In November my family and I took a trip to Washington D.C. to see the sights and also visit my brother Austin who recently moved to the East Coast to work in Maryland. We had a great time of travel taking in the sights and visiting some of our nation’s most historic monuments. We covered a lot of ground in D.C., specifically in 48 hours, and I wanted to share the highlights.
TIP #1: Map out your destinations
A lot of the popular tourist destinations in D.C. are close to each other, but be sure to map them out accordingly so you can visit them on the way to one another, rather than going back and forth. My family started out at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and then walked the path to the National Mall and Lincoln Memorial. Along the way, we visited these sights and also saw the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial, Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and more.
We hit all of these locations in one day, including The White House. My two most favorite places we visited include the National Mall and The White House. The National Mall is absolutely beautiful, and there’s such a feeling of reverence in the air as you walk along it toward the landmarks of D.C.
The Lincoln Memorial was also a huge highlight. Visiting on a weekday was a perk because it wasn’t extremely packed and we were able to take our time admiring it.
Tip #2: Rent a scooter to get to places more quickly
While the walk to each popular destination in D.C. isn’t too long, it definitely takes a full day to see everything. My family and I rented scooters to get around quickly, and it was so fun. I love the trend that’s in popular cities right now–all you have to do is download the Bird, Lime or Skip app and you can locate dozens of nearby scooters to rent. It’s epic and makes for an awesome experience when riding around the metro area.
TIP #3: Plan your visit to The White House
If you plan your trip to D.C. far enough in advance, you can get approved to take a visit inside The White House. We didn’t do that this time, but we definitely are going to try it next time we visit the East Coast. Getting to see The White House outside though was still a really neat experience. I loved seeing all the news crews around The White House grounds preparing for the evening news.
Tip #4: Visit the museums
You could easily spend a few days exploring all the museums D.C. has to offer. We checked out the National Archives Museum to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and Bill of Rights. For more information on this museum, click here.
A museum I hope to visit in the future is the Newseum. It promotes freedom of speech within the press, while tracing the evolution of communication. As a journalist, this place seems fascinating to explore.
Tip #5: End your day exploring The U.S. Capitol
The United States Capitol is absolutely stunning at night. It lights up and is a pretty spot in the city. While all the destinations in D.C. are beautiful at night, I was most captivated by the sight of the Capitol. We ended one of our days walking its grounds, and it was the best way to end our trip.
For more photos and details on our trip to D.C., check out my Instagram. Have suggestions on other places to explore next? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you in a comment or reach out to me on social media!
ashley j. chiappetta 
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