Current Events > What is a 'must do' of Washington, DC?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I'm gonna be there in Feb 2024, and I wanna try to do as much as possible.

beep bep

Lincoln Memorial

White House Secretary

Tyranthraxus posted...

Lincoln Memorial

I think we will prob do a lot of the memorials.

FortuneCookie posted...

White House Secretary

doubtful

The museums along the National Mall are a pretty good time.

The Air & Space Museum, Natural History Museum, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument (you need a ticket, and advance reservations are strongly recommended, as there limited tours each day), the White House tour, the National Zoo (you will need to take the subway from the National Mall to get to the Zoo. The Zoo is free to enter, though)

The Smithsonian. Amongst other things mentioned.

The Jets bar.

Whenever I'm in DC, I usually have something else to do or an event to attend. Not much time to wander.

probably visit the white house i would imagine.

Space ice cream at the Air and Space museum.

Smithsonian museums are free so they get insanely crowded, and the history/science ones are pretty average to begin with. The zoo is pretty meh too but it's free so eh. The Air and Space museum feels less crowded because it has so many big exhibition halls to fit all the cool planes, and the planes are so cool that it's always interesting, at least if you think cool planes are cool. Udvar-Hazy is a lot less crowded and has some epic planes the main museum doesn't have, but it's a schlep to get to.

Expect a lot of redcap Maga chuds wandering around being smug and obnoxious especially if you go to Arlington cemetery.

We found that Arlington was a good place to stay, found a really good and affordable hotel near the metro and it was easy to get to Reagan airport and the city.

Ben's Chili Bowl. Get the half-smoke. Obama got Canada's Trudeau and France's Macron hooked. Macron ordered half-smokes for the whole French embassy afterwards. Banana pudding optional.

The Dubliner (Bar). Best after 9pm. Cocktails, Guinness, full bar. Get a seat that has a view of the Capitol. 50% Hill senior staffers depending on the day.

International Spy Museum.

I went to college in DC, and lived there for 12 years back in the 90s and 00s. There are some good suggestions in the thread. My personal ones:

-The Lincoln and Jefferson memorials are must sees. It is too bad you wont be there in Spring-Jefferson memorial and cherry blossoms is fantastic.

-The Smithsonian museums are all worth your time-especially Air and Space and American history.

-The White House tour is really good. The FBI building tour is also really great and interesting, if they still do it. You have to get tickets in advance, but it is really good.

-The National Zoo is great, but be careful about that if you are going in February. This could have changed since I was there, but it did not have many indoor places and there is a lot of walking. Not a great place if there is winter weather,

Have fun TC! I do not miss DC traffic, but other than that it is a pretty great place.

Westernwolf4 posted...

I went to college in DC, and lived there for 12 years back in the 90s and 00s. There are some good suggestions in the thread. My personal ones:

-The Lincoln and Jefferson memorials are must sees. It is too bad you wont be there in Spring-Jefferson memorial and cherry blossoms is fantastic.

-The Smithsonian museums are all worth your time-especially Air and Space and American history.

-The White House tour is really good. The FBI building tour is also really great and interesting, if they still do it. You have to get tickets in advance, but it is really good.

-The National Zoo is great, but be careful about that if you are going in February. This could have changed since I was there, but it did not have many indoor places and there is a lot of walking. Not a great place if there is winter weather,

Have fun TC! I do not miss DC traffic, but other than that it is a pretty great place.

Yeah, I lived in Montgomery County, Maryland November 1982-June 2011. I miss there, though so much has changed that if I were to go back, it wouldn't be the same....

I lived in NW D.C. (Farragut West, eventually Woodley Park).

TyVulpine posted...

Yeah, I lived in Montgomery County, Maryland November 1982-June 2011. I miss there, though so much has changed that if I were to go back, it wouldn't be the same....

Absolutely: the few times I have been back, it has been really different. I kept my suggestions pretty generic, because I am certain the less touristy places I hung out are all very different from when I left.

