One-week itinerary Washington, D.C.
Join me in exploring the iconic landmarks and hidden gems♥ in Washington, D.C. I was a tour guide in DC for my internship in college (I majored in Tourism) and lived there for 1 1/2 years as a missionary. Visiting Washington, D.C. offers a rich blend of historical, cultural, and political experiences.
Best time to visit? My favorite time to visit is spring, early summer, and fall. Spring has blossoming cherry trees around the Tidal Basin, and fall brings crisp nights and fall foliage. We went for the July 4th (my Birthday) celebration and it was hot! 🥵
Airports: When flying into Washington, D.C., you'll arrive at one of these three nearby airports: Reagan National Airport (DCA), Dulles National Airport (IAD), or Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI).
Reagan National Airport: This is by far the most convenient to Washington DC for domestic flights. When you arrive, hop on DC Metro's blue or yellow lines and you'll be in downtown DC in 20 minutes.
Dulles International Airport: If you're flying into DC from abroad, you'll probably fly into Dulles International Airport. Located 25 miles from DC, you can still easily reach downtown by public transportation but it will take closer to 1-1 1/2 hours.
Baltimore/Washington International Airport: Flying into this airport will take longer and should be your last resort. To get from BWI Airport to downtown DC, you'll take a shuttle bus from the airport to the BWI rail station to catch the MARC train. The MARC train is primarily a commuter train so it runs more frequently during rush hour on weekdays. You can check the MARC schedule online for train times. Once on the train, it's about a 35-minute ride to Washington, DC's Union Station.
Where to stay? On our last family trip, we stayed at the Grand Hyatt Washington. It’s a 10-minute walk to the National Mall (the area between the Lincoln Memorial & the U.S. Capitol). The Grand Hyatt Washington is located at the Metro Center. It made it super easy to just go downstairs when we needed to hop on the metro and it was only a 20-minute metro ride from the hotel to Reagan National Airport. If traveling with children stay within a 15-minute walk to the National Mall.
On a recent trip, we stayed in Georgetown at the Washington Marriott Georgetown. It was a nice, quiet hotel in a great location! Walking distance to Dupont Circle & Foggy Bottom metro. It was about a 10-minute walk to Georgetown.
Transportation Options: Washington, D.C. has great transportation… you can take the Metro, bus, taxi, or Uber. Tip: Add the Uber or Lyft app to your phone (cheaper than taking a taxi). We used this later in the day when my kids were tired. You can rent a bike through Capital Bikeshare. Get the app to find out where to pick up and drop off your bike... bike rentals are $8 for a 24-hour pass. Tip: One of my favorite free travel apps is Rome2Rio. Put in your destination and it gives you all of your options with travel times and the cost.
D.C. Metro: Tip: Click here to see how to purchase a metro ticket.
CLICK HERE TO SEE MY FAVORITE TRAVEL ACCESSORIES
*This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase through the provided link, we'll receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. We appreciate your support!
Food:
Museum restaurants: The museum restaurants are pricey, but the good news is most of the museums and monuments you’ll visit are free. My favorite museum restaurant is the Mitsitam Cafe (Indigenous cuisines of the Americas) in the National Museum of the American Indian. They had a good selection of food and it was yummy!
Food trucks: The food trucks on the National Mall usually line up on 14th Street near the Washington Monument and 7th Street near the museums.
Union Market: A fabulous food hall, a great place for foodies! You’ll find a huge selection of food stalls, restaurants, and shops.
Traveling with kids? Check out books on Washington D.C. from your library to get your children excited about their visit. We memorized facts about the buildings, etc. 😊
7-Day Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive, visit a museum, and take a night tour of the monuments and memorials.
Day 2: Visit a few U.S. government institutions: United States Capitol, Library of Congress, National Archives, Supreme Court, White House
Day 3: Visit Virginia: Arlington National Cemetery, have lunch at Gadby’s Tavern (George Washington dined here), in Old Town Alexandria, Mount Vernon.
Day 4: Rent a bike and explore the monuments and memorials. Visit a museum or two.
Day 5: Embassy Row, National Zoo, Washington National Cathedral, Georgetown.
