All American Weekend is right around the corner! It’s time to show off our campus and city to your parents and maybe even get some real, non-TDR food. In addition to the events American University has planned for the weekend, Her Campus AU offers some fun activities to do with your family around the city!
1. Get food off campus
While the food on campus isn’t awful, surviving off of Subway and tenders three times a week can get boring even for the least adventurous eater. If you can’t get a homecooked meal, the closest you can get is “real” food while eating with your family (and they’ll probably pay for it too). Here’s some ideas of places to go with your family: (PS: there’s going to be a lot of families around Washington, D.C., this weekend so it’s a good idea to make reservations!) Check out this bucket list of D.C. restaurants.
Point of View Restaurant
Although this is a little more expensive option, this rooftop restaurant features views of the White House and National Mall. What better way to show off your city to your parents?
Chef Geoff’s
This is a medium-priced, American-style restaurant. The best part is that it’s less than a mile from AU, which means you can easily walk there and don’t have to brave D.C. traffic (or trying to explain the metro to your parents).
Downtown Georgetown
Georgetown has tons of restaurants, and most of them aren’t as expensive as you might think. If you don’t mind braving lines, you can go to Georgetown Cupcakes or Baked and Wired for a sweet dessert after.
2. Introduce your family to your roommate and college friends
Allowing your parents to meet your new friends will make them feel more included in your life, and they’re probably interested in who you’re spending your time with to make sure that you’re having a good time at school. Plus, if your roommate’s family couldn’t make it for the weekend, your roomie would definitely appreciate spending time with you and your family (and maybe getting some free food out of it too).
3. Take advantage of your parents’ hotel room!
A shower with hot water and no shower shoes, a big bed and getting to sleep in as late as you want without your roommate waking you up? Yes please. It’s not every day that you get this opportunity so definitely take advantage of it!
4. Show off D.C.
By now, you’re probably an expert of a few places around the city. Although it may seem cliché, your parents will probably love to see some of the typical tourist attractions around the city, especially if they’re not from the area. Some things to try are a walk along the C&O Canal towpath, downtown Georgetown shopping, the National Zoo and of course the National Mall. If your family is into sports, there’s also a Nationals or Marlins game on October 17!
Whatever you do, make sure to take this time to appreciate spending time with your parents and to show off your campus and city. Have a happy parents’ weekend!
