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If you’re looking for the perfect weekend away, then spending two days in the Capital of the United States, Washington, D.C., is the perfect choice. The city is small enough that you can explore the main attractions in just 2 days, making it an ideal destination for a short break.
Home to some of the most iconic landmarks and monuments in the country, from the home of the president to the Library of Congress and the Smithsonian Museums, there is plenty to pack into a 2-day Washington, D.C. itinerary. To help you out, we’ve shared how we spent 48 hours in Washington DC, so you can make the most of your short visit.
Washington D.C. at a glance 🔍
- Accommodation options: Washington D.C. has many budget-friendly hotels and vacation rentals. You will be looking to spend around $190-$250 USD per night on accommodation.
- Getting around: Washington D.C. is very walkable, but you can also bike around The National Mall.
- Unmissable sights: Of course, you must visit the Library of Congress, but also see the monuments on The National Mall and visit the Smithsonian museums.
- Money saving tip: You can save money in Washington D.C. by visiting in the off-season. Avoid the cherry blossom season, and choose winter if you can.
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The Ultimate 2 Day Washington, DC Itinerary
Washington DC deserves more than 48 hours, as there’s just so much to see and do you want to spend more time at each place. However, you can see the main highlights and attractions in just two days. To get around this itinerary, I recommend you hire a bike and cycle. The National Mall and much of downtown are easily accessible by bicycle, and it’s always nice to avoid public transport and save money.
If I were to return to Washington, DC, I probably wouldn’t visit in winter again, although the Christmas lights and decorations and the festive feel make it extra special. It was bitterly cold, and many of the attractions are outdoors! The Spring would be a great time to visit, as this is when the cherry blossoms are in bloom.
Day 1: The National Mall (The Mall)
If you only have time to do one thing in DC, make visiting the National Mall your focus. This is where most of the main attractions in DC are. Spread out across two miles from the US Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, the Mall is in the heart of downtown and home to the country’s most famous monuments and memorials.
Even though we were visiting in December and all rugged up (it was COLD for us Aussies), we enjoyed walking the pedestrian-friendly Mall and stopping at the various monuments and memorials. We were blown away by the world-famous museums and impressive federal buildings along Constitution Avenue, including the famous National Archives Museum. What’s great about DC is that its monuments and memorials are FREE and open to the public 24 hours a day! You can’t beat free admission. So with our winter thermals on, we started at the Lincoln Memorial and headed east.
Stop 1: Abraham Lincoln Memorial
We started at the Lincoln Memorial at the west end of the Mall. It’s a very impressive memorial fitting for the man himself. A white stone building with 36 columns and featuring a solitary 19-foot-tall statue of Abraham Lincoln sitting in contemplation, flanked on both sides by inscriptions of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address and his most famous speech, the Gettysburg Address.
From the steps, the views over the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool to the Washington Monument are amazing.
Stop 2: Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Close to Abe is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which honors members of the U.S. armed forces who fought in the Vietnam War, those who perished in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and those missing in action. The “wall” is made up of two identical walls that are each 246 feet and 9 inches long and contain more than 58,000 names.
Stop 3: World War II Memorial
At the east end of the Reflecting Pool sits the World War II Memorial, which honors all 16 million people who served in the American armed forces, including more than 400,000 who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It contains 56 granite columns that symbolize unity among the 48 states, seven federal territories, and the District of Columbia. And the two 43-foot-tall structures highlight America’s victory on the Atlantic and Pacific fronts during World War II.
Stop 4: The Washington Monument
The Pencil, otherwise known as the Washington Monument, is one of the nation’s most recognizable structures. It’s the first thing we saw in the distance driving into DC at night, and it was very cool, in more ways than one, to be standing at the base. It was built to honor George Washington. The obelisk-shaped memorial is made up of marble, granite, and bluestone gneiss. It’s the world’s tallest structure made of stone and the tallest obelisk, at 555 feet tall.
Built in 1884, an elevator was added to the monument in 1889, which shuttles tourists to the top of the monument to this day. The National Park Service operates tours to the top.
Stop 5: The U.S. Capitol Building
The domed U.S. Capitol building is where the business of Washington – and America – happens, and it is a massive network of buildings, offices, and meeting rooms. We visited Washington DC a few years later and did a short tour of the Capitol Building. The iconic rotunda was incredible to witness, and the architecture is second to none. You can read our in-depth guide to touring the Capitol Building.
It’s also great to visit at night time. It was nice to see the Christmas tree all lit up in the foreground, but unfortunately, the “dome” was covered in scaffolding the first time we visited.
If you want to tour the Capitol, U.S. residents may book through their appropriate Congressional representative or Senator. For more information on tickets, go here. We didn’t have time to see everything along The Mall the first time we visited, but we went back a few years later and decided to cycle The Mall, which allowed us to visit a few more monuments.
Some other famous monuments and memorials to see include:
- The Jefferson Memorial
- Martin Luther King, JR. Memorial
- Franklin D Roosevelt Memorial
- Korean War Veterans Memorial
- Vietnam Women’s Memorial
- Marine Corps War Memorial
- Pentagon Memorial
Just off the Mall, you’ll find the Supreme Court of the United States, National Archives, Library of Congress (amazing), International Spy Museum (so fun), and the Old Post Office Pavilion.