I only visited D.C. once as a kid, but I remember enjoying the International Spy Museum quite a bit.

Huh didn't know Dubliner was that popular. That's one of the alumni bars I go to for Notre Dame sports.

DC is really mostly museums, bars/restaurants, the monuments, and seeing the tidal basin. So if you're not much of a foodie or nerd, you're gonna have to venture outside the downtown area. For bar stuff in DC, you can walk (from Foggy Bottom) or uber over to Georgetown which is expensive but has some cool stuff like Pinstripe where you walk in and the ground level is a bar and restaurant, and the lower level is a bowling alley....and bar. Other hipster crap in that area too like a couple of piano bars. Dupont Circle has a large LGBT population and they have drag brunches on weekends which I still want to go to at least once.

Tag because I want to go there to some day

Many attractions require reservations (free, but the website charges a small fee).

You should contact your representative for tours of the White House, Capitol, Library of Congress, National Archives, Pentagon, Mint, and I can't remember what other federal buildings.

The Holocaust Museum requires tickets, but you can get there early in the morning for same-day tickets.

I was there in June 2022, so some of this info may be outdated, but it has been the procedure to contact your rep for certain tickets for a long time.

MacadamianNut3 posted...

Huh didn't know Dubliner was that popular. That's one of the alumni bars I go to for Notre Dame sports.

DC is really mostly museums, bars/restaurants, the monuments, and seeing the tidal basin. So if you're not much of a foodie or nerd, you're gonna have to venture outside the downtown area. For bar stuff in DC, you can walk (from Foggy Bottom) or uber over to Georgetown which is expensive but has some cool stuff like Pinstripe where you walk in and the ground level is a bar and restaurant, and the lower level is a bowling alley....and bar. Other hipster crap in that area too like a couple of piano bars. Dupont Circle has a large LGBT population and they have drag brunches on weekends which I still want to go to at least once.

Lots of fun things to do in DuPont Circle.

I didn't see anything fun to do in DuPont circle. Just hotels, coffee shops, and abandoned subway stations.

Holocaust museum, but it might be very heart wrenching.

eat at old ebbit grill, trust me.

Tomb of the unknown soldier.

Smithsonian

Various monuments

Patriotwolf posted...

Tomb of the unknown soldier.

Stay behind the chains unless you want to be yelled at by the guard.

Fix society while you're there.

Quake-64 posted...

Holocaust museum, but it might be very heart wrenching.

eat at old ebbit grill, trust me.

I saw a couple kissing under The New England Holocaust Memorial.

To this day, I wonder if they knew what they were doing.

Absolutely do not storm the capitol

Visit the metro and pretend you're playing Fallout 3

SiO4 posted...

The Smithsonian. Amongst other things mentioned.

You gotta be more specific, they have like twenty places.

The Natural History museum is always a good call.

I really dug the Modern Art one when I went.

DrizztLink posted...

You gotta be more specific, they have like twenty places.

The Natural History museum is always a good call.

I really dug the Modern Art one when I went.

Ya, someone who is local addressed that.
But I do agree The Museum of Natural History and the Aerospace Museum would definitely be on my list.

See if you can get into Allegory or The Gibson. Cool hidden bars with very dim lights.

I've lived in DC for 25+ years. I second pretty much any Smithsonian, especially Air and Space, American History, and African American. The best museum food (at the National Mall) is at the American Indian museum (National Gallery East Wing is second best). Since the museums are free, you can easily pop in for food.

If you've already been to zoos in NYC, San Diego, or Philly, then you can miss the National Zoo. It's good, but not amazing. It requires (free) tickets for timed entry (from their website).

If you can make it out to Udvar Hazy, then definitely go, it's one of the top-3 aviation museums in the US (again, free except for parking). But unless you are staying near Dulles Airport, it will probably take a whole day.

