After lots of drama and changing plans (don't ask), we ended up taking the train from Penn Station in NYC down to D.C. late Thursday night. The trip was a little less than 3 hours but easy and relaxing. We stayed in D.C. until Sunday morning and flew back to Laguardia on the shuttle. The trip back was around 45 minutes and again, very easy and convenient.
What to pack:
- Walking Shoes - D.C. is actually a really walkable city, but comfortable shoes are a must. We ended up walking almost everywhere, which was really fun and I completely recommend it, but if you're not wearing comfortable shoes you'll be miserable.
- Layers - Obviously this will depend on when you travel, but when you're going in and out of museums, restaurants, and shops, layers you can easily take on or off are a must.
- Sunglasses - If it's sunny, sunglasses will save you. Unlike NY, the streets are open, so in the sun, it was almost blinding.
Where to stay:
- The Marriott Marquis - We stayed at the Marriott Marquis and loved it. It was a modern hotel with amazing customer service. The staff was all friendly and helped us with literally everything we needed. The hotel also had a fantastic buffet breakfast that I totally recommend trying at least once.
- The Watergate Hotel - I haven't stayed here personally, but it was recommended to us by friends who said it was a really cool hotel.
Where to eat:
- Flavio - This was an amazing Italian restaurant in the heart of the Georgetown area. It filled up pretty fast so I recommend getting a reservation. Also, if you're a fan of spicy foods, try their penne all'arrbiatta - it was DELICIOUS but super spicy.
- Lincoln's Waffles - Across from Ford Theater is this fun breakfast find. If you're looking for some quality waffles, this is definately the place to go.
- Georgetown Cupcakes - Another favorite in Georgetown (but with other locations around the country) is Georgetown Cupcakes. When I tell you guys these are amazing cupcakes, I mean that they rival my all-time favorite cupcake place. The line can get realllllly long though, just be warned.
- Rosa Mexicano - This fun and trendy mexican restaurant is actually in Chinatown, but definately worth a trip (but even in Chinatown, this was still walking distance from our hotel). They had tableside guacamole and great vegetable and chicken fajitas.
- The Food Trucks - Not actually a specific place but outside the Smithsonian Museums and down by the mall, the streets are lined with food trucks. We're talking ice cream trucks, hot dog trucks, mac and cheese trucks, taco trucks, and literally anything else you could imagine.
What to do:
- Visit The Smithsonians - Ok don't tell anyone, but before this trip I totally thought that The Smithsonian was one museum - it's not, there's like 12. So unfortunately, you will need to pick and choose which ones you want to see. But the good news? They're all free! We didn't have a ton of time so we only saw the American History Museum and it was amazing (definately check out the First Lady Exhibit - the dresses were gorgeous). The African American Museum is supposed to be phenomenal but you need to get passes wayyy in advance just warning you.
- Visit the Newseum - This one isn't free, but so worth it - it was probably our favorite part of the trip. Basically, it's a museum about the news/media with all these interactive and cool things. The FBI exhibit was super cool, the 9/11 exhibit was incredible, and the Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph exhibit was breathtaking. Definately a must see museum.
- See the Monuments at The Mall - We walked from the American History Museum, around past the White House, over to the Washington Monument and then all the way down to the World War 2 Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and Korean War Memorial. These monuments were breathtaking and all show such pivotal moments in US History, it was incredible.
- Shop Around Georgetown - I definitely recommend taking a trip to the Georgetown area when in D.C. M Street is such a cute street with lots of shops and boutiques.
Ok, so this my guide to Washington D.C. This is by no means everything there is, there is a ton we didn't end up having time to see. I will definitely be back, so leave any suggestions down below in the comments!
XOXO,
Samantha
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