Since my last blog post in 2020, I moved out of Boston then moved home to North Carolina then moved back to Boston for a summer then….moved back to North Carolina again then I finally made my way to the District of Columbia in late 2021. Surprisingly enough, I’ve made a few adventures and I’ve compiled 5 things to do in DC and honestly? You can do it all in one weekend.
1. library of congress
If you want to feel like Harry Potter in the Hogwarts library, this is it. Takes about an hour-ish to get around and you can see the reading room from the mezzanine. Heads up – while it is free (!), you have to book in advance so go plan your visit here!
2. Kayaking in the potomac
I am a big kayak girlie but it has to be on calm waters and this was p-e-r-f-e-c-t. There are multiple locations you can kayak off of in Georgetown – we did Key Bridge Boathouse. It’s $18 a kayak/per hour so book your kayaks here and go for a nice lil’ lunch after. I can totally recommend Stachowski’s.
3. Planet word
If you’re a language whiz, this is your heaven. Super interactive and takes about 1.5 hours to get around. Plus, you can practice (and record!) Obama’s or Oprah’s speech. This is another free museum and you have to reserve a pass in advance so go plan your visit here!
4. picnic on the mall
This isn’t new and everyone does it and there is truly nothing better than ordering your favorite pizza (mine is A Baked Joint’s which offers pizza from wednesday through saturday from 5pm to 8pm), grabbing your picnic blanket and catching up with your high school best friends on the mall during golden hour.
5. hirshhorn museum
Another Smithsonian gem! Depending on your interests, you can spend a couple hours here or more. It is free but if there is an exhibition like the Yayoi Kusama Collection, hop in line at 9:30am on the day of so you can get your timed passes. Side note: the line may be very long but I promise it goes by so fast.
Here’s a bonus one if you’re still here
☆ monuments at night
There is something uniquely special about visiting the monuments at night. It is the most magical thing to sit on the steps of the Lincoln and look out to the Washington Monument glistening in the distance. Or chatting with your best friend under the inscription of the Gettysburg Address in a nearly empty and quiet Lincoln Memorial. It is free and it is freeing. I feel really lucky that I get to share this with the best people I know.
got a recommendation for me? let me know your fav spots in the district down below!
with love,
Sita
Sita 