43 non-touristy things to do in Washington DC besides museums and monuments

If you are looking for things to do in Washington, DC, images of monuments, museums, and government buildings probably come to mind. But what you may not realise as a visitor is that there is SO. MUCH. MORE. to this city than meets the eye.

Cute neighbourhoods, obscurely-themed pop-up bars, and underground art exhibits are all part of the mix. Intrigued yet? I hope so!

To help you plan your trip to Washington, DC, I’ve written this guide, packed with 43 different non-touristy things to do in DC that aren’t museums, monuments, or memorials. This list spans from art installations and secret gardens, embassy parties, outdoors activities and restaurants. I should know, I used to live in DC after all. 

Take your pick to avoid the tourist crowds in DC!

If you only do five things

Short on time? Here are the five that best capture the side of DC most visitors never see:

• Catch a show in the Dupont Underground, an art space and event venue built inside a long-abandoned streetcar tunnel beneath Dupont Circle.
• Wander Blagden Alley, a hidden Shaw backstreet of murals, cobblestones and tucked-away restaurants that feels like a secret.
• Grab a picnic blanket for Jazz in the Garden, the free Friday night summer concerts in the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden.
• Spend a morning at Eastern Market, DC’s oldest continually operating public market, best on a weekend when the outdoor flea stalls spill onto the street.
• See Great Falls, just outside the city, where the Potomac thunders through a rocky gorge in a genuinely jaw-dropping set of falls.

Non-touristy things to do in Washington, DC besides museums and monuments

Check out some local art at Culture House DC (formerly Blind Whino)

Hidden away from all the tourists in the streets of Southwest DC is a formerly abandoned church that fell into a vat of neon pixie dust, and opened its doors to the art community.

It sits in between some aged row houses and the highway, and when I first read about it in an online post, there wasn’t much else about it on the internet. I didn’t see it on any list of things to do in DC. It was as if this strange building was a secret garden in the city, waiting to be discovered.

Now known as Culture House DC, this 1886 building was once the Friendship Baptist Church. When developers were legally prevented from demolishing the century-old structure, they instead commissioned Atlanta artist HENSE to transform it, and the result is extraordinary: a riot of psychedelic colour that wraps the entire facade and continues through the interior, which was painted by the artist MEGGS. It’s become one of the most photographed buildings in the city.

I decided to check it out for myself on a Sunday afternoon, and when I arrived, I couldn’t exactly understand what I was looking at. It looked like a boarded-up church that had been dipped in tie-dye and Instagram filters. There wasn’t an inch of the outside that wasn’t some crazy combination of colours, and much of the lower part of the building was overgrown with all kinds of plants.

Behind a chain-link gate at the front, the door was ajar. I cautiously peered into a dark entryway, where electronic music echoed off the concrete walls. It smelled slightly of a nightclub, every wall boasted a different pattern, and a giant black-and-white striped mural on the far wall read “SUPERFIERCE”.

Down a well-lit hallway was the gallery, where an exhibition named after that mural was on. Superfierce was all about feminism and powerful women, and the pieces were sassy, vibrant and in-your-face. As a woman, I loved the strong message, and there’s only one way to describe my reaction: obsessed. There weren’t many people there, which made for a really laid-back and pleasant afternoon.

That show has long since closed, but the 15,000-square-foot space still hosts an ever-changing rotation of exhibitions from local artists, along with live talks, shows and community events, so there’s always something new to see. In 2025 the building was bought by National Community Church, which has said it will keep the murals and the arts programming alongside its own services.

You’ll find it at 700 Delaware Avenue SW, about a 10-minute walk from Waterfront Metro station on the Green Line, so it’s easy to pair with an afternoon at The Wharf. The murals cover the whole outside, so you can admire them from the street at any time, but the inside only opens for exhibitions and events.

Visit the Dupont Underground

Dupont Underground is another of the city’s most unusual art spaces, and one of its best-kept secrets, located right beneath Dupont Circle.