Try to at least drive past the Pentagon and FBI buildings, so you can at least say you saw them. It's traditional to point out how ugly the FBI building is (it's a crumbling example of Brutalism). Georgetown (neighborhood, not necessarily the school) is good for people watching and has nice restaurants. Also at least drive by Comet Ping Pong (or eat there; the pizza's amazing).

Check whether there's anything free going on at The Kennedy Center.

I have not been to the Spy Museum at it's new location, but I hear it's good. The old one was lots of fun (note that it is not a free museum).

As others have said, DuPont Circle is a nice place to walk around and get something to eat. If you are there anyway, check out the statue (of Farragut) in Farragut Square, with its mortars. More up and coming areas are H Street, Shaw, and The Wharf, but an exhaustive list would be hard (there so many cool little areas). Even a place like Penn Quarter puts you by the National Portrait Gallery (not as boring as it sounds), my favorite statue (the Lichtenstein at 9th & F NW), and China Chilcano (a great restaurant).

Obviously walk past the White House to check out the fence and the protesters, even if you don't get a tour.

DC is very serious about brunch (which lasts until like 2-3pm) and drinking, so definitely take advantage of that. Pot is legal except on National Park land, if you are interested in that.

Get a book or check out a site like Atlas Obscura to learn about all the little trivia about all the places you are walking or driving past. There's a lot of historical (and pop culture) references to catch incidentally. It's a place where local news is often world news.

If you spend time along the Potomac, you'll probably see some cool low-flying helicopters.

The press secretary is a must do. She's pretty cute >_>

Quake-64 posted...

eat at old ebbit grill, trust me.

Certainly a solid choice. Good for tourists, but not too touristy. Noteworthy for being the most profitable restaurant in DC. My wife used to work nearby. In that general area, I'd also recommend Succotash, The Hamilton (owned by Old Ebbit's group), MXDC, and Pi Pizzaria (fancy Chicago pizza).

tankboy posted...

I've lived in DC for 25+ years. I second pretty much any Smithsonian, especially Air and Space, American History, and African American. The best museum food (at the National Mall) is at the American Indian museum (National Gallery East Wing is second best). Since the museums are free, you can easily pop in for food.

If you've already been to zoos in NYC, San Diego, or Philly, then you can miss the National Zoo. It's good, but not amazing. It requires (free) tickets for timed entry (from their website).

If you can make it out to Udvar Hazy, then definitely go, it's one of the top-3 aviation museums in the US (again, free except for parking). But unless you are staying near Dulles Airport, it will probably take a whole day.

Try to at least drive past the Pentagon and FBI buildings, so you can at least say you saw them. It's traditional to point out how ugly the FBI building is (it's a crumbling example of Brutalism). Georgetown (neighborhood, not necessarily the school) is good for people watching and has nice restaurants. Also at least drive by Comet Ping Pong (or eat there; the pizza's amazing).

Check whether there's anything free going on at The Kennedy Center.

I have not been to the Spy Museum at it's new location, but I hear it's good. The old one was lots of fun (note that it is not a free museum).

As others have said, DuPont Circle is a nice place to walk around and get something to eat. If you are there anyway, check out the statue (of Farragut) in Farragut Square, with its mortars. More up and coming areas are H Street, Shaw, and The Wharf, but an exhaustive list would be hard (there so many cool little areas). Even a place like Penn Quarter puts you by the National Portrait Gallery (not as boring as it sounds), my favorite statue (the Lichtenstein at 9th & F NW), and China Chilcano (a great restaurant).

Obviously walk past the White House to check out the fence and the protesters, even if you don't get a tour.

DC is very serious about brunch (which lasts until like 2-3pm) and drinking, so definitely take advantage of that. Pot is legal except on National Park land, if you are interested in that.

Get a book or check out a site like Atlas Obscura to learn about all the little trivia about all the places you are walking or driving past. There's a lot of historical (and pop culture) references to catch incidentally. It's a place where local news is often world news.

If you spend time along the Potomac, you'll probably see some cool low-flying helicopters.

Also low flying planes landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: