Washington D.c. is a historic city full of Distinct neighborhoods to explore
D.C. Tips:
Traffic is truly the worst, avoid driving if you can. Rent bikes through the Capital Bikeshare program, use the Metro, or walk. Parking costs quite a bit nearly everywhere, so having a car is a bit of a nuisance.
D.C. is obviously a very political city so expect to see protests, delays due to events, and more. Everything in general here tends to be quite crowded.
A couple of days is plenty of time to see most of the city but the suburbs of D.C. are extensive, so there is also a lot to explore surrounding the area as well. Baltimore is also just an hour north for another city to adventure in, check out my Baltimore guide here.
Adventures & Ales Top Recommendations:
ChurchKey: A great beer bar with chill vibes and a fantastic beer selection. They also have a small food menu. Unfortunately the service we experienced here was truly atrocious, but the beers made it worth it.
Sovereign: A Belgian restaurant and beer bar with a killer beer selection and cool vibes. It is located down the alley, so don’t miss it!
Other Half Brewing: The DC taproom for this NYC-based brewery is in an industrial space with fantastic beers. They have a nice outdoor space and chill vibes.
Pearl’s Bagels: A delicious spot for bagels. They are quite popular so expect a short wait, but it is worth it.
Compass Coffee is next door if you’d like something more than the basic coffee menu at Pearl’s to accompany your bagel.
Bluejacket Brewery: A solid brewery in the Navy Yard area of DC with a nice patio. They are mostly IPA and Lager focused and they also have a full food menu with brunch on the weekends. Parking in this area can be a challenge.
Aslin Beer Company: A popular brewery with a large outdoor space. Aslin has three taprooms—DC, Alexandria, VA and Henrico, VA.
Dacha Beer Garden: A cute little beer garden with mainly German and local beers on tap. They also have a small food menu, Happy Hour and frequent events. Visit them at their Shaw or Navy Yard locations.
Pearl’s Bagels
Explore the Metropolitan Beer Trail!
This is DC’s first ale trail and links 7 bars and breweries along the Metropolitan Branch Trail. You can bike along the trail between the various locations or walk between some as well. Download the free digital passport and check in at each location to receive a free t-shirt!
Wunder Garten: A large beer garden and event space with an extremely nice outdoor area. They have a large draft list, cocktails and wine. They also have a couple of food partners if you are hungry. The Happy Hour specials are great!
Metrobar: A very unique bar with an old metro car. They have fun vibes, DJs and food trucks. The drink selection includes draft beers, canned beers and cocktails. The team here is also super nice!
Metrobar is a great spot to try Urban Garden Brewing—a black, Latin, woman owned brewery that does not have a taproom but makes great beer.
Right Proper Brewing Company: A neighborhood brewery with board games, frequent live music, and chill vibes. They have two locations, the Brookland Production House and Shaw Brewpub and Kitchen.
Red Bear Brewing Company: An average brewery with a full food menu that includes brunch. They have a small patio and are located in an artsy area.
The Eleanor: This is a bar, grill and bowling lounge with a full food menu including brunch, happy hour, a large beer list and an extensive cocktail list. They have pin ball, bowling and a couple other games. The parking here is in a paid garage under the building.
The Dew Drop Inn: A beer and cocktail dive bar with daily food trucks. They also do beer cocktails combining local beers with liquors into delicious creations.
City-State Brewing Company: A brewery with a small tap list of below average beers. They have indoor and outdoor seating and some games.
National Museum of American History
Touristy DC things worth doing:
Explore the National Mall: This area is home to the Lincoln Memorial, the Tidal Basin, Washington Monument, Smithsonian Museums, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, Korean War Memorial, the White House, the Capitol, World War II Memorial, and more! You can start at one end (the Capitol or Lincoln Memorial) and wander throughout the area. It does get a bit crowded at the popular stops so go early or later in the day for less people around.
Visit a Smithsonian Museum:
National Museum of African American History and Culture: This Smithsonian requires free advance ticket reservations that go very quickly so be sure to plan ahead! The museum is massive and full of history, pop-culture and more.
National Museum of American History: This Smithsonian is focused on innovation, democracy and history.
National Air and Space Museum: This Smithsonian has been going through renovations for several years to expand their galleries. They are focused on the history and modern inventions around space exploration and flying. Entry requires free advance ticket reservations.
National Museum of Natural History: This Smithsonian is focused on the origination of the earth with exhibits around fossils, animals, mummies, gems, geology, and more.
Metrobar
Other Washington DC things to do:
The Bruery: This California-based brewery has a small taproom and bottle shop in DC. They have limited hours though so be sure to plan ahead if you’d like to visit.
Pizzeria Paradiso: A delicious spot for pizza with a solid craft beer selection.
Matchbox: A restaurant with 3 locations in the DC area offering brunch, lunch, dinner and drinks. The Penn Quarter spot is near the National Mall with well-priced food and drink.
Gregory’s Coffee: A local chain coffee shop with a small food menu and tasty coffee.
