Things To Do
National Mall and Monuments
The National Mall shouldn’t be missed for first timers or even repeat visitors to DC and is very special to Ben and Megan. Ben and Megan’s 3rd date ended with an (illicit) bottle of wine and an evening stroll down the mall and through the monuments. Through their time together Ben and Megan have had many walks and picnics on the Mall with Izzy and they have fond memories of watching several 4th of July fireworks shows from the Mall. Most importantly, Ben proposed to Megan at their favorite place in DC – the Duck Pond on the Mall. Be sure to visit the MLK and JFK monuments which are around the tidal basin and can be easily missed from the Mall! Travel: From Alexandria take the Yellow line to Archives, or the blue line to Smithsonian (yellow line will be faster but a longer walk from the metro to the Mall)
Smithsonian Museums
Listing out specific Smithsonian museums we recommend wouldn't make sense because they are ALL incredible. We recommend perusing the Smithsonian website and picking a few that interest you! Admission is FREE! Take advantage of this and feel free to spend as long or little time at each museum you visit. SOME MUSEUMS REQUIRE TIMED ENTRY PASSES: The most popular museums require timed entry passes. These are the African American Museum, The Air and Space Museum and the Zoo. These passes are still free, but need to be reserved 30 days in advance. If passes are sold out don't worry! the museums release a reserve of day-of passes each morning. Visit each museum website to verify but usually between 7-8 am you can get passes for the day of, and we have usually been able to get passes this way. Not your first time to DC? The Postal Museum, and the Renwick Gallery are some of our favorite hidden gems that are worth a visit if you've been to many of the others already!
The National Zoo
A Smithsonian we love so much we gave it its own section! This was the site of Megan and Ben’s second date, and a place we have visited together many times since as the Zoo is a 15 minute walk from our first apartment together in Adams Morgan. The National Zoo is a great activity for those with or without kids. Our favorite exhibits include the Slothbear, Elephants, and the Amazonia building! After the zoo, pop into Dukes across the street for some truffle mac and the best burgers in DC! *Note: Timed entry reservations are required – these are free and usually don’t fill up too far in advance. Pro-Tip: The Zoo is on a hill and is equally close to two metro stops on the Red Line. For those with little people who want to avoid tired feet too early, plan to arrive to the zoo via the Cleveland Park Metro Stop (One stop PAST the stop named for the zoo) and walk downhill to get to the zoo. When you leave, continue to walk downhill and depart via the the Woodley Park/Zoo Metro Stop.
Historic Old Town Alexandria
Established in 1749, Old Town Alexandria is one of the oldest cities in the region and is a nationally designated historic district. You can easily spend hours wandering the neighborhood while stopping at many fantastic restaurants, shops, and bars along the way. On Cameron Street, you'll find a replica of the townhome George Washington lived in before moving to Mount Vernon, and on North Royal Street you can stop by Gadsby's Tavern and peek into the historic ice well to see how the pub kept their drinks frosty when it was established in 1789.
Torpedo Factory Art Center
Old Town Alexandria’s art district houses over 70 artist studios housed in a historic munitions factory. Take a stroll through the building to view art, chat with artists and sometimes see the artists at work.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
A family business founded in 1792 and operated in the same location from 1805 until 1933, the apothecary represents one of Alexandria's oldest continuously run businesses that combined retailing, wholesaling, and manufacturing and had famous patrons such as Martha Washington. The space is restored back to its 18th century appearance and is chock full of hand blown glass bottles and herbal remedies. This space throws Harry Potter events periodically where they show you some of the herbs that inspired the names of potion ingredients and spells in the series.
Old Town Alexandria Food and Drink Recommendations
We have a TON of food and drink recommendations for Old Town, so please see the google doc below if you're interested in checking out our favorites!