It’s literally an underground tunnel, built into a long-abandoned streetcar station, that now hosts art exhibitions and live events. From street art to photography, light shows to immersive installations, anything goes here, and the raw, cavernous setting makes every exhibition feel like a discovery. It’s the kind of place you’d walk straight past at street level without ever knowing it was there.

Its events calendar is just as eclectic, from theatre and music to film nights and literary festivals (it has even hosted the deliciously raucous Drag Underground). If you are looking for fun things to do in DC for adults, look no further.

See DC’s Street Art Hotspots

All around Washington DC, you can find awesome, colourful, sometimes politically-infused street art. From watermelon houses to psychedelic murals, this city has a lot of street art to offer.

Some, like Adams Morgan’s Madam’s Organ Mural have been around so long they’ve become local icons (that mural was completed in 1997 and has been drawing in admirers ever since). The same can be said of Mural Un Pueblo Sin Murales, a work that was created in 1977 by Felipe Martinez, Carlos Salozar, Carlos Arrien, and Juan Pineda on the side of a bakery on Adams Mill Road. Pineda himself has restored it twice since, most recently after the 2011 earthquake. 

There are much newer pieces to explore too. Blagden Alley in particular, thrives with pieces from local artists including Lisa Marie Thalhammer and Cita Sadeli (aka Chelove).

Run in a scenic road race

Running is a huge activity in Washington DC, and you can find people running almost all hours of the day on the city’s sidewalks.  If you’re a runner yourself, you can get to know the city by joining a road race! Races in DC (and in the DC area) happen very regularly, so you can almost always find one if you really want to.

Some of the most popular races are the Army Ten-Miler (October), the Marine Corps Marathon (late October), the Rock ’n’ Roll DC Half Marathon and 5K (March), and the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run (early April), which is so popular that entry is by lottery, usually open from mid-December to early January. Even if you don’t like running, it’s worth heading to the races to spectate if your visit happens to coincide with one of them!

Head to a show or concert

Washington DC’s arts scene is always popping off with a diverse and vibrant range of experiences that cater to pretty much every taste. Because Washington DC is so centrally located, many artists (big and small) that are making the rounds in the US stop here. As a result, you can see basically any artist you love at some point in this city.

Venues range from giant stadiums, like the 20,000 seat Capital One Arena (which is being renovated in stages through 2027)  or the legendary 9:30 Club, to smaller, more intimate spaces like Black Cat and The Atlantis, a 450-capacity sister venue right next door to the 9:30 Club that opened in the U Street corridor in 2023.

If fine arts is more your thing, check out the listings for touring Broadway plays, National Symphony concerts, or ballet shows. The Kennedy Center, usually the city’s big stage for these, closed in July 2026 for a two-year renovation, so for now the National Symphony Orchestra is playing at Strathmore in North Bethesda and touring shows are spread around other venues in the city.

Explore the city by night

One of the most beautiful times of day to see Washington, DC is at night, when the monuments are all lit up amidst the night sky.

I know, I know, I promised no monuments on this list, but seeing them lit along the city’s main thoroughfares is a different thing altogether, and going after dark lets you avoid the daytime crowds.

One of my favourite places to visit at night is the area near the Washington Monument. Here, you can see the monument itself as well as the WWII Memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Capitol building all lit up. There are night bike tours of DC too, which take you through some of the city’s most beautiful areas at its most tranquil time of day. Yes, really!

Party it up at an embassy

Throughout the year, DC’s embassies open their doors to the public for nights of cocktails, culture and events. Mexico’s Cultural Institute on 16th Street, for instance, puts on an annual Day of the Dead ofrenda each November, which is exactly the kind of one-off cultural event worth keeping an eye out for. The most famous is the annual Around the World Embassy Tour on the first Saturday in May, when dozens of embassies welcome visitors in for free to sample their food, music and traditions.

