24 Hours in Washington DC
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!
Wait, why did you get kicked out of the White House? You can’t just drop that tidbit then not follow up!
When I was a little kid, they were still doing open tours inside the White House. The tour guide told our group we were reaching a wing of the building where there was a lot of work in progress, so everyone would need to be as quiet as possible. Childhood me took this as an invite to scream as loudly as I could! So the Secret Service escorted me and one of my parents out of the White House while the rest of the tour continued onward.