A Day in Washington, DC?! Here’s Some Ideas!

So much to do, yet so little time! A city as big as Washington, DC has so many things to do that it can be hard to decide what to do when visiting, especially for a few days. The same concept goes for only having a day to spend somewhere too. Living in the Washington, DC area has its perks when it comes to sightseeing at my leisure as much or as little as I want to and when, but I also experience the challenges of choosing what to do and when. Whether it be on the weekend or for a weekday, Washington, DC has so so much to offer and here I will be sharing with y’all some ideas for what to do if you only have one day to spend in the nation’s capital!

Things To Do for a Day in Washington, DC

  1. A picnic and stroll along the National Mall – the National Mall offers a vast variety of major sights to see in Washington, DC. From the Lincoln Memorial to the to the United States Capitol to the Washington National Monument to the Smithsonian Museums, there is A TON to see along the National Mall. I would highly recommend spending a few hours here and enjoying a picnic on the mall if the weather permits. Otherwise, I would suggest going to a restaurant or cafe nearby or even a food truck along the mall streets. There are so many opportunities for photos and simply taking in so many sights in an easily accessible and walkable area from one sight to the next. Rain or shine though, do not miss out on the opportunity to walk alongside some fundamental sites that this city has to offer!
  2. Visit a Smithsonian Museum – a ton of Smithsonian Museums are along the National Mall and offer several extraordinary artifacts, pieces of artwork, and much more! Museums include: The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The National Gallery of Art, The Museum of Natural History, The Air & Space Museum, The Renwick Gallery, The National Archives, and The Museum of American History. The National Archives, for instance, is the home of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Meanwhile, the Museum of American History can also be considered Kansas in its own unique way, since it is home to Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz‘s iconic red slippers. When walking along the National Mall, visiting one or two or even three of the Smithsonian Museums is an excellent way to spend a half a day or more. The best part?! ALL of the Smithsonian Museums are FREE!
  3. Lunch/dinner, dessert, & shopping in Georgetown – the notable Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC is home to Georgetown University along with a plethora of shops, restaurants, cafes, and dessert shops. Not to mention, there are oh so adorable streets – cobblestone, colorful, and all! You can easily spend either an afternoon or an evening in Georgetown. There are several notable chain shops and bakeries and *of course* Georgetown Cupcake. You can also walk along the waterfront and hang out there, especially in the warmer months. Whether it be shopping, strolling, eating, or all of the above, Georgetown is an easy way to spend a few hours or more.
  4. Enjoy dinner at The Wharf – personally, I have been really wanting to go enjoy an outing at The Wharf! However, I have yet to do so. The Wharf is right by the shipyard in Washington, DC and it is home to several restaurants, bars, shops, cafes, and much more. All in all, it is a super fun place to enjoy the local Washington, DC environment and social life here.
  5. Visit a non-Smithsonian Museum – although several of the museums here in Washington, DC are Smithsonian Museums, there are quite a few that are not. The National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Madame Tussands Wax Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the International Spy Museum. You can also visit a historical building like the Washington National Cathedral, Tudor Place, and the Dumbarton House. While you do have to pay for admission for the majority of these museums, they are still very much worth the experience. More specifically, if you really want to go make a visit to them.

You can easily combine two or more of these ideas into one full day in Washington, DC. Fortunately, Washington, DC’s Metro transit system is easy to navigate and allow oneself to easily get around the city as well. Here’s to many adventures in this great city!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Historic Mansion Nestled in Georgetown

Imagine having a huge backyard and a huge house in the heart of Washington, DC. Well, then Tudor Place is most definitely that rare Washington, DC dream! Growing up, my Mom and I used to visit a lot of places that were rather deemed as off the beaten path. Some of these destinations include Krakow, Poland; Sunapee, New Hampshire, Sofia, Bulgaria; Rila, Bulgaria; and East Grand Lake, Maine. I have learned to truly love exploring some of the lesser known gems as I went off to college and started to travel on my own. That being said, I *of course* had to look for some not as well-known gems in my brand-new hometown of Washington, DC! More specifically, I will be sharing my recent experiences at Tudor Place in Washington, DC.

