Washington, D.C, the United State’s capital is a lovely city to explore. Full of history, museums (a good number free), historical architecture, famous government buildings, fantastic food, and best of all the beautiful National Mall, you’ll want to spend a week. It’s easy to combine this trip with another week exploring the scenic beauty, quaint historic towns, and Civil War history around DC. Instead of flying home on your last day, rent a car and venture outside the city limits with our Two Weeks Around Washington itinerary.
Length: 7 days
Transportation: metro
Best Guide Book: DK Eyewitness Washington DC and Walking Washington, D.C.
Day 1 – Arrive and Settle In
- Arrive in DC
- If you fly into Dulles Airport, consider visiting the Air and Space Annex (officially known as the the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center)
- Check into your hotel
- Get dinner at Barcelona Wine Bar or select from our DC Restaurant Guide
- Dessert at Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
- Explore the U Street neighborhood or consider a nighttime stroll around the National Mall
- Lodging – The Line DC, The Riggs DC, Hamilton Hotel, The Dupont Circle Hotel, The Ven Embassy Row Hotel, JW Mariott, The St. Regis (splurge) or various Airbnb/VRBO options (night 1/6)
Day 2 – Mall and Museums
- Spend the morning walking the National Mall (The walk is about 2.5 miles (about 45 minutes of walking, NOT including stops) and covers our favorite monuments on the Mall. Start at the Lincoln Memorial for a shorter walk)
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument
- Lunch – Rasika, Pi Pizzeria, Oyamel, China Chilcano, Old Ebbitt Grill, Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza or fast casual at Chopt (salads), Merzi (Indian), and Spice 6 (Indian)
- In the afternoon, see a museum or two. You’re very close to:
- Dinner – Birch and Barley or select from our DC Restaurant Guide
- Drinks – Radiator
- Lodging – same place (night 2/6)
Day 3 – Dupont Circle, Embassies, and Zoo
- Start at Dupont Circle (Dupont Circle Metro – Red Line)
- If it’s a Sunday, check out the farmers market
- If you like bookstores, be sure to check out Second Story Books and Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe
- Walk Massachusetts Avenue and explore the embassies
- Dumbarton Oaks
- Lunch – Open City
- National Zoo
- Dinner in Georgetown – 1789, Shanghai Lounge, Pizzeria Paradiso, The Sovereign, Clyde’s, Thunder Burger, or Cafe Divan
- If you’re up for it, go on a Georgetown Ghost Tour
- Get ice cream at Thomas Sweet after your ghost tour
- Lodging – same place (night 3/6)
Day 4 – Museums & Government
- Brunch – Leopold’s Kafe and Restaurant
- Start on the south side of the National Mall, where there are a bunch more museums (Smithsonian or L’Enfant Plaza Metro Stops – Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow Lines):
- This is also a good opportunity to do a tour of a U.S. government institution. You’re very close to the Capitol, Library of Congress, and Supreme Court, and the White House isn’t too far. Alternatively, visit one of the other many museums around the Mall.
- Dinner – select from our DC Restaurant Guide
- If you haven’t done it yet, tonight is another good opportunity to explore the Mall after dark
- Lodging – same place (night 4/6)
Day 5 – Alexandria & Nightlife
- Spend your morning and afternoon exploring old town Alexandria
- Walk King Street
- Visit the historic sites and living history exhibitions
- Stroll the Alexandria waterfront
- Lunch – Virtue Feed & Grain or Thompson Italian
- Arlington National Cemetery
- Drinks – McClellan’s Retreat or a whiskey at Crimson
- Dinner – select from our DC Restaurant Guide
- In the evening, explore DC nightlife. Some options include:
- See a show at one of DC’s theatres
- Watch the Washington Nationals, Capitals, or Wizards
- Explore one of DC’s hip neighborhoods, like Adams Morgan or U Street
- See the Mall and monuments at night
- Lodging – same place (night 5/6)
Day 6 – Arboretum, Spirits, and Cuisine
- Visit a museum, monument, or government facility you haven’t explored yet
- Have a picnic lunch at and check out the National Arboretum
- Try some spirits at One Eight Distilling and/or some cider at Supreme Core
- Dinner – The Dabney, one of our favorite restaurants in the world, or select from our DC Restaurant Guide
- If you haven’t done it yet, tonight is another good opportunity to explore the Mall after dark
- Lodging – same place (night 6/6)
Day 7 – Fly Home
- If you have time in the morning, visit a museum or sight you haven’t seen yet
- If you’re flying out of Dulles and haven’t seen it yet, think about visiting the Air and Space Annex (officially known as the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center)
- Fly home
Detailed Itinerary
Planning a trip to the nation’s capital is a challenge. There’s so much to do here, and so much of it is great (and free), that there’s no way to do it all. Focus on your interests; there’s something for everyone. The number of museums in the city is absolutely overwhelming, so you’ll definitely have to choose. The upside is that all of the Smithsonian museums (and some of the others) are free. This tour shows you the best of DC in a week, and all without a rental car. In addition to the recommendations below, we have an entire page for our DC Restaurant Guide.
