Have you ever wanted to visit Washington D.C.? There is so much to do in Washington D.C. that you could go there for multiple vacations and still not see everything the city has to offer! One thing that is really great about going to Washington D.C. is that it is actually really affordable compared to other big cities. There are so many things you can do for FREE or for a low cost.
If you are looking for a different kind of Christmas gift instead of presents, consider taking a family trip. A few years ago we went to Washington D.C. for four days in December (the 17th-20th). If you aren’t aware of it, Washington D.C. has a LOT of free museums and other things to do. This factored into our decision of where to go. Also, we went right before school got out in most places, so it was not crowded.
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Where to stay when you visit Washington D.C.
There are a lot of places to stay in Washington D.C.
There were six of us and no small children, so we had to stay in a suite.
We ended up staying at the Residence Inn.
It had 2 beds in a room separate from a living room with a kitchen. The living room part had a sleeper sofa as well.
The room was $159 a night. Plus, there was a parking garage to park our car. Parking is scarce in Washington D.C., so it was nice to have a place to park our car.
We were three blocks south of the National Mall (the area where a lot of memorials and the Smithsonian museums are located). We were able to walk to most attractions because of the close proximity of our hotel.
What to do when you visit Washington D.C.
There are so many things you can do in Washington D.C.
We have created a 3-page list of 75+ places you can visit for FREE in Washington D.C.
You can print the list or you can use it digitally. If you use it digitally, you can click on the name of each place to go directly to that place’s website!
Click the image below to get access to our Free Resource Library where you can download the list.
If you already signed up, go ahead and download it from our resource library!
Visit Smithsonian’s National Zoo
One place that we went that we drove to was the National Zoo.
It is one of the few zoos in North America that has giant pandas!
We went to the zoo the first day that we arrived.
Because we went in December, it wasn’t crowded at all, so we had great viewing!
Plus, it was also free!
If you want to see the pandas without having to deal with a crowd of people, it’s a good idea to visit in the winter months.
> Read: How to Save Money at the Zoo <
Visit the Smithsonian Museums
The museums that we visited were the Natural History Museum, The Air and Space Museum, and the American History Museum.
All three of these museums are free to visit.
The National Museum of Natural History
This museum has the most animal skeletons that we’ve ever seen.
It also has a very large rock, mineral, and gemstone collection.
The National Air and Space Museum
This museum has a lot of aircraft and space memorabilia.
One of our favorite parts was the section that has all the memorabilia about flight attendants.
They also have a cool exhibit about the Wright Brothers.
The National Museum of American History
This was our favorite museum because it had so many interesting things we had never seen before.
The museum is known for having television memorabilia (like Archie and Edith Bunker’s chairs).
What it has that we didn’t know about is a whole floor of presidential memorabilia.
There are first ladies’ ball gowns, White House china for many presidents, Lincoln’s hat, and George Washington’s telescope to name a few things.
It is such an interesting place to visit.
See the White House
Although we didn’t go into the White House, we walked by it.
You can choose to go for a tour at the White House for free if you’d like, but we didn’t have enough time.
We did, however, get to see the White House Christmas Tree.
Visit the Library of Congress
One place that we went to that was a pleasant surprise is the Library of Congress.
We honestly only went because I (Jessica) wanted to visit after seeing it in National Treasure lol.
The architecture inside is beautiful and ornate.
They have a lot of first editions and special editions of classic books on display.
They also have a really cool gift shop with unique gifts like literary paper dolls and library socks.
I purchased the literary paper dolls, but besides that, most of our souvenirs were actually squished pennies from the different places we went.
See other souvenirs you can get that are budget friendly in our posts:
>Five Cheap Souvenirs to Collect <
>7 More Souvenir Ideas When You’re On a Budget <
Where to eat when you visit Washington D.C.
For food, we ate at our hotel some since we had a kitchen.
We also drove further south in the evenings to the cheaper places to eat.
Something important to know is that a lot of fast food places and restaurants in the city close early, and some are even closed on the weekends.
Also, driving north of the Smithsonian museums you will find a lot of heavy traffic.
Why you should visit Washington D.C. for Christmas
Overall, our trip was not that expensive with all the free attractions.
We enjoyed great family time and didn’t have to buy any Christmas gifts because the trip was our present.
Washington D.C. at Christmas is beautiful and not very crowded. You can still see so much, and you get to see everything decorated for Christmas!
Don’t forget to download our free guide to 75+ free attractions in Washington D.C.
Click the picture below to get access to it and other printables in our Free Resource Library!
This guide has links to all the 75+ places listed, and it can be printed.
If you already signed up, go ahead and download it from our resource library!
Related posts:
Save Money On Everyday Life With This One Tip
How to Get Free Admission and Discounts at Botanical Gardens
4 Ways to Save Money on Your Next Trip to the Museum
