A three-day adventure through Washington DC's most notable sites, restaurants, and activities.

Washington DC is known for its politics, its landmark museums, and its iconic monuments. This itinerary takes you to Washington DC's amazing views, unique attractions, and notable places in a realistic and enjoyable fashion. From the Capitol to the Zoo, from the Georgetown waterfront to Jose Andres' Jaleo, you can experience the best of Washington DC.

Notes

This itinerary does not require a car! Metro (subway and/or bus), and your legs are all you need. If you're looking to save time between stops, ride share (Uber or Lyft) is also a great option.

This itinerary was last updated in May 2019 and is for use through Summer 2019. For further information on each activity, see the links below.

9AM: Panda Time

One treasure unique to Washington DC is the Smithsonian Institutions, which runs many of the museums in the city.  Free for all comers they make Washington a museum destination. In addition to the artifacts, paintings, and planes that the Smithsonian is famous for, it also boasts one of the country's best zoos. The National Zoo's pandas (Tian Tian, Mei Xiang, and their almost 2-year old cub Bei Bei) are one of only four groups of pandas in the United States. All pandas in the United States are on loan from China, and cubs born in the United States, like Bei Bei, are returned to China at age four, like his sister Bao Bao, who returned to China in February 2017. The National Zoo presents the only opportunity in the United States to see these favorites for free. Get there early to avoid long lines.

National Zoological Park, 3001 Connecticut Ave., NW. Hours: 8 AM to 7 PM (last admittance 6 PM) through September 30. Winter hours begin October 1 and the Zoo closes at 5 PM (last admittance 4 PM).

11:30AM: Mall-Side Lunch

Eating lunch down around the Mall is a bigger challenge than one might expect - but it isn't surprising. The Mall almost exclusively houses museums, and while there are cafeterias in the museums, they are usually crowded and not very good. The second best option is food trucks, which can be a good option on weekends. On weekdays, though, they are usually serving Washington DC's office workers. 

Instead the best options are a couple of food courts (or food halls, depending on your preferred vocabulary). On the south-side of the mall the best option is the L'Enfant Plaza food court, which is just a couple of blocks from the Air and Space Museum. However, on your way to the history Museums on the north-side of the mall, the best option is the National Place food hall, which is just a block from the Metro Center metro station, and just 3-4 blocks from National History Museum. There you have local and national options include Moe's Southwest Grill and Five Guys Burgers(did you know that Five guys is from the Washington DC area? The original restaurant was in Arlington, VA), but my preference is Takorean, a DC area chain that started as a food-truck that serves Korean and asian flavors in tacos, burritos, and bowls. 

National Place Food Hall, 13th & F Streets, NW.

L'Enfant Plaza Food Court, 429 L'Enfant Plaza SW.

Farmers markets are another great option - there are two open on Friday in the same vicinity, USDA and Capitol Harvest on the Plaza. See here for more information.

1PM: So Much History

Washington is a city steeped in history, and it will remind you of that at every turn; from some of the countries' most notable historical items such as the Declaration of Independence to the numerous Civil War monuments that sit at the center of traffic circles throughout the city.  However, DC stands with its history museums, all conveniently and centrally located. The 6 blocks of Constitution Ave NW, from 8th St to 13th St, houses the Smithsonian American History Museum, the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, and the National Archives. These museums provide access to an amazing range of history, especially American history. Notable sites includes Julia Child's Kitchen, the Declaration of Independence, the Star-Spangled Banner, Dinosaurs, and the U.S. Constitution. These museums' collections of natural and U.S. artifacts are untouchable.

National History of American History: Constitution Ave., NW between 12th and 14th Streets. Open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM.

National Museum of Natural History: 10th Street and Constitution Ave., NW. Open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM. See extended hours here.

National Archives Museum: Constitution Ave., NW between 7th and 9th Streets. Open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM.

6PM Monuments Night Tour

DC is known for it’s beautiful monuments and open spaces, and there is no better time to appreciate these views than in the evening. The entirety of the National Mall is impressive after dark, from the Capitol building to the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and the monuments and memorials in between. Visiting in the evening also spares you a lot of direct sunlight, as shady areas and tree cover are limited, at best.

The mall is best experienced out in the open. However, while the Mall is walkable, it isn't small, as the walk from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial is about 2.5 miles. Fortunately, there are a number of excellent and affordable ways to traverse the mall. For those interested in exploring on their own, Capitol Bikeshare unlimited 30 minute rides with stations near all the big sites along the mall (and throughout the city.)

