Welcome to Washington, DC, the Nation's capital!

We have loved exploring DC together, and it holds a special place in our hearts--we got engaged on the west side of the U.S. Capitol! If you are traveling from out of town, we hope you will find time during our wedding weekend to explore some of the extraordinary museums, historical sites, and landmarks in the District. On this page, we have compiled some of our favorite things to do and see. Note that some museums and tours require advance reservations, so we advise you to begin planning your sightseeing as early as possible.

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat…

Most places listed below are in or near the Capitol Hill/Eastern Market neighborhoods, with a few exceptions. On the weekend, visit Eastern Market for an outdoor farmer’s market with lots of good food options.

Coffee Shops

- Tatte (various locations, 250 Massachusetts Ave NW)

- 7th St Hill Café (701 North Carolina Ave SE)

- Peregrine Espresso (660 Pennsylvania Ave SE)

Breakfast

- Le Bon Café (210 2nd St SE)

- Jimmy T’s Place (501 E Capitol St SE)

- Le Pain Quotidien (660 Pennsylvania Ave SE)

- Bullfrog Bagels (one location in H St corridor at 1341 H St NE, another in Eastern Market at 317 7th St SE)

Lunch

- Sweetgreen (various locations, 221 Pennsylvania Ave SE is closest to the church; Alma’s all-time favorite lunch spot)

- Nando’s Peri Peri (411 H St NE)

- Buffalo & Bergen Capitol Hill (240 Massachusetts Ave NE, Washington, DC 20002)

Dinner/Drinks

- Old Ebbitt Grill (675 15th St NW)

- Santa Rosa Taqueria (301 Pennsylvania Ave SE)

- Barrel (613 Pennsylvania Ave SE)

- Momo Chicken and Grill (1001 4th St SW)

- Hawk ’n’ Dove (329 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)

- Union Pub (201 Massachusetts Ave NE)

- The Queen Vic (1206 H St NE)

- Café Berlin (322 Massachusetts Ave NE)

Groceries

- Trader Joes (various locations, 750 Pennsylvania Ave. SE is closest to the church)

- Giant (various locations, H St location is north of Capitol Hill, 300 H St NE)

- Safeway (various locations, 415 14th St SE is closest to the church)

If you have a couple of hours...

- Take a stroll on the National Mall. At the east end is the U.S. Capitol, and two miles west is the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington Monument is in between, and the World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, and Vietnam War Memorial are all located in the vicinity of the Lincoln Memorial. You'll see many of DC's famous landmarks by spending a bit of time walking around the Mall! Taking the Metro to the Smithsonian stop on the Blue/Silver/Orange lines will get you closest to the Washington Monument. Tickets are required if you'd like to visit the top of the Washington Monument, and they are claimed quickly: https://www.nps.gov/wamo/planyourvisit/fees.htm. Other memorials listed above do not require reservations--just a good pair of walking shoes.

- Visit the United States Botanic Garden, located near the US Capitol building. On a chilly day, the steamy greenhouse and stunning collection of plants, trees, and flowers is incredible! It’s located near many of the other museums on the mall, so it pairs well with a visit to one of those (see the Smithsonian section below).

- Eastern Market is the neighborhood northeast of the church, named for the indoor market where you can buy meat, dairy and vegetables. On weekends, they close the street and vendors set up tents outside the market. There is lots of delicious food, and local artists and small business owners sell all kinds of interesting things.

- Located east of the Capitol is the Library of Congress. To learn about the Library's history, you can reserve a free, timed-entry ticket to access the museum (www.loc.gov/visit/). If you want to experience it like a local, visit the museum, then take a moment to get a library card and visit the grand reading room! You can pre-register for the card (https://www.loc.gov/rr/readerregistration.html) , and upon arriving at the Library, follow instructions for how to get your card.

