11 Washington, DC Travel Tips

I’ve lived in the DC my whole life and in the city since 2018. Below, I’ve addressed some of the most common questions and DC travel tips my friends ask for when visiting. From planning your museum days to using Metro, this should give you an idea of what to expect as a first-time visitor.

Plan only 2 Museums Per Day

Generally speaking, most museums take about 2 to 4 hours to visit, depending on their size and how much you like to read the information for each exhibit. If you are targeting the museums on the National Mall, you only have from 10 am to 5:30 pm to see the museums. You’ll likely want to plan a break for lunch, see some of the monuments, and factor in walk time between museums. If you’d like to squeeze in a third museum, choose museums that are close together, pack a lunch or eat in a museum cafe, and plan your monument walk for the morning before the museums open.

Most Free Museums Do Not Require Tickets

Most of the free museums in Washington, DC do not require tickets. This includes the museums on the National Mall and all museums that are part of the Smithsonian. It’s always a good idea to double-check the websites, but as of 2024, only the Museum of African American History, the National Zoo, and the Air and Space Museum require free-timed tickets. Tickets can be reserved online for free on each museum’s website.

Visitors can also get tickets for the National Archives, where you can see many early American documents like the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. Tickets are not required, but sometimes the lines can get long on weekends and during the summer. Reserving tickets can help you bypass any long lines.

Don’t Stress About Evening Activities

Sometimes tourists worry they will run out of things to do in the evening because most museums close around 5. Some are open later, like the Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum, but in general, the day will likely wind down in the early evening. That’s okay! Most of the time, your group will be pretty exhausted after a day of walking around the city and will be ready to rest. If you are looking for options in the evening, consider a nighttime monument tour, a ghost tour, or a late dinner time. If your group is over 21, plan to try a few of the bars near 14th and U Street, Adams Morgan, or downtown. You can also check the sports schedule and catch an evening baseball, hockey, soccer, or basketball game.

Capitol Building on a cloudy day surrounded by trees — Capitol Building

Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Washington, DC will vary depending on what kind of trip you are looking for. Summer is often the busiest and hottest time of the year. The humidity is often the worst in July and August, so consider visiting in June to beat the heat. Spring is also busy with middle school field trips, and many tourists visit to see the cherry blossoms.

Fall is my favorite time of year in DC, but October can be a busy conference season. It may be more difficult to find hotels downtown. However, the museums are less busy with tourists and it is an excellent time for outdoor dining, walking around the monuments, and enjoying the city’s parks.

The holiday season and winter can be a great low season to enjoy the city’s attractions with fewer crowds. Washington, DC lights up for Christmas – sometimes as early as mid-November. Holiday markets and displays can be busy with locals, but the museums aren’t usually crowded. January to March is also slow after the holiday winds down, and the city waits for cherry blossom season. All museums are open every day except December 25.

Be Prepared for Summer Heat and Walking

Summer in DC is hot and humid, but it is also peak tourist season. If you must visit during the summer, consider visiting in June before it gets too hot. Be prepared with sun protection, bug spray for mosquitoes, and your most comfortable walking shoes. Most museums have water bottle fill stations so you can fill up throughout the day. There are also outdoor water foundations throughout the National Mall.

Plan most of your walking and monument visits for the early morning or evening. Consider visiting museums that are close together to minimize walking.

Safety

In general, Washington, DC is pretty safe if you stay alert and practice situational awareness. If you are a first-time visitor or do not navigate cities often, stick to areas near the National Mall like Dupont, Metro Center, Gallery-Place, and The Wharf. Areas like Navy Yard, Georgetown, West End, Capitol Hill, Chevy Chase, Arlington, Old Town Alexandria, and Bethesda are also good choices for first-time visitors.

Adams Morgan, U Street, and Shaw are popular neighborhoods for dining and nightlife, but it’s still always a good idea to stay alert like you would for any night out. Metro is also generally safe throughout the day, but I prefer getting an Uber or Lyft if it’s after 10 pm.

