with shopping, you can catch one of the 32 or 35 bus that goes down Independence Avenue towards the Capitol.  You can stop off to check out the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court or the Capitol building.  Be prepared to be wait in lines and be searched to go to any of these places. Afterwards, continue down the hill to the U.S. Botanic Garden located on the Mall.  Here you can rest amidst the warm green splendor of ferns and the delicate beauty of orchids.  Be sure to go upstairs and look down at the middle courtyard to get a view from above.      

When you feel rested continue towards the National Museum of the American Indian, where you will find interesting exhibits about Native American arts and culture.  Be sure to check the event schedule to see if you can a performance or film.  If you get hungry or thirsty, visit the Mitsitam Native Foods Café, where you will find tasty treats from blue corn bread, peanut soup to tamales and pies.

Also on the Mall you will find the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum of Modern Art, Museum of Natural History, African Art Museum, the Freer & Sackler Gallery of Asian Art and more!  You can spend several days exploring all the museums, which are all free!  Be sure to check the events schedule to find out about guided tours, films and other programs. 

If you get tired on the Mall, you can find a bench and people watch on the Mall.  In winter, you can also head over the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden where you can watch people ice skate or ice skate if you are not tired from all the walking.

To get a beautiful aerial view of the Mall, head over to the tower at the Old Post Office Pavillion.  Take the elevator up to the tower and enjoy the view!

Afterwards you can get a bite to eat at many of the restaurants in Gallery Place/Chinatown.  Jaleo, located on 7^th Street NW near the Shakespeare Theater Company, offers delicious Spanish tapas.  The MCI Center and Regal Cinemas are also located there along with a lot of shops, including Urban Outfitters, Radio Shack, etc.  If you are not tired of museums, you can also check out the National Portrait Gallery or the International Spy Museum, which is one of the few places in DC where you will have to pay an admission fee ($15!).  

If you are in the mood for a free performance, you can head over to the Kennedy Center, where you can see a free show from 6-7 pm at the Millennium Stage. Just walk straight down the plush red carpet towards the water, the stage is set up at one end of a long corridor.  Arrive early if possible to get a good seat.  After the performance, you can enjoy the view of Georgetown, Roosevelt Island and Rosslyn, Virginia across the bridge.   For an even better view, take the elevator up to the third floor and visit the roof terrace.   

SUNDAY

On Sunday morning, you can stroll through Georgetown and check out the Waterfront, Old Stone House and the C & O Canal.  If it’s a nice day in Spring or Summer, you can rent a kayak or canoe at Thompson’s Boat Center or Jack’s Boathouse and paddle down the Potomac River.  You can also take a historical narrative sightseeing tour on a small river boat through Capitol River Cruises.  

Georgetown offers many different types of restaurants from French, Vietnamese to South Indian.  If you want to indulge in delicious, inexpensive South Indian food, check out Amma Vegetarian Kitchen located at 3291-A M St. NW.  In the evening, you can check out a performance at the Blues Alley or catch a movie at the AMC/Loews movie theater near the Waterfront.

We have only scratched the surface of all the things you can do in DC!  I hope you can come and visit at different times of the year and stay longer, so you can go beyond the usual and get to know the unusual in the different neighborhoods in DC.

SHARE QUESTIONS & TIPS
Have questions you want to ask or tips you want to share?  Post them in the Comments section below. 

WEEKEND HAPPENINGS

Before you head to DC, you can find out what’s happening around town by checking out these links.
- Washington City Paper
- Washington Post’s Weekend Section
- Cultural Tourism DC
- CulturalDC

DC CITY GUIDES
- DC Capital Region (About.com)
- DC City Guide (Washington Post)
- Washington, DC - Things To Do (Yahoo)

OTHER POSSIBILITIES
Here are some other places to visit and things to do not mentioned above.

Nature
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
- National Zoo
- Rock Creek Park
- Meridian Hill/Malcolm X Park
- U.S. National Arboretum

Museums
- Corcoran Gallery of Art
- National Geographic Museum
- Phillips Collection

Shopping
- Dupont Farmers Market
- Georgetown Antique Fair & Flea Market
- The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City in Virginia (Metro accessible)

Tours
- Bike Tours
- Old Town Trolley Tours
- Washington Walks

Other
- Embassies
- Hains Point
- Universities (American University, Catholic University, Georgetown University, George Washington University & Howard University)
- Washington National Cathedral

JOIN THE FUN
Find out about & share the best local entertainment hot-spots in your area!
Visit entertainment.gather.com to join the conversation!