One week in Washington DC is amazing if you want to have a great time in the city. When you're 7 days in Washington DC, you can have the perfect trip!
Washington DC is the capital of the United States. The city is an amazing place to travel to as there are lots of things to do.
For example, in the city, you find the White House, the United States Capitol, and the National Gallery of Art. The amount of famous sights in the city is incredible!
As there are many things to do in the city, it's great to have a good amount of time there. For that reason, spending one week in Washington DC is amazing! This allows you to get to know the city, see all the highlights, and more! You'll have an amazing time for sure.
To make sure you can make the most out of your week in the city, I made this itinerary. With this itinerary, your 7 days in Washington DC will be great. You'll see the famous sights, visit museums, see nature, and more.
Table of Contents
Getting To Washington DC
There are various ways to reach Washington DC.
The easiest way to reach the city from a place that is further away is by airplane. The most convenient airport is Dulles International Airport.
You can also reach Washington DC by train from places that are close to it! This can also be convenient for your one week in Washington DC. When you do so, you go to Union Station. This is a very beautiful building that is a must-see when you are in the city!
Besides that, you can also reach the city by bus or by car. For 7 days in Washington DC, this can also be a convenient way to get there.
Where To Stay for One Week in Washington DC
When you are one week in Washington DC, I recommend staying near the National Mall.
That's because you find most of the city's sights there. You then have to travel less when you use this itinerary. Thus, your trip will be much more comfortable when staying there!
Itinerary for One Week in Washington DC
Let's start with the itinerary! This itinerary includes many great activities. If you follow it, you'll have the most amazing one week in Washington DC!
You will visit beautiful museums and galleries, go to a theater and visit parks. Besides that, you'll go to the famous sights, such as the White House and the Washington Monument. And you'll do much more during your 7 days in Washington DC!
Day 1: Getting To Know the City on Your First Day of 7 Days in Washington DC
Let's start with the first day! Your first day is all about exploring the city.
Explore Downtown
The first day starts with a visit to Downtown DC.
This is the city center of the city and you find a lot of great things to do and see here!
This part of the city is very close to some of the most famous attractions that you will visit later.
Downtown DC is a great place to get to know the city.
You find here a lot of shops and restaurants that are lovely to visit! If you want to shop during your 7 days in Washington DC, you should go here!
See the White House
After visiting the city center of Washington DC, it is time to go to the most famous place in the city: the White House.
When you are one week in Washington DC, you should definitely see this building.
The White House is the building where the president of the United States, Joe Biden, lives and works. Because of that, the place is very interesting to see.
The building is such an important and historic building, which makes it a great place to visit and a must-see!
Go to the National Portrait Gallery
Now it is time to see one of the most famous and most interesting museums in the city.
After seeing the White House, I recommend going to the National Portrait Gallery.
This is a historic art museum that is close to the White House. This makes it possible to walk here.
At the museum, you can find a lot of portraits of famous people. This includes presidents and other famous people. There are both paintings and photos here.
Some of the people whose portrait is in the museum are Charlie Chaplin, Lincoln, and Barack Obama.
It is great to see all these portraits when you are one week in Washington DC!
Also, the building of the museum is wonderful to see! It looks very impressive and features both classic and contemporary elements.
See a Show at Ford's Theatre
In the evening of your first day in Washington DC, I recommend going to Ford's Theatre. This is a very fun thing to do when you're 7 days in Washington DC!
This is a historic theater where the assassination of Lincoln took place.
Nowadays, you find here a museum about Lincoln, the Civil War, and the assassination.
But you can also go to a play or musical. These performances are great to attend!
Day 2: A Gorgeous Park, the Phillips Collection, and a Concert
It's your second day in Washington DC! Today, you're going to visit a beautiful park, you'll see art, and you'll end your day with a concert! So it's going to be a very nice day for sure.
Walk Through Dumbarton Oaks Park
The first place I recommend you to visit is Dumbarton Oaks Park.
This is a public park in the city that you can find in the Georgetown area.
You find here a beautiful historic landscape that is amazing to see. You can go here for a relaxing walk when you are in Washington DC!
Beatrix Farrand designed it and people consider the park one of her most important works.
See the Phillips Collection
After exploring Dumbarton Oaks Park this morning, go to the Phillips Collection.
This is an art museum with an extensive collection of artworks. You find here all kinds of paintings from many places in the world! If you love art, this is a great thing to do during your 7 days in Washington DC!
The works of many famous artists are on display at this museum.
Some of these artists are Van Gogh, Renoir, Picasso, and Goya.
