10 Best Things to Do in Washington DC
Washington DC packs more weight per square mile than almost any city on the continent, a place of grand marble monuments, free world class museums, and quiet neighborhoods that never make the news. I spent four days walking it end to end and came home knowing I had barely dented it. Here is my list of the best things to do in the capital, starting at the very center of it all.
1. Walk the full length of the National Mall
The National Mall is the great green spine of the city, stretching from the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial with museums lined up along both sides. I walked it early one morning when the crowds were thin and the monuments loomed over the long lawns. It is two miles of history with the Reflecting Pool and the World War memorials spread along the way. Give it a full day if you want to stop at every building.
2. See the monuments at their most moving hour
The monuments that dominate the Mall land hardest at twilight. I stood before the Lincoln Memorial as the lights came up and watched the sun sink behind the Potomac, the great figure of Lincoln watching over the pool. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, with its polished wall of names, is quietly devastating at dusk. The Korean and World War memorials deserve the same slow attention. It is the most moving evening walk you can take in the country.
3. Tour the Smithsonian museums for free
Every Smithsonian museum on the Mall is free, and together they form one of the greatest collections of things on earth. I spent a morning in the Air and Space Museum among the actual planes that changed history, then an afternoon in the Natural History Museum with its famous blue whale and the Hope Diamond. You could visit for a week and not see it all. Pick two or three and go deep rather than rushing.
4. Look down from the top of the Washington Monument
The marble obelisk that dominates the skyline can be climbed, and the view from the top is the definitive look at the whole layout of the city. I took the elevator up and stood looking over the Mall, the White House, and the Capitol arranged as a clear diagram below. The views stretch for miles on good days. Tickets are free but they book up fast, so reserve yours in advance online.
5. Take a quiet walk around the Tidal Basin
The Tidal Basin is the calm water loop in front of the Jefferson Memorial, and the paths around its edge are a peaceful escape from the crowds. I walked it in early spring and caught the famous cherry blossoms just coming into flower, the pale petals drifting over the water. Even without the blossoms the loop past the Jefferson and the Franklin Delano Roosevelt memorial is lovely. Go in the morning to beat the heat.
6. Wander the living galleries of Georgetown
For a different side of DC, cross the river into Georgetown, a neighborhood of cobbled streets, brick houses, and boutiques that feels far removed from the monuments. I walked along the canal towpath and up the steep lanes lined with old townhouses, then found a cafe with a view down to the water. The Georgetown waterfront is now lively with restaurants and parks. It is the city at its most personal and charming.
7. Peer into the great halls of the Capitol
A guided tour of the US Capitol takes you into the rotunda and the old halls where the country’s business has been conducted for two centuries. I stood under the great dome and looked up at the frescoed interior that the architecture students designed to scale. The visitor experience is free but requires a pass, and the scale of the building is remarkable from the inside. Reserve a spot ahead of time.
8. Take the metro to a proper museum off the Mall
Some of my favorite museums sit off the beaten path. The National Portrait Gallery, with its wall of presidents and the famous photographs, is a joy, and the Botanic Garden near the Capitol is a green wonder along the water. I also made it to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, where the galleries are rarely crowded. They give you the same California sunlight as the big names but with far fewer visitors.
9. Eat and drink your way through the new food halls
DC’s food scene has exploded beyond power lunches. I worked through the stalls at the markets in the Union Market district, tasting fresh oysters, tacos, and a strong regional coffee, while the surrounding warehouses turned into a lively quarter. Over the years the city has opened more of these communal halls, each with its own character. It is the easiest way to sample the breadth of the city’s cooking in one spot.
10. See the city from the heights at the Kennedy Center
At the end of the day, the rooftop terrace of the Kennedy Center offers a sweeping view across the river to the monuments and the Mall, all lit up in the dark. I went for a free evening concert watch and stood at the rail as the lights of the downtown spread out below. It is one of the finer free views in the city and a graceful way to close a long day of walking.
Washington DC rewards a mix of planning and spontaneity. The mall and its museums are magnificent, but the city text you know only through the news becomes a place of quiet corners, good food, and leafy neighborhoods when you spend real time in it. Go with comfortable shoes, reserve the free tickets you can, and let the monuments do their sober, moving work at your own pace.
