We spent this past weekend in Washington, D.C. and had the best time! Although we’ve been pretty frequently due to my dad living there, we hadn’t been in a while. We also hung out with a friend who had never seen D.C. before, so we did some sightseeing while we were there! I was thinking on the way home that despite visiting several times, I haven’t shared a blog post with our recommendations. D.C. is a great city and there’s so much to do depending on your interests. We find something new every time we visit! I’m sharing below some places you should definitely check out, especially if you’re a first timer!
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Visit the Monuments
You can’t visit Washington, D.C. without visiting some of the monuments, memorials, and buildings that the city is known for! On this trip, we stopped by the White House first, then started at one end of the National Mall (Lincoln Memorial) and walked all the way through to the other end (The Capitol). It’s such a nice stroll with many places to snap a photo! You can also visit the Jefferson Memorial on the other side of the Tidal Basin, or take a 2.5 mile drive to the Arlington National Cemetery to see the Tomb of the Unknown Solider and the John F. Kennedy gravesite. I’ve listed all of the must-see places below:
- The White House
- Lincoln Memorial
- Reflecting Pool
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument
- The Capitol
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Arlington Cemetery
Visit the Museums
Not only are there monuments and memorials spread throughout the National Mall, there are also tons of museums that are so neat! Although some museums are currently still closed as of today, many are opening with the requirement of reserving a free time slot. Make sure you check the site and reserve a spot in advance before you plan to go. Some of D.C.’s top museums are listed below:
- Museum of American History
- The Smithsonian
- Museum of African American History & Culture
- Museum of Natural History
- Air and Space Museum
- Museum of the American Indian
- International Spy Museum
- National Gallery of Art
Go to a Baseball Game
With summer season upon us, we definitely had to visit Nationals Park and catch a game. It’s the perfect summer activity, and it’s even more fun when we get to watch one of our friends play! MLB is back to allowing fans now and the atmosphere of the stadium was so much fun! You also can’t beat the ballpark food and drinks. A few of our favorite places are District Drafts, Arepa Zone, Shake Shack, and Grand Slam Grill.
Go Shopping
We never go to D.C. without doing some shopping! The Pentagon City Mall is my favorite, as it has pretty much every store you can think of. Nearby is also the Pentagon Centre which houses a large Nordstrom Rack and Marshall’s, as well as some other stores and restaurants. Lastly, there is a large two-story T.J. Maxx at Pentagon Row that is super nice! All of these shopping areas are technically in Arlington, but it truly is the best area for shopping! Closer to the heart of D.C. is City Center D.C., which has a ton of designer stores to shop at.
Grab a Bite to Eat
You can never visit a new city without checking out some of their best food spots! Just like activities, there are so many places to eat in D.C. depending on your interests! This is an area we are still exploring, so I’m sharing a few recommendations of places we’ve tried so far and loved! Barcelona Wine Bar and Jaleo are both great for tapas and other Spanish Cuisine. The City Centre that I mentioned previously also has several good restaurants, especially Fig & Olive! If you’re looking for a market type dining experience with many places to eat, Union Market is the place to go! If you’re shopping in the Pentagon City area, Pentagon Row and Pentagon Centre have several nice restaurants. We like Thaiphoon for Asian, Chevy’s for Tex-mex, and Extreme Pizza for a casual pizza joint. If you’re near the Nationals Ball Park, there are many nearby restaurants and bars to choose from. We had happy hour at Mission – Navy Yard and really enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks!
Seasonal Activities
A lot of what I shared can be done year round, but Washington D.C. has some notable seasonal activities as well. Many people travel to D.C. just to see the Cherry Blossoms bloom in March or April. They certainly make the sightseeing even more breathtaking! Each year they host a National Cherry Blossom Festival in honor of this special event with tons to do, see, and eat. If you’re planning a spring trip, make sure you check this out!
There are also so many events happening in D.C. around Christmastime! One of my favorites is visiting the National Harbor. Despite the location being Maryland, it is only a 25 minute drive from D.C. Although this area is fun any time of the year, the huge Christmas tree makes it all the better. The National Harbor also hosts tons of shops, restaurants, and even a Ferris Wheel to take in the gorgeous views from. Other notable places to visit in D.C. during Christmastime are the National Christmas Tree on the White House Ellipse, the Capitol Christmas Tree, and the Downtown Holiday Market.
Washington D.C. is such as fun city that it’s hard to check everything off your bucket list in one trip! But if you’re like us and are spending a weekend in the area, definitely try to visit some of these must see places! If you enjoyed this post, be sure to check out some of my other travel posts for recommendations to help plan your next trip!
