Hello,
Washington, DC

Come for the monuments and history, but stay for the unique culture and beauty of America’s capital.

History buff or not, Washington, DC should be on everyone’s bucket list. And since we’re all at home, there’s no better time than now to take a virtual vacation from your couch to the Smithsonian, your backyard to the Botanic Gardens, or even take your pet with you on a trip to the National Zoo.

MORNING

Did someone say coffee?

Let’s start the day right with a cup of coffee and an incredible view of the city.

Play it DJ

If you dig local jams, you’ll love this playlist of local DC area musicians. Sit back and crank it up.

Listen on Spotify

See the cherry blossoms

You’re in DC in the spring, which means you can’t miss the cherry blossoms. Even better, they made it so you won’t miss them. These trees signal the beginning of spring, and now you can check on them whenever you want with live cameras.

Are they blooming?

Museum and a zoo

The Smithsonian has it all. First, take a virtual stroll through the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History before taking a walk (or more likely a “click”) on the wild side at the Smithsonian Zoo.

Visit a musuem

Explore our natural history from dinosaurs to insects to human history. (Don’t worry, there’s a food court if you get hungry.)

Explore now

Head to the zoo

They’ve got live cameras of lions, giant pandas, elephants, naked mole rats and cheetah cubs. Do we need to say more?

See for yourself

AFTERNOON

Grab a bite

Need to recharge? DC is a city full of diverse cultures, which naturally means there’s a diverse range of foods. But, above all, DC is known for half-smokes. These delicious sausages are smoked, grilled, spicy and easy to make. So take a moment to fire up the grill (or skillet) and make yourself some authentic half-smokes.

Get the recipe

Walk the gardens

Walk off lunch in the United States Botanic Garden. These gardens, both indoors and outside, feature a range of plants from the unique to the close-to-home. Speaking of “home,” when was the last time you watered the plants in yours?

Take a moment to reflect

Let’s take a breather and check out the Lincoln Memorial. The best part? When you’re finished, just turn around and you’ll be looking out over a massive reflecting pool and, in the distance, the Washington Monument. Can you see it?

EVENING

Meet friends for dinner

DC is a melting pot of cultures and a delicious melting pot of foods. So, wherever you are, order some delivery on OpenTable and connect with friends for a virtual dinner date. Use one of OpenTable’s restaurant backgrounds and “dine out” in style. (There’s even a DC restaurant for added authenticity.)

Grab a “table”

Take a “road trip”

Head out of DC to Mount Vernon for a virtual tour of George Washington’s 18th-century estate and resting place. You’ll see all the rooms of this incredible mansion, its gardens and the distillery that was built right on the property. Imagine not having to leave your house to go to the liquor store.

Take a tour

Go wine tasting

Nearby Loudoun County has plenty of charming wineries with Blue Ridge Mountain views. Instead of going from vineyard to vineyard, plan an evening of winery hopping right at home. Set up wine tasting stations in different rooms and enjoy a DIY wine tour.

BONUS: FAMILY FUN

DIY souvenir

Help your kids explore the world through color with Krayon. We created these coloring sheets, so you can get excited about the world together – no matter where you are right now.

Color the world

Hands-on activities

The Kennedy Center is offering a series of “Lunch Doodles” with Artist-in-Residence, Mo Willems, so kids of all ages can get creative at home. The best part? There’s 15 of them.

Get creative

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Hello, Washington, DC