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My SO and I plan to go to D.C. hopefully some time soon. My priority is to go to the Smithsonian Institute!
Just went to DC 2 weeks ago, definately check out the American History Museum. We went to as many as we could get in during one day and we only made it thru two. Also I recommend parking out of DC and catching the subway in or you will drive around for hour trying to park. Hope you have a great time and buy lots of souveneirs, t-shirts are 3 for $10 on the street!
you have to try ben's chili bowl & ray's hell burgers!
you should check out yelp.com for reviews & tips. it helped us a lot on our last trip to DC
The Smithsonian is great. Plus the fact that it is on the National Mall, you can also see the WW2 memorial, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and the Korean War Memorial right there. You aren't too far from the Jefferson Memorial there either (my husband and I were able to walk the distance). The US Holocaust Memorial Museum is also really nice.
The Library of Congress is one of my favorite buildings in the world! So pretty :)
definately do the various smithsonian museums, then the botanical gardens - you will also be here during prime cherry blossom season, so a trip to the tidal basin is in order!
if you are a military buff, head to arlington cemetary and watch the changing of the guards....
but spring is beautiful here in the DMV area so anything you do will be fun :) if you want places to STAY AWAY from - PM me and i can give you the dilly yo (from law enforcement stance that is....)
We just went in November and had an amazing 10 days there! I would suggest the Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American History Museum. The Lincoln exhibit was amazing! Also, if you can, check out 5 guys burgers! It was so good. We are from California and don't have those around here so it was a big thing for us!
My absolute favorite places in the city are:
the National Portrait Gallery, which is in Chinatown (it's a free Smithsonian Museum, but off the Mall so much less crowded and touristy). There are also a ton of great places to eat nearby including Matchbox (gourmet pizzas), Fado (Irish Pub), and Rocket Bar (very hipster bar)
The Library of Congress is incredible!! The architecture is amazing. The botanic gardens are gorgeous and (I think) very romantic
Georgetown is always a nice place to do some shopping and there are tons of great restaurants. Dunbarton Oaks is a great museum located off the beaten path in Georgetown as well.
If you are there on the weekend, Eastern Market (just off Capitol Hill) is an awesome place to enjoy a beautiful weekend day. It is a huge farmers market and flea market. You can find all kinds of amazing art, food, crafts and antiques
As far as where to stay, I would pick a place in the city that is close to a metro station, which is by far the easiest way to get around town. It's a pretty user-friendly system. I have stayed at the Melrose Hotel in Foggy Bottom (which is close to Georgetown), it was very nice and had a swanky but historic feel to it.
And if you eat anywhere in DC, it HAS to be Ben's Chili Bowl, located right off the U Street Metro stop. A DC landmark, serving great chili dogs. It's a cash-only dive-- perfect if you have a late night on the town with some drinks. Order the half smoke (it's Bill Cosby's favorite)
I'm local to DC so if you have any specific questions, PM me and I'd be happy to help!
I know it sounds silly but if you can, do the Segway tour. It is the best way to see so much and fast. Plus it was really fun.
Then you can spend more time in the Mall going to museums.
Go eat at Zaytinya (near Chinatown) - the head chef was on Top Chef last season, but I went there before that... it's so good!
Also, go to La Tasca (also in Chinatown) and get tapas and 1/2 price pitchers of sangria during happy hour at the bar (that is, if you can drink!).
Final piece of advice on museum day(s), WEAR GOOD SHOES. I wore flats that were this much too small and bruised my big toenails from walking! :)
IT'S CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVSL TIME!! You really have to check it out...its going on March 27-April 11th! Even if you're not their during festival time you have to check the blossoms out at the Tidal Basin! So gorgeous!
These are personal phots from last year! Will be going again this year! I can't wait!
DON'T bother with the DC National Aquarium. I've heard great things about the one up in Baltimore, but the DC one ... well, it's just sad and little. Like, teensy tiny kind of leetle.
The zoo is nice though (although not especially public transit accessible by American standards). :)
For a really nice dinner, Central is excellent and the chef owns another extremely expensive restaurant (Citronelle) that is consistently rated number 1 or 2 in the area.If you have an idea of what type of cuisine you'd like, PM me and I can give you a bunch of other options - the FI and I really like to eat. :)
The Smithsonians are nice and all free, but if you're not really into museums, a stroll along the Tidal Basin will be beautiful in April. You can then take the Circulator Bus from the memorials up to Georgetown and go shopping or grab a drink on the waterfront and peoplewatch.
For nightlife, there are a bunch of smaller bars/lounges around the U Street area. Cafe St. Ex is nice but gets a little crowded late. If it's a really nice night out, you could grab a drink on the rooftop of Marvin (which is also a fantastic restaurant). Right next door there is a little speakeasy called Gibson - no standing room, great unique cocktails, very cozy and intimate.
