How To Spend Two Days In Washington D.C. – Best Things To Do & See

Last Updated on 11th April 2022

This post about two days in Washington D.C. contains affiliate links.

Washington D.C. is one of those famous American cities that everyone’s heard about because it’s where the president lives, but it’s never really somewhere I expected to visit, least of all three times!

However, as my aunty, uncle and two cousins live in Virginia, it means they’re only a few short hours from D.C., so I’ve actually frequented this tiny, but mighty American city on three separate occasions now.

My most recent trip was when Matt and I spent two days in Washington D.C. after we’d spent one month living in New York City, just before we headed down to Virginia to spend a week with my family as part of our 3-month American road trip.

If you’re heading to the capital city of the United States any time soon, be sure to check out my ultimate guide below about seeing Washington D.C. in two days!

*Post updated March 2022.

Where to stay in Washington D.C

Despite being to D.C. twice before, I’d never actually stayed over in the city until my most recent trip with Matt, as my family only live around two hours away from the city, so we would always just drive up early on a morning and then head back later in the evening.

On our most recent jaunt to Washington D.C., however, Matt and I stayed at the Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center which was perfectly located near to many of the city’s top attractions. It’s right in the heart of Chinatown and it’s just a stone’s throw from the Capital One Arena. It’s also less than 20 minutes from The White House, the Museum of Natural History and the United States Capitol Building.

It’s a slightly longer walk to The National Mall, The Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial, but Matt and I always love exploring a new (or old in this case!) city on foot, so we really don’t mind the walk.

Find a place to stay in Washington D.C.

How to get to Washington D.C.

We travelled from New York to Washington D.C. via bus; we actually booked with FlixBus (who we travelled with most of the time whenever we got the bus in America), but it ended up being a BestBus that arrived to take us to D.C.

I’m going to write a full blog post about travelling around America via different modes of transport at some point, but I will say now that the buses and trains in America really surprised me with how nice they are; especially compared to some of the bus journeys we took in Southeast Asia!

Book the bus to Washington D.C.

Of course, if you’re visiting Washington from overseas, or just from another part of the USA that’s a much longer journey than a simple two-hour ride, you can fly into Washington Dulles International Airport. We usually book our flights on Kiwi.com or Skyscanner as these two platforms usually have the best rates for flights all over the world.

Best things to do in Washington D.C

Two days in Washington D.C. should be more than enough time to get a really good feel for what the city has to offer. However, there are tonnes of museums in Washington that you might want to visit, in which case, I would recommend making a list of all the ones you really want to visit to see whether you’d need to spend longer than two days there.

If you’re ready to start planning a 2-day trip to Washington D.C., let’s get stuck into the best things to do in the capital city of America!

1. The Lincoln Memorial

When I first went to D.C. and saw the Lincoln Memorial, I couldn’t get over how big it was; the statue was way bigger than I expected it to be and it’s so incredibly impressive!

In the summer months, the whole area around the National Mall and the Lincoln Memorial tend to get pretty heaving with tourists but it’s still worth fighting your way through to get a snap of the big guy. It’s made from gorgeous white marble and it’s in such immaculate condition. The building itself that houses the Lincoln statue is also very cool and it’s one of the things that you’ll regularly see crop up in pictures of Washington D.C.

2. National World War II Memorial

I think the National World War II Memorial might just be my favourite thing to see in D.C. It’s such a beautiful memorial and in the summer, the huge fountain in the middle that’s surrounded by large pillars of all the states in America is full of water and it’s just such a beautiful and peaceful place in Washington.

Every time I’ve visited, we’ve played a game where we all stand under every state we’ve been to; if only Matt and I had visited Washington D.C. at the end of our USA road trip, we’d have racked up nearly 20 states!

3. The National Mall – two days in Washington D.C.

The National Mall is undoubtedly one of the best things to experience in Washington D.C. and if you’re a fan of the film Forrest Gump (it’s actually my favourite film of all time!), you’ll no doubt recognise the Mall from the movie.

The iconic White House resides to the north of the National Mall and the U.S. Capitol Building sits on the eastern end. At the very end of the Mall, you’ll find the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool (pictured above) which is where you’ll recognise the iconic scenes from Forrest Gump.

All along the National Mall, you’ll see many of the city’s best museums and galleries, including the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the National Art Gallery.

4. United States Capitol Building

I must have seen the U.S. Capitol Building on my previous two visits to Washington D.C. but I don’t actually really remember seeing it at all, so when Matt and I were in the city in January 2022, it was like seeing it all over again for the first time.

Better still, on the day that we went to see the Capitol, it had snowed an absolute tonne, so we got to see it looking so majestic and magical, albeit slightly eerie, too!

5. Thomas Jefferson Memorial

The Thomas Jefferson Memorial, named after the third president of the United States, is unquestionably one of the most stunning buildings in Washington D.C.

The inside of the domed structure reminded me somewhat of the Pantheon in Rome. It’s coated in white marble and it’s truly a breathtaking building; our visit was made even more special as we saw a couple taking their wedding pictures on the steps outside and despite it being well below freezing, they were only wearing their wedding attire, so they must have been so cold!

6. The Washington Monument

The Washington Monument is a pillar of history in D.C that was built to commemorate the first President of America. It resides along the National Mall, along with the WW2 Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial.