Capital Bikeshare can be acquired for 24 hours for $8 and 3 days for $17. Please note, for each ride to be free, it needs to be under 30 minutes - however you get unlimited rides. The Spotcycle App (IOS or Android) will keep you informed on where stations are and if they have bikes or bike docks available.

9PM: A Late Dinner with Andres

Famed chef Jose Andres kicked off his career by opening Jaleo in Washington in 1993 at age 23, helping to kick of the tapas craze in the United States. It has impressively remained one of the highest regarded restaurants in the city despite having been open for almost 25 years. Of course, Andres has become one of the most notable celebrity chefs in the country, with 19 restaurants in Washington, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Puerto Rico. Despite the competition in DC, often coming from his other 8 Washington area restaurants, Jaleo remains an icon that people keep returning to. 

Jaleo: 480 7th St NW. Open daily for lunch and dinner. Reservations strongly recommended.

11:30 PM: Point of View

While DC has some iconic views, it does not have a particular notable skyline, except in rare cases. This is because of the strict height restriction on buildings in DC, leading to mostly uninspired views of the tops of buildings. One notable exception to that is the POV bar atop the W Washington. With rare views of the White House and other monuments, it is provides a unique view of Washington. While it is definitely an expensive place to get a drink, it’s hard to compete with view.  If you are looking for a more traditional location for a drink and maybe a snack, Old Ebbitt Grill is just a block away and offers one of the more classic DC bar experiences.

POV: 515 15th St NW; Open until 2 AM on Friday and Saturday.

Old Ebbitt Grill: 675 15th St NW, Washington, DC 20005; Open till 3 AM on Friday and Saturday.

9AM: Capitol Views 

One of the most notable landmarks in the country, the U.S. Capitol remains high on the many people’s visit list for good reasons - its combination of history, grand spaces and architecture, along with its current day importance, is tough to match. The only real way to see the building is by tour, which takes you through an impressive array of rooms and spaces, from the Capitol rotunda itself to the crypt where George Washington was supposed to be buried, to the whisper hall in the old House of Representatives chamber where former President John Quincy Adams was rumored to spy on his political opponents (now the hall of statues). To access the Capitol, enter through the Capitol Visitor’s Center, located on the east side of the building. The center is an impressive and expensive ($621 million) underground entryway to the Capitol that was completed in 2008.

Capitol Visitor Center: First St and E Capitol St NE. Tour reservations strongly recommended and best made online.

11:30AM: Dim Sum Brunch

As with many of its peer cities, weekend brunch in Washington is close to a religion for many of its citizens, as you can experience on late mornings and early afternoons over the weekend. However, brunch also remains one of the hardest meals to stand out in. One place that does stand out is The Source, located in the same building as the Newseum. It offers innovative dim sum only on Saturdays. As one would expect, the dumplings and Siu Mai are standouts, as are the Dan Dan noodles. The Source also specializes in unique Bloody Marys - the Sichuan Mary is spicy and delicious. 

The Source by Wolfgang Puck: 575 Pennsylvania Ave NW; Reservations Recommended

3PM: The Views of Georgetown

Georgetown is known for it’s historical buildings and housing, it’s high-level shopping, and it’s beautiful waterfront along the Potomac River. A walk through the historic neighborhoods leads you to the University and it’s beautiful and notable gothic architecture. Descending the steps from the University to M St NW (made famous by the Exorcist) turn left, and you’ll be walking along M St, where many of the famous stores and cupcakeries reside. Once you tire of shopping or snacking, walk down to the waterfront and take a stroll along the Potomac, one of the more scenic walks in DC and a great place to unwind after a long day.

8PM: Rasika

Washington's food renaissance over the past 15-20 years has had a lot of different faces and flavors, but one of most notable ones has been Vikram Sunderam, who opened Rasika in 2005 and it's sister restaurant Rasika West End in 2012. Sunderam, who won the James Beard Foundation award for Best Chef - Mid Atlantic in 2014. Both restaurants are lauded and continually one of the harder restaurants to get in to, so be sure to make a reservation early (or be willing to eat early or late). Standouts include the Gobhi Mattar (cauliflower with green peas, cumin, and ginger, amazing Vegetable Biryani, and (some meat).

Rasika West End: 1190 New Hampshire Ave NW; Reservations strongly recommended. 