Some visitors worry about protests, but these events are usually organized, pre-planned, and limited to near the White House and Capitol Hill. It’s always a good idea to look up events for the weekend you are visiting to avoid road closures for demonstrations, marathons, or festivals.

Choose Your Airport Wisely

Most of the time, Dulles (IAD) and Regan National Airport (DCA) are going to the best airports to use for your trip to Washington, DC. Both are Metro accessible or a reasonable Uber ride to your hotel. However, BWI in Baltimore is also an option. While Baltimore is an easy day trip from DC, if you are spending all of your trip in DC, the travel from the airport is likely not worth it. I would only do this if you are staying in Baltimore for part of the trip or saving over $200. Read more about airport transportation in this blog.

Set up the SmarTrip App on Your Phone the Day Before

The SmarTrip app is convenient for using the Metro to get around. You can still purchase a physical card in the stations, but I think having the app on your phone is very easy. However, the app requires a little bit of set-up, including creating an account and connecting it to Apply Pay or Google Wallet. If you have an old card from a previous trip, there are some steps to connect them or set up a new one. Because of this, it’s important to do this before you get to the station. I’d recommend setting the app up at least 1 day before you plan to use the Metro. Or better yet – do it before you arrive.

Remember, you cannot share Metro cards. Everyone riding will need their own card. If you have children over 5 years old who don’t have a smartphone, you will need to get them a physical card.

Choose a Place to Stay Near Metro

Many tourist-friendly neighborhoods are located near a Metro station, including L’Enfant near the Wharf, Metro Center, Mount Vernon near the Convention Center, and more. You can also stay outside the city near a Metro station like Old Town Alexandria (King Street), Arlington (Ballston and Clarendon), Falls Church, Crystal City, Silver Spring, and Bethesda. Some hotels are directly next to a Metro station, but as a local with good mobility, I think anything within 5 blocks is a reasonable walking distance. Learn more about navigating Metro on this blog.

Getting Around Without Metro

Metro is very easy and will get you to most major attractions. However, it doesn’t go everywhere! You won’t find Metro in Georgetown and it doesn’t go to some major attractions like the National Cathedral and the National Arboretum. For attractions where Metro is not available, download an app like CityMapper to find a bus route or use rideshare like Lyft or Uber.

Scooters are also available for short distances. I like Lime and Spin because you can purchase packs of minutes for a discount. Please remember scooters are used primarily by adults and are not toys. Rules are generally not enforced but if you are riding with children under 16, please be extra safe. Always be mindful of pedestrians and follow traffic laws.

The Pros and Cons of Staying Outside the City

I usually recommend staying in the city to cut down on travel time, but staying in Virginia or Maryland is often cheaper. Just keep in mind that you may spend whatever money you save on Uber and Metro rides. A few things to keep in mind when deciding if the saving is worth it:

It will take about 20 to 30 minutes to travel by Metro to most downtown attractions.
It will be more difficult to go back to the hotel to rest between activities.
If you have children or a large party, everyone over 5 years old will need to pay for their own Metro ride which will vary by distance. This will add up for a big group.
Remember, Northern Virginia is big! Many people easily commute from Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church, but stops farther out on the Silver Line will take longer (Tysons, Reston, Dulles Airport). Areas like Chantilly, Centreville, Manassas, and Ashburn are nice suburbs but will require a car or Uber to Metro.
Silver Spring is a popular city in Maryland but remember that this is a large area. Only Downtown Silver Spring will have options that are walkable to the Metro.
Old Town Alexandria is a cute, small town near the city with plenty to explore. Just remember, the King Street Metro stop is about a mile and a half from the main waterfront area. There are many hotels near the Metro and a trolly that runs along King Street, but make sure you know exactly where you are staying and factoring in walking time.
Tysons Corner is a large area in Virginia where many locals work and shop at the Tysons Corner Mall. It can take about 45 minutes to an hour to get from Tysons to Smithsonian plus additional walk time. However, this can be a great place to stay for business, shopping, or if your trip is more focused on Virginia.