How to Pay: You can use the SmarTrip card on all of the public transportation systems discussed below. You can buy a card at any of the metro stations or using your Apple Wallet. To buy a physical card at the metro station it costs $2 for the card and $8 for the fare value ($10 in total). To have a digital SmarTrip card you can follow the instructions on the link below. A digital card is free and has no minimum value.Â
Metro: DC has a great metro system! There are six lines in DC that you might come across making it a relatively simple system. You can find a map and a route planner linked below. The cost of the fare depends on the distance you travel but ranges from $2-$6.
Bus: There are bus routes all across DC and bus stops are easy to find. In addition to the "normal" bus you can also take the Circulator in tourist areas. The Circulator runs around the National Mall for $1.00/ride. It takes a figure 8 pattern across the mall so it's hard to go too wrong!
Day 1: National Mall and Smithsonian Museums
There are so many things to see in this area that it is impossible to see everything in one day! You're going to have some choices based on your preferences for what you want to prioritize. This is so difficult since everything is amazing!Â
I've broken the day into two sections: museums and memorials. You'll start your day with the museums.
This is a research center and museum focused on the history and science of aviation and spaceflight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics.
This museum houses one of the world's largest and most inclusive collections of American art from the colonial period to the present. It's a beautiful building architecturally and has some of the best art in the country.
This museum was designed in collaboration with tribes and communities across the hemisphere. A few highlights include The Great Inka Road: Engineering an Empire, Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations, and Our Universes: Traditional Knowledge Shapes Our World. It also has one of the best cafes of all the Smithsonians!
This museum is home to more than 1.8 million objects regarding the heritage of the United States in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific, and military history. A few highlights include the Original Star-Spangled Banner, Abraham LIncoln's top hat, first artificial heart, Dorothy's ruby red slippers, a replica of Julia Child's kitchen, and my personal favorite the First Ladies' collection of dresses.
This museum collection contains over 145 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts. A few highlights include the African Bush Elephant, the Butterfly Pavilion, and the Gem Exhibit (including the Hope Diamond!).
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National Museum of African American History and Culture
This is the only museum dedicated exclusively to the documentation of African American life, history, and culture. About 3,500 items are currently on display. The lower levels of the museum move chronologically through the history of African American life in the United States. The top levels of the museum are dedicated to cultural life.
A few things to note:Â
- Visitors often need to prebook their visit.Â
- The cafe here is one of the best on the National Mall
- The line to see the Emmett Till exhibit can often wrap around the floor but is one of the most impactful parts of the museum
- Unlike other Smithsonians it is hard to dash in and out of this museum. Make sure you dedicate enough time to see everything it has to offer.Â
The museum currently has 11,861 objects from both Sub-Saharan and Arab North Africa in its collection, of which 10,746 are traditional and 1,115 are contemporary. The objects range from 15th century sculptures and masks to multi-media contemporary art.
This museum contains objects dating from the Neolithic times to the early 20th century, including collected works by James McNeill Whistler. The second part of the collection includes Chinese, Indian, Korean, and Japanese paintings, photography contemporary ceramics from China, 19th and 20th century Japanese prints, contemporary Japanese pottery, and other related Asian arts.
This building houses the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. You'll find these documents and more in the main chamber of the National Archives, the Rotunda.
The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden is part of the Smithsonian Institution. It houses one of the most important post World War II American and European art in the world.
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Visit this post to see a comprehensive guide to the Smithsonian Museums.Â
I recommend you have lunch at one of the museum cafes. The best, in my opinion, are the Sculpture Garden Cafe, the National Museum of the American Indian Cafe, and the National Museum of African American History and Culture Cafe.
After lunch, you can spend a few more hours at the museums before going on to the next section of the day - monuments and memorials.
