Two Days in Washington D.C.
As the capital of the United States, Washington D.C. has some of the most famous tourist destinations in the country. While the national landmarks are must-sees for any first time visitor, there’s a lot more to D.C. than its historic value! Continue reading for a complete two day itinerary of the best places to go to get a well rounded experience in Washington D.C. and make the most of your weekend trip!
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Day One Itinerary
1. Breakfast at Tatte’s Bakery
For your first day in D.C., we’re sure you’ll be eager to see all of the sights. But first fuel up with a little breakfast! A popular bakery all around the city is Tatte’s Bakery – we recommend finding the closest one to you and charging up for the day!
The closest Tatte’s Bakery for the route outlined in this itinerary is 1634 I Street NW, but we recommend just looking for the closest location near your accommodations.
2. The White House
To start your morning, we recommend checking off one of the biggest ticket item’s off the list – the White House! This is the abode to the current standing President of the United States. While tours are unavailable to the general public, you can take a look at this historic residence from across the South Lawn.
It is free to look at the White House from outside of the property’s gates (where the photo above was taken from). The address of the White House is 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
3. The Lincoln Memorial
While there are monuments scattered all across Washington D.C., only a short walk down from the White House is one of the best: the Lincoln Memorial and the adjoining Reflecting Pool. Along with a statue of the country’s 16th president, the Lincoln Memorial hosts copies of his famous Gettysburg Address and Second Inaugural Speech.
The Lincoln Memorial and Reflection Pool are free to enter, located at 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle NW.
4. The Tidal Basin
Rounding the Reflecting Pool, you’ll next come across the Tidal Basin – a large water basin best known for its surrounding Cherry Blossom tree festival in the Spring. If interested, you’re able to rent a paddle boat if you’d like to get out on the water, but otherwise there is a multitude of monuments around its perimeter if you prefer to just take a walk to see the sights!
5. The Washington Monument
As you make your way back towards the National Mall, be sure to take a moment to stop by the Washington Monument. Dating back to the 1800s, this impressive tower built in honor of the nation’s first president was once the tallest building in the world, coming in at around 555 feet.
The Washington Monument is free to enjoy from its exterior, but does require tickets to enter. Both walk up tickets and advanced reservations have limited availability, so while it’s worth trying to get in, I would have a back up plan just in case in the event they are sold out for the day.
6. The National Mall
Across the street from the Tidal Basin & Washington Monument, you’ll find the National Mall. This is a long stretch of flat walking paths and green lawns that is home to some of the most famous museums in the nation, including the Smithsonian.
If you have energy and are interested in stopping into the museums, pop in! To balance out the amount of walking for the day, we recommend saving the museums until your second day in the city, and have added it to our Day 2 itinerary below.
The National Mall stretches from 14th Street to around Third Street and is free to walk through.
7. The Capitol Building
At the east end of the National Mall is the Capitol Building – our next stop on our route! This famous building has housed the Congress since 1800, with chambers for both the Senate and House of Representatives within its walls.
The Visitor’s Center of the Capitol Building is open from 8:30 – 4:30 every day but Sunday, free of charge. If you would like to book a tour of the building, it’s recommended you schedule it in advance so that your desired time slot does not fill up!
8. The Library of Congress
Behind the Capitol Building is one of the most underrated destinations in all of D.C: the Library of Congress! I know I know, why would you add the Library of Congress to your list; but besides hosting one of the largest literary collections in the world & providing objective resources for elected representatives to perform background research on proposed policies, the Library of Congress also has some of the most beautiful architecture I’ve seen in the U.S.
I honestly could have spent a half hour in the entrance hall of the Library alone, so be sure not to miss this stop during your visit!
9. The Supreme Court
Directly next to the Library of Congress is our last site-seeing stop of the day, the Supreme Court. This branch of government is meant to be independent of the others, unaffected by their shorter-term election cycles.
The Supreme Court is open to visitors from 9:00am – 3:00pm Monday through Friday each week.
10. Dinner at Pappe
After a long day of walking the city, we recommend ending the night dining out in downtown Washington D.C. Famous for its food scene, D.C. has any cuisine type you might be in the mood for. One of our favorite recommendations is Pappe, a cozy restaurant with delicious Indian dishes.
Pappe is located at 1317 14th Street NW.
Map for Day One Itinerary
If you’re wondering whether or not this sounds like a lot to do in one day, it is! But it definitely can be done! The walking route itself is under two hours worth of time, but of course stopping to explore each stop will fill up your day quite quickly! To cover ground efficiently, we laid out the stops above in order to create a big loop (we know you won’t need any buffer to get your steps in when exploring a new city!). Follow the map below for your first day in Washington D.C.
If this is more walking than you’d like to do, you can always make use of the metro or taxi systems in the city as well.
