Whether you follow this three-day itinerary to the letter or use it as inspiration, you’ll find that DC has everything you need to celebrate your bride-to-be.
Read on for the best group-friendly hotels and must-do activities, plus three variations to personalize the perfect schedule for your guest of honor: the Luxury Bride, the Active Bride and the Artsy Bride.
Places to Stay
Stay down at The Wharf for an urban retreat with group-photo-friendly waterfront views and easy access to top-tier restaurants and nightlife.
The modern Salamander DC is home to a premier spa, featuring aromatherapy massages, hot stone therapy and a cherry blossom body treatment sure to help your party recuperate in style.
Salamander Spa
A second option for relaxing resort vibes is the gold-accented InterContinental, which dazzles with its rooftop pool, pampers with skincare treatments and manicures at its in-house spa and proffers incredible views from its penthouse bar with comfortable seating and floor-to-ceiling windows.
The Pendry is beloved for its European-style pool terrace, its sultry lobby bar (be sure to investigate the Boozy Tea menu), and its rooftop spot Moonraker, which is known for its high-end Japanese-inspired cocktails and sushi.
If your crew wants to go all-in on the Downtown DC experience, the neon-accented Moxy DC is a playful home base. Tequila-lovers can enjoy colorful Mexican classics like margaritas and palomas at pinked-out rooftop Lucha Rosa and lively crews can dance to nighttime beats at the downstairs Bar Moxy. Guests can also retreat to sophisticated private spaces at the historic Parlour Victoria next door, available for rent.
Hedy's Rooftop / Hotel Zena
For groups with an artsier side, stay in Logan Circle, minutes from the popular 14th Street District. For the girl-power gals, Hotel Zena brims with local artwork from its “Her” collection. The hotel’s rooftop spot Hedy’s, inspired by groundbreaking actress and producer Hedy Lamarr, provides a gorgeous “Golden Age” setting to celebrate all weekend long.
Just down the street, the Viceroy is another curated choice that creates a modern yet comfortable space decorated with local artwork. The property touts several excellent venues for onsite merriment, including the celebrity-vetted Dovetail, whose year-round covered patio is the perfect place to enjoy meticulously crafted pasta and DC-distilled spirits. Hush rooftop bar is a poolside, night market-inspired setting with monumental views, and there’s BPM Coffee and Wine, a bookshelf-lined bar equipped to meet all your beverage needs, morning or night.
Day 1: Friday
Morning
Start your festivities with your first brunch of the weekend at tried-and-true DC favorite Unconventional Diner, where the atmosphere is always lively. The space features facets of a beloved diner but swaps in pop art accents and seafoam green-upholstered booths. The ambience isn’t the only thing that successfully leveled-up from the norm: the spot has gained years of Bib Gourmand recognition for its revamped American classics.
Afternoon
District Winery
The Luxury Bride
Spend your afternoon tasting velvety vino and touring the 17,000 square feet of facilities at District Winery in Navy Yard. Groups can book a table in the Barrel Lounge to sample wine flights in a more private setting or venture outside to savor a glass beside a fire pit – and an amazing view.
The Active Bride
Enough marveling at waterfront views; get out on the water yourselves and rent a kayak at any of the Boating in DC locations: Ballpark Boathouse in Capitol Riverfront, The Wharf Boathouse and Key Bridge Boathouse in Georgetown. If you’re feeling particularly ambitious, the latter two host stand-up paddle board yoga. Bike tours are also an option to get active in the capital. If weather isn’t on your side, put your bridal party teamwork to the test at Escape Game DC or face off at Puttery indoor mini-golf.
The Artsy Bride
Opt to snack on with a Mangia DC cooking class (such as mixology or cheese board making) or a food tour and get to know iconic DC neighborhoods from a new perspective. If you’re more interested in sweets than Italian eats, try an elusive underground donut tour.
Evening
Hop on the Metro over to Gatsby in Navy Yard for an upscale American dinner in a sleek, 1920s setting – or try Shilling Canning Co., where you can enjoy fresh Chesapeake classics like Maryland crab cakes, wood-fired vegetables and famed thick-cut fries. The third option, perfect for a more casual bride-to-be, is to roll up to Bonchon for killer Korean fried chicken. Follow dinner with beers al fresco at Dacha Beer Garden or dancing at Royal Sands Social Club.
Draw more ideas from our roundups of breweries, wineries and distilleries throughout the nation’s capital.
Day 2: Saturday
Morning
Farmers & Distillers
A weekend farmers market buffet at Farmers & Distillers in Mount Vernon Square will perfectly prepare your party to take on the day ahead. This DC classic sets the bar high for made-from-scratch, sustainable cuisine, so don’t sleep on the breakfast cocktails, crafted using their specialty spirits distilled in the District.
If you’re hoping to treat the wedding party to seasonal (and sustainable) American comfort food in a quainter setting, try Firefly in Dupont Circle. Select a refreshment from Firefly’s quirky collection of brunch beverages – including their Mango Mimosa, Kentucky Mary, Smoking Carrot and photo-worthy Bird of Paradise – and feel like an influencer in this modern, colorful space.
Afternoon
Mahogany Yacht Charters
The Luxury Bride
Celebrate your bride-to-be with an elegant high tea fit for a queen at Willard Peacock Alley Tea in the famed Willard Intercontinental. Pinkies up for an afternoon of delicate bites paired with grade-A tea, champagne or both.
The Active Bride
Book a personalized cruise on the Potomac through Mahogany Yacht Charters, a covered BYOB booze cruise with Potomac Paddle Club or jump onto a City Cruises monuments tour. Each will provide a chance to take an unbeatable group photo with the backdrop of DC’s monumental skyline.
For the bachelorette bashes outside of boating season, there is always an opportunity to enjoy a thrilling sports game in the District. Catch Washington DC’s premier teams in action, such as the Capitals, the Mystics, Washington Spirit or the Nationals – and for an extra special tribute to your bride-to-be, get her name on the jumbotron!
The Artsy Bride
Get crafty with Mangia DC’s Paint and Sip and leave with a souvenir from the weekend. Your bachelorette party can also walk over to the National Museum of Women in the Arts to spend the afternoon admiring the work of trailblazing women and snapping group pics in the gorgeous lobby.
Evening
Ambar
Once you’re done promenading, paddling or painting, select an award-winning locale for dinner in historic Capitol Hill. Indulge with unlimited Balkan plates at the picturesque Ambar or with highly curated Californian fare at women-run spot The Duck & The Peach. Afterwards, make your way down the street to serenade (or be serenaded by) the bride-to-be at Ginza Karaoke & Rooftop Bar.
Day 3: Sunday
Morning
Finally, begin your third day with a famous Drag Brunch at Perry’s, which has been delighting locals and tourists alike for over 30 years in DC’s buzzy, ever trendy neighborhood Adams Morgan. After all, can a brunch be considered successful if someone hasn’t danced on the table?
Afternoon
Enjoy your final afternoon together getting lost in the brick-lined streets of historic Georgetown, where your group will easily spend hours wandering in and out of cute storefronts and sleepy alleys. As one of the District’s top destinations for quality restaurants and retail therapy, it’s the perfect place to put a bow on your bachelorette weekend.
We also recommend checking out our collections of notable women-owned businesses, restaurants, bakeries & bars in DC.
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