Mid-Afternoon: Monuments and Memorials
In the middle of the afternoon, start your walk around the monuments and memorials. The guide above provides a detailed explanation of the monuments but below I've outlined my recommended walking route to see the highlights.Â
This 555-foot tall marble obelisk is located on the National Mall. Timed tickets are required to ride the elevator to the observation deck. These tickets can be reserved in advance on the National Park website here: https://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/fees.htm for a fee of $1. Free same-day tickets can be acquired at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th Street. Tickets are limited so I do recommend getting advanced tickets.
I suggest talking to the rangers while there! They're experts in the monument and can provide some great information!
A few things to look out for:Â
- The monument was constructed in two phases resulting in a change in quarrys. As you look at the monument you might notice that the stone color changes slightly part of the way up.Â
- There are ceremonial stones throughout the monument's interior. As you ride the elevator up you might get a glimpse of them. These have been donated by states, organizations, and various societies.Â
A few things to look out for:Â
- Each state receives a pillar and they are arranged in the order they became a part of the United States, alternating from side to side.Â
- The memorial is divided into two side representing the Atlantic and Pacific fronts.Â
- The Freedom Wall and the Gold Stars honor the 416,800 American servicemen who died in uniform during WWII. Each star represents approximately 100 U.S. service members.Â
- There are two depictions of Kilroy hiddon on the memorial if you're eagle-eyed enough to find them!
This solemn memorial has the names of everyone who died in the Vietnam War etched into it. Touchingly friends and family have left mementos for their loved ones at the wall over the years and you can often see former soldiers making a pilgrimage there to pay their respect.
The Lincoln Memorial sits at the very edge of the National Mall. From here you have a great view of the Capitol Building and the rest of the Mall. It's a great place for pictures!Â
A few things to look for while you're here:Â
- Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have A Dream" speech here and there is an inscription that marks the spot at the top of the Lincoln Memorial
- The freize at the top is inscribed with the name of 36 states in the Union at the time of Lincoln's death and the dates in which they entered the union.Â
- The Inscriptions inside are from Lincoln's Second Inaugural Address and his Gettysburg Address, respectively. If you're eagle-eyed you can find the typo on the north interior wall.Â
The memorial contains etched faces of over 2,400 real soldiers who fought in the war. For fans of the show MASH, you should also look for several of the characters of the show etched into the wall.
This monument contains numerous quotes from MLK and I advise you to walk around the whole memorial since the perspective changes based on where you stand.
The FDR Memorial progresses chronologically through Roosevelt's four terms as presidency. It consists of five outdoor rooms - one prologue and four for the unprecedented four presidential terms. The prologue room was added later on with a statue of Roosevelt in his wheelchair. The memorial maximizes accessibility in honor of FDR's own accessibility needs. In the warm months this memorial uses a water feature that creates a peaceful atmosphere.
Upon entering the memorial you'll immediately notice the 19-foot bronze statue of Jefferson. He is facing toward the White House.
The walls of the Jefferson Memorial contain words from his various texts; one expresses his idea about the right to religious freedom, while another features the importance of changing laws to represent the changing times.
One of the memorial’s most powerful sights can be found on its southwest wall. On the left side of the Jefferson statue, you will find some of the most impactful words in the history of the United States, taken directly from the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
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From the Jefferson Memorial, I recommend getting the Circulator or a RideShare to your evening destination.Â
Day 2: Capitol Hill
One of the oldest neighborhoods it's home to the Capitol Building, the US Supreme Court, and the Library of Congress. This itinerary will take you to all of this and more!Â
U.S. Capitol
The Capitol is open to public tours Monday - Saturday 8:00am - 4:30pm. The nearest metro stops are Capitol South or Federal Center SW.Â
All tours of the Capitol Building are free. They often accept walk-ins, but it's not a guarantee. I recommend booking if you can. You can either book through the Capitol Visitor Center or through your Senator or Congressman. The Congressional offices either run their own tour which are private or semi-private or they will help you book a tour.Â
To tour the Capitol Building you'll enter through the Capitol Visitor Center, which is open from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Saturday. The visitor center itself is interesting and hosts rotating temporary exhibits and interactive programs but this area is where you can pickup a walking tour.