Rasika: 633 D St NW; Reservations strongly recommended. 

11 PM: Beer City

The District of Columbia's lack of requirement for alcohol distributors have long provided for a unique set of drinks available for consumers. When it comes to beer, the Brickskellar (RIP) was a trendsetter for bars in the city - the team there took a refrigerated truck across the country buying cases of beer from everywhere and selling it in their Dupont bar. A new generation of bars and brewpubs have built on this foundation, led by the Neighborhood Restaurant Group, owner of their flagship beer bar Churchkey and their Brewpub Bluejacket Brewery. One of their more recent entries is the Sovereign, a Belgian Beer Bar tucked away in an alley of Wisconsin Ave NW in Georgetown. In a beautiful space, it is a great place to grab a drink and a snack on a late evening.

The Sovereign: 1206 Wisconsin Ave NW; Open until 2 AM Friday and Saturday nights, 1 AM the rest of week.

9AM: (Eastern) Market Breakfast

Like many older cities, Washington had many markets throughout town; through the years and downturn of center city, many were lost to history. Eastern Market, however, has been mostly in operation for 136 years. Rebuilt after a 2007 fire that required the 19th century building to be internally gutted and rebuilt, a new and improved Eastern Market emerged in 2009. 7 days a week the south hall houses a number vendors peddling fresh produce and flowers, to baked goods, meats, poultry, cheese and deli products. On weekends, the hall is joined just outside by a farmers market and vendors selling handmade arts and crafts and antiques. It’s a perfect place to grab breakfast and wander amid the vendors people watching. 

Eastern Market: 225 7th St SE Opens 9AM Sundays, 7 AM Tuesday - Saturday. Closed Monday. 

11AM: Air and Space

When people think of the Smithsonian Museums, or see a Smithsonian Museum in the movies (Captain America 2: Winter Soldier), the museum they are thinking about is the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The most visited Smithsonian Museum with 7.5 million visitors in 2016, this American icon on the south side of the National Mall is full of unique sites that draw in visitors including Apollo 11 module, the Friendship 7 capsule which was flown by John Glenn, the Bell X-1 which broke the sound barrier, and the Wright brothers' plane near the entrance. As it is the most popular Smithsonian, early arrivals are helpful as well as a well planned itinerary. 

Just as a reminder, there is a second Air and Space Museum out by Washington Dulles airport, which is where the Space Shuttle resides. That is unfortunately a 45 minute drive away. 

National Air and Space Museum: 600 Independence Ave SW, Open 10AM to 5:30 PM.

1 PM: Buddha and Cats at the Museum

The Smithsonian has been renewing many of its museums, in addition to the more noticed openings such as the National Museum of African American History and Culture. In mid-October 2017, the Smithsonian’s Asian art museums, the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (closed since June) and the Freer Gallery of Art (closed for 19 months), reopened after significant renovations. Take advantage of the brand new temporary exhibits, stand-outs including Encountering the Buddha: Art and Practice Across Asia,  where one can experience Buddhist art from Afghanistan, India, Southeast Asia, China and Japan to include stepping into a Tibetan Buddhist shrine and lingering at a Sri Lankan stupa.

Freer Gallery of Art: Jefferson Dr., SW at 12th St. SW. Open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM. 

Arthur M. Sackler Gallery: 1050 Independence Ave. SW. Open daily 10 AM to 5:30 PM. 

4 PM: Wander Adams Morgan and Experience Ethiopian Food

Adams Morgan, the DC neighborhood just north of Dupont Circle, was for many years synonymous with raucous DC nightlife - a place to go on weekend evenings to be among a crowd of revelers. However, in recent years, this reputation has cracked as newer neighborhoods have taken the party neighborhood mantle, but what it revealed is something the locals have long known - that the neighborhood was filled with a diverse collection of stores, restaurants, coffee shops, as well as bars. Take a stroll along 18th Street, starting at U Street NW, and continuing to the heart of Adams Morgan at 18th and Columbia NW. Amidst you wanderings, stop for dinner at Zenebech, the well respected establishment that recently moved up from Shaw. In its new location, it still represents some of the best Ethiopian food in the city, and remains affordable and delicious. Don't miss the Vegetarian Sampler for the easiest way to try a six different dishes for an affordable $15.

Zenebech: 2420 18th street NW Washington, DC 20009. Opens daily at 11 AM.