About Tudor Place

Tudor Place is located in the heart of the oh so adorable, historic, and iconic Georgetown neighborhood – also home to Georgetown University. It was the home of the Peter family from 1805-1983. The home’s first owners were Martha Custis Peter – the daughter of the first First Lady Martha Washington and step-daughter to the first President George Washington – and her husband Thomas Peter. One of the neat aspects of Tudor Place is that it has witnessed a lot of events which shaped the United States and its history: the burning of Washington, DC in 1814, slavery, the Civil War, World War 1, World War 11, and the Cold War. In fact, Tudor Place was used as a Boarding House for Union Soldiers during the Civil War. At the same time, Tudor Place has seen several advancements within technology around the United States and the globe, such as the the typewriter, telephone, lightbulb, and so much more. Since its ending of being a residential home for the Peter family, Tudor Place has become a historic site focused on preservation, education, rejuvenation, and community engagement (all relevant information from the “Our Story” page).

Currently, Tudor Place offers at minimal seasonal free admission to all guests who reserve in advance online to visit. This historical house also hosts events and weddings amongst speaker events and other things, too.

My Experience at Tudor Place

I booked Tudor Place tickets initially for my friend Wyatt and I a month prior to. Unfortunately, I had an event conflict so I had to reschedule my visit. Luckily, the Tudor Place staff were all super sweet and easy to work with and happily willing to reschedule it for us. In other to access Tudor Place, the Washington, DC Metro is a bit further out. However, there are buses that go into and out of the Georgetown neighborhood from Virginia, Maryland, and all over the District of Columbia. Tudor Place also offers parking nearby for all guests and visitors who choose to drive there. Wyatt and I chose to drive in. Upon arriving at Tudor Place, we both both surprised that Tudor Place was located in Georgetown. On a typical day, Georgetown is uber packed with tourists and residents alike. However, we drove a bit outside of the crowds all around the stunningly beautiful cobblestone streets and historic homes to the more quaint part of the neighborhood. All of a sudden, we arrived at Tudor Place, followed the signs for parking, and walked up to the historical home. We were in awe of home quaint and sweet this place truly was!

When arriving, everyone must check in with the welcome center. One very interesting aspect of Tudor Place is tickets. Even when booked online, one does not receive their tickets until they check in through showing their reservation confirmation. The tickets are, in fact, a name tag that must be signed by a staff member on site with the date of your visit upon check in.

Once you check in, Tudor Place tours are self-guided, but they also have an audio guide option that they have upon request at the welcome center. The self-guided tours can be done at your own pace, which is great. It didn’t take Wyatt and I super long to explore the entire Tudor Place that is free to see on tour. We both found it interesting that there were a lot of technological advancements within Tudor Place from when it was first a home in the early 1800’s. Once we toured the Tudor Place interiors, we strolled around the beautiful stunning gardens. The gardens are self-paced too with a map to guide you. All around the gardens, staff members are happily willing to help. Wyatt and I each found the staff members to be extremely friendly and helpful, too. In comparison to Mount Vernon, Tudor Place is most definitely small but it is mighty and has some amazing history to it as well.

Overall, Wyatt and I had an amazing time at Tudor Place. Since living in Washington, DC for almost two decades, Wyatt was shocked and wished he knew about Tudor Place much sooner than we did when going just recently. I was definitely impressed with the utter beauty and rich history that Tudor Place had to offer and I hope to go again, soon and to the nearby and comparable Dumbarton Oaks.

XOXO – Katie <3

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48 Hours in Washington DC

Since moving to the Washington, DC area, I have been so busy that I haven’t had the time to truly explore my brand-new backyard. Last week, I had the amazing opportunity to be able to play tourist in my own city. So, I decided to create my own 2 day mini-cation in Washington, DC where I got to play none other than a tourist. Love me a mini-cation!!!

What I Did!

Each day, I did something unique and different in the city. Two days in Washington, DC can seem like a lot or a little, but it is always a challenge to figure out what to do. There is SO much to do in this glorious city. I did the majority of my mini-cation on my own, but my friend Ashley joined me for part of it which was super fun!

