Visiting Washington DC can be as cheap (or expensive) as you want your experience to be. This guide shows free places to explore and tips on keeping travel costs down, if you are visiting Washington DC on a budget.
After a 3-day work trip to Maryland, I decided to stay a few extra days and explore Washington DC, as I had never been before. I was traveling alone, which made a difference on how I ate during my stay. If I was traveling with other people, I would have definitely taken advantage of the vast amount of amazing restaurants, but since I was alone, I was content with eating in the cheap.
I brought protein bars and cereal to eat for breakfast and light lunches in my hotel room. I drank free coffee every morning by utilizing the coffee the in-room coffee maker. For dinner each night I either grabbed a sandwich or salad from Potbelly or Subway and went back to my hotel room to eat in bed while watching Netflix.
My hotel was located close to a CVS, so I stocked up on drinks for the mini fridge in my hotel room and large bottles of water. TIP: refill your water bottles using the filtered water that is usually always in the hotel gym. This will save you from buying bottles of water.
I stayed at the Westin Washington DC City Center in downtown DC and the hotel was nice, central, and even had its own Starbucks inside. The staff was friendly and the gym was adequate. My only knock was that the rooms are all positioned in a circle around the atrium/lobby where they had some loud piano music going on one night.
If you enjoy walking, then you can pretty much walk everywhere you want to go from the hotel. I only got an Uber twice, and that was to go to Alexandria, Virginia one day and then to the airport. I didn’t go out at night, and felt safe walking by myself during the day. If I had gone anywhere at night, I probably would have used an Uber though.
Looking and seeing are free, but if you are looking for a more immersive experience, you can book tours ahead of time (some cost a fee). I just wanted the freedom to walk around and look at the sights, coming and going as I pleased. The White House was only a 10-minute walk from the hotel and I was surprised at how just the sight of it in person really took my breath away.
After taking in the White House, I walked over to the National Mall, Lincoln Memorial and all the other memorials that are conveniently close together. There is a walking path and signs that help you to find where you want to go.
All of the museums are free too. Which is nice, but also means they are EXTREMELY crowded. Even on a Friday afternoon, I found it hard to get through the crowds. DC has a ton of museums. I only visited the Natural History Museum and an outdoor art sculpture garden.
As I walked to and from my hotel, I enjoyed the architecture and walked past the J Edgar Hoover FBI building and the USPS museum. So walking does have its benefits, as you really take in the sights this way.
Alexandria Virginia is definitely worth the 20-minute Uber ride from DC. They have such a cute downtown and I loved the architecture of the houses and buildings.
There are quaint shops and restaurants and it’s worth spending an afternoon here. Also not to be missed is their art gallery located in an old sardine factory right at the end of Front Street by the water. It showcases a ton of different artists with all different styles and mediums.
And that’s it! Washington DC is definitely worth visiting at least once in your life.
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