The good news is that it’s very easy to get around DC. The city’s subway, called the Metro, is cleaner and more reliable than most other subways in the United States. While the Metro covers large swathes of DC and surrounding parts of Virginia and Maryland, there are places it doesn’t go (namely the Georgetown area). However, the Metro Bus system and Circulator cover the rest of the city. The best source for information on the Metro rail and bus systems is the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority’s website. It’s also the best way to plan trips using public transportation in DC. Bookmark the website; you’ll be using it a lot. You’ll also want to get a SmarTrip card, a reloadable card that you can use for fare on Washington’s Metro and buses. Uber, Lyft, and taxis are readily available, as are fleets of electric scooters (though be aware that they typically can’t be parked on the National Mall).
One important note about DC is that, as the capital, it has a number of unique government buildings (the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, etc.). We understand that people visiting DC may well want to see these places, but we honestly don’t think the interior tours are worth it. They’re a hassle to schedule, often poorly guided (by interns or staffers who would rather be doing something else), crowded, and limited (these are working government buildings with security concerns). Absolutely stroll by, see them from the outside, and take pictures, but we think there are much better ways to spend your time than touring the insides (unless you’re a huge American history/government buff). If you really want to see these places, swap out some of the museums we recommend and see government buildings instead.
DC is not exactly inexpensive for lodging. We recommend you stay anywhere from Dupont Circle to U Street or anywhere along the National Mall to make things easier and more accessible. Georgetown is a lovely and historic neighborhood but very difficult to get to and from (though you can by buses). The southwest waterfront is up and coming with hotels, but you’ll be further away from things. Our general recommendations include The Line DC, The Riggs DC, Hamilton Hotel, The Dupont Circle Hotel, The Ven Embassy Row Hotel, JW Mariott, The St. Regis (splurge), though considering how long you will go you could consider various Airbnb/VRBO options. The Watergate is another historic hotel (remember the Watergate scandal? This is the hotel) but is pricey.
Again, if you’re looking for a longer trip or to explore more, venture outside the city limits with our Two Weeks Around Washington itinerary.
Day 1 – Arrive and Settle In
Three major airports serve Washington, D.C.: Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA); Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD); and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). DCA is by far the most convenient (in fact, it’s probably the most convenient airport serving a major metropolitan area anywhere in the world). There’s a Metro stop right outside the airport, and a 10-15 minute ride will take into the heart of downtown DC; alternatively a quick Uber/Lyft/taxi ride will run you $16-$25. Dulles is further out in Virginia; a $5 bus ride will take you to the end of the Metro’s Silver Line, where you can ride into the heart of DC for under $4. Uber/Lyft starts at around $40 from IAD, though it can get much more expensive when prices are surging. BWI is the furthest, but the MARC train will take you DC’s Union Station for $6 in 40 minutes. Uber/Lyft starts at about $50.
If you fly into Dulles, you might want to think about visiting the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. A massive converted hangar, the Udvar-Hazy Center is an annex of the National Air and Space Museum. It houses a stunning collection of aircraft and spacecraft, but the information provided is limited, so we strongly recommend you take one of the free tours. The museum is not easily accessible except from Dulles since it’s so far out of town. However, the Fairfax Connector 983 bus will take you there from the airport, and the museum has lockers to store luggage (up to carry-on size). If you’re interested in air and space travel, you won’t want to miss it (it’s one of our favorite museums).