Day 1

On my first day in the city, I met my friend Ashley for her birthday. We started off our day at the local Shake Shack – Ashley’s Birthday choice! -, a burger joint that is up to par with the iconic West Coast joint: In N’Out Burger. We, then, went to the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery where I had reserved us some tickets. After wondering the museum for some time, we decided to head to none other than the city center’s TJ Maxx! Yes, you heard me right – TJ Maxx’s are amazing in Washington, DC. We had both heard that the Washington, DC neighborhood of Georgetown has a pretty great TJ Maxx, so we decided to give the city center one a try, too. It had a pretty great selection, despite it being a smaller scale city-style location. Ashley and I, then, said our goodbyes, and I decided to head onto the Metro (Washington, DC transit subway system) to the National Mall. Wearing my pink Jack Rogers sandals, my feet started to hurt and I started to feel poached as I forgot to pack a bottle of water so I stopped at a local stand near the Smithsonian Castle – the original Smithsonian Museum built in the 1800’s during I think Andrew Jackson’s presidency – and grabbed a soft pretzel and a bottle of water. I spent the next half hour just simply people watching along the National Mall, before setting down on the grass to admire the United States Capitol in front of me and the National Monument behind me. Such a splendid way to spend a day!

***Noted***: Currently due to COVID-19, the Smithsonian Museums are offering ticketed admission for varying time slots throughout the day to their museums. The museums are slowly but surely opening up and visitors must reserve their ticket approximately 30 days in advance to even get one, due to their high demand. If you do not know about the Smithsonian Museums, they are government-funded museums all across Washington, DC with a few in other cities across the country offering free admission to all visitors. All visitors must wear a mask and maintain their social distance throughout the entire duration of their visit. Like the pre-pandemic days, the Smithsonian Museums are still free to all who come to visit. Museums include: The Museum of Natural History, The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The National Zoo, The Renwick Gallery, The National Archives, and my favorite The Museum of American History.

Day 2

Over the past decade or even longer, I had dreamed of going to visit the Washington National Cathedral, yet I hadn’t had made it. Usually, the Washington National Cathedral is booked throughout the day and it is hard to find an available time slot, especially during the busy holiday season. One night when I struggled to fall asleep, I went onto their website on a whim only to find a ticket to visit the current Les Colombes exhibit at the cathedral. So, I booked it!

My second and final day of my mini-cation, took a different turn than I had expected. My day started out with me taking the Metro into the city and to the Tenleytown/American University Metro stop. Little did I know, the Washington National Cathedral would be a 1.5-2 mile walk away from it. Though the longer than expected walk caught me by surprise, I managed to enjoy it and the fairly residential neighborhood with several local joints and chain restaurants in the area. The neighborhood was gorgeous and extremely safe and walkable. I had never been to that neighborhood in Washington, DC, and it was a nice change of pace from the typical touristy city that I have known for the most part. After my long walk, I had finally arrived at the absolutely stunning National Cathedral. My jaw most definitely stopped when I had arrived at the stunning park and just simply walked upon it. If you are visiting, then it is free to walk the church grounds, but you need a ticket to go inside. Once I got inside, however, my jaw began to drop even more! The cathedral’s interior is pretty stunning and reminds me of the cathedrals that I had visited in Europe – Westminster Abbey, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, among the likes! The Les Colombes exhibit made it all that more gorgeous, too. Les Colombes is a traveling exhibit of origami paper doves that was instilled in the Washington National Cathedral in late 2020. The doves symbolize hope after a year full of several trials and struggles. After my visit at the cathedral, I walked over to the nearby Chipotle and then took the Metro to my excitedly awaited visit to the Renwick Gallery. As I got off of the Metro and got lost and lost on my way to the Renwick Gallery, I had finally found my way – ONLY to see that the streets were blocked off and a protest that had just begun was in my way. Looking out for my safety being solo that day, I found the nearest Metro station and headed for home – BUT on my way there, I walked along the Black Lives Matter street and mural! It was all in all, a super neat day, even though things did not go as expected, they never do and that day was just a prime example of it.

Even at the tail end of the COVID-19 pandemic, I was very happy that I was able to plan a great little trip into my own backyard. I love love love getting to play tourist, even in my own town, and I hope to do it again very soon!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Washington, DC Area Bucket List

Now that I am *finally* starting to get settled into my apartment in the Washington, DC area, I am more than excited and ready to explore my new backyard! There are oh so many things that I want to do here in the Washington, DC area. So, today I will be sharing my Washington, DC area bucket list & some of the things that I have already done and enjoyed doing!

My Washington, DC Area Bucket List!

