48 Hours in...Washington, DC

48 Hours in Washington, DC

For the past couple of days, Ryan and I have been in Washington, DC. He had a job interview so this wasn't just a vacation - but we did make the most out of it.



Here are a few things we did while we were there - most of which you should try to incorporate into a 48 hour trip to the city! Hope you find these 8 tips helpful!:


1. You're probably going to use the metro a lot. Instead of worrying about single fare tickets - and wasting time calculating costs and purchasing tickets - just get a day pass. It's $9 and well worth the convenience. Another thing about the DC metro, have your ticket out when leaving the station, you'll need to scan it again to get out!

2. See the monuments. It's okay to be a tourist, travelers! A lot of times, well-traveled people will forego doing the touristy stuff and opt for less-frequented activities. While this can be rewarding, don't do this in DC, especially on your first trip! There's a reason these things are so popular!

Make sure to visit the National Mall, the White House & Capitol, the monuments, museums and memorials - they are truly something and a part of American history! Don't forget to take the metro down to Arlington National Cemetery. Oh, and for you lawyers and legal minds - visit the Supreme Court building.

 3. Head over to the Eastern Market Metro stop to The Sweet Lobby for some French macarons. Okay, so this is not completely necessary to do, but you won't regret it! Let's face it, these delicate little French pastries are hard to find here in the US... and The Sweet Lobby does them right. They're $1.60 each but you can also get them in boxes. Pick up a box of 6 for $9.25, a box of 16 for $24 or a box of 40 for $55. Oh, and make sure to add one...or three hazelnut praline salted caramel macarons! I'm eating one right now and it's amaaaazing.

Check out their Facebook page for their macaron flavor availability...

4. After that, since you are in the Capitol Hill area, walk down Barracks Row and grab a bite to eat - there are tons of restaurants and bars, and I'm sure it'll be easy to find something for everyone! Try to make this a happy hour stop...

5. Want a cheap and quick lunch? You'll find several hotdog and pretzel stands around the city, especially in the touristy areas. If you're strapped for cash or just want something fast to eat while touring around, don't pass one of these up. I think Ryan and I ordered: 2 hotdogs and a bottle of Coca Cola for $5.50 - can't beat that! I also saw that the cart we went to had brats, eggrolls, pizza and other snacks.

And if you go to L'Enfant Plaza around lunch time, you'll find a caravan of food trucks! This isn't the only cluster of trucks though - you'll find them near Farragut, Franklin Square Park, Metro Center and Union Station - check out this website to track the food trucks!

6. Catch a baseball game! When we were in town, the Nationals were away - so we drove up to Baltimore and watched the Orioles play the Rangers (which was only about an hour drive). It was a pretty historic night - Josh Hamilton hit 4 HRs in one game (something that's only been done 16 times in history and not in the last 9 years)!

If the Nationals are in town, it's so convenient to get to their stadium. Just hop onto the green line and head for the Navy Yard stop. As soon as you get off the metro, you'll see the stadium.

 7. If you're in the city on a Saturday or Sunday, go out for brunch! DC has wonderful champagne brunches and you'll find that many restaurants do it! Go out for brunch and make it an outing with friends!

8. Relax. Something that most people try to do is cram everything into one trip. This is do-able but can sometimes take away from your experience in a city. Take some time to relax. Sit on a bench in the National Mall or near the Washington Monument. Or, stop by one of DCs many restaurants and sit outside with a glass or wine or beer (if the weather permits) and people watch.


What would you suggest to do on a 48 hour trip to DC?!