Once you get into town, check into your hotel. Then take a cab or walk out to Barcelona Wine Bar for a dinner of tapas and delicious Spanish wine. Then walk about five minutes to Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams for dessert. If you’re not quite ready for bed, explore the hip bars around 14th and U Streets, or take a quick walk around the National Mall. You’ll want to see the Mall during daylight, too, but the monuments lit up at night are an entirely different experience.
Day 2 – Mall and Museums
Start your second day in Washington with a tour of the National Mall. We lay out a 2.5-mile tour (about 45 minutes of walking, not including stops at the monuments) that visits all of our favorite monuments. If you want a shorter walk, you can start at the Lincoln Memorial (stop #5 on the map below; this cuts the walk to under a mile, about twenty minutes of walking). Either way, you’ll probably need to take Uber/Lyft/taxi; the starting point—the Thomas Jefferson Memorial or the Lincoln Memorial—isn’t close to a Metro station. We also have a Google map of the walking tour. Here’s the itinerary:
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument
After you’ve walked the Mall, you’ll probably be hungry. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of good food right on the Mall. There are almost always food trucks parked all around the Mall, but they typically offer low-quality options (DC’s boutique food trucks are an exception). So take an Uber or Lyft into the Chinatown/Downtown area to grab lunch. Some of our favorite restaurants in the area include Rasika (Indian), Pi Pizzeria (deep dish), Oyamel (Mexican), Old Ebbitt Grill (American), and Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza (thin-crust). There are a bunch of fast casual options: Chopt (salads), Merzi (Indian), District Taco, and Spice 6 (Indian) and chains in the area as well.
Once you’ve eaten, check out some of the numerous museums nearby. The National Museum of American History is an overwhelmingly large exhibition of artifacts from the country’s history; the National Museum of Natural History has gems, fossils, and much more (great for kids); the National Portrait Gallery is a great combination of biography and art; the National Gallery of Art is one of the country’s best art museums; and the National Museum of African American History and Culture is stunning (and you could easily spend a whole day there).
For dinner, check out Birch and Barley, a restaurant serving tasty American cuisine with an extensive and unusual beer list (they also have wine and cocktails). Then stroll around the corner to Radiator for a nightcap.
Day 3 – Embassies, Zoo, and Georgetown
Begin your next day at historic Dupont Circle (easily accessible via the Dupont Circle Metro station on the Red Line). If it happens to be a Sunday, wander DC’s best farmers market (grab a coffee and a pastry or breakfast sandwich). If you like books, this a chance to check out some bookshops; two of DC’s best are right off the circle: Second Story Books (used and rare) and Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe (also an option for a decent breakfast).
Next you’ll take a walking tour of some of the foreign embassies in Washington. The stretch of Massachusetts Avenue northwest of Dupont Circle used to be known as Millionaires’ Row for the grand town homes built along the road. Now, many of those homes have been converted into (or are the sites of) embassies. DC by Foot has a great self-guided walking tour of the embassies (should take you about 1.5-2 hours).
Alternatively or in addition, think about a visit to Dumbarton Oaks. A beautiful mansion, Dumbarton Oaks is now a museum and research library operated by Harvard University. The main attraction is the beautiful gardens.
Get lunch in the Woodley Park/Adams Morgan area (consider Open City, Mintwood Place, or Smoke & Barrel, though note that the last two are only open for lunch on weekends). Next, visit the National Zoo. Be sure to see the elephants, big cats, North American animals, and, of course, the giant pandas.
Get dinner in Georgetown, where there are a ton of good restaurants. 1789 (American) is one of the best restaurants in DC, but it’s expensive and fancy. Some other options include: Shanghai Lounge (Chinese), Pizzeria Paradiso (Pizza), The Sovereign (Belgian & beer), Clyde’s (American), Thunder Burger (Burgers), and Cafe Divan (Turkish).
If you’re up for it after dinner, go on a Georgetown Ghost Tour. You’ll see some of Georgetown’s historic buildings and hear spooky stories about them (the tour is kid-friendly). Finish the night by getting ice cream at Thomas Sweet after your ghost tour.
