How to spend a perfect 24 hours in Washington, DC

With more than 100 unique neighborhoods, 30 national parks, museums in every quadrant and award-winning dining, it would take weeks to fully explore Washington, DC, not just 24 hours. But if you're making a flying visit to the American capital, trust us, a lot can be accomplished in a day.

Here's a perfect itinerary that shows off the best of the best of Washington, DC, in 24 hours, taking in the top museums, the best drinking and dining spots, and much more.

How do I get to Washington, DC?

The DC region has the great (if confusing) fortune of having three major airports. Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) is 5 miles south in Virginia. Washington Dulles International (IAD) is 26 miles west in Virginia, and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) is 32 miles northeast in Maryland. Which hub you pick will depend on where you fly from and the airline you fly with. Coming by road, Interstate 95 passes close to the center.

What’s the best way to travel from the airport?

While none of the three airports serving the capital are inside the District of Columbia, both DCA and IAD are connected to Washington's WMATA Metro system, which is the cheapest way to get into the city and back out again. Allow 30 minutes to reach the center from DCA, or an hour from IAD.

BWI is not on the Metro network, but you can cover the distance to the center of Washington, DC, in about an hour by taxi or rideshare. Alternatively, MTA-MARC trains connect the airport to Washington's Metro system.

How do I get around in the capital?

The Metro is your best bet for getting into Washington, DC. In the center, you can also get around by Metrobus, on bikes rented through the Capital DC Bikeshare scheme, or using the Potomac Water Taxi service. The best way to explore the National Mall is on foot.

Where should I keep my luggage?

When you arrive at your hotel, ask if you can check in early and stash your belongings in your room. If early check-in is not available, the concierge should be able to hold onto your things until you’re back from your day of fun in DC.

Where should I stay in Washington, DC?

For a one-night jaunt to the capital, the most convenient option is to pick a hotel connected to a Metro station. If you want to stay close to DCA airport, Crystal Gateway Marriott is connected to the Crystal City Metro station in Virginia, just one stop north of the airport. 

If you'd rather stay in downtown Washington, the Washington Marriott at Metro Center is connected to Metro Center station. Both are massive, slightly sterile conference hotels, but as well as being close to public transit, they’re set in bustling neighborhoods, near to shops, restaurants and things to do. 

What should I do with 24 hours in Washington, DC?

DC has dozens of cool neighborhoods. Some sleek and shiny districts are the result of strategic city planning; others offer a more eclectic mix of new and old homes and storefronts. Whatever your tastes, with just 24 hours in Washington, it makes sense to stick to central DC for most of the day – just make sure you come back to see what else the city has to offer!

Early Morning

Aim to start early, around 7am. During the week, you’ll share the streets with throngs of fast-paced commuters, but weekend mornings are slower and sidewalks are dotted with people heading to work in shops and restaurants and early-rising tourists just like you. 

Eat: Early morning food options are limited to chain coffee shops, except for one standout choice – Café Riggs on the first floor of the Hotel Riggs on F St NW. With its tall ceilings, bold marble columns and fine architectural details, it still holds reminders of its previous life as a bank headquarters. Open from 7am, it's a great place to sit in elegant surroundings, grab some excellent food and collect your thoughts for the day. 

Do: Most of the museums don’t open their doors until 10am. In the meantime, take yourself on an informal walking tour of outdoor sights. Take a six-minute stroll to US Navy Memorial Plaza, wander past the National Gallery of Art’s Sculpture Garden and drop by the towering Washington Monument. 

Mid Morning

Downtown DC can be quite bustling by mid-morning, especially when the weather is nice. There’s lots of good shopping and restaurants start to stir as they get ready for the lunch crowd during the week. If you come at the weekend, most restaurants offer some type of weekend brunch, so you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. 

Eat: I always recommend Unconventional Diner on 9th St NW because they serve brunch every day. Their menu of international comfort food features interesting fusion dishes such as Moroccan-themed taquitos (rolled tortillas), Lebanese fried rice and Caribbean shrimp & grits.

If they’re busy, walk one block over to Your Only Friend, a sandwich shop with a bar (or a bar with great sandwiches). Their Hot Nug is basically a giant chicken nugget drenched in Nashville hot sauce served on a sesame seed bun – it’s popular for a reason!  

Do: From Unconventional Diner, you can ride the Metro pretty easily to either Smithsonian or L’Enfant Station and explore the sights of the National Mall. By 10am or 11am, the famous Smithsonian museums are opening and you can choose your own adventure.

Some museums, like the National Museum of African American History and Culture and the National Air and Space Museum, require a free, timed ticket. At many others, you can roam at will, including the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Mall's numerous art galleries. 

Afternoon

The weather is unpredictable in DC. Afternoons can bring a pleasant warmth that is well suited to exploring on foot or a sweltering heat that may drive you indoors. 

Eat: After wandering around the museums, head to the Southwest Wharf neighborhood – a 20-minute walk or a ten-minute trip by rideshare. For lunch, you have an abundance of restaurants to choose from. Budget-friendly options include The Brighton, a British-themed pub, and Milk & Honey for Southern comfort food. If you’re ready to splurge, try Gordon Ramsay’s Hell's Kitchen or Bistro Du Jour, an upscale French bistro. 

Do: If the weather allows, stick around the Wharf. There’s usually an outdoor pop-up activity on offer, from winter ice skating to warm-weather kayaking or putt-putt golf. If it’s too cold to stay outside, catch a matinee performance at the Arena Stage theater, see cool tech-themed art installations at Artechouse, pop into the iconic Politics & Prose bookstore, or shop for souvenirs at Shop Made in DC.

Evening

Washingtonians love a happy hour deal, so you’ll find bars and restaurants packed with people after office hours. Even the work-from-home crowd comes out in search of discounts on beers, house wines, wings, and small plates between 4pm and 6pm (or 7pm). 

Eat: The Dupont Circle neighborhood is a 15-minute drive north of the National Mall, also accessible on the Metro if you have more patience. If you fancy a drink before dinner, restaurants such as Chiko, Boqueria and Teddy and the Bully Bar open from around 4pm or 5pm, with some good pre-dinner deals. You’ll also find some fast-casual food options that are good for a quick bite.

Do: Dupont Circle has bookstores, shopping, and perhaps the quirkiest museum in DC – the O Museum in The Mansion. Inside this historic row house, hidden doorways lead to themed rooms filled with eccentric knickknacks from around the world, spanning various periods in history. This is a private museum, so expect to pay around $30 for entry. 

After Dark

While the odd bar here or there may stay open until 11pm or midnight, there isn't a whole lot to do in DC after hours on weekdays once the restaurants close at around 9pm or 10pm. However, nightlife on Thursday, Friday and Saturday is a different story! 

Eat: At the weekend, neighborhoods such as Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and U Street have plenty of late-night eating along their main corridors - you’ll find pizza, tacos, and international dining options that stay open until 2am. 

Do: In these same neighborhoods, the sound of hip hop, pop chart toppers and Latin dance music flows from bars onto the sidewalk as big groups of night owls walk from spot to spot. Some nightspots offer cool cocktails or craft beers and chilled-out vibes, others are buzzing dance spots or lounges where you can sit back with a hookah. 

If you still have energy for DC’s stone-carved wonders, nighttime tours of the monuments are offered by several companies, or you can visit under your own steam. The memorials to Thomas Jefferson, Martin Luther King Jr and Abraham Lincoln are beautifully lit after dark, and much less busy late in the evening.