You can go to the top of the Washington Monument for views of the city, but I’ve never actually been to the top as I personally think it’s better admired from afar so you can truly see it in all its glory. The monument is surrounded by a plethora of American flags and it’s a great thing to see while in Washington D.C.

7. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial

My most recent trip to Washington D.C. was also my first time seeing the giant Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial which did not disappoint!

This towering figure is located to the south of the National Mall not too far from the giant body of water known as the Tidal Basin, and from here, you can walk all around the Basin which is another fun thing to do if you’re spending two days in Washington D.C.

8. Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History

There are many Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C. and the best thing about them? They’re all completely free!

While I still haven’t been to every single museum in the city, the National Museum of Natural History remains my favourite out of all the ones I have been to and I’d seriously urge you to add it to your Washington D.C. itinerary as it’s one of the coolest museums I’ve probably ever been to!

It’s home to so many different collections and over 126 million species of plants, animals, fossils, human remains and plenty of other cultural artefacts.

9. Smithsonian National Museum of American History

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is another one of the top museums in Washington D.C. and another one of my personal favourites.

Inside this museum, you’ll learn all about America’s fairly recent history and you cannot miss the Presidents and First Ladies exhibition. Even though I’m not that big into American history or politics, I always find this area fascinating; you’ll learn about some of the USA’s most famous Presidents and their First Ladies, including some of the fancy attire that they wear!

More best museums to visit in Washington D.C:

• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• National Museum of African American History and Culture
• National Gallery of Art
• National Museum of the American Indian
• Smithsonian American Art Museum and Renwick Gallery

10. The White House – two days in Washington D.C.

On my first two trips to Washington D.C., I was fairly impressed by The White House and even though you couldn’t get up close to it, you now have to stand even further away which makes it very difficult to see it properly or get a good angle for a picture of it.

Naturally, I totally understand the need for safety for the President and The White House, but it’s just a shame that there are so many barricades around it so you can’t even get remotely close.

I think it’s still worth seeing while you’re in Washington as it’s naturally one of the most famous houses in America, but I wouldn’t necessarily go out of your way to rush to see it.

11. Korean War Veterans Memorial

There was a lot of construction going on around the Korean War Veterans Memorial on my most recent trip to D.C. so unfortunately, we didn’t get to see it in the best shape, but it still looked so beautiful and peaceful anyway.

It’s located in West Potomac Park, just south of the Lincoln Memorial and the Reflecting Pool. The Wall of Remembrance and the 19 stainless steel statues that commemorate the millions of Americans and allies who fought during the Korean War are truly touching to see.

It’s completely free to visit and open all year round, depending on the construction and restoration that’s going on around it.

12. Vietnam Veterans Memorial

We paid a visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on the morning of our final day in Washington D.C. and I couldn’t believe how overwhelming it was to see the names of 58,318 Americans who gave their lives for the Vietnam War.

It’s a very quiet part of the city, rightly so, and while it’s quite emotional to see, it was also essential to recognise the importance of the memorial and how many people gave their lives to provide service for their country in the war.

13. Watch an ice hockey or basketball game at The Capital One Arena

On our first full day in Washington D.C., the weather forecasted huge amounts of snowfall, so instead of wandering around outside for hours and getting cold, we decided to hide inside the Capital One Arena and watch an ice hockey game for a few hours while the snow settled.

We’d already watched basketball and NFL in New York, so this was the third American sport that we’d seen live during our trip and while I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as basketball, I still thoroughly enjoyed it and I’d highly recommend heading to watch a basketball game or an ice hockey match at the Capital One Arena in Washington D.C. if you experience bad weather while you’re there.

14. Eat at the Farmers & Distillers weekend buffet

As we spent a weekend in Washington D.C., on Sunday morning, we were craving a proper hearty breakfast/brunch and we came across a place called Farmers & Distillers which were serving up their weekend brunch menu.

At $29.99 per person, it’s not exactly the cheapest place to eat in Washington D.C., but with an unlimited buffet with so much amazing food to choose from, plus an incredible dessert tablet, we made sure we stuffed our faces, so much so, that we didn’t eat again properly until the following morning!

There were so many food choices on the buffet tables, including hearty pasta dishes, pancakes, brisket, fried chicken, bacon, doughnuts, toast, fruit, Chinese dishes, roasted veg and so much more! If you’ve got a hearty appetite and you’re in Washington D.C. on a weekend, be sure to check out Farmers & Distillers for a decadent brunch!

Bonus best things to do in Washington D.C.

Despite visiting the USA capital city three times now, I still haven’t managed to see and do absolutely everything there is to do. There are so many museums in D.C. that I honestly think you could spend a week just visiting those, so if you’re a huge fan of museums and history, you’re sure to love this city!

Here are a few bonus best things to do in Washington D.C. to add to your list:

• Take a scenic river cruise
• National Air and Space Museum
• Take a Segway tour of all the sights in the city
• International Spy Museum
• Go on an African American history tour

Related posts:

• 111 Best Things To Do In New York City – Ultimate NYC Travel Guide
• 50+ Best Places To Eat In New York City – Ultimate NYC Food And Drink Guide
• 25 Of The Best Totally Free Things To Do In New York City
• Ultimate Miami Travel Guide – 25 Best Things To See, Do & Eat In Miami
• Ultimate 3 Month USA Road Trip Itinerary – New York To California

Pin for later – two days in Washington D.C.

Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? Would you like to go one day? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram @imjustagirl_16.