Washington DC Itinerary: 2 Days Packed with US History, Science, and Espionage!
Washington DC aka the United States capital is a fantastic destination with seriously, SO MUCH to do. They have over 70 museums, 100 monuments, and centuries of history. Needless to say, on your Washington DC itinerary for 2 days, you won’t be bored. And honestly, there’s so much to do, it’s a bit overwhelming when you’re travel planning.
In this itinerary, you’ll sample the best of the best for your 2 days in Washington DC including museums, monuments, and more where you’re guaranteed to learn a thing or two about US history, science, and espionage!
Map of your 2 days in Washington DC
Before we dive in, I wanted you to know that I created a free downloadable version of this itinerary with the map, link to all the tickets, and addresses, so when you’re on the go, you have this at your fingertips. Just tell me where to send it.
Day 1: Landmarks and US History
Breakfast
I’ll say this now, one of the hardest parts of packing in your 2 days in DC is it’s easy to overlook your meals. While there are so many fantastic restaurants in Washington DC, it’s hard to set aside the time when there’s so much to do and see.
For breakfast, I recommend grabbing something from your hotel or popping in a coffee shop for a quick bite. Le Bon Café is one highly recommended option near enough to the Capitol Building at 210 2nd St SE. There’s also a Starbucks right there, if you’d prefer.
I know it’s not glamorous and very unlike me (being the big breakfast nut that I am), but there’s just really so much to do that sitting down for a full breakfast and taking time to get around Washington DC to do is a bit of a time suck. I promise the itinerary will make up for it!
Capitol Building
Let’s start your day off right at the US Capitol Building. They open at 8:30 am, and to maximize your time, I recommend planning to be one of the first ones there.
There are a couple ways to explore the Capitol. First, wander freely into the Exhibition Hall to learn about the United States’ government processes and figures. In the Democracy Lab, kids can participate in hands-on learning of the democratic system.
To enhance your visit, book a free guided tour to see parts of the building including the Rotunda, National Statuary Hall, and the Crypt, which only looks like a crypt (no one is actually buried there).
Other specialty guided tours include those on Votes for Women, Halls of the Senate, Heroes of Civil Rights, and Indigenous Peoples in Capitol Art.
- Address: U.S. Capitol Visitors Center, First St SE
- Closures: Sundays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s Day, Inauguration Day
- Price: free (reservations for tours recommended)
Library of Congress
Next up, the Library of Congress. This is easily one of the most beautiful libraries in the world with multiple rooms and levels. Luckily, you don’t even need to brave the winter snow or summer heat because there is a tunnel that connects the Jefferson Building (Library of Congress) to the US Capitol Visitor Center.
The Library of Congress doesn’t open until 10 am, so it’s best to try to arrive around then. When you arrive, make your way to the line (assuming there is one) for the Reading Room. This is the main circular room that has eight marble columns, stained glass, sculptures, and a dome painted with a mural of Human Understanding. When visiting you only get 2 minutes to walk through the Main Reading Room, so make it count!
Once you’re back outside the room, be sure to go upstairs 2 floors to the Main Reading Room overlook. This is a great way to see the room without a time limit, just be respectful of other visitors trying to get a look!
Outside the Main Reading Room, you’ll find a complete Gutenberg Bible, which is the first mass-produced book printed by movable metal type. There’s only so many in the whole world, let alone complete copies, so this is a rare object to see.
As you explore the Library of Congress, some other things to see include a 1507 World Map, that shows the Western Hemisphere as an individual landmass, Thomas Jefferson’s library, which includes as many of his original collection as was possible to recover, and a view of the backside of the Capitol Building (which looks much better than the current front undergoing construction).
- Address: Thomas Jefferson Building, 10 First Street SE
- Closures: Sunday and Monday, select federal holidays
- Price: free (timed tickets recommended)
Lunch and National Archives Museum
Time to keep that history train a-rollin’. But first, lunch! While I typically encourage you to venture beyond the tourist area for better, local food, this itinerary is too packed in time and location for that to make sense.
Luckily, the National Archives (your next stop) actually has a decent quick service café. When you arrive, go downstairs where you can order freshly made sandwiches, burgers (including Impossible meat options), and sides. It’s also not too pricey, which is uncommon for Washington DC.
