Last time I visited DC, the United States of America was in the midst of its longest government shutdown in history. Of course, work took me to D.C. during this time. My schedule was jam-packed with meetings in Congress, Senate, and other policy creators, but I managed to find some free time to explore D.C. like a tourist (something I haven't done in many years). I'm going to spare you the details of my business there, and just stick to leisure by breaking it down into three categories.
Travel and Lodging
I live in the Northeast, so driving to D.C. or taking a train is a viable option. Nonetheless, I opted to fly because it is time saving and I wanted as much free time in D.C. as possible. Also, I was only going for a week, so large liquids or big luggage wasn't necessary. I chose to fly into DCA because taking the Metro from BWI is more time (about 40 minutes) that I didn't want to waste. The DCA plane ticket was only $20 more expensive than the BWI one, so it felt like a reasonable price.
After a quick hour flight, we landed at DCA and took the Metro all the way to Farragut West, which was a quick 5 minute walk from my hotel. I stayed at the Capital Hilton and recommend it for it's location. It is steps away from the metro and the White House. I honestly walked to my destinations for most of my trip, because the hotel was so centrally located.
If you've never taken the Metro before, the D.C. Metro is one of the cleanest and most straight-forward I've ever used. Just pre-pay for a SmarTrip card and add money to it. Then swipe in and out of the stations and add money when needed. You can keep adding money to your card , so don't throw it away when it runs out, or you'll have to pay an extra $2 for a new one. After that, the maps are easily understood but even if you're still lost, there are employees at every station who can help you if needed.
Monuments
While all of the Smithsonian museums were closed with the government, the National Mall is still open to walk through and explore. We started this journey at the White House and continued to walk through to the National Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, the Roosevelt Memorial, The World War I Memorial, The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, and the Lincoln Memorial. They were all "open" albeit very icy, but none of the gift shops or restrooms were open due to the shut down. It took about 2 1/2 hours to walk through it all, so finding a bathroom by the end of our journey was absolutely crucial to me.
We also went to the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. Both were quick stops and still open during the Shutdown. The Library of Congress is ornately decorated inside with cool museum exhibits to explore. On this visit, there was a Major League Baseball, a World War One, and a Native America’s exhibit. You can also see one of the oldest in-tact printed Bibles and Thomas Jefferson’s Library The best part is that it’s all free!
Food
As you may know by now, I eat plant-based. Many people ask if this makes it difficult to travel, and I'm glad to report that it doesn't. While sometimes it prevents me from immersing myself completely in a culture, I still find it manageable (and if I really feel like I missing out I *might* (but very rarely) eat dairy). The places I ate in D.C. were vegan and non-vegan friendly on top of being delicious
Hip City Veg is a personal favorite mine in Philadelphia and D.C.. I think of it as Vegan McDonald's. There's Chik'n sandwiches and "burgers" on top of fries, sides, and shakes. It's all vegan, but even my non-vegan friends like it. They also compost everything, so it's a take-away meal you can feel environmentally conscious about!
This restaurant is located a few blocks away from the White House, and if you may have guessed by the name, it is fashioned after Abraham Lincoln. There are pennies built into the floor, a giant chair booth, Lincoln portraits and more throughout the restaurant, but it still manages to maintain a chic vibe. I happend to go during restaurant week and got a steal for the meal. It was $22 for a large appetizer, an entree, and dessert. The food was delicious and I recommend it.
This is another personal favorite. They have vegan specific menu item on top of their other menu items. While take away food can be great, I recommend to go in to eat. It's a special experience as the space serves as a full service bar, restaurant, coffee shop, and book store. According to the web page, "Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted… a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul… a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide… we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world." And the food is delicious too. If that doesn't convince, I don't know what will.
I am not going to lie, Founding Farmers was not my favorite. The food was good, and I like the farm to table, everything made in-house part, but it didn't have a great experience there. My food tasted fine, but it didn't warrant the expensive bill I got at the end. I was also charged $21 for a sub-par glass of wine, when it was listed as much cheaper on the menu. The waitress continually tried to convince us to order appetizers and more drinks as well as dessert. We felt pressured by her constantly to order more, even though we had a flight to catch directly after the meal. Speaking of our flight, we made a reservation about an 45 minutes beforehand on the website for three people because a friend was going to meet us with us a little later. She told us what she wanted, so we could place her order with ours. However, when we got to the restaurant (which was not busy), they refused to seat the two of us without the third person. We explain that us two had a flight to catch while the other didn't and that she would be coming later, and that we had her order. Still, the would not seat us. We eventually convinced them (consider that if it weren't a reservation ,we would have been seated immediately regardless), but it was still a very annoying experience. Overall, while the food was good, the service was not. Don't write them off entirely thought, maybe it was just a bad night.
One of the most delicious wraps I have ever eaten came from Protein Bar. I got the Super Food Vegan and a Maple Latte (look at my Instagram Highlights for photos) and the whole meal my friend and I kept commenting on how tasty and fresh the food was. They have mostly wraps and salads, but the menu is accommodating to everyone's tastes, and there is a nice drink selection as well. If you're looking for a quick, healthy, and delicious lunch, this is your place.
Delicious Vegan Cupcakes! What more can I say? I was craving something sweet and their location right down the block from Hip City Veg in Chinatown was perfect. There are also many non-vegan cupcake options, so give them a try when you want a treat in D.C.!
I was craving Ben's Chili Bowl from the moment I touched down in D.C. They have a great assortment of hot dogs, chili, burgers, and sides that will tame anyone's hunger. The design feels like an old school dinner, and the menu has a separate section of veggie options, so it's a win for everyone you're traveling with!
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