Experience the unique attractions and neighborhoods that are only in Washington, DC with your group – and this three-day itinerary.
Day 1
Morning
Start your day in America’s Front Yard: the National Mall. This two-mile stretch of land unlike any other offers monuments, memorials and museums which your group can visit for free. Walk in the footsteps of dreamers at the Lincoln Memorial, the site of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Take your postcard-perfect photos with the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Relax or play a game of frisbee or kickball in the public parkland.
Afternoon
Just to the west of the Capitol Building lies the renowned National Gallery of Art. The free museum spans two buildings connected by a dazzling underground tunnel or the concourse where your group can have lunch in the Cascade Café. A must-see in the gallery’s West Building is the Ginevra de’ Benci painting, the only Leonardo da Vinci painting in the Americas.
Then, explore the largest library in the world, the Library of Congress. The multi-building complex holds millions of books, manuscripts and pieces of sheet music, just to name a few, plus President Thomas Jefferson’s private collection. His namesake Jefferson building is an Italian Renaissance-style masterpiece with soaring marble columns in its main reading room. Next to the Library of Congress you’ll find the Folger Shakespeare Library, home to the world’s largest collection of William Shakespeare’s printed works. There, you can also take in a performance of one of the Bard’s works in the intimate playhouse modeled after an Elizabethan inn.
Evening
Travel down to The Wharf, a lively and luxurious neighborhood that houses the oldest continuously operating open-air fish market in the country, the Municipal Fish Market. However, your dinner will be enjoyed on the water with City Cruises. Aboard one of their elegant vessels, you’ll savor a unique view of the nation’s monuments along our two rivers, the Potomac and the Anacostia. As the sun fades, the moonlight glistening off the river next to the glow of the memorials is a sight only to be experienced in DC.
Day 2
Morning
Start the day with a brisk walk or bike through America’s oldest urban national park, Rock Creek Park. The 1,700 acres—twice the size of New York’s Central Park—house a nature center, planetarium, tennis center and golf course. Next door is the Smithsonian National Zoo. Caring for over 2,000 animals, the National Zoo is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. Starting in January 2025, it will be the only place in America where you can see giant pandas for free.
Afternoon
After your animal adventures, it’s time for lunch at a DC institution. Ben’s Chili Bowl, a Black- and female-owned business that’s home to the city’s signature half-smoke sausage, has been operated by the same family since 1958. Ben’s has fed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., numerous presidents and folks from around the world, many of whom you can spot on the photo-filled interior walls. Outside the building, a mural honoring notable figures in the African American community provides a can’t-miss photo op.
Evening
Continue your presidential connections into the evening with a performance at Ford’s Theatre or the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. At Ford’s, the site of President Lincoln’s assassination, you can tour the museum before the show and marvel at artifacts pertaining to the Civil War, the conspiracy to assassinate the 16th president and Lincoln’s legacy. Over in Foggy Bottom, the Kennedy Center has something for everyone. From Broadway shows to free nightly concerts at the Millenium Stage, great for groups, this living presidential memorial overflows with opportunities.
Day 3
Morning
Explore your artistic side this morning with a visit to the Phillips Collection. The first modern art museum in the United States, the collection includes ever-evolving galleries that showcase artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Alma Thomas, Georgia O’Keeffe, Paul Cézanne and Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
Afternoon
Only in DC can you start your day with European classics and then turn to the flavors of Ethiopia for lunch. At Elfegne Ethiopian Cuisine, the African country’s vibrant culture is on full display in the art, food and bakery. DC has the largest Ethiopian population outside of Ethiopia, and you won’t want to miss this genuine flavor experience. Your group can even elevate your dining experience by partaking in an Ethiopian coffee ceremony.
Next, head south to continue your cultural exploration with one of our sixteen Smithsonian museums. Only at the National Museum of American History can you see the actual star-spangled banner that inspired our national anthem. And DC’s the only place you’ll find the 1903 Wright Flyer, the aircraft used for the world’s first powered airplane fight, at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. (Be sure to reserve your free timed- ticket entry).
Conclude your museum tour at the only spot you can peruse America’s founding documents: the National Archives Museum. Its sweeping rotunda provides the epic backdrop for up-close viewing of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights. Other records of prominence include the Emancipation Proclamation and an original document of the 1297 Magna Carta.
Evening
After all the day’s touring, it’s time to sit back and relax with drinks and a monumental view. The Vue at Hotel Washington offers stunning panoramas of the White House, Washington Monument and Tidal Basin. This Downtown rooftop bar and terrace makes your evening iconic with farm-fresh ingredients and original cocktails. As you enjoy your drink reminiscing on your unique experiences, you will discover there truly is Only One DC.
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