What to do in Washington, DC
Updated December 2024
Whether you are visiting from out of town, new to town, or have been in town for years, DC is a city that I won’t argue does it all, but it does a lot of things very, very well. From beautiful architecture and moments made of marble to delicious restaurants with gorgeous interiors, alongside more museums than time in the day and well-articulated vistas, the city that I’ve grown to call home balances everything I crave in an urban context alongside an attitude that feels like a small town. In my work as a realtor, I criss-cross town day in and day out, and the drive along Constitution Avenue has yet to bore me.
By no means a comprehensive list, but here’s a few recommendations for places I insist people see to experience DC the same way I do:
Breakfast / coffee moments:
Yellow the Cafe (a location in Georgetown and at Union Market)
Pluma by Bluebird (Union Market)
Elle and La Tejana (Mount Pleasant)
A Baked Joint, Seylou Bakery, & Petite Cerise (downtown)
Lunch & Dinner:
Union Market & La Cosecha (H Street Corridor)
La Bonne Vache (Georgetown)
Petite Cerise & Nina May (downtown)
Revelers Hour (Adams Morgan)
Roses Luxury, Pascual, and Beuchert’s Saloon (Capitol Hill)
Chez Billy Sud (Georgetown)
For a seat at the bar:
Cafe Riggs & Silver Lyan (downtown)
Service Bar, Jane Jane, and Gemini Wine & Pizza (Shaw / Dupont Circle)
Bar a Vin (Georgetown)
Green Zone (Adams Morgan)
Can’t miss shops (additional recommendations here)
Vintage Vintage Vintage at @unionmarketdc
Salt & Sundry (a location at Union Market, and one on 14th Street)
Manse (Georgetown)
Museums with interesting design:
National Gallery of Art (downtown)
Phillips Collection (Dupont Circle)
Hillwood Museum, Tudor Place, and Dumbarton House
National Building Museum (downtown)
Hirshhorn (downtown)
Other interesting architectural moments:
Library of Congress, Supreme Court, & Union Station (Capitol Hill)
Smithsonian Castle & US Botanic Garden (downtown)
National Cathedral (Woodley Park)
Watergate complex & The Kennedy Center (Foggy Bottom - check out the Reach, too)