Day 6: Ford's Theatre and the Peterson House, Old Post Office Tower.
Day 7: Depart
Here's a list of museums and activities you can include in your Itinerary on Day 6:
US Bureau of Engraving and Printing (get tickets at ticket booth March 4-Nov.), U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (get tickets in advance here March 1-Aug. 31), Newseum ($), International Spy Museum ($), National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of African American History and Culture (get advance tickets), United States Botanic Garden, Visit the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. for a free performance U.S. National Arboretum, and the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America (check out the catacombs).
If you have limited time in Washington, D.C. this would be a great tour.
Tip: Pre-book your no-wait tickets online... I'll let you know which ones you can pre-book in this post ↓.
Tip: Bring comfortable shoes... you'll be doing lots of walking. Everything on the National Mall is farther than it looks. 😆
Day 1
Lincoln Memorial
If you arrive early visit a museum then consider taking a night tour. Washington DC looks spectacular when lit up at night, so make the most of your time in the city by going on an evening tour. I was a tour guide for high school groups in Washington, D.C. My favorite part of the week’s itinerary was the night tour... This happened on the first evening the group arrived. This tour helped get the kids excited for their week in our nation's capital.
Click here to join a Monuments by Moonlight Nighttime Trolley Tour.
If you don't want to take a tour, follow this walking tour:
Start near the White House, then head south towards the Washington Monument. Next, stop at the WWII Memorial & continue toward the Lincoln Memorial, walking past the Vietnam Veteran's Memorial along the way. From there visit the Korean Veterans Memorial, then walk east down Independence Avenue towards the Martin Luther King Memorial. If you head south along the Tidal Basin, it's possible to walk to the Franklin Roosevelt Memorial and continue to the Jefferson Memorial. We were in DC in July so seeing the monuments at night was more pleasant than during the day.
Day 2
Start your morning at the United States Capitol. You can book a tour here for the U.S. Capitol. Tip: Book in advance so you don't have to wait in line. You can pick the time of your tour, just know they'll ask you to arrive 45 minutes early to go through security. It didn't take us long to get through security, but having time to explore the visitor center was nice. Tip: They won't allow any liquids inside including water. Tip: It's not as crowded earlier in the day. Tip: Unfortunately, you won't see much on the Capitol tour so contact your Congressman to get gallery passes to visit the House and Senate Chambers... you'll get more of a behind-the-scenes tour. You can also visit your Representatives while you are there just find out where they are on the Hill. Tip: If you are arriving by Uber have them drop you off between the Supreme Court and the Capitol. This will get you closer to the entrance.
Click here to join a tour of the US Capitol and the Library of Congress.
Library of Congress:
The Library of Congress is the largest in the world. It has 883 miles of shelving and has the largest collection of maps. The architecture is breathtaking. You'll feel like you’re in a Cathedral more than a library. They offer guided tours for free, or you can roam around on your own. Stop by the Madison Building next door for a Library of Congress library card. You must be 16 or older and have a state-issued ID card (like a driver's license), it will be a nice souvenir to take home. Tip: Visit the Library of Congress after the Capitol and use the tunnel from the Capitol to enter the Library of Congress. It will save you time since you won't have to go through security again.
National Archives:
We visited the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. We went a few days before July 4th and it made the holiday extra special for us. Tip: Between March and Labor Day you'll want to get reservations. You'll only pay the service charge... Click here to get tickets. Tip: There are 2 lines you'll have to wait in before getting to the Rotunda. By getting advance tickets, you'll skip the first line that forms outside.
White House:
White House Visitor Center:
Visitor Center Hours: Open daily 7:30 am-4:00 pm
Tip: If you plan on going to the White House, get tickets ASAP. You can get them up to 3 months in advance, and no less than 21 days in advance through your Member of Congress, more details can be found on the White House Website. A limited number of spaces are available. They will ask for personal information since they do background checks on everyone. If you don’t get tickets, visit the visitor center, for some history of the White House, and you can see various artifacts through the years. When you finish, walk over to the White House and take pictures. You can't get too close but you can still get great pictures!
