I want to begin by saying, don’t come after me. I’ve lived in the DC area for my entire life so I have seen a lot of things, been to a lot of places, and stole the Declaration of Independence a time or two. I would say I’m pretty well versed on the ins and outs of the district. Even though DC is a pretty fantastic city to grow up in, it has its ups and downs. Living in the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virgina) as most natives call it, I have picked up on some secret insights about the President’s hometown. Here are a couple do’s and don’t when coming to the nation’s capital.
The biggest piece of advice I would give to someone planning on traveling to DC, likely their big 8th grade monuments trip, is do not go to Georgetown Cupcakes. Yes, it’s trendy but it’s completely overrated. You will likely have to wait in an hour line for a half decent, overpriced cupcake. Having gone to high school in Georgetown, I would recommend either Sprinkles or Baked and Wired, two of my personal favorites, for a much more quality cupcake. You get more bang for your buck and there is normally not too long of lines, unless you go in the peak of tourism.
Speaking of tourism, it is not fun. The most common question I get when I tell people I am from the district is, “oh, so you must go down to the monuments all the time,” and what I constantly find myself saying is, no. There isn’t really an off-season for tourists when it comes to DC. No matter the time of year, there are always swarms of people coming to see all the attractions, which is understandable, but makes it difficult to enjoy the city you live in. The one time of year I would highly recommend coming would be around spring time. If you come just before the official cherry blossom festival, which is insane, most of the trees will have bloomed and you don’t have to deal with the thousands of tourists flooding to the festival.
If you’re coming to DC just to see the monuments, you need to know how to do it right. Picking the time of year may be tricky, but I may be able to help you decide on the time of day. If you go anytime between 12-3 p.m. on a normal nice looking day, you and thousands of other people will be swarming the Mall. My suggestion is to go very early. You will get an unforgettable sunrise from the Washington monument with some peace and quiet. Even if you go around 10 a.m., you won’t find it overcrowded and plus you could make a fun picnic out of it. I would also say that if you are up for it, to go around midnight. It is pretty fun to slide down the steps of the Lincoln memorial, or run down the reflecting pools. If you do go at midnight, especially around prom season, be prepared to see many drunk teenage DC natives.
My final recommendation is to choose the right museums. The Smithsonians can be fun, and primarily free, but there are many smaller galleries and museums that are lost in the chaos of the Mall. My three favorite spots in the city that I urge any tourists to check out are the Renwick gallery, the Hirshhorn museum, and the National Building museum. The exhibits are always changing but are all very contemporary and interactive. You will get a unique experience that will be unmatched to anything you can see at the National Portrait Gallery (my least favorite place).
Congratulations, you are officially a DC expert and are cooler than any regular tourist. I hope some of my tips and tricks help you out on any future DC trip!