5 Fun Things to Do in Washington DC

I enjoy traveling (and want to take my family on a big trip to Europe someday), but so far, I’m not very well-traveled. I’ve never even been outside of the US. 

The farthest I’ve ever traveled was to Washington DC. Despite the fact that I took the trip my senior year (and it’s been many, many moons since then), I can still remember some of my favorite things there.

1. Visit the Smithsonian Museum

If you want a one-stop museum, this is the place to visit. They’ve got 17 museums very close together, so whether you’re a history fan, an art aficionado, or a mom who wants a quick way to keep her kids amused, there’s a museum for everyone. I obviously didn’t get a chance to see all of them, but here’s a quick summary of the ones I did see.

I wanted to steal the shoes, but I soon thought better of it.

National Museum of American History

Everyone who’s a history buff is going to have to forgive me for the confession I’m about to make: I wasn’t that into history when I was 18. (I guess I had to become part of history in order to appreciate it…)

Because of this, the only thing I really remember seeing in the National Museum of American History was Dorothy’s ruby slippers from “The Wizard of Oz.” You can click the link to check them out, but let me warn you - they are far more stunning in person... to the point where my young 18-year-old brain was trying to find ways to steal them from the museum without bruising my conscience.

Not that I’d have even gotten them out of the glass case. I’m no criminal mastermind. But I did think about it for a good chunk of time immediately after I saw them. (Obviously, common sense and my conscience prevailed.) Instead, I settled on snapping a picture. 

Unfortunately, that picture has been lost to the sands of time (or rather, it’s hiding somewhere in my garage).

National Air and Space Museum

I was considerably more impressed by the National Air and Space Museum. (Granted, it could have been because I’d finally seen something that piqued my attention and was finally looking for something else awesome).

There were entire planes just chillin’ in this museum! The one I was most impressed by was the Wright Brothers’ plane, although I can’t remember now whether it was a replica or the original. (I’m guessing it was a replica.)

The museum was set up to show the progression of flight, so there was information on how flight works, along with different models of airplanes, space shuttles, etc. Visiting the museum made me want to learn how to fly a plane (but considering my driving skills, we can all breathe a sigh of relief that it didn’t actually happen). 

Smithsonian American Art Museum

This is the first museum I went to that made my jaw drop. There were beautiful statues carved of marble and pieces that went far back into history.

I don’t remember the name of the piece I saw, but I remember that it was a statue of a woman reading a book. The pages were mind-bogglingly thin, and I took several pictures of the statue because I’d never heard of it or seen it before, but I wanted to remember it. (A lot of good that did me, since I can’t tell you the name of the statue.)

I was really impressed by the work by Peter Paul Rubens titled “Daniel in the Lions’ Den.” Though I feel the piece isn’t accurate to the story (Daniel’s appearance, his facial expression, and the lions’ open mouths), the artwork is very impressive. I especially like the richness of the colors he used - the lions almost seem to glow with golden regality.

National Portrait Gallery

I was hoping to see “Starry Night” by Van Gogh in the American Art Museum, but no dice. I did, however, catch a glimpse of one of Van Gogh’s self-portraits at the time. Though it’s no longer at the Smithsonian (as far as I can tell), it was cool to see it then!

Lin-Manuel Miranda hadn’t made Hamilton the Musical by the time I was in Washington DC, so I probably glossed right over a portrait of him that’s hanging in the gallery. However, I’m sure I took notice of the portraits of Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglass, George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Thomas Jefferson.

Holocaust Memorial Museum

The most sobering moment of the trip (by far) was my visit to the Holocaust Memorial Museum. 

When I was attending junior high school in California, I had an opportunity to visit the Museum of Tolerance. The trip has stayed with me - I remember walking through the decoy showers as the tour guide told us how Holocaust victims were gassed in chambers that looked like showers.

I had that at the forefront of my mind as I walked through the DC museum. 

(Later on, I read the book The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, a fictional story based on a true event. Having been to a museum that recreated the experiences of people in the concentration camps, the ending scene was all the more difficult to read.)

The most heartbreaking part of the Holocaust Memorial visit—or me—was seeing the personal belongings of those who were carted off to concentration camps like cattle, never to be seen again. I specifically remember walking down a seemingly endless hallway. On either side of the hallway, on the other side of the glass, were piles of shoes that had been taken from the victims. Some of shoes were far too small for anyone with a conscience to bear looking at, and it served as another reminder of the injustices that the Jewish people have suffered.  

2. Check Out the US Capitol Building

The Capitol building was another stop on my DC trip, and I definitely had the “tourist look” when I was gawking at all of the statues and trying to read the plaques so I could learn more about our nation’s history. (Yeah, I know, I didn’t consider myself a history fan yet, but I was still a reader, and there was plenty to read!)

I would have loved to get a more engaging tour guide, though, because I felt like I didn’t get enough info. The tour was too short and it felt like we rushed through a lot of the areas we checked out. If I can’t read the plaques, it’s too fast for my taste.

3. Visit a Memorial (or a Few of Them)

One of my biggest memories from the trip was seeing the Lincoln Memorial. Seeing the towering monument of one of the best presidents in our history was a humbling experience. The steps going up to the monument - everything about the experience was majestic. I’m grateful that Lincoln stood up for emancipation while keeping the nation knitted together during a time of Civil War and national unrest. (I’m especially appreciative now that I’ve been around during times of national unrest, myself!)

From the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, you can also see the Washington Monument. The Reflecting Pool makes the monument even more imposing - much like the legacy of Washington himself, who was tall and was said to have a reserved and detached air about him. If you’re interested in taking a DIY tour, there’s a good guide to monuments here.

