Things to Do in Washington, D.C.

There is definitely no shortage of things to see and do in Washington, D.C.! As the nation’s capital the city is home to many of the country’s best museums and there’s national monuments to see at every turn. Shopping and dining are great in Washington, D.C. too, and there’s plenty in the way of theaters, entertainment and nightlife as well.

Restaurants and Cuisine in Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. doesn’t appear to have its own special cuisine but then, as the nation’s capital, it’s only fair that many different types of American cuisine are represented here – and that’s certainly true. There are over 1,500 restaurants in D.C. and you can find just about any type of cuisine you can think of. The most prevalent is American and there are more than 500 places to try some of the typical American cuisine, but add in Chinese, Asian, British, Barbecue, European, French, Indian, Irish, Greek, Mexican, Italian, Japanese, seafood… well, you get the idea.
According to TripAdvisor the best restaurant in Washington, D.C. is Marcel’s. It’s not one of the 500 or so American restaurants – they serve Belgian, French and seafood for dinner, seven days a week. And the second best?… Indian cuisine at Rasika.

Attractions in Washington, D.C.

Where should we start with a city that’s simply full of attractions?! Well, The National Mall is a good place to start if you’re new to the city. It’s home to many of the nation’s best loved and respected landmarks such as The Lincoln Memorial, the United States Capitol, Washington Monument, and many more. There are the excellent museums too, numerous of which come under the umbrella of the renowned Smithsonian Institute. The National Museum of Natural History is among the most popular and it’s got something for all ages. All ages also love the National Zoo – it’s one of the oldest in the country and being part of the Smithsonian they don’t charge for admission so you can see why this attraction is so popular!
Washington, D.C. has many theaters and entertainment venues too, so it’s great if you love music and the performing arts. Popular venues include the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and Ford’s Theatre – the site where Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

Shopping in Washington, D.C.

Despite being the capital, D.C. hasn’t had a great reputation as a shopping destination, but this has changed in recent years. There are now some excellent, trendy places to shop in D.C.’s numerous neighborhoods and if you like boutique and independent stores there are many to choose from. Georgetown is one of D.C.’s popular shopping spots; full of art galleries, high end clothes stores, and independent places. If you want a mall experience you’ll have to travel a little farther out to Pentagon City, or go outlet shopping at Potomac Mills or Leesburg Corner.