Washington, DC

  • Have a picnic at The National Mall
  • Eat dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill
  • Attend a blogger meet up downtown
  • Walk along Dupont Circle and U Street Northwest
  • Try Baked & Wired’s Cupcakes in Georgetown
  • Admire the aisles and enjoy some delights at Eastern Market
  • Watch the sunrise from the Jefferson Memorial
  • Take blog photos in Georgetown
  • Try Urban Roast for brunch
  • Walk around Capitol Hill
  • Go to a Nationals baseball game
  • Tour the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, and the Library of Congress
  • Take photos along the cobblestone streets of Georgetown
  • Tour the National Cathedral
  • Walk along the Tidal Basin when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom at sunrise
  • Tour the Tudor Place
  • Enjoy cocktails at The Wharf
  • Watch the sunset from the Lincoln Memorial
  • Have a high tea at Lady Camellia
  • See The Nutcracker at the Kennedy Center
  • Take a stroll along Georgetown Waterfront Park
  • Go to the Renwick Gallery
  • Have a picnic at the United States National Arboretum
  • Admire the flora of the United States Botanical Garden
  • Visit Ford’s Theatre
  • Learn ways to not repeat history ever again at the Holocaust Museum
  • Ice skate at the Sculpture Garden
  • Enjoy doing work at a local cafe
  • Visit Enchante at Nationals Park at Christmas time
  • Watch The National Christmas Tree Lighting
  • Shop in Georgetown
  • Walk through the Freer Gallery of Art *yet again*

Virginia

  • Visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate at Christmas time
  • Explore downtown Fairfax
  • Stroll through the cobblestone streets of Old Town Alexandria *yet again*
  • Take a day trip to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
  • Visit the Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
  • Make it to all of the Charlottesville vineyards on the Monticello Wine Trail
  • Drive through the countryside of Loudon County, specifically Middleburg and Leesburg
  • Admire the sunflowers and/or tulips at Burnside Farms
  • Explore downtown Vienna
  • Sip some wine at one of the many Middleburg vineyards
  • Enjoy dinner and strolling along the streets of Shirlington
  • Take a hike at Occoquan Regional Park
  • Enjoy a meal out and shopping at the Mosaic District
  • Go iceskating at Reston Town Center
  • Hike along Shenandoah National Park and drive along Skyline Drive
  • Explore Fredericksburg
  • Shop at the Potomac Mills Tanger Outlets
  • Enjoy the nightlife and food scene in Arlington
  • Walk along Clifton and take blogger photos there

Maryland

  • Stroll through Annapolis at Christmas time
  • Enjoy dinner at National Harbor
  • Take a day trip or weekend excursion to St. Michael’s Island
  • Enjoy a night at MGM in National Harbor
  • Have a high tea with family in Annapolis
  • Admire the Christmas lights at the Gaylord National Hotel
  • Shop at the Tanger Outlets at National Harbor
  • Admire the downtown Annapolis area and enjoy ice cream there in the summer time
  • Visit Baltimore, Maryland
  • Walking around Fells Point in Baltimore
  • Tour downtown Frederick
  • BONUS: Visit Harpers Ferry, West Virginia at Christmas time

Things I Have LOVED Doing:

  • Walking and hiking along the Appalachian Trail at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia
  • Enjoying dinner in Clifton, Virginia
  • Visit my favorite local Mom & Pop place for breakfast food 24/7 – Lincoln’s Waffle House
  • Hiking Sugarloaf Mountain in Dickerson, Maryland
  • Shopping at Tyson’s Corner Center Mall or Tyson’s Galleria Mall in Tyson’s, Virginia
  • Admiring the many museums at the Smithsonian in Washington, DC
  • Enjoying a cupcake at Georgetown Cupcake
  • Taking a hike to Great Falls Park, Virginia
  • Walk along the Tidal Basin
  • Enjoy a soup and sandwich at Cosi Cafe
  • Shop at the TJ Maxx in Georgetown – y’all it is an AMAZING TJ Maxx!!!
  • Tour the Washington Monument – tickets are free & it’s an amazing experience
  • Admire the mountains and farm side of Catoctin Mountain Orchard in Dickerson, Maryland
  • See the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin
  • Take a sail in Annapolis
  • Enjoy a sip of wine at The Winery at Bull Run in Centreville, Virginia – see my blog post here!

I am oh so excited to be able to start my next chapter here in the Washington, DC area AND explore my brand-new backyard. Cheers to new adventures!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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