Visiting the capital of the United States in the fall is probably just as amazing as visiting during the blooming of the cherry blossoms. I’ve never been in the spring, as my first time was this past Thanksgiving, but I can imagine both times of the year of magnificent! The next goal would be to visit while the famous cherry blossoms are in bloom. According to my family, I missed the peak of the season where the leaves were all colorful, but I was impressed with the amount of color that was still around during late November.
Although the surroundings were gorgeous, the weather was pretty cold (which I expected). Unfortunately, I didn’t do a great job with packing to prepare for the cold weather. With the weather being so beautiful this time of year, it is hard to resist being outdoors! There are many indoor attractions in D.C., but strolling in any nearby park makes for a pleasant day.
D.C. is not lacking any parks, neither are the surrounding areas. Whether you need a break from the hustle and bustle of the city or need a whole day away from it all, there are many parks to choose from. Here are a few options in D.C.:
- Constitution Gardens
- East/ West Potomac Parks
- Rock Creek Park
- The Yards Park
- Anacostia Park
- Georgetown Waterfront Park
Another way to relax and unwind in the city is at one of its many amazing restaurants. Being that I am a picky eater and I really only had lunch in the city each day, my options are limited. BUT- each place I ate at was delicious and the menu had a very wide variety. I will also throw in some recs from some local D.C. residents.
- The Hamilton (cool atmosphere, great food)
- Founding Farmers (great burgers, all-around great place)
- Compass Rose
- Call Your Mother Bagels
- Daikaya (“best ramen ever”)
Attractions/ Museums: The best thing about D.C. is that most monuments, museums, and attractions are free. Due to the pandemic, many places are requiring that you reserve a timed-entry ticket ahead of time online which costs a $1 processing fee, other than that, it is still free to enter. While this does not allow you to be as flexible with your plans, it still means you can visit famous museums and attractions in the city!
With that being said, some things have still not opened back up, which includes, but is not limited to: The White House, The Capitol Building, U.S. Supreme Court Building, and other government buildings. I would highly recommend you look up their statuses prior to planning your visit. You can still walk around and take pictures in front of them all!
Here is what WAS open during my visit: Smithsonian Museums (there are TONS), Library of Congress, Arlington National Cemetary, US Holocaust Memorial Museum, International Spy Museum, Museum of the Bible, the monuments in the National Mall, and much more! So basically, there was PLENTY to do and I definitely still did not get to see/ do everything while I was there.
I had an amazing time visiting Washington D.C. over my Thanksgiving break! Besides going into the D.C. area, there is plenty do in both Virginia and Maryland (the surrounding states).
Personally, I stayed in Virginia, west of the capital, and it took no time to get into the city each morning. Virginia is gorgeous with so much history packed into the state as well. Virginia boasts the beautiful Shenandoah National Park which would be a whole day in itself! I choose not to go because, during the week I went, there just wasn’t enough time to do it all. I still hate that I wasn’t able to go, being it was a short 1.5-hour drive, but I’ll just have to go back!
I’ll post a separate page about my day spent in Maryland, which you can visit by clicking HERE!
For more tips and advice on visiting Washington D.C. click HERE to read!!