It did not take us too long to get the urge to head over to our nation’s capital with it only being a 2-hour drive away! I had never been to DC before this weekend excursion, and Megan had only been in 8th grade and briefly for a PT event a few years ago. We knew we wanted to stay close enough to the national mall so we could walk to everything around there. We came across a great deal on Hotel Tonight for the Capitol Hill Hotel, which is located just southeast from the capitol building, and booked it! This hotel is relatively modern and has a boutique style. They have breakfast included which is your standard continental option. With all the good DC hotels though they have pretty steep valet-only parking fees (every hotel was at least $42/night), so we looked into our Spot Hero app for a better deal. We found a secure parking ramp location just north of the capitol building for 48 hours that only cost us $43 total! We walked ~15 minutes to the Capitol Hill Hotel to check in and drop our bags in the room and our adventure began!

Capitol Hill Hotel

Our first experience in a boutique hotel.

Capitol Hill Hotel

Our first experience in a boutique hotel.

As our readers have probably figured out by now, we tend to pack things in. So, in order to not bop back and forth between different DC venues too much and to make it simple to read/navigate, we are going to divide this blog into some categorized lists: Bars and Breweries, Food Stops, Museums, and Miscellaneous.

Our National Capitol

Bars and Breweries

Bluejacket

This restaurant plus full taproom is spitting out the best beers we had in DC. Bluejacket has a large list of beers to cover everyone’s fancy, including For the Company, Lazy Jane, and Mexican Radio. Their patio and indoor garage-like atmosphere is perfect for before or after a Nationals game, as it sits just minutes from the ballpark. The service here was spectacular.

Bluejacket Brewing

A classy, garage-like atmosphere right by where the Nationals play.

Bluejacket Brewing

A classy, garage-like atmosphere right by where the Nationals play.

Whiskey Charlie

One of our favorite spots, as the majority of this bar is an outdoor rooftop area. You can see the Capitol dome, the Ronald Reagan airport, and across into Arlington all from their rooftop patio. They offer up specialty cocktails which you usually can’t go wrong with. Whiskey Charlie is located in the newly renovated Wharf district, which is a really nice, modern area with numerous other options for drinking, eating, or just relaxing. They even have a nice boardwalk you can walk out on to enjoy a fire at the end right on the water of the Washington Channel.

A peak at the Capitol from the rooftop patio at Whiskey Charlie’s.

More views overlooking the city from Whiskey Charlie’s.

A peak at the Capitol from the rooftop patio at Whiskey Charlie’s.

More views overlooking the city from Whiskey Charlie’s.

DC Brau Brewing

Their small eclectic taproom is located on the outskirts of the district to the northeast and has much more of a mass packaging warehouse vibe. If you didn’t know where you were going, you’d probably miss it. DC Brau offers up some great beers, such as The Citizen and Joint Resolution, and provide you a cardboard box for flight requests.

An unexpected entrance.

DC Brau Brewing

A unique flight delivery.

An unexpected entrance.

DC Brau Brewing

A unique flight delivery.

Red Bear Brewing Co

This modern taproom is situated slightly closer to the center of DC and appears to be sitting in a neighborhood full of new age loft apartment complexes. Red Bear seems to be IPA heavy, but we actually liked their Skookum red ale the most.

Red Bear Brewing Co

And there’s the bear.

Red Bear Brewing Co

And there’s the bear.

The Tombs

Located in Georgetown, The Tombs is usually packed with college-aged kids, but we hit it on the weekend after their graduation. It was super dead. Like a ghost town. We almost missed the bar. You have to go down a sketchy set of stairs into the basement of their building to actually get into the bar area. But once we were there, we could see it being an awesome hang out spot! They have a great wood and brass bar top ready to take on the hordes of young people.

When you pass this stairway while strolling the sidewalks of Georgetown, go down!

An underground college bar

The Tombs

When you pass this stairway while strolling the sidewalks of Georgetown, go down!

An underground college bar

The Tombs

Food Stops

Market Lunch at Eastern Market

Market Lunch at Eastern Market

This Eastern Market area gets buzzing around 9:00 AM, as at least a couple blocks get closed off for tents to be set up. But you want to head into the actual market building, where Market Lunch is located. Literally the only place that had a line this early, they dish out what locals call “Blue Bucks”, which are three giant blueberry buckwheat pancakes. And they are amazing. Have it with their pure maple syrup for a truly awesome DC experience.

The Eastern Market

The Market Lunch

BLUE BUCKS!!

The Eastern Market

The Market Lunch

BLUE BUCKS!!