Day 4: Museums & Government
If you want a great brunch, start your day at Leopold’s Kafe and Restaurant, a German restaurant in Georgetown that’s one of the city’s better brunch spots. Another good option for brunch is the ever popular Farmers, Fishers, Bakers.
Begin your sightseeing on the south side of the National Mall (the Smithsonian and L’Enfant Plaza Metro stops are both convenient; they’re served by the Blue, Orange, Silver, Green, and Yellow Lines). There are several more fantastic museums in the area, including the National Air and Space Museum, the International Spy Museum, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the United States Botanic Garden.
This is also a good opportunity to do a tour of a U.S. government institution. You’re very close to the Capitol, Library of Congress, and Supreme Court, and the White House isn’t too far. Alternatively, visit another of the many museums around the Mall.
Get dinner at a restaurant on our list of recommendations. If you haven’t done it yet, tonight is another good opportunity to explore the Mall after dark.
Day 5 – Alexandria & Nightlife
Today you’ll explore historic old town Alexandria. You have a couple of options to get there. First, the Metro runs to King Street (Blue and Yellow lines), but the station is about a mile (20 minute walk) from the historic old town area. Fortunately, there’s a free trolley. More expensive but more scenic and fun is the water taxi. Finally, the most direct option is Uber/Lyft/taxi, which should run you about $18-$25 when not surging.
There’s lots to do and see in Alexandria. Be sure to start at the Alexandria Visitor Center where you can ask questions and purchase a “Key to the City” pass that will get you into most of the town’s historic sites. Our favorites include the Carlyle House, Gadsby’s Tavern, and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary. Get lunch in old town or along the waterfront (Virtue Feed & Grain or Thompson Italian are good options). Stroll along the waterfront.
Once you’ve seen Alexandria, it’s a good time to visit Arlington National Cemetery. A large military cemetery, Arlington is a beautiful and hallowed place. It’s a short ride on the Blue Line from King Street or a quick trip by Uber/Lyft/taxi from downtown Alexandria.
In the afternoon or early evening, think about grabbing a happy hour drink: try a cocktail at McClellan’s Retreat or a whiskey at Crimson. Grab dinner at one of the restaurants we’ve recommended, and then set out to explore DC’s nightlife. One option is to see a show at one of DC’s great theatre venues. If you prefer sports over theatre, we highly recommend seeing a ball game at Nationals Park if it’s baseball season. It’s a beautiful ballpark and a great place to see a game. Alternatively, see the Wizards (basketball) or the Capitals (hockey). The Redskins play at FedEx field, which isn’t easily accessible by public transportation. Another option is to see the Mall and monuments at night, if you haven’t yet.
Day 6: Arboretum, Spirits, and Cuisine
In the morning, hit another museum or government building that you haven’t seen yet. Apart from the museums already listed, three more great art museums are the Philips Collection, Renwick Gallery, and Hirshhorn.
In the afternoon, go out to the National Arboretum if the weather is nice. The arboretum is beautiful, but it isn’t convenient; it’s not accessible by Metro or bus, you’ll have to take Uber/Lyft/taxi. Have a picnic lunch at one of the arboretum’s many picnic areas, see the bonsai collection, herb garden, and any of the other collections that interest you.
If you’re ready for a drink, there are two great options close by. One Eight Distilling creates tasty gin, whiskey, and vodka; their tasting room offers flights and unique cocktails. Also nearby is Supreme Core, a cidery brewing delicious and unusual hard ciders.
Finally, get dinner at The Dabney, one of our favorite restaurants in the world. Be aware that you’ll need to book a reservation online at noon two weeks in advance.
If you haven’t done it yet, tonight is another good opportunity to explore the Mall after dark.
Day 7: Fly Home, or continue your journey
Depending on when your flight is, you might have time to see a museum, monument, or sight that you haven’t visited yet. Again, if you’re flying out of Dulles you might have an opportunity to see the Air and Space Annex (the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center). Then catch your flight home.
If you have the time, combine this trip with another week exploring the area around Washington, D.C. (you’ll need to rent a car).