Some of these events are even free to the public. This is a great way to see DC and avoid the tourists. Typically you have to buy a ticket in advance for these parties, but it depends on the event. 

Visit the National Harbor

DC doesn’t really have a Coney Island, but the closest thing is our National Harbor, just across the river in Maryland. Home to dining, shopping, the MGM National Harbor casino and lively waterfront walking areas, it’s a great place to spend an evening.

Its best-known sight is the Capital Wheel, a 180-foot observation wheel that gives you sweeping views over the Potomac, and on a clear day, all the way to the monuments, the Capitol and Mount Vernon. While you’re there, look out for The Awakening, a striking sculpture of a giant emerging from the sand.

Admire the cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin

In late March and early April, one of DC’s most iconic sights arrives: the cherry blossoms, whose pastel-pink blooms appear right across the city. The most famous place to see them is the Tidal Basin, where thousands of trees, originally a gift from Japan in 1912, ring the water. The Tidal Basin’s crumbling seawall was rebuilt between 2024 and 2025, and hundreds of new trees, most of them cherries, were planted around it in spring 2026, so the walk around the water is better than it has been in years.

Grab a jacket and take a walk, admiring how the pink colours reflect off the water. It pairs beautifully with the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which runs across several weeks from late March to mid-April.

Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, enter the lottery for the Cherry Blossom Ten Mile Run and go for a run through these beautiful, flowered streets. It is an excellent complement to a museum day in late March/early April.

Hit up Jazz in the Garden

In the summer, the National Gallery of Art’s sculpture garden opens its gates for live jazz music and pitchers of sangria.

On Friday evenings from late May through mid-August, you’ll see DC’s young professionals flocking in with picnic blankets, snacking on wine and cheese, and unwinding to the quality jazz that fills the air among the towering sculptures. It’s one of the most beloved summer traditions in the city, and one of the loveliest ways to spend a warm Friday evening.

When I first moved to DC, this was one of the first events I ever went to! It’s so fun to sit back and unwind with friends amidst the towering sculptures in the garden.

Do: The concerts are free and start at 6pm, but you need a pass, which is released through a weekly online lottery the week before (with a small number of walk-up passes at 5pm). Picnics are welcome, but you can’t bring your own alcohol, so the sangria it is.

Or go ice skating in that same garden

In the winter, the sculpture garden’s fountain area turns into an ice skating rink! For a small fee (last season it was $15 to skate, plus $7 for skate rental), you can rent skates and go ice skating there. Families, hockey players, and young professionals alike swirl around the rink during the day. It’s definitely a fun way to spend some time outdoors in the chill of the winter. The rink usually opens in late November and runs until early March.

Hop on a boat ride in Georgetown

Summertime is the perfect time to go boating, and Georgetown offers plenty of options. From boozy party boats to elegant dinner cruises by the DC skyline, or simple water taxis (City Cruises runs one between Georgetown and The Wharf), there’s something for every kind of visitor here. There are many tour companies that offer boat tours in DC.

Head to the Downtown Holiday Market

During the holiday season, DC steals some of the traditional Christmas market flair from Europe and brings it to its own streets. What results is rows of street stalls selling artisan items, baked goods, condiments, and more. Of course, along with any holiday market, there are traditional drinks like mulled wine, as well as non-alcoholic delights like hot chocolate.

In the wintertime, bundle up and head to the DowntownDC Holiday Market on F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets, which usually runs from the week before Thanksgiving until just before Christmas, to enjoy the sights and sounds of the holiday season.

Explore the historic Fish Market

The Municipal Fish Market at The Wharf is a wonderfully unusual sight. A handful of floating stalls on the waterfront, it looks much as it has for generations, all weathered facades and bustling vendors. But the charm of the fish market is just how unpretentious it feels: vendors are there to sell fish, and sell fish alone.

Dating back to 1805, it bills itself as the oldest continuously operating open-air fish market in the US! Each vendor has ice boxes showcasing their catches of the day, and lines here often get very long to buy the cream of the crop. In addition to buying several varieties of fish and shellfish here, there are also stalls that sell meals like gumbo, fried shrimp, etc.