Once you’re fueled up, it’s time to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights! You can see these and other founding documents at the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. A note here that this room is dark and cold to protect the documents. There is also no photography or videography of any kind allowed in the entirety of the National Archives Museum.
It takes about 30-45 minutes to see all the documents here as well as admire the murals on the walls.
Once you’ve finished that, don’t forget to check out the exhibits in the building. When I visited, they had a fantastic exhibit on American Sports and the role of minorities in making progress for modern sports.
- Address: 701 Constitution Ave. NW
- Closures: Thanksgiving and Christmas
- Price: free ($1 reservations recommended between March and Labor Day)
Washington Monument
As the afternoon moves on, it’s a great time to walk the National Mall. There are a ton of monuments here, but starting with the most obvious, in your face, impossible to miss, is the Washington Monument.
This 555-foot tower was built to honor George Washington, our first president, and was constructed for almost 40 years in the mid- to late-1800s.
Now, you can go up to the base of the monument to learn more about it and if you’re feeling brave, take the elevator up to the observation deck.
- Address: 2 15th St. NW
- Closures: 4th of July, Christmas, one day during first week of each month for maintenance (check details here)
- Price: free ($1 timed tickets required to enter, tour, and ascend)
WWII Monument
As you make your way west on the National Mall, you’ll run into the World War II Monument. This monument commemorates those who served, gave their lives, or contributed to the war efforts.
It’s very moving to see and worth a stop to pay your respects and learn more about the second World War.
- Address: 1750 Independence Ave. SW
- Closures: none
- Price: free
Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool
Continue walking toward the Lincoln Memorial beside the Reflecting Pool. You’ll likely recognize these views from movies like Captain America: Winter Soldier, Spiderman: Homecoming, and The Martian.
And if you’re wondering, no, you cannot swim or dip your toes in the Reflecting Pool.
- Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW
- Closures: none
- Price: free
Lincoln Memorial
Congratulations! You made it to the other end of the National Mall!
Modeled after the Parthenon in Athens, Greece, the Lincoln Memorial is quite the sight to behold. The building is stunning and Lincoln himself is reminiscent of Zeus in Hercules.
Be sure to wander to Lincoln’s left and right where there are inscriptions of Lincoln’s second inaugural address and the Gettysburg address, plus murals depicting the governing factors in Lincoln’s life.
While you’re up there, don’t forget to take a look back at the Washington Monument and Reflecting Pool. It’s quite the sight!
- Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW
- Closures: none
- Price: free
Dinner
For dinner I recommend going to the Dupont Circle area to find a meal. There are lots of local eateries there and since it’s away from the National Mall, it’s less expensive, less crowded, and straight up better food.
Some options are Julia’s Empanadas, Donburi (Japanese bowls), and Tiki Taco (Hawaiian fare).
Day 2: Science and Spies
Breakfast
Again, I recommend grabbing something quick this morning. Specifically, I would opt to stop by the cafés in either of the museums of your choice below. The Air and Space Museum has the Mars Café (open at 10 am) with a full espresso bar, sandwiches, pastries, and other baked goods. At the Natural History Museum, they have a few eateries, but I recommend the Ocean Terrace Café (open at 11:30 am) where the options are sustainable including fair trade coffee and tea.
Choose Your Smithsonian: Air and Space or Natural History Museum
Along the National Mall, you’ll find a number of top tier museums operated by the Smithsonian Institute including two of the best — the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum. For this morning, I recommend choosing one that aligns best with your interests.
The Air and Space Museum had exhibits on flight, speed, space exploration of the moon and planets, and a large open space with all types of air and space craft! This was one of my favorite museums in Washington DC. When I visited, I loved trying on an astronaut’s glove, listening to different sounds of engines that were the fastest of their time, and seeing historic aircrafts by the Wright Brothers.
It’s truly one of the best science museums in the US, so you won’t be disappointed!
The Natural History Museum tells the story of our planet through the lens of archeology, paleontology, geology, and ancient and modern histories. There’s so much to see here including the Hope Diamond, an insect zoo, and butterfly pavilion. This museum is quite large and in fact, it’s the most visited museum in the United States. I recommend getting there early and leaving yourself a good 2 hours or more to see it.
