I always thought Washington, D.C. was the perfect place for history buffs to visit, and even though it probably is, I had no idea exactly how much more it has to offer!
Kathleen (Katie) from As Seen on Kathleen grew up just outside of the city in Alexandria, Virginia, in the same neighborhood that her mom grew up in, and has lived in the area her whole life! (I actually grew up in the same neighborhood as my mom, too!) She has some great tips on things to do in D.C. , so let’s get to it!
What do you like best about living near D.C.?
My favorite part is probably the food! I never really realized how diverse the restaurant choices are in this area until I traveled to other major cities and missed all the options here! I also love how there’s so much to do — you can literally never get bored.
Speaking of food, what are your favorite restaurants in D.C.?
I have SOOO many favorite restaurants in D.C., but my top ones are Le Diplomate on 14th Street (get the beef bourginon and thank me later), Filomena Ristorante in Georgetown, and Cava Mezze for Sunday brunch ($35 all-you-can-eat tapas and 25 cent mimosas!). There are so many restaurants and lots of shopping in downtown’s CityCenterDC, too!
For someone visiting, what’s the best way to get around town?
If you’re visiting from out of town, the best way to get around is hands-down the Metro system. It’s super simple to use and very convenient! They’re doing some major renovations right now, so check their website to make sure there are no closures where you’re heading. And if all else fails, Uber or Lyft.
D.C. is known for its monuments and museums. There are so many, though! Which ones do you recommend?
It’s so hard to pick my favorite D.C. sites! If I had to narrow it down to a few, though, I’d say the Jefferson Memorial and Lincoln Memorial are the best, and both are free to visit! Definitely check out the Washington Monument, too, but I don’t think it’s worth it to pay to ride to the top.
As for museums, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is amazing, as is the National Portrait Gallery. Those are both free because they’re part of the Smithsonian Institution, but I highly recommend the Newseum as well! That one you have to pay to get into, but it’s 100% worth it and so fascinating!
Are there some nice parks to visit if someone wants to get their fill of nature?
If you want to get out and explore nature in the area, I recommend taking a drive out to Great Falls Park (about a half-hour from D.C. in McLean, Virginia). It’s a gorgeous hike, but if you’re not the hiking type and want something a little less intense, there are plenty of easier trails to walk along!
So many people talk about the cherry blossoms in D.C. When is the best time to see them and is there a good spot to see a lot of them?
The cherry blossoms are STUNNING and so worth seeing! Each year in the spring, they peak at a different time and it’s usually too cold for them to last very long, so there’s a very small window of time to see them at their best. I would recommend looking up their predicted peak and going during the week when it isn’t super crowded. You could also check out the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place for the first couple of weeks in early spring (usually late-March to mid-April). The most popular place to visit the cherry blossom trees is at the Tidal Basin, which provides great photo-ops near the memorials, and the shoreline of East Potomac Park is also a good viewing spot.
If someone wanted to get out of the city, what are some areas you’d recommend?
I’m a bit biased, but if you wanted to get out of the city, Alexandria is so beautiful and has a lot to offer! It has a small, historic town feel to it and there are a ton of cute shops and restaurants.
Thank you so much, Katie, for sharing so many fun things to do in D.C. I know I definitely want to add this to my bucket list! It sounds like there’s so much to do right in the city from visiting all the historical landmarks to strolling through the CityCenterDC. And I really want to check out the hiking at Great Falls Park and the cute town of Alexandria! The D.C. area truly has something for everyone!
