DC TRAVEL GUIDE

This trip was SUUUPER last minute, Jordan was going to be in South Africa,  I saw flights to DC for $100 rt and my cousin Josie had just gotten a job and was starting the following week so I decided, what the heck! I'm gunna go visit Josie in DC! And I am SOOOO glad I did! I kind of fell in love with the charm and history of that city along with all that there is to do and see and eat! All thanks to YOU AMAZING PEOPLE and all of your awesome recommendations (thank you thank you thank you!) we felt like we couldn't miss! I got so many awesome recommendations from you guys (and I wish I could have tried and seen every single one that I got) that I decided to throw together a little DC guide!! Enjoy!

*** If I am missing anything PLEASE leave a comment and tell us YOUR DC favorites!!!

FOOD | this list is the things we DID get to try and LOVED

+ WE THE PIZZA | up on Capitol Hill | holy smokes this pizza hit the spot! I got the buffalo chicken pizza and loveddd it! The crust especially is so yummy!

+ FARMERS FISHERS BAKERS | DC | his is not me being dramatic or over the top I promise.. get the bacon onion blue cheese burger.. it is without a doubt one of the best hamburgers I have ever had! Josie & Jakob got the pizza and loved it as well! I also hear their brunch is amazing!!

+ LE MADELINE | in Alexandria | this was the yummiest little lunch spot, I got the tomato basil soup with the chicken parisian sandwhich (the bread was so good!) with a side of fruit!

+ SANGJUN THAI | in Alexandria | if you like thai food I definitely recommend this place the pad thai was s'gooood!

+ GOOD STUFF EATERY | there's a few locations we went to the one right next door to we the pizza on capital hill | word on the street their burgers are to die for. I personally can vouch for the fries and the shakes! I tried the toasted marshmallow (LOVED), the strawberry, and the salted carmel, all were to die for!

+ SHAKE SHACK | these are all over in DC | we don't have one of these in Utah so anytime I'm somewhere with a shake shake you know I'm getting myself a smoke shack and cheese fries.

here's the food list I wasn't able to try, but came highly recommended!

+ VAPIANO | downtown DC | Italian goodness

+ SWEET GREEN | a few locations | word on the street says these salads are the best! definitely on my list for next time!

+ FOUNDING FARMERS | downtown DC | similar to farmers fishers bakers this place came HIGHLY recommended by lots of you!

+ THE SMITH | downtown DC | apparently this is a great breakfast joint, try the avocado toast!

+ PAUL BAKERY | downtown DC | yummy breakfast

+ TED'S BULLETIN | downtown DC | homemade poptarts!

+ UNION MARKET | downtown DC | breakfast/brunch

+ BERTUCCI'S | downtown DC | PIZZAA

+ RESTAURANT EVE | in alexandria | If you're looking for a nice meal

+ DC FOOD TRUCKS | lined up around the national mall | get the DC food truck app and it will tell you where the food trucks are at!

+ PARADISO PIZZA | a few locations 

+ CAVA | in georgetown

+ BOMBAY CURRY COMPANY | in Alexandria | indian food

+ RASIKA | downtown DC | I hear if you like indian food, this place is amazing!

now for my favorite part.. TREATS!!!

TREATS

+ BAKED AND WIRED | between georgetown and DC | holy friggin smokes. Unique and delicious cupcakes, I have to say these were my favorite cupcakes in DC. I got probably the best cupcake I've ever had the razmanian devil (lemon cupcake with raspberry filling and lemon frosting, SOOOOOO DANG GOOOD!) and the pistachio (pistachio cupcake with cardamon and honey frosting, so unique but really yummy!)

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+ GEORGETOWN CUPCAKES | georgetown | these were a VERY close second like so close I almost couldn't decide. I got the vanilla squared (vanilla cupcake with vanilla cream cheese frosting, yum!) and my second favorite cupcake I've ever had mostly because of the frosting was a oreo and coffee cupcake (vanilla and oreo cupcake with coffee and oreo frosting... YOU GUYS! I almost cried when I finished it. I was told weekdays are the time to go to avoid lines!

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+ LAVENDER MOON | alexandria | I got a blood orange cupcake.. umm need I say more!

+ THOMAS SWEET | georgetown | WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICE CREAM cause this ice cream is worth screaming over hahahah but seriously! Especially on a hot humid day, this stuff is unlike any ice cream I've ever had and they have SOO many flavors!!

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+ CASA ROSADA | alexandria | look nothing will ever compare to authentic italian gelato, but this stuff was GOOD!

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+ PITANGO GELATO | downtown dc | I didn't get to try this but it sounds pretty amazing. 

THINGS TO DO AND SEE

+ ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY 

    +TOMB OF THE UNKNOWN SOLDIER | watch the guard change

    + ROBERT E LEE HOUSE | so beautiful I was ready to move into this place!

+ THE NATIONAL MALL | HIGHLY recommend getting city bike share app and riding bikes all around the mall and everything in the area! Such a cheap/easy way to get around to seeing everything!

    + LINCOLN MEMORIAL | take a minute to sit on the steps and take in the view, one of my favorite things we did.

    + WASHINGTON MONUMENT | make reservations to take an elevator to the top!

    + JEFFERSON MEMORIAL 

+ THE WHITE HOUSE | next time I'm in DC I'd love to do a white house tour, I hear the gardens                                        are amazing!

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+ GEORGETOWN | please do yourself a favor and just get lost walking around georgetown. this has got to be the cutest place I've ever seen, all the buildings and houses and unbelievable. great shopping, tons of good food!

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+ NATIONAL CATHEDRAL

+ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS | we went on labor day and it had closed early so I didn't get to go in but I hear it is AMAAAZING!

+ THE CAPITOL

+ OLD TOWN ALEXANDRIA | I also loved walking around old town, again with the super cute buildings yummy food and awesome shopping!

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+ DUMBARTON GARDENS | georgetown | we tried to get a garden tour but it was closed for renovations. It looked incredible though!

+ BOTANICAL GARDENS

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+ HUNTLEY MEADOWS BOARDWALK | this is a fun little nature walk through the wetlands, we got to see lots of animals, birds, turtles, beavers, racoons, etc. we went in the evening and got to watch the sunset, it was so beautiful!

+ GRAVELLY POINT PARK | arlington | come watch airplanes flight RIGHT over you! right next to the river this is a super fun place to come have a picnic or just hangout!

MUSEUMS

+ NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM | this was probably my favorite museum that we visited, super fun!

+ HOLOCAUST MUSEUM | march-august you need to go online to get tickets before you go. this was so heartbreaking, but incredible. This is a must!

+ AIR AND SPACE MUSEUM

+ NATIONAL ARCHIVES

+ NEWSEUM | kinda pricey but I hear it's well worth it!

THANK YOU again so much for all your recommendations!! If I missed anything make sure to leave YOUR DC favorites in a comment!!

also HUGE thank you to my besties Josie & Jakob for showing me the best time in DC!

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LET'S BE INSTAGRAM FRIENDS

white button up top | madewell

high waisted mom jeans | urban outfitters

vintage white sunnies | zero uv