For seafood lovers, this is a unique place in DC that’s definitely worth a visit, if even just to see where the magic happens.

Wander Through a Farmer’s Market

There are farmer’s markets all over the city of Washington DC, and some keep going right through winter. Two of the largest ones are Dupont Circle (Sundays, 8:30am to 1:30pm) and Columbia Heights (Saturday mornings year-round, plus Wednesday afternoons), but there are many others you can peruse as well.

Farmer’s markets offer fresh produce, artisan food items, prepared food, live music, and often, the best part…FREE SAMPLES. My favourite farmer’s market is the Dupont Circle market, because it spans a few blocks and seemingly has everything. These are a great place to people-watch, too!

Peruse the stalls at Union Market

Located in the Union Market District, a short walk from the NoMa-Gallaudet Metro station, Union Market is a newer warehouse-like establishment featuring many indoor food vendors and boutique shops.

It’s the most polished of the city’s markets, designed as a place to graze your way through dozens of local food stalls, sip a glass of wine and catch up with friends. The surrounding district has exploded in recent years too, with restaurants, bars and a rooftop scene, so it’s worth leaving time to explore beyond the hall itself. Right next door, La Cosecha is a market hall dedicated to Latin American food, coffee and culture, and the area now has its own small music venue, Songbyrd Music House.

Or wander through the streets of Eastern Market

Eastern Market is a neighbourhood in DC, but it’s also an interesting weekend street market that I didn’t group into the “farmer’s market” category because it is so unique.

At weekends, the outdoor stalls sell everything from antique maps to clothing, handmade soaps and local art. The weekend flea market is my absolute favourite, a mishmash of old finds and small made-in-DC businesses. The outdoor market runs on Saturdays and Sundays from 9am to 4pm.

Alongside it sits the historic 1873 market hall, the oldest continually operating public market in DC, housing butchers, produce sellers and the famous blueberry-buckwheat pancakes at Market Lunch. Surrounding cafes and brunch spots open their doors to hungry market-goers, so it’s easy to lose a whole morning here.

Duck into the charming Blagden Alley

I mentioned Blagden Alley in the street art entry but it’s such a cool spot that it deserves an entry of its own. 

Tucked behind some unassuming buildings in Shaw is a peculiar alleyway that doesn’t look like much from the street. However, this alley houses a coffee shop (La Colombe) and a few restaurants and bars, including the walk-in-only Calico, as well as a street mosaic and strange cobblestone streets. Then there’s the street art: bold and wonderful, a mini-open air art gallery for all to see, including a giant rainbow LOVE mural. 

It’s one of those weird things I would have never known about if a friend of mine hadn’t taken me there and shown it to me. If you’re hanging out in the Shaw area, Blagden Alley is definitely a cool thing to see.

Wander around the Wharf

One of DC’s newer constructions is a waterfront area in Southwest DC, on the Washington Channel, called The Wharf.

Easily reached by Metro, it’s lined with shops, restaurants and bars, plus the Anthem, a superb 6,000-capacity concert venue that draws major touring acts. There are piers, a wood-burning fire pit in District Square and plenty of waterfront terraces, making it a lovely spot for a drink at sunset or a night out with friends.

Visit a historic home

OK, OK, I know these are ~kind of~ museums, but they never get mentioned anywhere in museum posts, so I thought I’d include them here.  Historic homes are an often neglected attraction in Washington.

Because DC was so central to the formation of the United States, it’s full of historic homes you can tour. In Georgetown, the Old Stone House is one of the oldest buildings in DC and the only pre-Revolutionary colonial structure left in the city; built in 1765, more than 85% of it still dates to the 18th-century original. Crazy, right?

Or visit the Heurich House, also known as the Brewmaster’s Castle, built in the 1890s for German brewer Christian Heurich and packed with cutting-edge features of the day, right down to early electric lighting.