Ted’s Bulletin

Another amazing breakfast spot, Ted’s Bulletin is known for their homemade pop tarts and milkshakes. Don’t let that stop you from exploring the rest of the menu though. They have a great breakfast sandwich and also offer giant cinnamon rolls on the weekends. But be early, as they only make 25-30 rolls each morning! Megan raved about the Mocha Milkshake here!

Ted’s Bulletin

The best breakfast spot in town!

Why have a normal coffee when you can have a Mocha Milkshake!?!

They only make a certain amount of giant cinnamon rolls each weekend!

Tasty breakfast sandwich with square tots!

Ted’s Bulletin

The best breakfast spot in town!

Why have a normal coffee when you can have a Mocha Milkshake!?!

They only make a certain amount of giant cinnamon rolls each weekend!

Tasty breakfast sandwich with square tots!

Clyde’s

We dropped by the Clyde’s location next to the Capitals’ hockey arena, but they have multiple locations across DC. We loved their vibe having three separate rooms, each with a giant rectangular wooden bar. Go here for a solid cocktail and one of the best burgers in DC.

Clyde’s right by the Capitals’ arena!

Bomb burgers and cocktails!

Clyde’s right by the Capitals’ arena!

Bomb burgers and cocktails!

Cava

A solid choice for a super healthy meal. Cava is a Mediterranean-style food chain where you make your own bowl with a grain, protein, veggies, and other sauces and add ins. It was a very refreshing experience after a lot of heavier food items. We had never been here before, but since have realized Cava is a chain.

Cava, a Mediterranean-style food chain.

A fresh food option!

Cava, a Mediterranean-style food chain.

A fresh food option!

Ben’s Chili Bowl

An iconic late night go-to that Obama has visited, Ben’s Chili Bowl is known for the half-smoke. This is a half pork, half beef giant sausage with their chili drenched all over it. For us Midwesterners it had a little kick to it, but we know we’re wimps. They have locations all over DC.

One of the Ben’s Chili Bowl

Apparently this is a DC “classic.”

One of the Ben’s Chili Bowl

Apparently this is a DC “classic.”

Ice Cream Jubilee

We decided to check out the bustling U street one night just to see the bar district, and a couple blocks off the main drag we came across this delightful ice cream shop. The line was out the door and for good reason. Ice Cream Jubilee has some crazy original flavor combinations that’ll have anyone salivating.

Ice Cream Jubilee by U Street

Offering up unique flavors!

Ice Cream Jubilee by U Street

Offering up unique flavors!

Captain Cookie and the Milkman

Captain Cookie and the Milkman

Surprise! Another ice cream shop, but this time instead of simply placing your choice of ice cream in a cup, they smash it in-between two homemade cookies of your choosing. Basically, create your own ice cream sandwich. It’s great. Captain Cookie and the Milkman has at least two locations in DC. We went to the one located within a food court warehouse, so there was other food available as well.

Captain Cookie and the Milkman!

Museums

International Spy Museum

Probably one of our favorite experiences and we wish we could have spent a little more time here. The International Spy Museum is now in a brand-new building and it’s very well done. It’s a pretty fun time moving through the world of espionage, and they even provide you with an alias and different missions for you to complete. If you have kids with you, this is a must.

The International Spy Museum

Getting our spy on!

Espionage artifacts

The International Spy Museum

Getting our spy on!

Espionage artifacts

National Museum of Natural History

National Museum of Natural History

In our opinion, the Natural History Museum was the best museum we hit. We were blown away by their taxidermy collections, but even more so by their gemstone and mineral collection, which is one of the largest in the world. The colors and shapes of each of their natural displays make you wonder how this all happened within our beautiful planet.

Natural History Museum

An impressive taxidermy collection.

Bringing awareness to the consequences of our plastic use.

It makes you feel small when you realize how many people are actually in our world!

An extensive gemstone and mineral collection!

Including the hope diamond!

Natural History Museum

An impressive taxidermy collection.

Bringing awareness to the consequences of our plastic use.

It makes you feel small when you realize how many people are actually in our world!

An extensive gemstone and mineral collection!

Including the hope diamond!

National Museum of American History

National Museum of American History

Really a museum that encompasses everything we ever learned in a middle school textbook, but in a much more tangible and fun way. The American History Museum exhibits range from the history of transportation and innovation to food history to a whole room just designed to house the ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz.

Interesting exhibit on food.

We learned about some trademarks we didn’t know were a thing!

Interesting exhibit on food.

We learned about some trademarks we didn’t know were a thing!