4. Ride in a Cab (But Make Sure You’ve Got a Good Driver)

I don’t remember much about DC., but I remember two things vividly:

• The roads are super confusing. Where I lived in California, we didn’t have the roads going one direction during certain hours and another direction at other hours. I didn’t have my license yet, but just the same, I was thankful I wasn’t driving.

• Our cab driver hated me. I made the mistake of saying something that sounded like something that was offensive to him, and caused he cussed us out and drove all over the road like a lunatic. What can I say? I have that effect on people.

If I can give you one piece of good advice for your DC travels, it’d be to ride in a cab (so you don’t have to drive), but pick a good one (so you aren’t almost killed out there). I’m sure there are DC cab drivers with websites or personal brands now. Find an excellent one (or a cab agency with great drivers) and avoid provoking their ire at all costs!

5. Take a Tour Around Washington DC

I joined a tour of the nation’s Capitol at one point in my DC trip. If I remember correctly, the Capitol tour guide wasn’t much fun (or very informative), but had she been, it would have been a highlight of my trip.

I was recently made aware of a cool tour company in Washington DC called Liberty Tours. Although the company didn’t exist in 2003 when I visited the area, I’d love to get back out there so I can experience a really great DC tour for myself.

(I’m going to list some of their tours below, but the one I’m most interested in is the Patriot Private Tour, since it’s fully customized to your needs and preferences. It sounds like a very VIP experience, and I’d love to learn about DC from a fun, quirky tour guide who digs some of the same things I do!)

Annual Cherry Blossom Tour (Seasonal)

Because I visited DC in the summertime, I didn’t have a chance to experience the gorgeous phenomenon that is cherry blossom season. 

Liberty Tours offers a springtime cherry blossom tour (from March 18—April 15), and I would be so stoked to visit during this time. Even better if I could find a great photographer and sneak in a few shots of me and my husband kissing with cherry blossoms as a stunning backdrop. What could be better? As my oldest kid says, “So romance!”

Shining City Tour

One of my biggest memories of Washington DC was the memorials. This tour is great for people who want to celebrate our nation’s heritage by visiting national monuments. 

The three-hour tour (trying not to add a Gilligan’s Island reference here is killing me) takes you from the White House to the Air Force and Marines memorials, then to the Jefferson and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. memorials. You’ll see the Korean War, Lincoln, Vietnam, and World War II memorials before finally stopping at the Capitol building.

I think the hardest thing for me during this tour would be trying to refrain from reading everything. (Not a huge shock for you, if you’ve read the rest of this blog.) So many lives were lost in our wars, and I’d want to honor each fallen soldier by reading all their names. 

We the People Tour

Earlier this year, I got the idea to read Chernow’s biography of Alexander Hamilton. I’m still reading it, partly because I’ve been busy, and partly because I didn’t account for Chernow’s love of million-dollar words. Nonetheless, it has renewed my interest in our nation’s history.

There are two options for these half-day tours. I think I like the first itinerary option better than the second, as I’d prefer to see the National Archives. Both tours include a stop at the Jefferson Memorial, and I think it’d be interesting to learn more about Hamilton’s nemesis. (Chernow has very strong opinions about Jefferson after doing all the research on Hamilton!) 

I also never feel like I know enough about Martin Luther King, Jr. From what I have learned, he certainly led an interesting life. There are stops on both tours to visit his memorial as well, and I’d love to see if I can learn any new info about his achievements, family, perspective, etc. 

I Have a Dream Tour

Speaking of MLK Jr., Liberty Tours offers a half-day tour about African American history (which, of course, he played a major role in). This tour delves into the rich history of how African Americans have played a major role in our nation’s development, becoming prestigious writers, business owners, musicians, and more.

The tour starts at the Smithsonian and moves onto the MLK Memorial, the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, the Frederick Douglass House, and the Shaw neighborhood, which features theaters, businesses, and rowhouses.

Heroes of Freedom Tour

This tour highlights the United States Armed Forces. There are several stops along the way, starting at Arlington National Cemetery before moving to several military monuments, including memorials for the Marines, the Air Force, and the Navy. There are also stops at the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial and the US Capitol Building.

There’s a second tour option that starts at the White House, then moves to General John J. Pershing Park, the 9/11 Memorial at the Pentagon, the Marine Corps Memorial, the US Marine Barracks, the US Capitol Building, and the Navy Memorial and Museum.

In God We Trust Tour

Did we start out as a Christian nation? And are we still a Christian nation*? Regardless of how sound the theology of our forefathers was (Jefferson cut out parts of the Bible he didn’t like), our nation started with an adherence—at least in part—to the guiding moral principles in the Bible. 

As time has progressed, we’ve lost that… but it would be interesting to revisit our roots and see how biblical morals have shaped some of the policies we put into place early on, and the ones we adapted as we grew. (It took our forefathers a stunningly long time to realize that the Bible doesn’t condone slavery—in fact, it’s against it—but that’s a conversation for another time.)

*Disclaimer: I am not referring to Christian nationalism, nor do I think the Bible calls us to such ideologies.

Check Out Liberty Tours for a Custom Experience

If you’re a busy CEO and want a customized tour you don’t have to plan every detail of, Liberty Tours has a great option for you: The Patriot Private Tour. This tour includes a stop at the restaurant of your choice, premium transportation, and more. Check it out if you’re interested!

Tell me: Have you ever been to Washington DC? If/when I visit again, where should I go first? Message me on LinkedIn to let me know what you recommend!