Things to do in washington dc

Imagine this: A captivating morning paddle on the Potomac River. An afternoon spent roaming the halls of a Smithsonian museum. An evening enjoying one of DC’s iconic sports teams. A monumental meal at a Michelin-starred restaurant. No matter how you spend your time in the nation’s capital, you're sure to leave with lifelong memories. I'm in.

Forget whatever it is you think you know about what there is to do in Washington, D.C. Yes, America’s capital city is brimming with memorials, museums, and watering holes for the high-powered. But there's much more than politics driving the energy here. Residents will tell you it's supremely livable, full of leafy, trail-filled parks, hip food markets and breweries, state-of-the-art rock venues, and tiny jazz clubs—to say nothing of the To read our complete Washington, D.C., city guide, click here . • Open since 1873, Eastern Market is a National Historic Landmark and a beloved local institution. Long before farmers markets cropped up in every neighborhood across the city, Eastern Market was the go-to place for fresh produce, meat, cheese, and baked goods—and still is. One can easily spend an afternoon wandering the stalls, which are packed with fresh produce, cheeses, meats, poultry, and flowers, as well as items like shaved ice snowballs, canned pickles, and Filipino food. If you’re really hungry, sit down for a meal at Market Lunch (cash only), a 40-year-old institution famous for its blueberry-buckwheat pancakes. On weekends, local artists sell handmade wood carvings, letterpress prints, soaps, and the like. A community staple for more than 140 years, Eastern Market offers a fascinating look into local life D.C.—beyond the buzzy new restaurants and the politics. You can’t miss Ben’s Chili Bowl. The restaurant’s bright red and yellow facade on the U Street Corridor prou...

Awesome, you're subscribed! Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! Love the mag? Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. Enter email address What is it? Rock Creek Park is a 1,754 acre green space at the heart of Washington, which has been around since the 1800s. A little slice of peace in the buzzing capital. Why go? The park is home to a ton of biking and walking trails (over 32 miles of them, in fact), and there’s a lot of history to be discovered through its colonial houses and working mills. Plus you can book onto a ranger-led history, nature, or stars and planets program. What is it? An iconic restaurant Aaron Silverman on Barracks Row with a Michelin star. Think small plates, pastas and cocktails you’ll remember forever. Why go? Always five stars from us at Time Out, Rose’s Luxury has been serving up some of the best food and coolest vibes in Washington since 2013, and has since become a staple for tourists and locals alike. The queue is so long, you can order a drink while you wait. But it’s all part of the experience. What is it?This hopping French restaurant cost over $6 million to build, and it shows. Why go?Le Diplomate both looksand feels like you’re in Europe: The floors have the perfect squeak, the bread baskets overflow and the burger comes with a miniature French flag staked on top. If yo...

We happened to pass through DC when the cherry blossoms were at peak bloom and we would highly recommend doing this at least once. Don't let the talk of huge crowds fool you. While there are a lot of people, there are also a lot of cherry trees (thousands) and you will have no problem finding little spots all to yourself if you are patient. A walk around the whole basin takes between one and two hours. The Phillips Collection is in the family's original beautiful home. I learned about the family history, the actual building, and saw an amazing art collection. Each room was beautiful and filled with all of my favorite artists. The staff were very friendly and knowledgable. A hidden gem for art lovers in D.C. Spent few hours here whilst waiting for train, very close to Union Station. We were able to walk straight in, through security, and had place to ourselves for a while. It’s not only about stamps, it covers early days of mail, the Mail train, security, crime involving postal service etc. It’s well laid out and situated in a lovely building and it’s free. Well worth a visit. Love this place and its mission. It is much more thn the Millenium Stage but that alone gives me five stars. I love free shows and the six o'clock start means that if you are a little older, you are not out too late and if you are younger, it is a great way to pregame your night out. The other venues are wonderful too and we enjoyed the various installations and the view from the roof. We did find it ...

You’re probably familiar with Washington, DC as the capital of the United States, and it’s true that you can find all sorts of historically and culturally significant sights within it. From museums to war memorials to government buildings, it’s definitely the headquarters of the nation. There are other parts to the city, however. It’s home to everything from quirky little shops and boutiques to sprawling wilderness reserves filled with waterfalls and hundred-year-old oak trees. It’s much more diverse than you might think! Are you wondering what to do in Washington, DC? Are you hoping to explore all of your options and not just the ones most commonly featured in travel guides? Here are 68 of the best things to do in DC. dibrova / Shutterstock The first stop that you’ll want to make in Washington, DC is the You’ve already seen it depicted in hundreds of films, shows, plays, postcards and art prints, so it’s time to gaze at its majesty in real life. The long, grassy slopes are home to dozens of iconic U.S. institutions. The White House is the most famous, but the Washington Monument is the tallest, and the Smithsonian Museums are the largest in terms of square footage. The domed top of the U.S. Capitol Building can be seen in the hazy distance of the east. The Lincoln Memorial is at the opposite end on the west. Other attractions include statues, museums, memorials, art galleries, botanical gardens and more. In the summer, cherry blossom trees bloom over ponds and reflecting ...

It’s easy to ride the Metro or hop on a bike and explore all that the nation’s capital has to offer. Walk the halls of free Smithsonian museums, paddle on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers or sit back on a double-decker tour bus and soak up some history. Local shops, funky marketplaces and people-watching hot spots beckon by midday, as nighttime gives way to multi-course dinners and drinks from local breweries. However you spend your time here, make it count.