If you are looking for a museum with a large collection of paintings, go here!
Go To a Concert at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
After a day exploring nature and art in the city, I recommend seeing a performance in the evening.
A great place to do that is at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
You'll find a large variety of performances at this place.
This includes jazz, dance, theater, folk music, pop, and more!
So choose a performance you like, get tickets, and prepare for a great night out!
Going to a performance here is very fun for sure during one week in Washington DC!
What's great about this place as well, is that the building looks very impressive. It is a huge building with a striking design!
Day 3: A Day With Places You Must See During 7 Days in Washington DC
Let's begin the third day. Today is going to be great as you'll visit some of the places you must-see when you're in Washington DC.
See the Lincoln Memorial
First, let's go to the Lincoln Memorial.
The Lincoln Memorial is a memorial that is there to honor Abraham Lincoln.
You find this memorial on the National Mall.
The place looks amazing! You'll find a temple here with a very classical design.
The most impressive thing you can see here is the statue of Abraham Lincoln. This is very interesting.
There is a very large statue of the president that sits in a chair. Seeing this statue is great during your week in Washington DC!
Walk Through the Constitution Gardens
Now it's time to go to the Constitution Gardens. You will love this activity if you like nature.
This is a park that you can also find at the National Mall.
You find here a lot of beautiful nature, which makes it a very relaxing place.
You can go here for a relaxing stroll before going to the next historic sight in the city!
At the park, you find a small pond that is great to see!
What's great as well is that you can see the Washington Monument from here!
See the Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is the next sight you should see when you are one week in Washington DC!
This monument is an obelisk that you can also find at the National Mall.
This obelisk is here to honor George Washington who was the first president of the United States.
The obelisk is a very impressive landmark that you can see from a lot of places in the city because it is so tall! The height of the monument is 555 feet (or 169 meters).
What's great is that you can go to the top of the Washington Monument. From the top, you have a wonderful view of the city!
Go to the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Now, I recommend going to the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
This is another one of the best museums in Washington DC.
You find the museum also at the National Mall, which is very convenient. You can walk here from the Washington Monument.
At this museum, you can learn about African-American history and culture.
You find here thousands of objects and many exhibits that are very interesting to see. It is a perfect place to learn some very important things when you are 7 days in Washington DC.
Day 4: Seeing a Memorial, Boating, and Art
Day 4 is going to be incredible! You'll see the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. Besides that, you'll go paddle boating which is very fun! And you're also going to see art.
See the Thomas Jefferson Memorial
On the 4th day of this one week in Washington DC itinerary start with the Thomas Jefferson Memorial!
This is a memorial that you can find at West Potomac Park. It honors the Founding Fathers of the United States. Furthermore, it honors Thomas Jefferson, the main author of the Declaration of Independence.
The building looks beautiful. The design is very classical, which looks amazing!
Also, the park next to the memorial is great to explore. You can go here for a relaxing walk in the city!
Paddle Boat on the Tidal Bassin
Next to the Jefferson Memorial, you find the Tidal Bassin.
This is a reservoir that you can find at West Potomac Park.
It is great to walk along the reservoir. Next to it is beautiful nature, and you can see some of the most famous landmarks from here
Another great activity you can do at the Tidal Bassin is to go boating.
You can rent paddle-boats here during some parts of the year.
It is very fun to explore the reservoir from the water in a paddle-boat, so I recommend this. It's a great activity for your 7 days in Washington DC!
If you happen to visit the city during spring, you can go to the National Cherry Blossom Festival!
During this festival, you can see the cherry blossoms, which look great! Besides that, there is music, there are parades, and there is more to see and do!
Visit the National Gallery of Art
After exploring the Tidal Bassin, you should go to the National Gallery of Art.
This is a great art museum that you can find in the city of Washington DC. In fact, it is one of the best museums in the United States.
If you have to choose one museum to visit when you are in the city of Washington DC, this would be the best choice!
That's because the collection is great to see! And the collection of objects is very extensive!
You find here a lot of different types of artworks. For example, there are paintings, sculptures, photos, and more! This makes it a very interesting place to visit.
Furthermore, the artworks you see here come from a lot of different time periods and from all over the world!
Another thing that's great about this museum is that there is no admission fee. This makes it possible to visit the museum for everyone!
Day 5: A Very Interesting Day With A Botanic Garden and More
The fifth day is one of my favorite days of this one week in Washington DC itinerary! You'll see a beautiful botanic garden and you'll tour the Capitol. After that, you'll visit the National Museum of Natural History. That museum is very interesting!
