Getting there: From Reston Town Center it is about a 30-minute drive or around 50 minutes by Metro, taking the Silver Line to the McPherson Square Metro station.
The 146-acre National Mall stretches from the US Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial. The area is filled with over 100 monuments, and it accesses the Smithsonian Museum complexes. Sights include the Washington Monument, the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial, the Korean War Memorial, the WWII Memorial, and, along West Potomac Park, you can stroll the beautiful Tidal Basin from the FRD Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial. Getting there: It is just a 30-minute drive from Reston (parking can be an issue) or 45-50 minutes by Metro, taking the Silver Line to the Smithsonian Metro Station.
And the American History Museum, the American Indian Museum, and the Hirshhorn Modern Art Museum are close by. All are free, but please note that some museums, like the Air & Space Museum, require free timed-entry tickets - check online. Getting there: It's about a 30-minute drive or 45-50 minutes by metro, taking the Silver Line to the Smithsonian Metro station.
The vibrant area of Georgetown (home to Tanya and Ethan's Georgetown University) is filled with great food and shopping and sits on the beautiful Potomac riverfront. The main shopping and dining are along Wisconsin Ave. and M Street NW. The Riverfront offers scenic dining and walking paths. You can also rent bikes for a ride on the towpath along the historic C&O Canal. Food: Clydes (a DC institution), Martin's Tavern, Chez Billy Sud, il Canale, Chaia, and Yellow. On the Riverfront: Fiola Mare, Founding Farmers Fishers & Bakers, Sequoia, and Guapo's. Coffee & Cafe: Maman, Boulangerie Christophe, Blue Bottle Shopping: Reformation, Anthropology, Alice & Olivia, Tuckernuck, Brandy Melville, SKIMS, Ralph Lauren, Huckberry, Madewell, and tons of boutiques like LiLi the First, Relish, and Ella-Rue (upscale thrift). Getting there: It's 30 minutes by car or a little under an hour (including a 15-minute walk) by Metro, taking the Silver Line to Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro Station.
Requires Entry Pass—Go online for Free tickets Getting there: It's about a 40-minute drive from Reston Town Center and 1 hr 20 min by Metro taking the Silver Line from Reston Town Center and transferring to the Red Line at Metro Center on to the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro station.