The Old Stone House is free and open daily. The Heurich House runs tours on Wednesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday and Sunday afternoons ($15, booked in advance, and not for under-10s), and its lovely Biergarten is open seasonally.

Wander among the headstones at Congressional Cemetery

Hear me out on this one. Historic Congressional Cemetery on Capitol Hill dates back to 1807 and is the final resting place of everyone from FBI director J. Edgar Hoover to march king John Philip Sousa. But it’s far from gloomy. It’s run by a nonprofit and is beloved by locals, not least the members of its famous dog-walking programme, who exercise their pups among the headstones.

You’re free to wander the grounds, but the best time to visit is in October, when the cemetery runs its lantern-lit Soul Strolls, with costumed guides telling the stories of the people buried there.

Browse and listen in at Politics and Prose

For a bookstore, Politics and Prose is something of a DC institution. The independent bookshop on Connecticut Avenue (with sister branches at The Wharf and Union Market) hosts author talks almost every night, and in a city full of politicos, journalists and policy wonks, the conversations are as good as the books. Check their events calendar before you go: many talks are free.

Step into Marjorie Merriweather Post’s world at Hillwood

Tucked away in the leafy Forest Hills neighbourhood, Hillwood Estate, Museum and Garden was the home of cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, and it’s packed with her collection of Russian imperial art (including Fabergé eggs) and French decorative arts. Most people come for the 13 acres of gardens, though, from a Japanese-style garden to a formal French parterre.

It’s open Tuesday to Sunday, with a suggested donation of $20.

People watch at the National Mall

The National Mall is full of museums and monuments, but some of the prime viewing here is of the people around you. Grab a bench, pick up a bag of popcorn and watch the world go by; it can often lead to some pretty funny or interesting insights about the humans of DC.

Food and drink

Check out the latest pop-up bars

Remember the Game of Thrones bar? Or the Cherry Blossom bar? DC has a long history of weird and wonderful pop up bars. One minute, it’s a terrifying Halloween-themed bar, the next, it’s Christmas!

The original Shaw pop-up bars that started the craze closed in 2020, but the tradition lives on, especially around the holidays. The kitschy Christmas pop-ups Miracle and Sippin’ Santa take over DC bars every winter (last year they were at Death Punch Bar and Black Whiskey), and plenty of other bars put on their own themed takeovers for Halloween and cherry blossom season. Check what’s on before you go; they get busy fast.

Hit up the hottest happy hours

DC young professionals LOVE happy hour. For many of us (myself included) happy hour is the new dinner. Typically occurring from 4-7 PM, people flock to some of the best bars in Washington, DC for discounted food, drink, and social time.

There are happy hours all over the city, but some of the most popular areas to go are Dupont Circle/Adams Morgan, 14th Street, U Street, Shaw, and Gallery Place.

Visit a speakeasy

Hidden behind closed doors of seemingly abandoned buildings lie a set of super unique underground bars called speakeasies. Much like the Prohibition era, these bars are difficult to find, but when you stumble upon a good one, it’s a strangely amazing experience.

My favourite speakeasy in DC used to be The Gibson on U Street, but sadly it closed at the start of 2024 after 15 years. These days, try the Back Room at Capo Italian Deli in Shaw, which you reach by walking through a freezer door at the back of the deli, or The Mirror downtown, where the bar’s name is your clue to finding the entrance. There are many other speakeasies in DC; for a complete list, visit this site.

Wine and dine at a historic institution

Martin’s Tavern…Old Ebbitt Grill…what do they have in common? They’re all historic dining institutions in DC, where the likes of US presidents would hang out and discuss important political matters.

When you step inside one of these fascinating places, you step into a world of history and grandeur, with wood-paneled bars and tables, and furnishings that look like they’ve been around a century. If you go to Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown, you can even request to sit at the booth where JFK proposed to Jackie.

While away the afternoon at a brewery

Breweries and beer gardens are extremely popular hangouts in Washington DC, especially in the summer months. 