World War I Memorial: The newest Memorial in DC is the World War I Memorial in Pershing Park across from the White House Visitor Center. The National World War I Memorial is a memorial commemorating the service rendered by members of the United States Armed Forces in World War I.
Eric and I were tour guides together a bajillion years ago... He’s still a tour guide in DC so he gave me a tour on a recent layover and showed me this new Memorial.
Day 3:
Start your morning at Arlington National Cemetery. Visit Robert E Lee's home, watch the changing of the guard, see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and see the graves of leaders and presidents.
Consider joining a tour so you don’t miss anything.
Next, visit Old Town Alexandria. Go to Gadsby's Tavern for lunch (make a reservation). It's a restored 18th-century tavern that hosted George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. My favorite part is seeing the wait staff in their Colonial clothing.
Join this tour from Washington DC to Mount Vernon & Old Town Alexandria.
Other things to see nearby:
The Hollensbury Spite House: The skinniest house (7ft. wide) in the USA. Built in 1830 to keep horse-drawn carriages out of the alleyway. 523 Queen Street (private residence)
Sit in George Washington's Pew at Christ Church: The church was built in 1765. This is where all the prominent Alexandria townspeople worshipped, including George Washington.
King Street: Shop at boutiques along King Street.
Old Town Alexandria's Waterfront Park: Stroll along the Potomac. You can take a water taxi from here to Georgetown.
Mount Vernon: George Washington's Mount Vernon is the historic home of George and Martha Washington, located 13 miles south of Washington.
A fun way to get there:
By Bike: You can rent a bike to or from Mount Vernon on the Mount Vernon Trail, which is an 18-mile, mixed-use, paved trail that runs from Mount Vernon to Georgetown. It follows the Potomac River most of the way and is beautiful in all seasons.
If this sounds fun join this tour: Alexandria: Full-Day Bike Tour to Mt. Vernon with optional Boat ride.
Bike rentals from Alexandria, VA.
By Boat: You can take a Potomac River Cruise from Alexandria or Washington, D.C., and the trip includes admission. The boat option is 3 hours round-trip and includes sightseeing!
Day 4:
Begin your day with a bike ride around the memorials and monuments. We rented our tandem bikes here. Tip: Bring water. Tip: You can make a reservation on their website. Since our girls were younger we felt more comfortable renting tandem bikes. It gave us some control, and it helped to make sure they were safe crossing streets, etc.! We rolled past all of the memorials and it's a good thing since it was a hot day! The breeze from the ride made it bearable and my girls wouldn't have been able to walk that far. This is the only way to see the memorials, especially with kids. Our first stop on our bike ride was the Thomas Jefferson Memorial, followed by FDR, MLK, the Korean Memorial, Lincoln, Vietnam, and the World War II Memorial. We finished our bike ride at the Washington Monument.
Bike Tours:
After your bike ride, visit a museum or two. The Smithsonian Museum’s admission is free. The regular hours are 10:00- 5:30. The hours are extended in the spring and summer with a closing time of 7:30 p.m.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial:
FDR once told a friend he didn't want a memorial bigger than his desk. This was the only memorial (bottom picture) to him for years (it's in front of the National Archives building). It took 40 years of planning before the much bigger memorial (top picture) to him was dedicated in 1997.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial:
Pictures: Thomas Jefferson Memorial, MLK Jr. Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The memorial honors Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy and the struggle for freedom, equality, and justice. A prominent leader in the modern civil rights movement, Dr King was a tireless advocate for racial equality, the working class, and the oppressed around the world.
Korean War Memorial:
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950, with the North Korean army’s invasion of South Korea. This Memorial honors millions of Americans who served in the three-year conflict.
Lincoln Memorial:
An awe-inspiring tribute to President Abraham Lincoln. Especially beautiuful at night! The only surviving son of President Lincoln, 78-year-old Robert Todd Lincoln, was at the monument's unveiling in May 1922.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial:
This Memorial honors service members of the U.S. armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The black granite walls are engraved with the names of those service members who died or remain missing as a result of their service in Vietnam.
Don't forget to stop at the Albert Einstein Memorial and give him a big hug! He's so cute! It's across the street from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
World War II Memorial:
This is a beautiful tribute to our armed forces who served in World War II. Each of the columns represents the states that were in the union at the time of the war.
