Headed to our nation's capital for the weekend? There's so much you can do in just three days! Read the full itinerary below.
Washington Monument at sunset
Trip Highlights
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Washington D.C. Weekend Trip Itinerary
Day One: Arrive at the airport and start exploring! Walk the National Mall Monument Trail and see the White House.
Day Two: Museum day! Explore the world and its history through the Smithsonian Museums and Ford's Theater.
Day Three: Step out of the city proper. Visit Georgetown, Mt. Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, or other areas.
Full, Detailed Itinerary
Here's how to plan and spend three days in our nation's capital!
Day One
Land in Washington, D.C. There are two airports in town, so you should determine which one works best for you before purchasing tickets. I flew into Dulles, as it was closer to my hotel.
Check into your hotel or lodging, drop your bags, and hit the town! I stayed at the Omni Shoreham Hotel as I was in town for a business conference. While this is a very nice hotel, it's important to note that it's a few miles outside of the city proper. Woodley Park is also a nice area. Our Lyft driver told us that many politicians stay in this neighborhood on business. It's only a short Metro or Lyft ride away to the main attractions of D.C.!
Lincoln Memorial
Grab a water bottle and walk the National Mall Monument Trail. We started at the Washington Monument, walking to the World War II Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and Korean War Memorial. They are all a very short walk from one another.
The walking trail around these fantastic monuments is paved, accessible, and friendly for families. There are no roads between these monuments and it's very safe to walk. There are a few public restrooms around the memorials.
Further away lie the MLK Monument, FDR Monument, and Jefferson Memorial. Personally, the FDR and Jefferson are some my favorite monuments, so they are worth the extra steps and trouble! I love the huge columns of the Jefferson Memorial, and the FDR Memorial is so personalized to the President.
Seeing the National Monuments is a must while in D.C. I've seen them in the winter and the summer. While walking is more comfortable in the winter because you aren't sweating, it is a different vibe than the summer. For example, in the winter, the reflecting pool is frozen and doesn't reflect the monuments on each side. Regardless of the time of year, they are all worth a visit!
Korean War Veteran's Memorial
The White House is pretty close to the National Monument Trail. From Washington Monument, you can walk to it easily. Although there are gates around the property, folks are welcome to view the White House from across the street. We viewed it from Lafayette Square, which is the North Side of the House and has been called the best view.
If you would like to tour the inside of the White House, you will need to contact your Congress-person about six weeks before your trip to request permission.
The White House
Depending on what time your flight arrived and how long you took for sightseeing, it may be around dinner time! Many restaurants require reservations or have long wait times. In D.C., we learned to take our evening meals early so we didn't have to wait at restaurants. It is a foodie town, and the wait times show it! We had luck eating around 5:00 to 6:00 PM.
A short walk from the White House is Succotash. We had an excellent meal southern here. The chicken and waffles were the best I've ever had! Tip: If there is a wait at this restaurant, you may be able to skip the wait and eat in the bar upstairs. They serve most of the same dishes as the rest of the restaurant, but it's more of a speakeasy, intimate vibe.
Day Two
Museum of Natural History
Good morning, D.C.! Get your thinking cap on for a day at the city's remarkable museums. Washington D.C. has a ton of free museums to explore and you can spend an entire day just exploring the Smithsonian.
I recommend visiting the Museum of Natural History (think Night at the Museum movie), National Museum of American History, Natural Archives Museum (see REAL American documents like the Declaration of Independence!), and the Air and Space Museum.
All of the museums are walking distance from one another. There are also several art museums that are free and lovely to visit! It can be overwhelming to choose between so many museums. I recommend picking out a few and starting there. Time really flies inside of the Smithsonian, and your brain can feel a little fried with all the information!
Near the Air and Space Museum lies the United States Capitol Building. I recommend a quick walk to view the beautiful architecture of the Capitol from close-up! It's not far out of the way at all.
Capitol view walking between the museums
The Washington Monument is just across the street (on the opposite side) from the main strip of museums. If you would like to visit the National Monuments and the Smithsonian system on the same day, you could do so very easily! However, I do think the museums are a must see and require a good chunk of your day, so you may not have much time to do both.
Abraham Lincoln's hat in the National Museum of American History
Ford's Theater, museum, and the Peterson House are another must see for Civil War and presidential history. President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated in this still-working theater, and his tragic death changed American history forever.
Timed-entry tickets are highly recommended to be purchased in advance for this historic site. The online reservation system only costs a few dollars to purchase the timed-entry. This guarantees you a spot on the self-guided tour. When purchasing, check the fine print to ensure you are picking the time that has access to the things you want to see. For example, some are only for the theater, while others include the Peterson House.
Lincoln was sitting in this booth on that fateful night.
If you are a huge Abe Lincoln fan, you may be interested in visiting the Surratt Boarding House, where his assassination was reportedly planned. Notably, Mary Surrat, the owner of the boarding house, was hung for potential involvement in the scheme. She was the first woman executed by the United States. Three male conspirators were also hung.
This building is located in China Town. It's still standing, but it is now a Chinese restaurant. You can walk there in about twelve minutes from Ford's Theater.
Chinatown Friendship Arch
We ate dinner at a classic D.C. institution, the Hamilton. To get there, we walked past the White House again! It was a beautiful restaurant with lots of seating.
Day Three
How will you spend your last day in D.C.? There are so many options, and the choice is yours!
The Arlington National Cemetery is a very short ride from the city, just across the Arlington Memorial Bridge from the Lincoln Memorial. It's a sobering D.C. experience, honoring our nation's fallen soldiers. Watching the Changing of the Guard is an American staple. I love JFK's eternal flame, which always burns in the cemetery.
If you are counting your states, this experience is technically in Virginia.
Georgetown: D.C.'s oldest neighborhood
Georgetown is D.C's oldest neighborhood. Although the neighborhood is known for great shopping, I think it truly shines for its history. (However, if you do love shopping, then you will love the main drag!) I recommend walking through the old city streets and looking at all the old, original houses. Continue your walk to the Georgetown Waterfront Park for beautiful views of skyscrapers across the Potomac River. I felt very safe walking in this neighborhood.
Georgetown Waterfront Park
If you are a horror movie fan, you can find the Exorcist steps in Georgetown, just off of the college campus. The steps were featured in the Exorcist movie, as well as the house from the movie, which is down the street.
Ask me how I know.
A third option is Mount Vernon, George Washington's home. This is a bit further from the city, in Alexandria, Virginia. The property is gorgeous, and you just can't get more patriotic than the first American president's home.
If you'd like to stay in D.C. and do some more exploring there, that's also a great option! There is so much history and so much to uncover. I've heard that the Library of Congress has beautiful architecture. You could also get tickets to ride the Washington Monument to the top for a view of the city. If you missed any museums, you could spend hours getting lost in them.
Farewell Address
Before visiting D.C., some folks warned me of the "high crime rate." My mom and I visited the city as two women walking alone, and we felt perfectly safe. We stuck to the "toursity" areas, kept an eye on our surroundings, and had no trouble.
We got around using Lyft and had a great experience. We did utilize the Metro one day, just to say we did it! We aren't city girls by any means, but it was easy enough to navigate. It's also a few dollars cheaper, per person, than using a ride app.
I have visited D.C. in July and January, and I found both very enjoyable. Go when you can and do what you can with it!
I hope you enjoy your trip to Washington, D.C.!
Katie
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