My Top Favorite Things To Do In D.C. On A Budget

Being a junior means I have more responsibilities and less time to go in DC. However, in honor of my past two years of adventures, I wanted to write an article of all my favorite places to in DC to check out!I picked places that may not be on people’s radar and are also budget-friendly (for people as broke as I am). 

1. First Fridays at Dupont 

This is one that I don’t think ENOUGH people take advantage of. Every first Friday of the month, Dupont holds free events at different embassies, private art galleries, and museums. The event functions as  an “Art Walk” which means from 6:00-8:00 you can walk between each of these places around Dupont and explore whichever one your heart desires.  
 This is perfect for anyone who has an interest in different cultures or international relations. It is a great way to go to see art that would normally cost a pretty penny. This upcoming month they are holding one on October fourth! Check it out!

2. Thrifted book shops

One can not comprehend how much money I have saved by buying used books! This is one of my favorite things to do, walk into a thrifted bookstore and just sit with a bunch of books and read in a chair. For non-book lovers, this is also a great way to buy required books for class at an affordable price! My personal favorites in DC are Capitol Hill Books, which is right next to Eastern Market! They have a variety of books and so many amazing lounge chairs to sit on! Another good one is Second Story Books located near DuPont where they have a variety of books from every topic, history, philosophy, art, poetry, etc. 

3. Modern Art Museums (Not Smithsonians)

Don’t get me wrong, I love the Smithsonian museums. They are a great place to be able to see art and learn about a variety of topics for free! However, after a year of rotating between the same museums can get repetitive. In my sophomore year, I was able to find so many amazing smaller private art museums and galleries with new and unique art. Sometimes it can cost a bit, but a trick I learned is that if you go an hour before closing (most of the time) you can get in for free! 

My personal favorite is “The Phillips Collection”, which is the first American home for modern and contemporary art. It is open every day (except Monday) from 10 am to 5 pm, and is also located in Dupont. It is an art museum located in a house, where one can explore different levels and little nooks! They often change different collections so you can go multiple times a semester and have a different experience each time! They also have a cute coffee shop located inside and outside if you want to turn your midday adventures into a quick study break. 

Another fantastic art museum is the Rubell Museum, located south of the capital and open from 10 am to 6 pm! The museum has an amazing collection of contemporary art that speaks about modern-day issues from new perspectives! A current collection is “American Vignettes: Symbols, Society, and Satire”, which speaks to the American perspective on these three ranging topics. 

*Honorable mention is: Renwick Gallery, which is a part of the Smithsonian so is always free to the public and has incredible art*

4. Arboretum

Last but not least is the DC Arboretum! The Arboretum has a special place in my heart, as me and my dad go here every year when he comes to either drop me off or bring me to college. It isn’t accessible with public transportation, however, if you have a weekend where your parents are stopping by or a friend has a car, I highly recommend. The Arboretum is essentially what I call a “tree museum” where it has public grounds to look at gardens, and also a bonsai museum inside. Bonsai is the Japanese art of growing and shaping miniature trees in containers. Inside the museum you will find a spectacle of these tiny trees from different regions around the world, and the coolest part is most of these are older than the US itself! The Arboretum is also a great place to take a group of friends during the springtime and have a little photoshoot!

The grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day of the year except for Christmas Day, and are always free!