Making the decision to leave my life in DC was not an easy decision. Not only did life seem pretty comfortable and I seemed to be kind of cruising along on the life path (well maybe not, #single #rent) society tells you is the right path, but I love the city of DC itself. To outsiders, it looks like a city of politics, but take the time to explore beyond the Hill, you’ll see the rich culture and all the unique things Washington DC has to offer.
Growing up an hour and a half outside of Washington DC, (as a kid) my perception was DC is it is all monuments and museums. When I graduated college, I didn’t want to move to DC at all because I thought there was nothing interesting about it. After living in Chicago for a few years, I hesitantly moved back to the DMV area and into DC… and I realized I had been all wrong.
Over the past couple years, I’ve never stopped being impressed by the beauty of the city– the monuments and memorial at sunrise and sunset?! I mean come on, gorgeous! (Even better in the winter when you have them all to yourself). And the museums? World class (and almost all free)! Although tourists can be overwhelming at certain points in the year (stand right, walk left people!), I’ve started to realize how lucky I am to live in city where people from all over the world want to come and visit.
The museums and monuments? Great things to do when you’re visiting, but look closer and you’ll see there are many unique things to do within Washington DC.
unique things to do in washington dc
be a foodie
I’m not sure why, but DC doesn’t have the reputation of being a foodie city. But with such a diverse population, you can find almost anything your heart desires. Ever since moving to Northeast DC, I became somewhat obsessed with it and it was hard to convince me to leave the quadrant. With places like Toki Underground and Maketto, literally noooo reason to. (But okay, if you must leave the NE quadrant and want the best pizza, head to the Petworth neighborhood for Timber Pizza). If you’re looking for fast food, definitely hit up CAVA (think Mediterranian Chipotle, but honestly that feels like a rude comparison… PLEASE come to Denver already) or BAB (Korean). Drinks? H Street is FULL of options, but my to go was always Copycat Co. And wanna get weird and dance the night away? Little Miss Whiskeys is next door and has ya covered.
go to a sports game
Again, Washington DC is never thought of as a sports city. But walk around the city on a game day, and you’ll see that DC is 100% a sports town! DC was in somewhat of a championship drought (think Redskins winning the Super Bowl in 1992….), but in 2018 the Washington Capitals (FINALLY) took home the Stanley Cup. If you happen to be visiting over a home game for the Caps, I can’t recommend rocking the red enough! But there is also the Nationals, the Wizards, and DC United.
explore the waterfront
Again, betcha didn’t think Washington DC was a waterfront city did ya?! Not too far from Nats Stadium is the new Wharf development which made DC into a waterfront city. I didn’t personally work on the Wharf, but my company was the civil engineer for this groundbreaking project in the city. From restaurants to music venues to good ole people watching, the Wharf has you entertained.
find a hidden oasis
I’m not alone when I say people watching is a favorite pastime, right?! While maybe not superrrr secret, the Kogod Courtyard is one of the best places to people watch. Located inside the Portrait Galley in Penn Quarter, it is also simply a great place to unwind from the hustle and bustle of downtown. Even better? It’s open till 7pm! Located next to Capital One Arena, this was a favorite spot of mine to wait to meet friends before heading to the Capitals game.
discover little italy
Want to pick up some homemade pasta? Some Italian wine? Aged percorino or fresh mozzarella? Looking for the best Italian sandwich in DC (or so I’m told… I can vouch for the eggplant parm)? Look no further than A. Litteri. Tucked away in between warehouses of the Florida Market area since 1932 is this family run shop providing the best products Italy has to offer.
stumble upon colorful street murals
Of course, Washington DC is known for masterful works of art inside galleries… but the streets are also covered in amazing art. You don’t have to hit one specific neighborhood to explore the vibrant murals either. However, some of the most popular spots include the colorful and previous Baptist Church Blind Whino located in SW Waterfront, Blagden Alley in the Shaw neighborhood, the “Watermelon House” in Logan Square, and Union Market in NoMa. On top of that, Pow! Wow! comes to DC every year for a week where you can watch seriously talented artists put up new work.
visit a museum
Okay, okay, I couldn’t NOT mention museums right?! With the sheer number of museums DC has, I tried to visit at least one to two a month. Museums in Washington DC vary from small to large, free to a small fee, history to art. The Smithsonian Museums are alllll amazing and it really depends on what you are looking for. The National Museum of African American History and Culture opened in 2016, and while free, does require a ticket. If you manage to snag one, you can easily spend an entire day here and only scratch the surface. Looking for art? A personal favorite of mine is the Kreeger Museum. Tucked away near the Georgetown area is a private, non-profit museum home to 19th and 20th-century art as well as a sculpture garden woven amongst the trees in the backyard.
Denver may be home now, but DC will always have a little piece of my heart. Have any other unique things to do in Washington DC to add to the list??
2 Comments
That photo of the obelisk that is Washington’s monument is absolutely blowing my mind, in fact all your photos are incredibly good and make me wanna grab my camera and run outside to capture the life going on around me! I think it might be a while before I make it to DC, but thank you for the great tips! I’ll definitely be checking out Toki Underground! Yum!
Hi Author,
Brief but very accurate info Thanks for sharing this one. A must read post!