Washington DC, encompasses the realized dreams of America’s past and the unfinished dreams of the future. It’s different to read about the iconic landmarks of Washington DC, than to see them in person. This is the city to refresh your memory of U.S. history.
Walk the National Mall
The National Mall takes a couple of hours to walk through, and could take longer if you decide to visit the museums. Many of the tours may need a reservation in advance. Many are free (or a very low fee), you just have to reserve tickets in advance. I went to most of the tourist attractions during my few days. I think my favorite is the World War II Memorial. It is gorgeous all around, and visitors can soak their feet in the Rainbow Pool, in honor of the troops who celebrated in the fountains of Europe after World War II.
Here are the major landmarks along the National Mall.
- Lincoln Memorial (Tickets to the Undercroft)
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
- Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool (if open)
- World War II Memorial
- Washington Monument (Tickets to the Monument)
- Thomas Jefferson Memorial
- U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) (Tickets for the Tour)
- United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (Tickets to the Museum)
- National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Smithsonian National Museum of American History
- Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
- National Gallery of Art – Sculpture Garden
- National Gallery of Art
- Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
- National Museum of the American Indian
- Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
- Smithsonian Castle
- Hirshhorn Museum
- Smithsonian Arts + Industries Building
- National Museum of Asian Art
I found the Museum of American History interesting, even though it had relics, including George Washington’s battle outfit from a couple of hundred years ago. The Museum of Natural History would be more enjoyable for children, but I found the gemstone section fascinating – maybe because I love wearing jewelry? I found the malachite, which is the same stone on my Louis Vuitton bracelet!
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park has free entry (tickets required) to its 163-acre park. There are over 2,000 animals, including elephants, tigers, lions, orangutans, monkeys, pandas, bears, seals, sea lions, and many more. I walked through the entire zoo in about 90 minutes.
For a free zoo, it was great. For someone spoiled by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom, it can be a bit underwhelming.
The Washington DC Experience
I was still living off the highs of New York City. Washington DC is different. I still had a great time!
Louis Vuitton Washington DC CityCenter
The Louis Vuitton store at the Washington DC CityCenter carries women’s goods. The store itself is small, but does carry exotics and has a private room upstairs. I was so thankful to be helped by Brenna. I picked out a gorgeous scarf to take home a piece of DC with me.
Pisco Y Nazca
I wanted a quick bite to eat, but stumbled upon Pisco Y Nazca’s happy hour, with discounted drinks and appetizers.
I ordered the Ceviche Callejero, which has octopus ceviche, fish, shrimp, calamari, cancha (toasted corn), and plantains. This was a bit spicy, but I loved the dish overall! It is very flavorful, and the pairing with the plantains is a chef’s kiss. Funny thing: the cancha reminds me of corn nuts, so it reminded me a bit of childhood.
For my main dish, I ordered the Plancha Pulpo, which is a grilled octopus served with choclo, causa, chimichurri, anticuchera sauce, and aji amarillo sauce. I am OBSESSED with grilled octopus, so this is perfect.
Takumi Japanese Bistro & Bar
Through the many pages I had to flip back and forth on the menu, I settled on a plate of ankimo (monkfish liver) and the Bara Chirashi Don. The Bara Chirashi Don has 15 pieces of premium sashimi, which included otoro, ikura, uni, scallop, and quail egg. I was absolutely in love with this bowl. It was everything I’ve ever wanted.
Lao Sze Chuan
I’ve seen so many videos about this restaurant; it has the best peking duck out in the DC area. Yes and no, Yes, it is probably the best in DC, but no, I’ve had better at Ji Rong. The two could not compare, but I felt like the duck meat itself was dry, while the skin was very oily. With one bite of the skin, I felt like I was taking shots of oil. However, I do give them the right of passage that it is legitimate peking duck.
Molly Tea
Okay, my obsession with Molly Tea had me ordering this EVEN when I am not at home. Molly Tea out here tastes the same. There is a Molly Tea drama out in NYC and LA, due to a franchise dispute. I actually like Molly Tea even tho it pissed me off in the beginning.
Trattoria Sorrento
Solid Italian food. I absolutely enjoyed both the clam pasta in white sauce and branzino with spaghetti and marinara. It kind of reminded me of one of the restaurants from the time I went to Rome.
The Salt Line
Honestly, this might be my favorite eatery during the trip. I wanted oysters, and this restaurant had the best pricing ratio. We also ordered a lobster roll, fries, clam chowder, and grilled artichokes. Checked the box on my oyster craving! The clam chowder was a bit watery, but the grilled artichokes made up for it.
Frank Pepe’s Pizza
What is New Haven-style pizza? Frake Pepe’s answers it. It’s totally different than New York style pizza. The clam pizza? Okay, I’ve heard of it, but you know what? It’s legit when it’s done right. I’ll take this over anchovy pizza any day.