In the summer, the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden opens its gates for live jazz music and pitchers of sangria. On Fridays from June to August, you can see DC’s young professionals flocking there in high numbers to lay down picnic blankets and snack on wine and cheese, catching up about their busy weeks and enjoying the sometimes quaint, but always quality jazz music that fills the air.
All around Washington DC, you can find awesome, colorful, sometimes politically-infused street art. From watermelon houses to psychedelic murals, this city has a lot of street art to offer. The best way to find it, though, is simply to wander through the streets. (But, if you need some guidance, you can use this map: https://dc.curbed.com/2015/6/17/9949036/washington-dc-public-art-map)
The National Mall is full of museums and monuments. From the Capitol Building all the way to the Lincoln Memorial, there are lots of museums, memorials, and gardens along the mall. Notable spots: National Portrait Gallery, National Gallery of Art, Natural History Museum, US Botanical Gardens, Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Reflection Pool, Lincoln Memorial, Sculpture Garden, Air and Space Museum, and more!
One of DC’s newer constructions is a waterfront area in Southwest DC, near Navy Yard, called The Wharf. Accessible from the metro, this waterfront boasts shops and restaurants.
Georgetown is old, beautiful, and is the perfect spot if you want to do some shopping! The waterfront here is also one for the books.
Old Town has lots of little shops, restaurants and historic waterfront.
Old Ebbitt is a DC institution that also has some of the best oysters and martinis around. This historic dining spot is where the likes of US presidents would hang out and discuss important political matters.
At Le Diplomate, it’s as if someone picked up a Parisian bistro and dropped it in the middle of D.C.’s trendy 14th Street—shiny red booths, green subway tile, a show-stopping zinc bar, and all. It's a staple.
We can't NOT drop CHIKO in the food recs! CHIKO happens to have a Dupont Circle location, too.