While Washington DC may be known for its rich history, there are so many things to do and see beyond visiting the museums and historical sites. Some of our favorite things to do in Washington DC include festivals, monuments, walking tours, and wine tastings. With such a wide variety of things to do, we’re sure you’ll find plenty of things that spark your interest and that will help you make memories to last a lifetime.
Some of our Favorite Things to Do in Washington DC
- Tours
One of the most popular things to do in Washington DC are tours. You can find historical tours, walking tours, segway tours, chocolate tours, wine tasting tours, nighttime tours, daytime tours, and the list goes on. Tours are a great way to learn about different places around DC while also safely navigating between locations and not getting lost. It’s also a great way to learn about the best places according to locals, not just popular tourist stops. Plus, there are extra facts and tips you can learn from your local guide that you won’t learn by just visiting a museum. - Wine Tastings
After a long day walking around the city, reading facts and stories about American history, and visiting lots of local sites, it can be nice to wind down and enjoy yourself for a bit. A wine tasting is a great way to do this. It’s fun and relaxing, and you can learn about and try local wines from right here in Washington DC or try wines from around the world: the choice is yours. No matter what you choose, we’re sure you’ll have a great time during your wine tasting while chatting with friends and family about your day in Washington DC. - Festivals
Depending on the time of year you visit us here in DC, you may find yourself here at the same time as some of our popular festivals. We host a wide range of festivals from local artists to history to different music genres and more. Some of our more popular festivals include the Cherry Blossom Festival, the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, the DC Jazz Festival, and the list goes on. Our DC festivals are fun for adults and for the whole family, but be sure to research each one beforehand to determine which ones are family friendly. You can check the dates of when you’ll be visiting to see if your dates will be overlapping any of our annual festivals, so you can enjoy some DC fun outside of the typical tourist attractions. - Cruises
Everyone enjoys traveling and seeing the sites differently, but one of the popular ways you can see a lot of Washington DC in less time is via a river cruise. This requires a lot less walking while still getting to enjoy the beautiful architecture and scenery all around DC. Some river cruises include meals, some have smaller boats versus larger boats for a more personalized experience, some show more of the city than others, but every river cruise is fun and informational as you explore Washington DC from a different perspective. - Museums
You probably didn’t expect to see this on the list since we specifically want to focus on unique things to do in Washington DC. But what many people don’t realize is that there are very unique museums here that get overlooked or overshadowed by the Smithsonian and other more well-known museums in DC. For instance, The International Spy Museum. This museum is great for kids and adults and has so many fascinating facts and stories from spies. A few other unique museums in DC include Planet Word, Selfie WRLD, Clara Barton’s Missing Soldiers Office, The Kreeger Museum, and the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. From artwork to history to social media and beyond, there are so many incredible museums to discover in Washington DC. - Historical sites
This is another “typical” tourist option that most people expect on a list of things to do in Washington DC, but there are a lot of historical sites in DC that many people don’t actually know about. The Folger Shakespeare Library holds the largest collection of Shakespeare artifacts and is free at certain times throughout the day. Other unique places to visit are The Mansion on O, President Lincoln’s Cottage, Dumbarton Oaks, Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens. Several of these have free entry which means you could plan a full day sightseeing in Washington DC without needing to spend any money. That is impressive right there.
We hope that you learned of some new and unique places to visit and experience during your next trip to Washington DC. Many of the things to do on these lists have free entry while others are paid experiences. Hopefully you can find a common ground between the two to create an incredible and memorable experience while here in Washington DC. And of course, we’d love for you to plan your own private wine tasting with friends and family while you’re here. It really is the perfect way to wind down after a long day full of learning and adventures.
