Seeing & Doing
Take a wander around historical Georgetown, a lot of the architecture is reminiscent of Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina. Hop off the beaten path and head north towards Prospect Street for a stroll along the beautiful townhouse-lined, cobblestone streets, stopping for a sandwich at the charming university deli Booeymonger. Or head south for a walk along the canal, taking a break in Cady’s Alley, for a peek into DC’s design district. Cady’s Alley is a cluster of shops reminiscent of a European shopping street. If you want to escape from the hustle and bustle of the main shopping area of Georgetown, come here. Do a bit of window shopping and then take a break at Kafe Leopold Konditorei, a nice Austrian eatery located in the center of the alley. You really can’t go wrong with a well-brewed cup of coffee and a pastry.
The U Street corridor is the birthplace of celebrated DC hero, jazz musician Duke Ellington. Today, this section of the city is as vibrant as ever, anchored by the lively 14th Street corridor to the west and the refurbished Howard Theatre bordering the Shaw neighborhood to the east, where a towering sculpture in reverence to Ellington stands. The street food scene here is eclectic and exciting.
The Eastern Market, now a National Historic Landmark, opened in 1873 to serve the Capitol Hill neighborhood (an 1805 version, located down by the Navy Yard, was a casualty of the War of 1812). The brick market hall, packed with butchers, bakers, vegetable markets, cheese vendors, flower kiosks, and a lunch counter, is bright and charming. Under the shed roof outside, additional local produce is displayed and sold. On weekends, booths selling vintage goods and handmade jewelry, housewares, and clothing do a brisk business down the center of 7th Street. Crowds spill out of the cafés, taco joints, and bagel shops occupying the first floors of the row houses along the block, adding to the lively mix at the market.
Go undercover at the International Spy Museum on L’Enfant Plaza, the world’s largest collection of spy artefacts, both genuine and fictional. This vast museum’s secret hoard ranges from James Bond’s car to an Enigma machine and features a new, immersive exhibit about communist east Berlin, complete with Stasi office.
Head to Adams Morgan, DC’s buzzy boho quarter, and carb out at Tail Up Goat, a colourful Mediterranean-slash-Caribbean bistro long-heralded for its incredible pasta and breads. Follow it with a nightcap at the Jack Rose Dining Saloon, home to the largest whisky collection in the western hemisphere.
Hop off the beaten path and head north towards Prospect Street for a stroll along the beautiful townhouse-lined, cobblestone streets, stopping for a sandwich at the charming university deli Booeymonger. Or head south for a walk along the canal, taking a break in Cady’s Alley, for a peek into DC’s design district. is the perfect D.C. destination if you’re searching for a weekend brunch spot, craving a snack on your way to visit the Capitol, or, you know, hungry. Oyster bar, bakery, taqueria, soda shop, sandwich shop, Korean taco grill—all of the food is here waiting for you. The 47,000-square-foot space is a throwback to the original Union Terminal Market, which opened in 1931 with more than 700 produce, meat, fish, and dairy vendors in airy indoor stalls. The market moved to a warehouse in the 1960s and closed in the 1980s before reopening in 2012. When you’re finished stuffing your face, you can shop for home goods and vintage finds at shops like Little Leaf and Salt & Sundry.
Pay a visit to O Street Mansion – DC’s quirkiest secret (a hotel and museum with secret doors throughout)
Miss Pixie’s has been a trove of a seemingly endless influx of vintage and unusual home furnishings since 1997. Frequent inventory turnovers due to estate sales and auctions make it a place to visit and browse often. From mid-century dining tables to pine cabinets to quirky accessories like wooden signs, beer steins, old schoolroom posters, and Hot Wheels cars, the shop can help to accentuate any type of home. She will be leaving the Logan Circle neighborhood by the end of March so go for some good deals before it’s too late.