The zoo is Metro accessable, you have to walk like 5 minutes. I take my kindergartners there every year and its a very nice zoo. (Note: We take a bus, but I have walked with my friends before)
The Smithsonian museums are great because they are free! Some other museums have a fee and staggered entry times like they Spy mueseum (which I highly recommend).
It can get really crazy down at the Cherry Blossom Festival especially on the weekend. Big crowds.
I'm not sure how long you are planning to stay, but there are many hotels just outside DC that are very close to Metro stations.
walking around the mall/tidal basin is a must, especially since it's cherry blossom season! fi and i use yelp all the time to suss out restaurants, bars, etc. we usually go out in the u street area, where there are lots of fun bars and restaurants
VEGETARIAN BURRITOS (MMHMM!) from a truck: Pedro and Vinny's off of 15th and K streets.
You should try setting up a tour of the Capitol online or through your local Member of Congress.
def go to the Capital builidng, its my fave down there and were my FH proposed to me!
I love, love, love! walking around the monuments at night. There aren't crowds and the lighting is beatiful. The WWII is my favorite.
There is a boat tour that goes from Old Town Alexandria to Georgetown. It is through the Potomac River Boat Company and I think the trip is call the Monuments Cruise. It is a nice way to get a different view of the monuments (off your feet), and Old Town and Georgetown are both neat places to walk around.
Definitely walk around the tidal basin. It is cool to get different perspectives as you walk around it. You could spend a whole day just walking around outside, so bring your walking shoes!
EDIT: I absolutely 100% agree with walking around the monuments at night. It is a must! Very magical!
I'd skip the zoo and aquarium. The national art gallery is ok, but since you only have 2 days I wouldn't spend time on it unless you are really into art. If you go to one museum, I'd go to the american history museum.
If you're looking for night life, I'd go to Adams Morgan. It is kind of a hike from the metro stations, but you will be walking with lots of other people :) It gets crazy in Adams Morgan, so if you want something a little more laid back, don't go there.
I'm a huge fan of the International Spy Museum - it's across the street from the National Portrait Gallery, and it was a ton of fun! Obviously the museums along the National Mall are great - it takes about 8 hours to go through a Smithsonian Museum and see EVERYTHING, so pick and choose! Fingers crossed that you have nice weather - DC is lovely in spring.
Piaffette beat me to it. I was going to suggest Spy Museum too. Just went a couple weeks ago and it was fun and a little different than the other museums. I love the Cherry Blossoms too!
I stayed at the W Hotel and it has a cool (and very trendy) rooftop deck with great views and yummy (pricey) cocktails.
The best view of the city is from the roof of my apartment building. :-P
The second best view is from the top of the Old Post Office Tower. It's free, and not-too-crowded, and best of all, you don't need reservations. (You'd need reservations to ride to the top of the Washington Monument....and if you go to the top of the Old Post Office Tower, you can have the Washington Monument in your photos!). You can find info here: http://www.nps.gov/opot/index.htm
I love DC!!!!! Definitely walk on the mall and go to the Cherry Blossom festival! there are tons of things to do and see there so have fun! pm me if you want!
Realistically, do you all think we can see everything in 3 days? We are thinking about adding a fourth day, which would be about $200 more overall. What do you think? We want to see all the basics, and the natural history, american history, air and space, and spy museams. What do you all think?
I've been to all the museums that you talk about and yes, you can do those 4 in 2 days... but there is so much more to do! I'd stay 3 if I were you. My fav is the natural history museum, but I also think the holocaust museum is a must. Not "fun" so much as incredibly moving and interesting. Also it will take some time just to get around and see the monuments. If you like pandas I recommend the national zoo because (i think) it is one of only 2 zoos in the country that have giant pandas. When I was there last there were babies... so freakin cute its ridiculous :)
my favorite restaurant is Alero near Dupont Circle. Super tasty mexican... be sure to get the queso app! Also consider taking the metro out to arlington or to old towne. Honestly, I've been to dc a lot + lived there for 3 mo and there is STILL stuff i need to see. there is just so much!
I agree with PP, D.C. is wonderful. The monuments at night are definitely a must. Arlington National Cemetery is another spot that I recommend, you can see The Tomb of the Unknowns and The Changing of Guards.
Thanks everyone! We had a GREAT time! We just got back tonight, and my legs are sore!!!!
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DH and I are going to D.C. in April! We are so excited! We have 2 full days and 2 1/2 days to explore. Any suggestions/advice would be lovely...where to eat, where to stay, what to see (or pointers on when to go to each)...thanks!!!!