3 Days in Washington DC
Washington DC, where bright marble buildings stand tall with the air of history and the prestige of a great nation. Memorials fill acres of pruned greenery, reminding us of great leaders and fallen soldiers. Museums are filled with relics of over 200 years, from the tattered first United States flag to Dorothy’s ruby slippers. In this post, I’ll give you an idea for what to do in 3 days in the capitol.
Day One: Washington D.C.
Go on the Capitol Monuments Bike Tour
One of my favorite ways to explore a city is on the Capitol Monuments bike tour. If you do a tour like this on your first day you can get your bearings for the geography of the city and also take note of certain places you want to go back to. Below I’ve listed all the things you’ll see on this tour, its amazing how much ground you can cover by bike!
Cost (2021): $46pp / Book it
Bike Tour Stop #1: Jefferson Memorial
This Pantheon-like white marble building towers over the Tidal Basin and is dedicated to the late 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson’s 19ft high bronze statue stands tall in the center as you enter the open air rotunda.
From Jefferson Memorial you can view the Washington Monument. It was especially beautiful the day we went in November because the leaves were brightly colored orange and yellow.
View of the Washington Monument from the Jefferson Memorial
Bike Tour Stop #2: Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
FDR is the only U.S. President that served 4 terms in office. In 1997 Clinton dedicated a memorial with a sequence of four outdoor rooms that represent these four terms using symbolism.
Bike Tour Stop #3: Martin Luther King Memorial
To get to the statue of Martin Luther King Jr. you walk through the “Mountains of Despair,” two massive granite pillars. This memorial honors King’s legacy as a civil rights leader, and is only one of four memorials that are not U.S. Presidents.
The design of this sculpture was inspired by a line from his "I Have a Dream" speech: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." This was intentionally left unfinished, partially still in the stone since his life was cut short by assassination in 1968.
There is also a view of Jefferson Memorial from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
Bike Tour Stop #4: Lincoln Memorial & Reflecting Pool
The Lincoln Memorial is a must see for any trip to Washington DC. Don’t let the image below fool you, it feels much larger in person but the perspective here shrinks it down a bit. This statue of our 16th President Abraham Lincoln is 19ft and made from white marble. It weighs 175 tons.
From this statue you can look out onto the famous Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool with the Washington Monument in the background.
“Jenny!” - Forest Gump anyone?
Bike Tour Stop #5: Vietnam Veterans Memorial
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial was created in remembrance of all those who gave their lives in the Vietnam War. A black granite wall has all their names engraved. On this site there is also a Vietnam Women’s Memorial dedicated to the women, mostly nurses, who served in the war.
Vietnam Women’s Memorial
A U.S. Marine at Vietnam Veterans Memorial on July 4, 2002
This statue below is titled “The Three Servicemen” representing a European American, African American, and Hispanic American, all who fought in this war together.
The Three Soldiers by Frederick Hart (1984)
Bike Tour Stop #6: The World War II Memorial
The World War 2 Memorial has 56 granite pillars surrounding a grand fountain that represent each state and territory.
Bike Tour Stop #7: The White House
No trip to DC is complete without seeing the White House.
Bike Tour Stop #8: Washington Monument
Named after our first President, the Washington Monument can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. It’s the tallest obelisk in the world, standing at 555ft high.
Tip: You can take an elevator up to the top to take in the view. Tickets must be purchased in advance with a $1 convenience fee. You can find tickets for the Washington Monument here.
Grab Lunch at the wharf
The bike tour starts and ends at the Wharf which has a lot of shops and restaurants to check out. We ate at “Mi Vida” and loved the fish tacos, queso fundido, and I had a delicious grapefruit mexcalrita!
Visit The Capitol Building
Located at the eastern end of the Capitol Mall, The Capitol Building is where Congress meets to discuss and write news laws. This building has been around for a long time. It was completed in 1800! Since then expansions have been made to this white neoclassical building.
You can book of tour of the Capitol if you want to see the interior.
Smithsonian Museums
All 19 Smithsonian Museums are free to visit. It’s impossible to see all in one trip, and if you’re like me you’ll get museum fatigue! We chose 4 to see in the 2 days we had left. The favorites seem to be the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. Start with these and select the other two based on your interests.
Day Two: Washington D.C.
Visit the National Museum of Natural History
The National Museum of Natural History has 145 million specimens of plants, animals, fossils, minerals, rocks, meteorites, human remains, and human cultural artifacts. The centerpiece of the museum when you walk in is a large historic African Bush Elephant that weighs 11-tons and is 13-feet-tall. If you like to view taxidermy and learn about evolution, this is absolutely the place for you.
Grab Lunch at Old Ebbitt Grill
This historic restaurant has been around since 1856, but moved locations several times. The ambiance reflects the Victorian era with a mahogany bar modeled after saloons at the turn of the century. Many of the decorations are salvaged antiques. We sat at the bar and had some fresh delicious oysters, a flavorful steak salad, and a crisp glass of chardonnay.
Want to know more about Old Ebbit’s history? Read more
Tip: Unless you want to try your luck at the bar, make a reservation
Visit the National Archives Building
The National Archives Building holds some of the most important documents in American History. These can be viewed in the building’s Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom.
Declaration of Independence
U.S. Constitution
Bill of Rights
The first American flag is also on display at this museum.
You have to make an appt
Day Three
National Air and Space Museum
Neil Armstrong's Apollo 11 Spacesuit
Amelia Earhart's Lockheed 5B Vega
The Wright Brothers' Flyer
Chuck Yeager's Bell X-1
Collection of WWI and WWII fighter planes
Charles Lindbergh's single-engine Spirit of St. Louis
Buzz Aldrin’s spacesuit
National Museum of American History
Abraham Lincoln's Hat
Dorothy’s Ruby Slippers
The Batmobile
A Piece of the Berlin Wall
Part of the World Trade Center
The First Ladies' Dresses
George Washington's Chair
Dine at Martin’s Tavern
Martin’s Tavern is a historical restaurant that has been around since 1933 and is located in Georgetown. JFK proposed to Jackie in one of the booths, now celebrated with a plaque. Famous baseball players including Mickey Mantle, Ty Cobb, and Yogi Berra dined here in the “Dugout Room.” U.S. presidents come to dine, discuss, and relax while shaping the nation’s history. While we were there we saw Douglas Emhoff, Kamala Harris’s husband.