Both museums open at 10 am.
- Address:
- Air and Space Museum: 6th Street and Independence Ave SW
- Natural History Museum: 10th St. & Constitution Ave. NW
- Closures:
- Air and Space Museum: Christmas Day
- Natural History Museum: Christmas Day
- Price:
- Air and Space Museum: free (timed tickets required and entry time is strict)
- Natural History Museum: free (tickets not required)
US Botanic Garden
Nearby is the U.S. Botanic Garden, another free entity in Washington DC. As a big fan of botanic gardens, I can definitely say this is one of the best!
The U.S. Botanic Garden is made up a few different areas including the Conservatory, Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens, and gated outdoor gardens.
When you first enter, you’ll be at the Conservatory, an indoor greenhouse-type garden with many garden rooms and exhibits. Start in the Garden Court, which has a large shallow pool and fountains and tall open ceiling. Make your way clockwise or counterclockwise through the exhibits. In the East Gallery you’ll find rotating exhibits. When I visited, it was an exhibit on agriculture and cultivation.
The gardens to see are the Primeval Garden, Hawaii, World Deserts, Medicinal Plants, Orchids, Mediterranean Garden, and Tropics, which is in the center.
There’s also a Southern Exposure garden, Children’s Garden (only open spring through fall), and exhibits on Plant Conservation and Plant Adaptions.
The gated outdoor gardens are located outside the Conservatory. You’ll likely see them as you walk up to the entrance.
You’ll find the Bartholdi Fountain and Gardens across the street. This is a fountain and outdoor garden space that you can walk through.
Overall, the U.S. Botanic Garden is so well-curated and maintained. You’ll see something beautiful and learn a thing or two about plants. It takes about an hour to walk through. I highly recommend!
- Address: 100 Maryland Ave. SW
- Closures: Christmas
- Price: free (no tickets required)
Lunch and the International Spy Museum
Before we tackle espionage, let’s grab some lunch. To maximize your time, I recommend walking to L’Enfant Plaza just behind the International Spy Museum (your next stop).
Here, you’ll find a food court with a ton of options! Pick your favorite and make your way back to the International Spy Museum.
This museum is seriously one of the most fun and interactive in all of Washington DC with exhibits on real-life spies, their tools, political espionage, and so much more. Don’t miss the Cyber Infinity Room, Covert Action exhibit, and Spies in the Movies.
Plus, you get to participate in an Undercover Mission where you’ll receive a secret identity, codeword, and assignments as you progress through the museum. You even have to come up with a disguise, crack a code, and find message drops. So fun!
Admission can be pricey up to $35 if you don’t purchase tickets in advance, but regardless, this is one of the most interesting museums in DC!
- Address: 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW
- Closures: none
- Price: $25+ (price fluctuates by date, student and military discounts available)
Evening in Georgetown
To end your time in Washington DC, what better way than venturing to one of its many neighborhoods. I don’t know if it’s because I spent so much time in college and grad school, but I especially liked the college area of Georgetown.
There’s lots of trendy shops, cafes, and restaurants in beautiful, historic buildings.
For dinner, I can’t recommend Filomena Ristorante enough, a classic Italian restaurant that’s been around since 1983 and has served numerous presidents and celebrities. I had their melt-in-your-mouth Gnocchi Della Mamma, which came with the richest Bolognese sauce.
Other places to check out in Georgetown are the Exorcist Steps (made famous by The Exorcist movie), Blues Alley Club for live music, and Crumbs and Whiskers, a cat café.
- Address: 1063 Wisconsin Ave. NW (Filomena Ristorante)
- Closures: none
- Price: $35
That caps off our Washington DC itinerary for 2 days! Don’t worry, you can download a condensed version below for your future reference. And if you have more time or some questions, read on!
Other recommended things to do
If you’re looking to sub out any of the above itinerary or you have more time/energy, here are some other recommended things to do in Washington DC.
- National Building Museum — My favorite underrated museum in Washington DC with the most beautiful architecture and peaceful interior. The exhibits are rotating and fantastic. I saw one on the Manhattan Project communities when I was there that I still think about to this day!