• Wunder Garten in NoMa is a standout, offering a mix of local brews, German and Austrian beers and food on its large patio. 
• The Red Bear Brewing Co in NoMa is a cool 100% gay-owned brewery with excellent craft beers.
• If you love sour beers, you need to head to Right Proper Brewing Co’s tasting room in Brookland, which specialises in the very same. 

Many allow you to bring your own food, sit back with friends, and sip on some local brews in open air. 

Go To One of DC’s Michelin Starred Delights

If you prefer high-class restaurants, the fine dining options in DC are competitive with most major cities in the world. Ranging in type from new American fare to sushi, there’s plenty of variety in the Michelin-star world of DC.

Some of the standout names on the Michelin list are the two-star Jônt and minibar by José Andrés, along with one-star favourites Rose’s Luxury, Pineapple & Pearls and Little Pearl.

Sit back at a locally-owned coffee shop (or a teahouse!)

DC’s coffee scene is fabulous, and this is coming from someone who spends a LOT of time in coffee shops working on…ahem…this site. You can head to a city favourite like La Colombe (the Blagden Alley branch is a gem), or seek out the Latin American roasts at Unido Coffee inside La Cosecha.

If you don’t want to decide between your coffee brews and your cocktails, check out Tryst in Adams Morgan, which serves coffee, tea, AND cocktails behind their bar. Why choose if you can have both?

Go out for a night out on the town

While it’s not Las Vegas, the nightlife scene in DC can be super fun, if you know where to go. Some of the hotspots for night time activity include Adams Morgan and U Street, but there are bars all over the city, from Navy Yard to Columbia Heights.

For something completely different, head to Desert 5 Spot in the Union Market District, a country bar with live music, line dancing and, yes, a mechanical bull.

Sample international cuisine

Because of the presence of so many embassies and international organisations, DC hosts incredibly diverse and delicious cuisine. You can find traditional foods ranging from Japanese to Swiss to Senegalese to Georgian, or you can sample fusion foods like Peruvian-Chinese.

One of my favourite fusion restaurants was called Compass Rose, which served shared plates inspired by countries all over the world, including more unusual cuisines like Georgian khachapuri (the famous cheese-and-egg bread boat). It closed in 2025, but the same 14th Street space has reopened as Sook, an all-day cafe, market and wine bar that still serves khachapuri. For more Silk Road flavours, Karravaan in the Union Market District is another newer spot worth seeking out.

Outdoors activities in Washington D.C

Meander through the National Arboretum

If you’re looking for a unique outdoor experience, head to the National Arboretum. A little removed from the downtown bustle, this 451-acre oasis is home to winding paths, wildflowers, bonsai collections and, most famously, the National Capitol Columns, 22 sandstone columns that once stood at the US Capitol, now standing dramatically in an open meadow. It’s a wonderful spot for a long, peaceful walk for you and your dog (or your imaginary dog…it’s cool, I have one too), and one many visitors never make it to. The grounds are open daily from 8am to 5pm and entry is free.

Spot lotus flowers at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens

On the eastern bank of the Anacostia River, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens is one of the most surprising sights in the city: ponds full of water lilies and lotus flowers, first planted by a Civil War veteran in the 1880s and now run by the National Park Service. It’s at its best in July, when the lotuses are in full bloom and the park holds its annual Lotus and Water Lily Festival. Go early in the morning, when the flowers are open and the herons are out.

Go to a dog park

If there’s one thing about DC that’s true all the time, it’s that it’s a dog city. Everyone and their mother seems to own a dog. Even if you don’t have a dog, you can head to a dog park and watch the dogs sprinting around, barking at each other, and having fun.

It’s always a lift in spirits to be around pups, and even more when they’re running freely in the open air.

Paddle through the city on the Potomac River

Sometimes people forget that the Potomac River runs right through some of the city’s most spectacular sights, and that you can see a completely different perspective of the US capital from the water.

