Guidebook for Washington
Everything Else
Great place to hang out when weather is nice. Open until 5PM most day, and late on Fridays in the summer when people go there to drink wine and listen to free live jazz.
44 locals recommend
Pavilion Café
Constitution Avenue NorthwestGreat place to hang out when weather is nice. Open until 5PM most day, and late on Fridays in the summer when people go there to drink wine and listen to free live jazz.
Wonderful celebration of plants and nature. You need to drive or bike to get here, but it's very nice and relaxing to walk. If you're staying a while, this is a great way to wind down your time in DC.
350 locals recommend
United States National Arboretum
3501 New York Ave NEWonderful celebration of plants and nature. You need to drive or bike to get here, but it's very nice and relaxing to walk. If you're staying a while, this is a great way to wind down your time in DC.
The original neighborhood market, open during the week but most fun to wander on the weekends.
699 locals recommend
Eastern Market
225 7th St SEThe original neighborhood market, open during the week but most fun to wander on the weekends.
Local Farmers Market and fun place to check out on the weekends, has local meat, oysters, coffee shops, food, drive-in movies in the evenings, a cheese bar, etc.
906 locals recommend
Union Market
1309 5th St NELocal Farmers Market and fun place to check out on the weekends, has local meat, oysters, coffee shops, food, drive-in movies in the evenings, a cheese bar, etc.
Great area to walk around, jog, get to know the real capitol hill known to those who live here.
106 locals recommend
Lincoln Park
Great area to walk around, jog, get to know the real capitol hill known to those who live here.
Drinks & Nightlife
Very fun bar atmosphere also features indoor min-golf and other games.
196 locals recommend
H Street Country Club
1335 H Street NortheastVery fun bar atmosphere also features indoor min-golf and other games.
Neighborhood hipster bar, low key on weeknights, very lively on weekends. Costume Karaoke every other Wednesday.
119 locals recommend
Little Miss Whiskey's Golden Dollar
1104 H St NENeighborhood hipster bar, low key on weeknights, very lively on weekends. Costume Karaoke every other Wednesday.
Neighborhood for going out, very young and clubby on weekends. From our place, just take the 90/92 bus, goes every 8-15 minutes.
287 locals recommend
Adams Morgan
Neighborhood for going out, very young and clubby on weekends. From our place, just take the 90/92 bus, goes every 8-15 minutes.
German biergarten with a huge seating area, delicious sausages, and an excellent selection of German beer.
142 locals recommend
Biergarten Haus
1355 H St NEGerman biergarten with a huge seating area, delicious sausages, and an excellent selection of German beer.
Great local venue for live music and in general for going out if you like music and dancing.
188 locals recommend
Rock & Roll Hotel
1353 H St NEGreat local venue for live music and in general for going out if you like music and dancing.
Food Scene
Belgian Restaurant, great food and very extensive beer selection.
169 locals recommend
Granville Moore's
1238 H St NEBelgian Restaurant, great food and very extensive beer selection.
Peregrine Espresso
660 Pennsylvania Ave. SEDelicious coffee.
Authentic local diner, in business probably since the 1950's at least. Jen's absolute favorite breakfast (the owners know her and she probably knows all their recipes by now)
57 locals recommend
Jimmy T's Place
501 E Capitol St SEAuthentic local diner, in business probably since the 1950's at least. Jen's absolute favorite breakfast (the owners know her and she probably knows all their recipes by now)
Renovated Diner, made to seem old-fashioned, you can get all sorts of old-time favorites including root beer floats. Open very early, good for early sit-down breakfasts.
425 locals recommend
Ted's Bulletin
505 8th St SERenovated Diner, made to seem old-fashioned, you can get all sorts of old-time favorites including root beer floats. Open very early, good for early sit-down breakfasts.
Fun urban twist on a typical burger and pizza joint, they have delicious mini sliders you can by 3/6/9 and also great thin crust pizzas with interesting topping combinations. Popular and busy.
226 locals recommend
matchbox
521 8th St SEFun urban twist on a typical burger and pizza joint, they have delicious mini sliders you can by 3/6/9 and also great thin crust pizzas with interesting topping combinations. Popular and busy.
Greek tapas restaurant, a fun place, great food and mojitos, and a favorite of my parents when they visit.
104 locals recommend
Cava Mezze
527 8th St SEGreek tapas restaurant, a fun place, great food and mojitos, and a favorite of my parents when they visit.
Closest coffee shop and convenient place to grab breakfast. Not our favorite in terms of quality, but good enough in a hurry.
43 locals recommend
Jacob's Coffee House
401 8th St NEClosest coffee shop and convenient place to grab breakfast. Not our favorite in terms of quality, but good enough in a hurry.
Pitango Gelato Capitol Hill
660 Pennsylvania Ave. SELook no further if you're craving great ice cream.
DC has the most authentic Ethiopian restaurant scene in the country, it would be a shame not to take advantage. The best restaurants are at U & 9th St NW, but this is the best one close by.