Washington Monument:
We studied up on Washington, D.C. before our visit and the height of the Washington Monument is one of the facts my girls memorized. They are standing in front of the National Christmas Tree. The elevator ride in the Washington Monument takes you up 50 stories to the top of the world's tallest free-standing stone structure. Tip: Click here for advance tickets. You'll pay a $1.00 service charge per ticket. You can get tickets 30 days in advance. Same-day tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis starting at 8:45 a.m. (the line forms as early as 7 a.m.) The monument is open from 9-5.
After your bike ride, spend some time relaxing and have lunch
Pick a few of the following museums to visit. Here are some of the more popular museums:
National Museum of Natural History:
My kids loved the dinosaurs, mammals, insects, mummies, and gems (Hope Diamond) so much that we visited this museum twice! Tip: Cicily loved the Butterfly Pavilion! You do have to pay extra for it but it was her favorite!
National Museum of American History:
This is one of my favorites! I was excited for my daughters to see Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. After visiting the Spark! Lab we saw the Batman mobile, Star-Spangled Banner, Abraham Lincoln's Top Hat (he wore this the night he was assassinated at Ford's Theatre), First Ladies gowns, and Julia Child's Kitchen. We ate lunch here at the America's Table Cafe.
National Gallery of Art:
I was excited to share my favorite DC Museum with my girls but worried they might not enjoy it as much as me. Tip: We took the free family audio tour and my girls loved it. We used the map they gave us at the information desk to find the paintings my girls wanted to learn more about. Then we went on a scavenger hunt to find them. Just pushing the buttons on the audio device was entertaining for them 😆. Tip: They have strollers you can use for free. Tip: On Friday nights from May through August you can see free jazz concerts at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden (Due to high demand, they have a lottery system that takes place the week before each event).
National Gallery of Art-East Building
The East Building houses modern and contemporary art and was designed by I.M. Pei. Tip: If you rub the pointy edge of the building it will bring you good luck! 😏
Across the street from the National Gallery of Art is the Canadian Embassy. It’s one of the easiest Embassies to find and belongs to our neighbors to the North. It's also the closest Embassy to the U.S. Capitol.
National Air and Space Museum:
Besides touching the Moon Rock, I loved seeing the 747 aircraft... my favorite airplane I've worked on! Always amazed this massive plane can make it off the ground. 😜 ✈ Tip: Arrive early to beat the crowds, this museum is popular. Tip: When you're ready to sit down and relax visit an IMAX movie or the Planetarium. We came back on July 4th and watched Jurassic World on IMAX. It gave us a break from the heat and the crowds in the mall for a few hours.
If you’re traveling with children, check out the Carousel on the National Mall. One of Cicily's D.C. favorite's was riding the carousel 🎠 near the Air and Space Museum.
National Museum of the American Indian:
This might not be the most popular museum, but my girls could have spent hours in the ImagiNATIONS Activity Center. They made crafts, got passport stamps, made an igloo, and weaved a basket. Tip: This was my favorite museum restaurant. We had lunch in the Mitsitam Cafe (indigenous cuisines of the Americas). They had a good selection of food, and it was yummy!!
Day 5
We rented a car to visit a few sites outside the district:
Embassy Row is where you'll find most of the Embassies in Washington, D.C. The majority of the 170+ embassies in DC are located in this neighborhood. They’re within a few blocks of each other on Massachusetts Avenue NW, between Dupont Circle and Observatory Circle, around the 20th St NW to 37th St NW. This area used to be called Millionaires Row but they moved out and the Embassies moved in. It's fun to see all of the different country flags... We tried guessing what country the flags belonged to. Tip: If you visit D.C. in May you can go to the EU Open House or Around the World Embassy Tour. The embassies are open to the public for viewing. The closest Metro Station is the Dupont Circle Station (red line). Years ago I was invited to a reception at the Russian Embassy for Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow. It was his first visit to America as a new Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was such a cool experience and the Embassy was so beautiful!
National Zoo:
3001 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20008
One of the best things about the National Zoo is that there is NO ADMISSION CHARGE. You won't even see a ticket booth. Just walk in! The Smithsonian's National Zoo was the first U.S. zoo to have giant pandas, starting in 1972. The zoo is currently home to three pandas.
