A Weekend in the District
It’s hard to believe that it’s been close to one year ago today that I moved to the capital city from my cozy midwest roots. When I visited the city last April for my job interview at the George Washington University Hospital, I remember walking around the Mall afterwards thinking to myself, “could this city really be a place I could call home?” And while it hasn’t been easy, DC has become home to me. Between the friends I’ve made, the continual hustle and bustle of always having something to do, and a job that I love, it may prove to be my home for longer than I originally anticipated.
I believe it’s what you call, “laying down roots.”
Yet with that being said, when thinking about this one year anniversary, I realized that I really haven’t posted much about DC and the millions of things there are to do in and around the city. I love blogging all about my travels, but have somehow managed to take this city for granted in rarely writing about all the treasures it stores.
So below you’ll find an itinerary for what - in my opinion - would be the perfect long weekend in this incredible city. I say “long weekend” because you really
can’t
see all the must-see items in two days or less. It requires a bit more investment than that.
Anyway, use my schedule below as a skeleton for your own itinerary in traveling to DC. And if ever in this neck of the woods, I’d love to meet up. I know a few brunch places with bottomless mimosa specials that have never disappointed…
DAY 1
I’ll give full disclosure and say that the Capitol Hill region of this city has stolen my heart, partly because it’s the region of town that I live in. So if it seems as though many of the restaurants I suggest are in this part of the city, you’ll know why.
But also, the food here is incredible. So bring an empty stomach.
Start off your day at Jimmy T’s diner, located on 5th Street and East Capitol. While this place doesn’t serve bottomless mimosa’s like my other favorite breakfast place, it still ranks right at the top of the list. Wake up, grab a cup of coffee, and head down past the multi-million dollar homes to the small hole-in-the-wall diner. Between all of the reasonably priced breakfast items (for DC standards), the staff makes you feel right at home.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled, too. Being four streets from the Capitol Building, I’ve seen my fair share of members of Congress while dining here and even some White House officials, Steve Bannon having sat right next to me last time I was there.
Finish up breakfast and walk the remaining distance to the Capitol Building. Many people don’t realize that you can walk close enough to the building to where you feel as though you can actually touch it. Another helpful hint is that you should walk up to the EAST side of the building if you want pictures rather than the west. You can get closer and snap the perfect Instagram shot.
Next, head right across the street to the Madison Building to get a readership card for what is hands-down my favorite place in the city to visit: the Library of Congress. Most people don’t realize that it’s absolutely FREE to get a readership card (and we all know how much I love free). Having the card allows you access into all of the reader rooms including the main reader room – the room you all saw in the famous scene from National Treasure…
Head to the Madison building, go the Reader Registration room, and five minutes later BAM. You’ve got yourself a card. All of us being tax-paying citizens, it’s 100% free and so incredibly easy to get one. Everyone that’s ever come to visit I’ve always taken to get their own.
Walk across the street to the Library of Congress, enter in through the front door, peak around the grand hall for a bit and then make your way through the labyrinth of tunnels that’ll get you to the main reader room.
Trust me – it’s not something you’ll want to pass up.
Finish up the afternoon walking to the National Botanical Garden. If you managed to reserve a tour of the Capitol Rotunda (which I’d also highly recommend), you can do that instead. Either way, the Garden or Rotunda, you’ll have plenty to see and experience.
Grab some lunch from one of many food trucks lining the National Mall. And while they may be a bit expensive, you actually get quite a bit of food for what you buy. Plus it’s convenient. Lunch with a view of all the monuments doesn’t get much better.
Finish up your first day walking around the remainder of the Mall. Don’t forget to bring your walking shoes…you’ll easily pack in over six miles by the time all is said and done. Between walking to the Washington Monument, Abe, the White House and Jefferson Memorial, you’ll be exhausted. But each of them has their own particular gravitas and each impacts you in their own way.
My own opinion: don’t skip the Jefferson memorial. A lot of people think twice about walking to it because of it being on the other side of the tidal basin. But it offers some of the best views of the Washington Monument (especially at night or if you’re there around cherry blossom season), and has one of my favorite quotes from TJ inscribed on the inside.
Having been in the city for a year now, there are still SO many things I would offer for you to do while here, but there’s honestly just not enough time. This city has been so amazing to me already, making me feel right at home even in the midst of millions of people.
Sometimes things in life just work out exactly how they’re supposed to, even if it’s not the way you had originally planned it.
If you had asked me two years ago where I would've ended up straight out of college, DC would never have been on the list.
And yet now I couldn't have pictured myself starting anywhere else.
It just makes me excited for what else life’s got in store for me. Though if there’s anything I’m sure of, it’s that DC will continue to to put on the same amazing show that's made me proud to call it home.