As one of America’s most important seaports, Baltimore is a highly recommended jaunt from the capital. Visit the Historic Ships in Baltimore maritime museum in the Inner Harbor, see Fort McHenry, where the Star-Spangled Banner was written or nip into the “cathedral of books”, the magnificent George Peabody Library. Swing by the Mount Vernon Marketplace, a vast artisan food hall that’s perfect for supper on the hoof before returning back to DC.
Library of Congress Card Catalog – open 6 days a week for researchers – those 16 and older who are curious about anything.
Catch a movie at the oldest theatre in the city
Dupont Circle Farmers Market for a happy Sunday morning
Although it is right next to the US Capitol, the US Botanical Gardens is almost hidden, a nice change of pace from some of the other more touristy attractions and museums
Hillwood Estate – Art collector’s mansion that became a museum with the largest collection of Russian imperial art outside of Russia, an impressive eighteenth-century French decorative art collection, and thirteen acres of formal landscaped gardens that include a Japanese-style garden, rose garden, and greenhouse. It’s an oasis that is inviting any time of the year. Take your time strolling through the gardens, and if you’d like to extend your stay, stop by the cafe. Inside the museum, you’ll find, among many other things, Fabergé eggs, Sèvres porcelain, and a beautiful collection of jewelry owned by Post.
Kostume Karaoke at Solly’s: Every Thursday night from 20:00 to close, you can sign up to sing like regular karaoke except everyone that sings wears a costume (provided by the bar) while on stage. Lots of fun.
Tudor Place: A historic estate packed with George Washington’s heirlooms, and its own nuclear bunker. 15 minute walk from the Dupont Circle Metro, but it’s an easy walk down Q street. You can see some great old Georgetown brownstones along the way. Tours are on the hour, with the final one leaving at 3:00 pm.
Reading Room at the Folger Shakespeare Library, home to a vast and influential collection of Shakespeareana. Docents lead free, hour-long tours on Saturday and Sunday afternoons. Registration is required; sign up online.
Old Stone House – The oldest building in the District of Columbia was preserved because of a mistaken connection to George Washington.
Eating & Drinking
Florida Avenue Grill – World’s oldest soul food restaurant
Trusty’s a real neighborhood bar with a school bus inside! Trusty’s has a (free) trivia night every Tuesday starting at 20:00hrs and hosts live music on the first Wednesday of every month at 19:00hrs.
Founding Farmers DC, a small farm-to-table restaurant chain set up by a co-op of North Dakota farmers which serves up generous plates of buttermilk fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and fried green tomatoes. Forget the calories, the energy will come in handy for walking the National Mall, the two-mile-long park which unfurls through the capital
Public Bar has one of the best weekday salsa nights in the DC area, oddly at a sports bar.
The Fainting Goat is a gastropub with great people watching if you sit by window facing busy U street. Great ambiance and they have pork fries!
Get a few rounds of drinks rounds of drinks with a late-night (all day) breakfast at The Coupe.
District Kitchen for a hidden gem happy hour spot (dinner menu is very good too) in overlooked neighbourhood of Woodley Park where you’ll find lots of great restaurants and bars
Off the Record – Find History and great cocktails at this old school dimly lit bar, with red velvet and wood paneling, right across from the South lawn of the White House
McClellan’s Retreat – a small, cozy whiskey bar that sits right in the middle of busy Dupont Circle but its friendly staff and rustic decor creates the perfect neighborhood bar vibe.
Timber Pizza – the best pizza in DC Annie’s Paramount Steakhouse has been a haven for D.C.’s LGBTQ community since the 1950s.
Municipal Fish Market (7am-9pm daily) – oldest continuously operating fish market, a rebuilt building to the side offers ready-to-eat seafood: fried fish, crab cakes and other delicacies to consume on the spot.
Zeppelin – sushi with karaoke.
The Fainting Goat is a gastropub with great people watching if you sit by the window facing busy U street. Great ambiance and they have pork fries!
Tabard Inn – a classic
Residents – swanky vibes and good cocktails
Dupont Italian Kitchen – karaoke & drag shows upstairs