The Nation’s capital. One of the most powerful cities in the world, and home of the White House and other historic monuments. Washington D.C is one of the most pristine and interesting places to be, but not to be confused with the state of Washington which is 2,700 miles away.
You can’t go all the way to the Capital without saying “hi” to the President at The White House. You can choose to pay for a tour of the grounds and house or simply take a photo from the gates. Normally, as it is the main tourist attraction, there’s quite a lot going on nearby. You can join a segway tour or stop by the local street art sellers.
An absolute must-do has got to be visiting the National Museum of Natural History, otherwise known as the movie set of Night at the Museum. As you make your way around the giant venue, you will recognise the artefacts that inspired or were actually used in the film.
If you’re looking for an unlimited supply of cultural things to do, Washington DC has to be the number one choice. The best part is that a lot of museums and memorials are free to visit.
One of the perks of exploring the Nation’s capital and all of its free hotspots is that walking is really the best way to get around. Everything is a short distance from each other meaning that you can do a lot in one day. When you get there, get to know the grid system. The streets are lettered running east-west and the streets are numbered from north to south.
A great tip would be to see a lot of the larger memorials, like the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall and Monument, by night (in a group and not on your own). This will save you some getting pushed and shoved and also quite sunburnt – it’s normally swelteringly hot in the summer months. Instead, you can enjoy the lighting on these memorials make them 10 times better, meaning better photos. Being prime tourist season, it will be extremely in the day, going by night will be a lot better as you don’t need to wait for people to move before you get your turn to look.
Looking for some Mexican food that’s not going to break the bank? Try Baja Grille on 1133 20th St. NW. This locally owned restaurant serves only the freshest of foods and makes everything from scratch to make sure they can be big on their flavours. They even make their own mayo to complement their homemade flavours.
A quick lunch that is a little different from your regular Starbucks, and a lot better, go to Amsterdam Falafel located on 2425 18th Street NW. You will get a flatbread stuffed with the best homemade falafel, tahini, yoghurt sauce and vegetables all topped with hot sauce. All this tasty mess will set you back a maximum of $6 – not bad.