Open every day. Hours: Winter: 8-4 Summer: 8-6
Washington D.C. Temple:
9900 Stoneybrook Dr, Kensington, MD 20895
I spent 18 months on my mission at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor Center. I met so many wonderful people from all around the world... for a traveler like myself, I was in Heaven!!! It was a fabulous experience serving the people in this area and sharing how families can be together forever. The architecture is stunning and the Temple seems to change with the different seasons. Tip: Visit the beautiful flower gardens. You can learn more about the Temple in the Visitor Center. They have a model of the Temple in the Visitor Center where you can see the different rooms. Tip: If you are in D.C. in December, check out the Festival of Lights at the Washington D.C. Temple Visitor Center. The holiday lights are spectacular! They also have free concerts, Christmas Trees and creches from many foreign countries.
Washington National Cathedral:
3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016
Washington’s National Cathedral is the sixth-largest Cathedral in the world and the second-largest in the United States. We took a self-guided tour of the National Cathedral. My kids felt like they were in a Harry Potter movie so they were in Heaven! The architecture is amazing! Don't forget to see the moon rock in the space window (stained glass). Buzz Aldrin delivered it here himself in 1974. Helen Keller and President Woodrow Wilson are buried in the crypt level. Also, be on the lookout for the grotesque Darth Vader and the hippie gargoyle. Tip: Don't forget to take the elevator up to see the beautiful views.
$12 for adults, $8 for children ages 5 to 17, and free for kids 4 years and under. Hours: Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Saturday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday: 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Georgetown:
Julia Child's home
Awe... Georgetown! One of my favorite places! Walk the cobblestone streets, buy a cupcake, grab a bite (in that order😏), shop, and admire the beautiful 18th and 19th-century architecture. Take a stroll along the C&0 Canal. You can play in the splash pad at Georgetown waterfront park, kayak the Potomac, or walk past Julia Child's home where she gave cooking lessons and worked on her first cookbook (2706 Olive Street).
Georgetown is famous for its cupcakes, most notably Georgetown Cupcake, which was made famous from the TLC show "DC Cupcakes". If you order your cupcakes the day before you won't have to wait in line and they won't run out of your favorite cupcake.
Georgetown Tours:
Taste of Georgetown Walking Food Tour
Georgetown: Ghost Story Walking Tour
Georgetown Architecture Walking Tour
Day 6:
Ford's Theatre and the Peterson House:
511 Tenth Street NW. Washington, D.C. 20004
Ford’s Theater is a working theater and the site of the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln on April 14, 1865. A visit to the museum will provide insight into Abraham Lincoln. You'll learn about the struggles of his Presidency and his assassination. You'll start your visit in the basement museum where you can see the gun that was used to assassinate President Lincoln. Then you'll enter the working theatre and view the balcony box where President Lincoln was shot. Tip: Make sure to go when the National Park Ranger tells the story of the assassination, or see One Destiny, a 30-minute, two-man play about the events of the assassination. Across the street was a boarding house (Peterson House) where Lincoln was taken after he was shot and eventually died. My kids liked the hands-on activities at the Peterson House. Tip: You can pay a fee to get tickets in advance by clicking here.
Old Post Office Tower:
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004
An option for great views is the Old Post Office Tower. The Old Post Office is being used as the Trump International Hotel, the tower is operated by the National Park Service. It's free and open daily from 9-4 p.m. 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Here's a list of museums and activities you can include in your itinerary on Day 6:
US Bureau of Engraving and Printing (get tickets at ticket booth March 4-Nov.), U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (get tickets in advance here March 1-Aug. 31), Newseum ($), International Spy Museum ($), National Portrait Gallery, National Museum of African American History and Culture (get advance tickets), United States Botanic Garden, Visit the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 6 p.m. for a free performance U.S. National Arboretum, and the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America (check out the catacombs).
Day 7:
Depart... After spending one week in Washington, D.C., you’ve seen the main sights and explored some unique areas around the district. I hope you enjoyed your time in our Nation’s Capitol.