You can also take a private tour of the Capitol by contacting your Member of Congress. If they have staff availability, a member of their staff will take you on a tour. You can also visit them to receive tickets to the House Gallery where you can watch Members of Congress give speeches and vote on pieces of legislation.
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US Supreme Court
It is free to go to the Supreme Court. It is open Monday to Friday 9am to 4:30pm. There are lectures in the courtroom every hour on the half-hour 9:30am to 3:30pm when the court is not in session. When the court is in session you can attend oral arguments. If you would like to attend those, you'll need to line up in the early hours of the day.Â
The Library has two sections - the exhibits and the research library. You can walk into the exhibits with no advanced appointment necessary. However, to visit the research library, you will need to sign up for a timed entry.
The Library of Congress claims to be the largest library in the world. To get your bearings you can take a free one-hour walking tour of the historic building. This is one of the best ways to learn about the buildings history, art, and architecture. The library also has several permanent exhibits including their exhibit on the Gutenberg Bible. The rotating collections are also particularly interesting!
To visit the Main Reading Room floor, you can visit every Tuesday - Friday 10: 30am - 11:30am and 2:00pm - 3:00pm. Visits are also welcome to view the space on Thursday evening from 5:00pm - 7:00pm.
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U.S. Botanical Gardens
This urban garden provides an oasis within the city. It's a family-friendly activity and its greenhouses provide a lovely break in the winter.
The Conservatory is open from 10:00am - 5:00pm daily and admission is free. The outdoor gardens are open from 7:30am to 5:00pm daily.Â
This living museum is located on the National Mall. It's quick, free, and easy to visit!
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Eastern Market
If you're visiting on a weekend, start your day here. This public market is a DC staple and has all types of business and stalls including food and goods. It also makes for a great dinner spot with many amazing restaurants nearby.Â
Eastern Market is (in my opinion) DC's best market! I recommend going on Saturday and Sunday when the market is at its best. There are two parts to the market - indoor and outdoor. The indoor portion is open everyday of the week. It is composed of deli and other food counters. The outdoor portion is only open on the weekend and closes mid-afternoon. It is a mixture of a farmers market and a flea market vibe.
This is one of DC's oldest neighborhoods and is a great place to start your morning! If you like brunch I highly recommend partaking here. A few recommendations:Â
If you're into shopping you'll love walking around here popping into the stores that look fun to you. If you're not into shopping I recommend a visit to Dumbarton Oaks and wandering around the beautiful townhomes.Â
And of course, no trip to Georgetown is complete without a stop for cupcakes! My personal favorite bakery is Baked and Wired.Â
For cultural institutions the Philips Collection is America's first museum of modern and contemporary art and is known for its collection of Impressionist art. Additionally, the Dupont area contains Embassy Row. This is an area known for having the majority of embassies.Â
This museum's permanent collection consists of 3,000 works by American and European impressionists and modern artists. A few must see paintings are the Luncheon of the Boating Party by Pierre-Auguste Renoir, The Repentant St. Peter by El Greco, and Time and Timelessness (The Spirit of Creation) by Augustus Vincent Tack. This museum costs $12 to visit.
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For shops I recommend visiting Kramerbooks. This is one of the most famous bookshops in DC and includes a great cafe!Â
Drawing from my rich experiences exploring over forty countries across the globe, I offer unparalleled insights and invaluable advice to fellow travelers seeking unforgettable adventures. Whether you're planning a leisurely getaway, an off-the-beaten path expedition, or a cultural immersion, my diverse expertise ensures personalized recommendations tailored to your preferences. From hidden gems to iconic landmarks, let me and my guides, assist you on your journeys and provide you with adventures filled with discovery, authenticity, and unforgettable moments.