National Air and Space Museum

National Air and Space Museum

Currently under renovation for about 25% of the museum, but the rest of the exhibits are well worth the visit. You get to gaze at numerous flight vessels, including the original Wright Brothers flyer, the first rockets that went up into space, and the rovers that now roam along Mars and other planets. Pretty crazy how far we’ve come. If the American History Museum was a Social Studies textbook, the National Air and Space Museum is a science textbook brought to life.

National Air and Space Museum

The first plane the Wright brothers flew!

If you’re going to try astronaut food, it might as well be freeze-dried ice cream 🙂

National Air and Space Museum

The first plane the Wright brothers flew!

If you’re going to try astronaut food, it might as well be freeze-dried ice cream 🙂

National Archives Museum

You don’t have to walk around a lot in the National Archives Museum to see the top-rated items here! It’s pretty obvious that everyone is flocking to one room and one room only. Here is where the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence are housed. It was very cool to actually put your eyes on these documents, and yet it is hard to wrap your mind around just how much these papers changed the course of history forever. It makes you appreciate a higher purpose.

You can’t take pictures in the National Archives Museum in order to preserve the documents, but we promise, they are in here!

Holocaust Museum

The last museum we made it to on our self-guided tour was the most somber, the Holocaust Museum, but it is definitely worth the trip. Unfortunately, we did not arrive in time to go into the main part of the museum, which will cost you $1 (and they only let so many people in each day), so we just walked around a few of the memorials. It turns out the $1 main exhibit tickets usually run out by 11:00 AM, so if you want the full experience here make sure to arrive early! Be warned- we’ve heard the exhibit is not for the faint of heart.

Holocaust Museum

Miscellaneous

The White House

We got to walk around the outside of one of the most powerful buildings in the world, but if you really want to get a look on the inside we heard it takes at least one month advance notice to notify your state representative so that you can obtain a pass. The White House still pretty cool from the outside- a little smaller than imagined but still very white! The lawn is immaculate as well. There’s a visitor center nearby that’s the closest you can get to the inside if you don’t plan ahead.

The front yard of the White House.

And the backyard of the White House.

The front yard of the White House.

And the backyard of the White House.

The Tidal Basin

When our big museum extravaganza ended at the Holocaust memorial, we figured we were close enough to stroll around the famous pool known as the Tidal Basin. It’s roughly two miles- and this is where you’d see the cherry blossoms if you visited in March/April. The walk brings you through the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, the FDR Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Very much worth the time.

A stroll around the Tidal Basin.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial

MLK Memorial

A stroll around the Tidal Basin.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial

FDR Memorial

MLK Memorial

The National Mall

The National Mall houses a massive green lawn with almost every single important building you could name surrounding it! It’s a wonderful place to just relax and people watch or a great way to easily bop around to the next interesting museum or government office. Maybe you want to take in the hundreds of food trucks that call this place home and snag a snack from your favorite. You can also show up to a concert they might be holding when you’re there- right in front of the Capitol building! We only used the Mall as a pathway from point A to B during our busy days, but we did spend some time quietly walking through the west end. Here is where you can start by taking a picture at the massive Lincoln Memorial, find peace at the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the World War II Memorials, and finish at the center of it all- The Washington Monument.

The Lincoln Memorial from afar.

And up close.

The Korean War Memorial

The Vietnam War Memorial

The WWII Memorial

The Washington Monument

The Lincoln Memorial from afar.

And up close.

The Korean War Memorial

The Vietnam War Memorial

The WWII Memorial

The Washington Monument

The Trump International Hotel

The Trump International Hotel

While downtown near The White House, we came across this fancy hotel that used to be a post office! Literally one of the most extravagant hotel lobbies we’ve been to, we didn’t even want to try and order a drink. Mainly because we didn’t know the price and we didn’t know any of the high-end liquor brand names on the bottles behind the bar! But actually, this historical building is home to a unique National Park- their clock tower! Open from 9:00 AM-4:30 PM, even if you’re not staying at the hotel, you can meander up the tower for what we heard was a great overview of the downtown DC area. Unfortunately, we didn’t make it in time and were pretty sad about it, but there’s always next time!

Historic Clock Tower run by the National Park Service.

Lobby of the Trump International Hotel

Historic Clock Tower run by the National Park Service.

Lobby of the Trump International Hotel

All in all, we can see why DC is rated highly as a fantastic place to live. It has so much more going for it than just the Capitol. The only place we didn’t get to that we really wanted- the Arlington National Cemetery. We felt pretty safe whenever we were within striking distance of the downtown/National Mall area, Georgetown campus, or down by the National’s stadium. It’s a very walkable city, but they also have tons of electric scooters to rent on what seemed like every block. We used Uber/Lyft to most places further than a mile away which was super cheap and very quick as there are plenty of drivers.

DC is a fun area to explore!