- Visit your Congressman/Senator's office! The Senate and House office buildings are open to the public most of the time, as long as you pass through a metal detector (sometimes, unpredictable security situations temporarily prevent access). The Senate office buildings are located to the north of the Capitol building, and House offices to the south. Using your Congressman/Senator's website, you can find the address of their DC office, and simply stop by. You probably won't see the Congressman/Senator, but you can let their receptionist know that you're a visiting constituent and ask if they have any recommendations for your time in DC. Additionally, they can provide a pass that will allow you to visit the House or Senate galleries, which is an incredible experience! If you call ahead of time, they may be able to set up a tour or other experience for you--just be sure to call the DC office.

If you have a half- or full day...

- Take a tour of the U.S. Capitol. Tours can be arranged online through the Capitol Visitor Center website (https://www.visitthecapitol.gov/visit/book-a-tour) or by calling your Congressman/Senator's office. Keep in mind that you cannot bring food or drink and you'll have to pass through metal detectors to enter the Capitol.

- Visit the Museum of the Bible. Opened in 2017, MOB documents the narrative, history, and impact of the Bible with exhibits on history and a large collection of biblical manuscripts and artifacts. It’s an incredible compilation of the history of the Jewish and Christian people, and well-worth the $30 admission fee—this is one of our favorite museums in DC. You can get tickets at www.museumofthebible.org.

- You may want to spend more than a half-day at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum. It tells the horrific story of the Holocaust through historical accounts, firsthand narratives, and artifacts, so that we will not forget these atrocities. Free, timed-entry tickets are required, and you can get them at www.ushmm.org/information/visit-the-museum/admission-tickets.

- Take your pick of one of many Smithsonian museums located on or near the National Mall. There’s the African American History and Culture Museum (requires free, timed-entry tickets), the Air and Space Museum (requires free, timed-entry tickets), American Art Museum, American History Museum, American Indian Museum, Hirshhorn, Natural History Museum, Portrait Gallery, Postal Museum, and Renwick Gallery. The National Archives, where the Constitution is preserved, are also nearby, as is the National Gallery of Art. Our favorite places to spend an afternoon are the American History Museum, National Gallery of Art, and the American Art Museum.

- Visit the National Zoo! It requires a metro ride and a short walk from the National Mall area, and you’ll need free entry passes.

- Visit Arlington National Cemetery. You can drive or take the metro, as the Cemetery is located just across the Potomac River in Arlington, Virginia. You can enter the Cemetery for free, and walk around the grounds to visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watch the changing of the guard (a must-see…it takes places every hour, on the hour), and see Robert E. Lee’s house, as well as John F. Kennedy and his family’s graves. If you’d prefer to have a guide, the Cemetery offers guided bus tours that will allow you to see many of the famous memorials and graves, for a fee. You can visit Arlington’s website here: www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/#/ or the tour-provider’s website here: https://www.arlingtontours.com/?phta=ancbranded&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwxLKxBhA7EiwAXO0R0CdyLFmzrovaRBhgqF1L8UiOPtSKsaNOEBaybagQhjfKdkbGrSW5pBoCR6gQAvD_BwE

If you want to spend time outdoors...

- Visit Theodore Roosevelt Island. It’s a 88.5 acre island in the middle of the Potomac River, with trails and a memorial to President Roosevelt. You can drive to a parking lot, or take the metro to the Rosslyn station (Blue, Orange, Silver lines) and walk 15 minutes. Visit this website for more information: www.nps.gov/this/index.htm

- Stroll around the Tidal Basin. South of the mall, this body of water is part of the memorial to Thomas Jefferson. In addition to Thomas Jefferson, there are memorials to Martin Luther King Jr. and Franklin Delano Roosevelt along its banks.

- Walk through the historic streets of the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Stop by Lincoln Park for a memorial to President Lincoln, funded by emancipated slaves. The tree-lined streets will be beautiful in October, and there are many colorful and fun row-houses to observe!

- Visit the National Arboretum. It’s a short drive from the Capitol Hill neighborhood (located at 3501 New York Ave NE) and boasts a variety of tree and flower collections on 450 acres. Visit this website to learn more: www.usna.usda.gov/