If you love being outdoors, or are looking for a unique, romantic thing to do in the city, go kayaking in DC and explore the city from the water. You can rent a kayak or paddleboard from the boathouses at Key Bridge in Georgetown, The Wharf and near Nationals Park, from around $22 an hour! Exploring the city from the water will give you a unique perspective that not many visitors get to see.

Join a drum circle at Meridian Hill Park

In my opinion, this is one of the wackiest things to do in DC. On Sundays from mid-afternoon, there’s a large, ongoing drum circle at Meridian Hill Park. Anyone can join or watch the drum circle, and it’s fascinating to see people just drumming along with complete strangers, nodding their heads with grins on their faces.

You might think it sounds like a bunch of drums beating out of rhythm, but it actually stays pretty in sync. This is definitely something to experience if you’re looking for a unique thing to do in DC. The park’s lower section and its cascading fountain reopened in May 2026 after a renovation, so it’s looking better than ever.

Go for a walk in Rock Creek Park

Rock Creek Park is one of DC’s outdoor gems. With 1,700+ acres of forested park area in the middle of Washington DC, it’s perfect for the outdoor enthusiast or people who enjoy exploring urban green spaces.

One of the oldest national parks in the country, it has miles of trails for walking, running and cycling, plus a nature centre and planetarium (open Wednesday to Sunday), the historic Peirce Mill, and even horse-riding stables. You could easily spend a whole day here escaping the chaos of the city without ever leaving it.

Find a quiet corner at Dumbarton Oaks Gardens

Hidden behind high walls in the heart of Georgetown, the gardens at Dumbarton Oaks are a series of terraced “garden rooms” that spill down the hillside, from formal rose gardens to wilder meadows and a mosaic Pebble Garden. It’s where Georgetown locals go for a bit of peace, and in spring the cherry trees and forsythia rival anything on the Tidal Basin, without the crowds. The gardens are open Tuesday to Sunday afternoons, and tickets for the spring to fall season are booked online.

Ride a 1921 carousel at Glen Echo Park

Just over the Maryland line, Glen Echo Park is a former amusement park turned arts and culture centre that few visitors ever find. Its beautiful 1921 Dentzel carousel still spins on weekends from spring to fall (rides are $2), and on weekend nights the historic Spanish Ballroom hosts swing, salsa and contra dances, usually with a beginner lesson beforehand.

Or do some hiking at Great Falls

If you have a car (or access to one), you can’t miss Great Falls. Although it’s located a little bit out of the city on the Virginia-Maryland border, I’ve included it on this list because it is an absolutely spectacular sight.

Here, the Potomac cascades and crashes over sharp rocks in a canyon-like area, causing a mesmerizing set of waterfalls. It’s truly like being in another world there. There are several miles of hiking trails here, ranging from flat, easy hikes to tricky rock scrambles. You can take your pick. Entry to the Virginia side is $20 per car (card only), or $35 for an annual pass.

Explore the city on wheels

There’s really no better way to get around Washington DC than by bike. Because it’s a fairly small city, it’s easy to get around from place to place on a bike. You can get to the main landmarks while still being able to see some interesting sights along the way. DC boasts a popular bike tour that takes you through some of the city’s iconic areas and through charming neighbourhoods, too.

If you’re on a budget, companies like Capital Bikeshare offer rental bikes for $1 to unlock plus 15 cents a minute (or $10 for a day pass). You grab one and hit the road to explore this weird and wonderful city at your own pace.

Coming soon: keep an eye on the 11th Street Bridge Park, which will turn an old freeway bridge over the Anacostia into DC’s first elevated park, linking Capitol Hill and Navy Yard with Anacostia. It’s due to open around 2028.

Read More Washington DC Guides 

• A Weekend in Washington DC: Step-by-Step Itinerary
• Brilliant Day Trips from Washington D.C
• Where to Stay in Washington DC
• The Ultimate USA Bucket List

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