147 locals recommend
Ethiopic Restaurant
401 H St NEDC has the most authentic Ethiopian restaurant scene in the country, it would be a shame not to take advantage. The best restaurants are at U & 9th St NW, but this is the best one close by.
Adorable local coffee shop with an Ethiopian flavor. They have a tea ceremony on Saturday afternoons.
120 locals recommend
Sidamo Coffee & Tea
417 H St NEAdorable local coffee shop with an Ethiopian flavor. They have a tea ceremony on Saturday afternoons.
Slightly nicer than typical bar atmosphere, but laid back, great beer selection and good pub food. Our go to backup plan on any evening. They have a great outdoor patio.
49 locals recommend
Argonaut
1433 H Street NortheastSlightly nicer than typical bar atmosphere, but laid back, great beer selection and good pub food. Our go to backup plan on any evening. They have a great outdoor patio.
If you're looking for a nice restaurant close by, this is perfect. Nice atmosphere, quality food, not too expensive.
21 locals recommend
The Liberty Tree
1016 H Street NortheastIf you're looking for a nice restaurant close by, this is perfect. Nice atmosphere, quality food, not too expensive.
Great local place to grab a sandwich on your way out to go sightseeing, quality and price will be much better than anything you'll find near the monuments.
76 locals recommend
Taylor Gourmet
1116 H St NEGreat local place to grab a sandwich on your way out to go sightseeing, quality and price will be much better than anything you'll find near the monuments.
Sightseeing
Another neighborhood worth checking out. Go there for lunch and start at the circle to do the Embassy Row Walk, just going northwest up Massachusetts Ave. Turn around after the Islamic Center.
301 locals recommend
Dupont Circle
Another neighborhood worth checking out. Go there for lunch and start at the circle to do the Embassy Row Walk, just going northwest up Massachusetts Ave. Turn around after the Islamic Center.
Great walk, while Cherry Blossoms are blooming or not. See the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial (my favorite one), and the new MLK memorial. The walk will take 1-2 hours.
123 locals recommend
Tidal Basin
20245 National DrGreat walk, while Cherry Blossoms are blooming or not. See the Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial (my favorite one), and the new MLK memorial. The walk will take 1-2 hours.
Check out the Einstein Statue in a little garden just off Constitution Ave.
National Academy of Sciences
2101 Constitution Ave. NWCheck out the Einstein Statue in a little garden just off Constitution Ave.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
900 Ohio Dr SWNight time tour.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
5 Henry Bacon Dr NWNight time tour.
Great starting point for a night-time monuments tour, then make a loop to Vietnam War, Lincoln, Korean War memorials, and fit in a walk around the tidal basin if you can.
104 locals recommend
World War II Memorial
1750 Independence Ave SWGreat starting point for a night-time monuments tour, then make a loop to Vietnam War, Lincoln, Korean War memorials, and fit in a walk around the tidal basin if you can.
Where all the museums are, lots of them, do your research and pick a few to check out. They are huge and you'll get tired trying to see them all. All the Smithsonian museums are free.
1111 locals recommend
National Mall
Where all the museums are, lots of them, do your research and pick a few to check out. They are huge and you'll get tired trying to see them all. All the Smithsonian museums are free.
Ritzy and preppy neighborhood with good shopping, quite an experience to check out on a weekend.
664 locals recommend
Georgetown
Ritzy and preppy neighborhood with good shopping, quite an experience to check out on a weekend.
No need to attend a performance to walk around the Center and go to the roof to check out the amazing view over the city, the Potomac, and Georgetown. Sneak up a bottle of wine to enjoy at sunset.
498 locals recommend
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
2700 F St NWNo need to attend a performance to walk around the Center and go to the roof to check out the amazing view over the city, the Potomac, and Georgetown. Sneak up a bottle of wine to enjoy at sunset.
This museum you have to pay for (most others in DC are free), but it's new and very interesting. Worth it imho.
202 locals recommend
Newseum
565 Pennsylvania Avenue NWThis museum you have to pay for (most others in DC are free), but it's new and very interesting. Worth it imho.
If you want to go to the top to look at the city, make a reservation online, will cost a few bucks but save yo hours of waiting.
790 locals recommend
Washington Monument
2 15th St NWIf you want to go to the top to look at the city, make a reservation online, will cost a few bucks but save yo hours of waiting.
Great building, nice collection, fun special exhibits. Start on the third floor. At the end, check out the atrium and grab a coffee to relax. Open later than most museums (11am-7pm).
28 locals recommend
National Portrait Gallery & Smithsonian American Art Museum Shop
8th Street NorthwestGreat building, nice collection, fun special exhibits. Start on the third floor. At the end, check out the atrium and grab a coffee to relax. Open later than most museums (11am-7pm).
United States Botanic Garden
100 Maryland Ave SWWorth checking out.
Essentials
Young's Market Grocery Store
250 11th Street NortheastConvenience Market just a block away.
7-Eleven
407 8th St NEOpen 24hours / day, convenient for small necessities.
Giant Food
1345 Park Rd NWNice, clean grocery store, good selection.