Stop 6: Museums on the Mall
Being short on time, we didn’t plan to visit any of the Smithsonian Museums, and we’re not typically big museum people. However, the Smithsonian Museums are world-class and the largest museum institution in the world. They are known for their diverse collections and contributions to research, so if you enjoy museums, you should make some time to stop by one or two that interest you. The world-renowned museum and research complex actually consists of 19 separate museums and the National Zoo. A few examples include:
- National Air and Space Museum
- National Museum of Natural History
- National Museum of American History
- National Museum of African American History
See the full list of museums here. The Natural History Museum is the most visited and popular choice, followed by the Air and Space Museum.
Day 2: The White House & Georgetown
Stop 1: Visit The White House
No visit to DC would be complete without a visit to the most famous address in the US, and possibly the most famous house in the world.
Of course, our trip was because we were invited to The White House, which included a tour of the East Wing, with all the pretty Christmas trees and lights on display, which was unforgettable. Not to mention, we got photo bombed by Abraham Lincoln!
Self-guided tours of the White House take visitors through the East Wing (the home’s entertaining space), and you’ll see the State Dining Room, the Red, Blue and Green Rooms, the China Room, and the Library. The tour typically takes about 30 minutes. Our favorite room was the Library.
White House tours are booked through your member of Congress and will be accepted up to 6 months in advance. Visitors who are not U.S. citizens should contact their embassy in DC. For more details, click here.
Otherwise, you can just take the compulsory selfie from in front of the gate overlooking the lawn and Lafayette Square.
Stop 2: Pay Your Respects at the Arlington National Cemetery
As you can imagine, visiting Arlington Cemetery is a very moving experience, even for us non-Americans. Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place of more than 400,000 fallen heroes from World Wars I and II, the Korean War, Vietnam, the Cold War, America’s Civil War, and the fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
One of the must-see sites in Washington, D.C. is the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. A white sarcophagus in the plaza of the Memorial Amphitheater pays tribute to an unidentified American soldier from World War I. It’s guarded 24 hours a day, 365 days a year by Tomb Guard sentinels, all volunteers, and considered to be the best of the elite 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment headquartered at Fort Myer, Virginia – the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army, since 1784.
Every hour on the hour, the changing of the guard takes place. Hat tip to these soldiers!
JFK Gravesite
After President John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, he became only the second U.S. president to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Arlington was chosen at the request of his wife, Jacqueline, who stated simply, “He belongs to the people.”
The eternal flame is the centerpiece of his resting place, and two deceased Kennedy children are buried alongside the President, as well as Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who was laid to rest in 1994.
Stop 3: Explore Georgetown
Exploring Georgetown was a highlight of our visit to DC, and we were staying right on the border of this historic neighborhood at the Hilton Garden Inn, which made it easily accessible on foot. The other bonus was that one of our readers, Maddie, a local resident in DC, reached out to us online and offered to show us around. We love meeting locals and readers and getting their insider tips. Cheers, Maddie! Maddie took us for coffee at one of her fave cafes, Baked & Wired, a family-owned coffee shop and bakery.
The coffee was good, and Maddie suggested going to Baked & Wired for cupcakes instead of Georgetown Cupcake! (Georgetown cupcake had its own TV show, but they aren’t as good as Baked & Wired). After getting cozy and warmed up at Baked & Wired, we wandered along M Street, which is home to all the boutique shopping, restaurants, and cafes, and is a charming street to explore.
We took a right turn away from the Potomac River and headed a little uphill on 35th St, one of the old cobblestone streets. I love cobblestone streets, and then down Prospect St with all the pretty row houses.
In the warmer months, Maddie suggests heading to the Georgetown Waterfront down on the Potomac River for eating and drinking. Even for us in the cold, it was a nice place to go for a short walk, and there was a temporary ice skating rink set up with people showing off their skills.
One last point of interest was walking past The Old Stone House, located at 3051 M Street, which was built in 1765, making it the oldest standing building in Washington, DC.
Where to eat in Washington, D.C.
We got amongst the food truck scene in DC and were impressed with the global offerings available, and the prices! We typically love street food and just had to give it a go. Good places to find the food trucks are around C Street, Farragut Square, or Franklin Square (or pretty much any square). If you’re in town April through October, Truckeroo is a monthly festival held at the corner of Half St. and M St., SE, showcasing food trucks from the Washington, D.C. area. Around the corner from our hotel and near the Foggy Bottom Metro station was a Whole Foods store, the busiest Whole Foods we’ve ever been in, filled with students from George Washington University. We love Whole Foods for their soups and self-serve lunches.
Where to stay in Washington, DC
We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn in the Georgetown area / west end of downtown and the Dupont Circle area. It was our home for 4 nights, and it met all our needs as tourist AND business travelers. Location is key in DC; you DON’T want to have to drive, and we always love being able to walk to many restaurants, cafes, and transport options.
The hotel was an easy walk to Dupont Circle Metro (Red Line) and Foggy Bottom Metro (Orange & Blue Line). The Garden Inn is a modern and comfortable hotel and provided us with everything we needed, and most importantly, a comfy bed and a good night’s sleep! Georgetown was easily accessible on foot, and we even walked to the National Mall from the hotel.
Complimentary in-room WiFi is a must for us, and one night we enjoyed a delicious room service dinner whilst catching up on some work. Check out more Washington D.C. hotels using the map below:
Washington D.C. Tours, Sightseeing & Passes
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What are you most excited to do in Washington DC? Let us know in the comments below!