Day Two Itinerary
For your second day in Washington D.C., we’re going to do our best to cover all of the key neighborhoods in the city outside of the historic areas, so that you really feel like you got a full taste of what D.C. has to offer when you leave!
1. Farmer’s Market at Dupont Circle
To start off your morning, grab yourself a quick bite at the weekly Dupont Circle Farmer’s Market! This FreshFarm market is open from 8:30am – 1:30pm every Sunday during accommodating seasons, and is a great way to kick off your day.
The farmer’s market is free to enjoy, and is located at 1600 20th Street NW, stretching out several blocks.
2. The Washington National Cathedral
Moving north towards the Cathedral Heights neighborhood, our next stop of the day is another underrated destination in D.C.: the Washington National Cathedral. While in the heart of the U.S. capital, this cathedral feels as though it was taken right out of a European city. Though only a couple hundred years old, the building’s architecture follows a 14th century English Gothic influence.
Even more enticing than the cathedral itself might be its grounds, filled with ample gardens and blooming trees to enjoy a nice stroll or picnic in.
The cathedral is located at 3101 Wisconsin Avenue NW.
3. Shop in Georgetown
Moving back south to another key area of the city, we next recommend exploring some shops in the neighborhood of Georgetown! In fact, M Street in Georgetown happens to be known as one of the best shopping streets in the nation, so be sure to bring a list if you’re looking for a wardrobe update!
4. Georgetown Pastries
The perfect addition to any shopping spree, stop by one of Georgetown’s famous pastry shops for a little sweet treat during your visit. Two of the most well known shops (that never have a shortage of people queuing outside of them) are Levain Bakery and Georgetown Cupcake. Whichever suits your fancy, be sure not to leave the area without checking this off your list!
Georgetown Cupcake is located at 3301 M Street NW, and Levain Bakery can be found at 3131 M Street NW.
5. The Georgetown Waterfront
To walk off your sugar rush, head down towards the Georgetown Waterfront to enjoy a nice stroll by the river. This park that lines the Potomac offers a combination of dining, shops, entertainment, and even cruises for those interested!
The center of the park is between Wisconsin and K Street, but the waterfront spans several blocks along the water. The waterfront is free to enjoy.
6. National Mall Museums
Once you’ve got your fill of Georgetown, head back over to the National Mall to explore any of the museums or art galleries that may have caught your eye the day before! Some of the most popular are the Smithsonian, the National Museum of Natural History, and the National Museum of American History.
These monumental museums are all free to the public, as they are paid for by the people! You taxes at work 🙂
7. Walk the Wharf
The next area to check out in D.C. is the Wharf: another waterfront destination filled with eateries, pop-ups, and shopping! There’s also a decently sized seafood market to explore, as well as a pier for water sports to take advantage of.
Another big appeal of the Wharf is its constant rotation of live music to enjoy, whether ticketed in The Anthem or for free outside!
This waterfront is free to enjoy, and located along Wharf Street SW.
8. Dine at the Wharf
To end your day, we recommend staying at the Wharf and enjoying some dining along the water. If you’re a fan of Gordon Ramsay, he actually owns multiple restaurants along the strip, including the famous Hell’s Kitchen. Our current recommendation for dining at the Wharf is Del Mar, a picturesque Spanish restaurant by Fabio Trabocchi.
Del Mar is located at 791 Wharf Street SW.
Map for Day Two Itinerary
Assuming you got enough walking in on the first day, this second day itinerary is set up more for public transit or driving. As always, its duration will depend on how much time you would like to spend at each spot, but it will certainly be a full day regardless!
Please let us know what your favorite thing was to do in Washington D.C. in the comments below! We hope you have a great trip!
Where To Stay
- Popular: The Riggs Washington DC
- Luxury: The Waldorf Astoria
- Budget: The Street Capsule Hostel
More To Do in Washington D.C.
Looking for even more to do in Washington D.C.? Check out these other fun stops below to continue your trip!
- The United States Botanical Garden
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
- Manse
- The Kreeger Museum
- The Great Falls Park
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About the Author: Hi, I’m Jill! I am a biomedical & mechanical engineer who loves traveling during my free time. My hope is to help make it easier for others to plan their dream trips by providing firsthand experience from the places I’ve been! Read More.
We’ve always enjoyed our DC visits. The Smithsonian museums are always a highlight for us.
I loved our visit to Washington but we didn’t have enough time. We definitely need to get back and love this itinerary so will be keeping this for our next visit.
Very informative!
There’s so much to do in DC and you’ve covered a lot. Georgetown is such a cute neighborhood for shopping and eating too!
I dont know why Washington DC hasn’t been on my travel bucket list. It’s should be! I’d love to visit so many of the places you mentioned. Thanks for sharing.