2024 Best Sights Around Washington D.C.
Jefferson Memorial - Washington, D.C.
Intro
I grew up in the suburbs of New Jersey, 20-miles outside of New York City. I felt fortunate to grow up so close to NYC and spend time in a diverse area with diverse people and restaurants. What was also nice about growing up in the northeast was that it is quick enough to get to several different states and historic sights with a few hours. Visiting the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, getting a Harvard sweatshirt in Cambridge, skiing in Vermont, trying lobster in Maine, fishing in New Hampshire, visiting my brother at college in Connecticut, vacationing in Ocean City Maryland, and learning about our country’s history in D.C. I don’t think I realized it when I first visited at 14, how much there was to do in the D.C. area.
Washington, D.C.
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Our middle school took 8th graders for an overnight trip. I do not remember a ton about this visit. What does pop into my mind was we had to take a group picture in front of the Capitol, we saw the Washington Monument from every vantage point, they taped our hotel rooms at night to ensure no one was leaving the rooms, and our guidance counselor required us to bring nice clothes for a fancy dinner which turned out to be the equivalent of Pizza Hut. I wish I was more engaged in the trips of my youth. Versus how I was more focused on trying to be cool and hanging with my friends. I am not a cool adult, so I wish I spent more of that time retaining the details of the trip.
In 2013 I went to DC again; my brother was living in Georgetown for a few months. One weekend I flew up from Miami to meet my brother and parents for a few days in Washington. In one day, we made it to the Holocaust Museum, Air & Space Museum as well as the American History Museum. We spent almost 3 hours alone in the massive Holocaust Museum. This was in addition to the other two museums and walking the city, seeing the cherry blossoms and major monuments around town. Even being in our 20’s, we were both exhausted by the end of the day.
Towards the end of the day, we walked past the White House. When I mentioned it did not look like the pictures, my brother said it was the back of the house. I asked why I would want to see the part of the house that DOES NOT look like the White House. Agreed to disagree. It was the perfect time to visit, mid-April. Not freezing anymore but not painfully humid either. That is something I do not miss about the northeast, the extreme temperature swings and humidity.
Unfortunately, the next time I was in the city it was frigidly cold. I got a job with a hotel, traveling the US as a training manager for different hotels across the U.S. My favorite part of this job was the domestic travel and I started off with a bang in D.C. My first stop was Bethesda, which is where my own job training started. As soon as I landed, I got my stuff in the hotel room and headed right back out to D.C. The next few days were going to be filled with seminars and I wanted to take in as much of the city as possible. I am sure I would feel differently if I lived there but there is something I love about walking through the Mall, wandering around Georgetown, and hitting up the free museums (among other things). I even saw the correct side of the White House this time. This trip was also the first time I had Ethiopian food. I asked the waitress to bring me her favorite dish and I was hooked.
My favorite part of this trip and maybe one of my top favorite moments of all time was when I saw the Washington Ballet perform at Kennedy Center set to the Beatles and Rolling Stones music. When I knew my first stop was DC I wanted to extend through the weekend and wanted to figure out something fun to do so I started looking up entertainment over that weekend. When I found this performance, I knew that was what would make this a memorable trip. I always loved performing arts, was endlessly impressed by ballet, and am obsessed with the Beatles music. The cherry on top was the Kennedy Center venue. What an iconic venue. So many times I have watched the Kennedy Center Honors presenting to some of my favorite artists. At the Kennedy Center, I was in awe of the structure, the architecture, the history, and the symbolism behind the building.
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DC is rainier than Seattle.
The tallest stone building in the world is the Washington Monument.
John Adams, the 2nd US President, was the first US President to live in the White House.
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Most of my trips to Washington D.C. were through my school or job, so my hand wasn’t completely in the planning of these trips. With that said, when I visited my brother in 2013 I was in charge of booking my flights. This was also a bit before Uber’s and Lyft’s being a common place so I needed to figure out how to get to my brother’s apartment in Georgetown. If you have visited Georgetown, you would know that the closest metro stop is not that close. There is one in Foggy Bottom and DuPont Circle, which are both about a mile and a half away from Georgetown University. So my solution this trip was to have my brother pick me up at Reagan Airport. -
When I stayed in D.C. with work, I stayed at a Marriott in the Dupont Circle section of town, which is pretty close to a lot of sights in the area. There are quite a few economy, moderate, and luxury brand hotels around the city (Hilton, Marriott, Hyatt, InterContinental, etc.) as well as ample AirBNB. My recommendation would be to find a hotel in your budget near many of the things you will be seeing. If exploring all over the city, below I include a few great sections of town to stay in.
Lincoln Memorial - Washington, D.C.
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Downtown
Georgetown
Dupont Circle
Foggy Bottom
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Iconic Buildings in DC
The Pentagon
Kennedy Center
The White House
US Supreme Court
US Capitol Building
The Washington Monument
Washington National Cathedral
Free DC Museum
Asian Art
African Art
Sculpture Garden
US Botanic Garden
US Holocaust Museum
Air and Space Museum
National Portrait Gallery
Natural History Museum
American Indian Museum
American History Museum
Washington Monument - Washington, D.C.
Lincoln Memorial - Washington, D.C.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial - Washington, D.C.
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Rasika - Indian
Zaytinya - Greek
Daikaya - Ramen
il Canale - Italian
Kabob Palace - Afghan
The Hamilton - Seafood
Pisco y Nazca - Peruvian
Founding Farmers - Breakfast
Jaleo by Jose Andres - Spanish
Oyamel Cocina Mexicana - Mexican
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The Pentagon Memorial
Conclusion
I have not been back to Washington, D.C. in a few years but am glad of all the time I got to spend there. It is a city steeped with a lot of history and culture. If you are a museum lover like me, D.C. if your city! My favorite memories from my time in the city was walking museums until we were exhausted, wandering past the landmarks, and trying Ethiopian food for the first time in Georgetown. The best thing about the Northeast is how easy it is to get to many of these iconic cities, within 2-hours you can find yourself exploring Philadelphia, Baltimore, Annapolis, Arlington, or Richmond.
Quote
“Human happiness and moral duty are inseparably connected.” — George Washington
Next Up On The Blog
If you are lucky enough to be in the D.C. area, take a little drive and check out Richmond, Virginia. I put together a post on some of the Best Restaurants and Sights in Richmond. The Northeast is fortunate to have tons of amazing cities close by. If up for a little road trip, check out my recent blog on New York City, where I break down everything from the best sights to what you should pack.
Washington, D.C.