48 Hours in Washington D.C.

With Generator set to open an exciting new property in Washington D.C., there’s never been a better time to explore America’s capital city. Of course, there’s way more to DC than the White House and you’ll definitely need more than 24 hours to do the place justice but, just in case you’re limited to a flying visit, we’ve put together a fun schedule that packs in some of DCs top attractions and a taste of the wider city.
 

DAY 1

 

Morning

Cafe Integral

1900 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC 20009, United States

Where better to start than at Cafe Integral offering a variety of Nicaragua’s finest coffees, local tea purveyors, fresh juice and other delicious beverage options. Breakfast selections are made with fresh, seasonal ingredients.

 

National Mall

900 Ohio Drive SW, Washington, DC; 202-426-6841

After a 25-minute walk to White House from Cafe Integral go to the National Mall, where you’ll find a host of Washington’s most famous monuments. The Mall is a pleasant landscaped park that stretches between the Lincoln Memorial to the west and the grounds of the U.S. Capitol building to the east. There’s plenty to see – in addition to the monuments, your tour of the Mall could take in one of the excellent museums that flank it. There are plenty to choose from, including the National Museum of American History, The Hirschhorn Museum and the National Museum of Natural History.

 

Afternoon

Ben’s Chili Bowl

1213 U St NW, Washington, DC 20009

From the National Mall walk to L’Enfant Plaza Metro Station and take the Green Line to the U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo stop, which should take about 9 minutes. Ben’s Chili Bowl is just across the road. Ostensibly a humble looking diner, Ben’s is probably DCs most celebrated eatery, having played host to a glittering roll call of celebrities over the decades, including the odd President. Ben’s is famous for its Chili Half-Smoke, essentially a smoky hot dog with a generous slathering of Ben’s eponymous chili.

 

Meridian Hill Park

16th St NW &, W St NW, Washington, DC 20009

From Ben’s, walk west down U Street towards 13^th Street NW, then take a right turn up 15^th Street NW and walk to Meridian Hill Park. This should take about 10 minutes. This lovely 12-acre urban park is better known locally as Malcolm X Park, a moniker that dates back to its history as a popular political rallying spot in the 60s. It’s a lovely spot to while away a couple of hours. If you’re passing through on a Sunday afternoon, you’re likely to encounter the Sunday drum circle, which has been a weekly fixture in the park since the 60s.

 

Stop for coffee at Busboys & Poets

2021 14th St NW, Washington, DC 20009

It’s a short 5-minute stroll from Meridian Hill Park to Busboys and Poets, a cool restaurant and bookshop with an authentic bohemian vibe. Consciously paying tribute to U Street’s history as DC’s black hub (the area was known as ‘Black Broadway’), the name refers to the poet Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy at the Wardman Park Hotel in the 30s.

 

Evening 

9:30 Club

815 V St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Your final port of call is a 10-minute walk away (walk east along U Street then a couple of hundred yards up 9^th Street NW). The 9:30 Club is probably DCs most important live music venue and a fine place to end the night. Check out the club’s listings to see if any worthwhile gigs coincide with your visit.

   

DAY 2

Morning

Breakfast at Bullfrog Bagels

317 7th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

Widely hailed as the purveyor of DC’s best bagels, Bullfrog’s reputation has blown up in the space of a few years, enabling the establishment of two further branches. Head to the Eastern Market branch on 7^th Street SE and judge for yourself.

 

United States Capitol

First St SE, Washington, DC 20004

It’s a straightforward 15-20-minute walk from Bullfrog Bagels to the US Capitol building. Head up Pennsylvania Avenue SE then Independence Avenue before taking a right up First Street SE followed by a left onto East Capitol Street NE. Enter US Capitol via the underground visitor centre below the East Front Plaza. The Capitol Building is home to Congress and thus the home of American law-making. It’s a vast, labyrinthine building connected by a multitude of halls and tunnels. Happily, you can join an official tour for free. If you want to avoid a long wait for tickets (our whistle-stop itinerary demands that you do!) it’s wise to book ahead online.

 

Afternoon

Chiko

423 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20004

Specialising in ambitiously cheffy dishes dispensed via a casual counter service, CHIKO’s experimental fusion of Chinese and Korean cuisine has quietly established this expanding brand (it recently opened a branch in San Diego) as one of DC’s biggest gastronomic success stories. Stop by for a fast but flavour-packed lunch.

 

Explore the Navy yard district

From CHIKO walk south to the Navy Yard neighbourhood. This should take no more than 15 minutes - take 8^th Street SE and you’ll get there in no time. The Navy Yard neighbourhood wasn’t much of a draw until a relatively recent surge of development (sparked by the appearance of the Nationals Park baseball stadium in 2008) began to create one of the city’s most exciting neighbourhoods. While recent lists declaring it to be one of the hippest neighbourhoods on the planet should be taken with a generous pinch of salt – it’s a bit too contrived to be truly cool – there’s plenty to recommend this up-and-coming stretch of waterfront, so have a wander and enjoy the riverside views. If you think you’ve got time you could even take to the water in a kayak or canoe at the Ballpark Boatyard. But, let’s be straight, you haven’t.

 

Evening

Rose’s Luxury

717 8th St SE, Washington, DC 20003

A short stroll from Navy Yard, Rose’s Luxury has been one of DC’s hottest restaurants for a few years now and it continues to live up to the hype. The welcome is warm, the space is fun and inviting and the food is adventurous in all the right ways, epitomised by the brand defining Lychee and Pork Salad. The no reservations policy means waiting for a table can be a bore but head upstairs to the bar and you’ll find that the wait becomes far more tolerable with a cocktail at hand.

 

Bluejacket

300 Tingey St SE, Washington, DC 20003

If you can muster the energy for a nightcap or two head back into Navy Yard and seek out this vast microbrewery/restaurant/bar. Set in a former boilermaker factory, this industrial scale three-floor beer emporium is packed to the rafters with Nationals fans on game day and pretty buzzy throughout the rest of the week.