- Food tour — Washington DC is one of the top foodie cities in the US, so what better way to taste your way through the city than on a food tour. Try this donut tour (I went with this company in Portland and had the best time!) or this tour in Georgetown.
- Jefferson Memorial — Another iconic monument, but a bit more removed from those on the National Mall.
- Holocaust Memorial Museum — One of the best and most moving I’ve been to. It compares to the one I saw in Jerusalem, so I promise it will leave an impact. Schedule something uplifting after.
- National Museum of African American History and Culture — Another important and impactful museum to add to your docket. African American history and culture is essential and a backbone to the United States. I encourage you to learn more or even take a guided African American history tour that includes a visit to this museum.
- National Postal Museum — An underrated museum pick, but one that comes highly recommended by everyone who visits. I haven’t had the chance to visit yet, but it’s top of my list.
- National Monuments at Night — If you haven’t had enough of the monuments, seeing them at night lit up is a whole different experience.
How to get to Washington DC
Since Washington DC is such a major U.S. city, there are multiple major international airports you can fly into including Ronald Reagan International Airport (DCA) and Dulles International Airport (IAD). Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI) is also within an hour of Washington DC.
Washington DC is also a 2.5 hour drive from Richmond, Virginia, a 4.5 hour drive from NYC and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
The best way to get around Washington DC
Once you’re in Washington DC, the easiest way to get around is to ride share or use public transportation. Most tourist sights are clustered together within walking distance, so you don’t really need a car to get from each itinerary item to the next.
Instead catch a ride share or public transportation to one location, walk for the day, then, catch a ride back.
The orange and blue lines for the Metro Rail travel closest to the Capitol Hill area. The red line goes to Dupont Circle.
Fares are $2.25 per ride.
When is the best time to visit DC?
I’m pretty sure I’ve visited Washington DC during the two worst times to visit — winter and summer. During winter, I explored the National Mall during a snow storm and government shutdown, which was pretty rough, not gonna lie. I’ve even lived in the snow, but with all the walking required for the best exploration of Washington DC, it’s really just not fun to do in snow boots.
As for summer, sure it was sunny. But, lord oh lord was it hot. And humid. It got up to 95 degrees when I was there in mid-July and it felt like I was crawling along the National Mall seeking any opportunity for an AC reprieve.
So given my two not so great experiences, I’d say the best times are spring and fall!
Spring in Washington DC brings cherry blossom season, which is one of the most popular and incredible sights in the US in spring! Hotels can get pricey during the month when the cherry blossoms are at their peak during the Cherry Blossom Festival, so plan accordingly.
Fall is also a wonderful time to visit because the temperatures cool off, fall foliage turns the city into a rainbow, and crowds die down as kids go back to school.
Short answer: spring and fall!
Where to stay in Washington DC
Since DC is split up into neighborhoods, there’s lots of options where the feel of the area is going to be very different depending on the neighborhood (kind of like Portland, Oregon’s quadrants).
First, I’ll tell you where I’ve stayed.
The first spot was the Comfort Inn in Downtown Washington DC. The rates are competitive starting at $115+ per night and the location puts you within a reasonable walk to the National Mall. I actually really loved this room as a solo traveler. It was compact and cozy (did I mention, I was there during a snow storm?).
I’ve also stayed at the Crowne Plaza Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia (across the river from Washington DC). This was a very standard hotel, but near a nice street with shopping and restaurants. Plus, it had a Starbucks so I could grab an inexpensive bagel breakfast before heading out for my day. Rates were similar at $116+ per night.
Now, if I was starting from scratch, I would try for somewhere near Capitol Hill, for pure convenience. The most budget-friendly hotel is the Residence Inn by Marriott with rates starting at $175+ per night.
Cost of a Washington DC itinerary (2 days)
$335
Accommodation — $150 (per night, one night needed)
Food — $100
Activities — $35
Transportation — $50 (ride shares, not counting airfare)
Check out these other US itineraries:
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I would love a printable copy of this great D.C. itinerary. If you email me a copy or direct me where to find it, I would be so grateful!! Thank you for this wonderful resource!!
You’re welcome! Just sent it to you!