insider's guide to DC?

[hmai18]

I'm heading to Washington at the end of the week (will be there Saturday to next Thursday) to visit a friend of mine who'll be there for a conference. Am looking for recommendations for things to do that may not necessarily be on Trip Advisor or the usual travel sites.

I know I'll be doing the round of the museums and monuments but am looking for the inside scoop on the little secrets that only locals would know. My interests are bikes and photography, obviously, and most things design-related. Also looking for cool bars for whiskey or scotch sippin.'

I'll be in Foggy Bottom and will not have access to a vehicle.

[robin3mj]

The FDRmemorial is a little off the beaten path and a nice place to take photos, also affords a nice view across the tidal basin. Though I'm not sure how much the newish MLK memorial has drawn crowds to the immediate area.
There's a WW1 memorial hidden amongst the trees between the WW2 and Lincoln, on the south side which is always a surprise to stumble upon.

Since its been 4(!) years since I moved away from the area I will defer to the current locals on eats and drinks.

[Too Tall]

Get a six of great beers and walk the C&O canal hike bike paved trail for about a mile past the boat houses and look left to the river. There are benches in the woods. I leave the rest to you .

Also, there are zip cars all over the joint which makes for easy escapes to mt. vernon, great falls park.

Best outdoor art? Hershorn. Best indoor art maybe the Phillips Collection (buy tix online) amazing moderns.

Eff the bars, BYO and go sit on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial alte night and watch bats. Be discreet.

[Saab2000]

If you're a baseball fan there are much worse things than catching a Nationals game. They have a nice park and it's accessible using public transit.

I've been to a couple games and liked it more than I expected I would. It's a nice park and they offer a good experience at the park.

[Matthew Strongin]

Eff the bars, BYO and go sit on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial alte night and watch bats. Be discreet.

This. Monuments late at night are the best way to enjoy them.

[Too Tall]

Nats games are a blast agreed.

Something completely different? >>> Washington DC Duck Tour - Washington DC | Viator

[BShow]

Nats games are a blast agreed.

Something completely different? >>> Washington DC Duck Tour - Washington DC | Viator

Man those things sound like a great idea, but it seems like every other week I hear of one sinking/crashing/having a freak accident here in Philly. I'd still get on one if the wife would let me.

If you're into captive animals, the national zoo is quite good. Last time I was down with the family, we stayed in the Alexandria historic district. Get off the beaten path and there is a lot of interesting architecture. Georgetown isnt a bad place to walk around either. No shortage of places to eat or drink there. I'm not a local, so I can't give any specifics though.

[Dmoeny]

Big fan of the National arboretum, though it is a pain to get to via public transport. A breeze via bike though. they have a killer bonsai exhibit and the magnolias and honey suckle are starting to bloom (though you missed most of the azaleas).

If you're a brewery visitation kind of person, Atlas brewery is on the way to the arboretum (and on the way back!), but I'd recommend hitting 3 stars if that's your thing.

For the mall, the freer gallery is usually much emptier than the other museums, and they have some good stuff there now.

[popandmod]

Since your in foggy bottom, a walking tour of georgetown is fun very European feeling rowhouses.
I'll plug my workplace and recommend a tour of the Kennedy Center (there is also a free show everyday at 6pm)

Eastern market on weekends is a pretty cool scene. For nightlife the 14th st corridor and H st is where the youngins seem to hang out

[sine]

I would add Arlington National Cemetery. While there stop by the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guard.

[Jason Musgrave]

We're looking to take the kids up to DC later this summer to this thread is good timing.

[tamaso]

C&O Canal and the Nat'l Arboretum are two amazing 'nature in/near the city' experiences, as is Rock Creek park (Beach Dr. is largely closed to cars on the weekend). Both are best accessed / enjoyed by bike, if you can get one. Looks like a fair amount of rain during your stay though...

Foggy Bottom is not the most interesting neighborhood, IMO, but metro/bus/bikeshare makes the city easy to get around. La Colombe is good coffee, A&D nearby is a fun bar. In addition to Georgetown, there are a lot of little sleepy streets and neighborhoods around the 14th St NW corridor / Logan Circle area that have architecture that is pretty unique if you have not spent much time in the mid-atlantic / south.

[Jonathan]

We're looking to take the kids up to DC later this summer to this thread is good timing.

DC is great with kids. It's relatively cheap. Many if not most attractions are free. Kids love riding the metro, and the food can be diverse and relatively inexpensive. I've also found hotels to be cheap, especially weekends, if you know where to look. Since the metro is so good, staying in Crystal City or around another metro stop can be as close as anything in the near center of DC. I've used the auction sites after checking betterbidding.com to great effect in DC.
I'm not an insider, just a guy with three kids who's been a few times with them in tow.

[davids]

A DC friend took us to the National Portrait Gallery a few years back. For some reason no one goes there. It was great.

But this one knocks me out every time:



You're getting lots of great advice so that's all I'll add.

[hmai18]

If you're a brewery visitation kind of person, Atlas brewery is on the way to the arboretum (and on the way back!), but I'd recommend hitting 3 stars if that's your thing.

More breweries please.

[Dmoeny]

Three Stars and atlas are the 2 working breweries that I'm familiar with (DC Brau makes 3, but I've never visited). If you visit Atlas or 3 Stars, they're open on the weekends- picture sitting at picnic tables in a warehouse next to the fermentation tanks with (usually) a food truck or two available for eats. they often run events on the weekends- check facebook.

For actual brew pubs, I'd skip capitol city, and hit Franklins in Hyattsville. It's a bit out of the way, but has a great toy-store next door, the beer is pretty good (often with a couple of Belgian styles or aged beers) along with a pretty decent selection of beer to purchase (both their own, and other breweries). I'd also suggest the Green Hat Gin distillery, if that's your bag. A group of friends and I did a bottling day there and had a good time. The spring gin (still available) is awesome.

I always forget the Portrait Gallery, but that's a totally seconded suggestion.

[tamaso]

More breweries please.

3 Stars has nice beer, but the brewery is more on the bare-bones side and is not as accessible. Atlas has a bar so you can order pints, in addition to tasting and growler fills. Green Hat gin distillery is just a few blocks from Atlas also, and I believe they have Sat tours/tastings. Union Market is also close by, and is pretty interesting / hip (if a bit crowded), newer development project with plenty of food and coffee options in a former wholesale market-- Check out Litteri if you go, great subs, particularly the meatball on hard roll. Union Market -> Atlas and/or Green Hat -> Arboretum is a great way to spend a day.

As others have mentioned, lots of Zipcars / Car2Go in DC, in addition to other options.

Edit: if you're a beer guy, ChurchKey, Meridian Pint, and Pizza Paradiso (particular the downstairs bar in Georgetown) are all great beer bars with lots of taps.

[nelo784]

Drink - 2 Birds 1 Stone just off 14th street,
Food - Maple Restaurant Colombia Heights,
Coffee - La Colombe (down an alley),
Activity - Bike hire ride up through Rock Creek Park (closed to traffic on weekends) stop at the zoo on the way through
Museum - National Building Museum (best children's gifts in DC) and quirky architecture
Galleries - +1 on Phillips, Hershorn, and National Portrait Gallery

Have a great time. It really is a great visit. Make sure you try food in 14th street. Tapas at Estadio is simply outstanding.

[hmai18]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far. I knew there was a reason I hung out here.

[Britishbane]

If you find yourself in Old Town Alexandria during the week let me know. I'll buy you lunch, or if you have a bike we can go down to Mount Vernon.