Walk Through the United States Botanic Garden
A great way to start your fifth day of this 7 days in Washington DC itinerary is with nature.
One of the best places for that in the city is the United States Botanic Garden. This is the oldest botanic garden in the country that is still operating. That makes the place very impressive.
This is an amazing botanic garden where you can find a lot of different plants.
For example, there is a specific part of the botanic garden that focuses on orchids. This is the Orchid House and it is wonderful to visit!
Another great place in the garden is the Rose Garden. Here you find a lot of beautiful roses that are incredible to see as well! If you love flowers a lot, this is a must-see.
The Rare and Endangered Plants section is great as well. Here you find a lot of plants that you almost won't find anywhere else!
You can visit this place every day of the year, which is great!
Tour the Capitol
After seeing nature this morning, it is time for another one of the most famous landmarks in the city!
This is a building that you have to see when you are one week in Washington DC.
The United States Capitol is where you can find the United States Congress and the government of the US.
The building is very famous, which makes it great to visit when you are in the city.
Besides that, the building looks very impressive. It's amazing for those who love seeing architecture.
It is a very large building that features classical architecture.
What's great is that you can do a tour of the Capitol. This is a great way to learn more about the building and its function. And through the tours, you can see the interior of the building, which looks amazing as well!
Visit the National Museum of Natural History
Close to the United States Capitol, you find the next stop of this 7 days in Washington DC itinerary.
Now, I recommend going to the National Museum of Natural History.
This is a great natural history museum that has no admission fee, so everyone can visit this museum for free!
The museum is one of the most visited museums in the world, and it is the most popular museum of its kind!
There are more than 145 million specimens at the museum, which is a very huge and spectacular amount! In fact, it is the largest collection of natural history in the world!
Moreover, the collection of the museum includes plants, rocks, fossils, and much more!
You can find the objects of the museum in several different halls.
For example, there is a hall that is all about human evolution and there is a hall that is about dinosaurs.
All these halls are great to visit, and you'll spend a lot of time at the museum if you want to have the best experience!
Day 6: Visiting an Impressive Library and an Arboretum During 7 Days in Washington DC
It's day 6 of your one week in Washington DC! Today, you're going to see an impressive library. And you'll visit the United States National Arboretum!
Go to the Library of Congress
Let's start this sixth day by going to another incredible sight: the Library of Congress!
This is the national library of the United States and you find here a huge collection of objects.
It is the largest library in the world and the collection of the library is huge. You find here more than 30 million books, which is incredible! It's very impressive.
Furthermore, there are more than 60 manuscripts and you find here a lot of rare books. But the collection consists of a lot of different other types of objects.
You also find here some very rare items. These include a draft of the Declaration of Independence and the Betts Stradivarius.
Another great thing about the Library of Congress is the interior.
The inside of the building looks incredible. You find a lot of decorations on the inside of the building that is amazing to see!
What's great is that you can enter the buildings of the Library of Congress for free!
Walk Through the United States National Arboretum
After going to the Library of Congress, it's time to walk through nature. I recommend spending the afternoon at the United States National Arboretum.
This is an arboretum that you can find in the northeast of Washington DC.
You find here a lot of trees that are great to see! And the place is perfect for a relaxing stroll.
Also, you can find some very interesting sights in the park.
For example, you find there the National Capitol Columns. These are columns that in the past were part of the United States Capitol building.
Day 7: Parks and an Interesting Museum
It's your last day in Washington DC. And it's going to be an amazing day! You'll see beautiful nature and visit a very good museum.
Visit the Meridian Hill Park
Let's start this last day of your 7 days in Washington DC with a relaxing stroll!
A great place for this is Meridian Hill Park.
This is an urban park that you can find in the Columbia Heights neighborhood of the city.
There is beautiful nature, and you find some interesting statues here.
Go to Rock Creek Park
After visiting Meridian Hill Park, I recommend going to Rock Creek Park. This place is close to the last stop.
Rock Creek Park is a large park that is great for hiking!
You find here beautiful nature that is great to see!
Also, you can go here for jogging, skating, or cycling. All these activities are great to do during one week in Washington DC.
Visit the National Museum of American History
After seeing nature, you should definitely visit the National Museum of American History.
This is a great museum that you can also find at the National Mall.
The museum has a very interesting collection of items.
Together, the collection tells the story of the United States. So, if you want to learn more about history, this is the place for you!
One of the most notable items in the museum is the original Star-Spangled Banner. This is incredible to see during your 7 days in Washington DC!
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