No American road trip, especially one focusing entirely on the east coast, is complete without a visit to our nation’s capital, Washington D.C.  Over the years I have lost count of how many times I have visited this wonderful place and I was so excited to have the opportunity–though a small one–to show it to my significant other for the first time!

So here you have how we spent 24 memorable hours in one of the United States’ greatest cities, taking in the colorful facades of Georgetown, walking around the National Mall until we were ready to drop, and drinking as many margaritas as our hearts desired.

Checking in: The Georgetown Inn

We checked into the historic Georgetown Inn.  With prime location on Wisconsin Avenue, our accommodation choice put us right in the heart of hip Georgetown for our morning stroll and evening escapades.

Breakfast: Olivia Macaron

That’s right, I eat macarons for breakfast because I am a macaron fiend.  When we began our day’s adventures, Ben led me to a place he was sure would put a huge smile on my face, Olivia Macaron, for coffee and my first meal of the day.  Though I always try to order just one or two for myself, he always insists that I order the smallest size box offered on the menu.  This of course leads to my consumption of at least six macarons, a big grin, and a pending upset tummy.

After Breakfast

After macarons and coffee, we made the near 3 mile walk from Georgetown to the Lincoln Memorial to begin our visit to some major American historic “must-see” spots.  From the Lincoln Memorial we walked along the edge of the reflecting pool to the WWII Memorial and over to the Washington Monument.

We beelined for the National Archives to set eyes upon the Declaration of Independence, among a myriad of other significant US documents, and witnessed someone get thrown out for taking “sneaky” iPhone photos. History and entertainment! My favorite combination! (Have I mentioned the number of times I’ve watched National Treasure?)

We knew visiting at least one Smithsonian was a necessity, so for this trip we chose the National Museum of American History.  I desperately wanted to see Julia Child’s kitchen after just finishing my copy of Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously.  One of my favorite parts about visiting DC is wandering around the National Mall and choosing which Smithsonian to explore.  Two cheers for national museums with free admission!

Next on my “to visit” list are:

Newseum

US Holocaust Memorial Museum

National Museum of the American Indian

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Freer Gallery of Art

National Gallery of Art

At this point in my life, I have visited the White House (and gone inside and been kicked out), National Museum of American History, National Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, WWII Memorial, International Spy Museum, and Art and Space Museum.

Going Out In Georgetown

Since one of my best friends graduated from Georgetown University, I naturally looked to her for the best spots to go out to eat and drink in Georgetown.  We stumbled upon a Mexican restaurant and bar, El Centro, where we were enticed in by the happy hour margaritas advertised outside.  To our surprise and good fortune, my friend told me we found ourselves in the best margarita bar in Georgetown.  Several drinks later, we left in search of seafood.
After a dozen regretfully ordered oysters  at J.Paul’s (we watched them rinse each oyster out under the faucet before plating), we ran back to our beloved El Centro for stupendous tacos and innumerable $5 margaritas.  I’m serious, guys, they serve $5 margaritas until 10pm!!

The capital of the United States offers so much in regards to history, food, and culture.  It truly is a necessary stop on an holiday to the United States or any American road trip.  It’s a city I continue coming back to and I am never disappointed.  Now that we are briefly living in Northern Virginia, we will definitely return to the capital for more historical fun!