24 Hours in Washington DC

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Capital of the United States, Washington DC is home to American politics, history, monuments, shopping and the world-renowned Smithsonian museums. If you’re looking for a vibrant city that’s beautiful, diverse and clean, look no further. 

This article covers where to stay in DC as a solo and things to do alone in DC especially if you only have 24 hours in Washington DC. If you’re trying to stick to a budget, DC can be very expensive. But, there are plenty of free things to do by yourself in DC. Just follow this guide for your solo trip to DC. 

N.b. By booking through this page for your 24 hours in DC, you are helping to improve the lives of vulnerable girls about the globe. Thanks for helping.

24 Hours in Washington DC

Morning

9am – 12pm. National Mall (East)

Sorry but this isn’t a mall for shopping. The National Mall is actually a large park in Downtown DC that’s home to all the famous Smithsonian Museums, tons of gardens, National Memorials, Monuments and the Capital. Spanning 146 acres from the Lincoln Memorial in the west to the Capitol Building in the east, there’s so much to see and experience at the National Mall!

All 14 museums, 10 gardens, and over 20 monuments and memorials are all free! If you love being outside, exploring museums and American History, this will be one of the most fun (and free) places to visit!

I suggest starting at the eastern end, where the capital building is, and museum hopping the full way around the eastern portion of the National Mall. Some personal favourites are the US Botanic Garden, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Museum of Natural History.

Good luck trying to go to all of them, fully seeing every museum and every exhibit could take a whole day on its own!

  • Find it at: Washington, DC 20565
  • Opens at: Park itself is 24/7 but most museums open 9am-5pm
  • Costs: Free
  • Nearest Metros: Federal Center SW, L’Enfant Plaza, Pennsylvania Avenue, Smithsonian, Washington Monument Federal Triangle, McPhearson Square, Foggy Bottom (see nearby hotels here)
  • Website: National Mall
24 Hours in Washington DC

Eastern Market (photo @ woodleywonderworks)

Lunch. 12pm – 1pm

Eastern Market

You can always get lunch at the food kiosks and pop ups in the National Mall if you want to keep visiting the museums. But, if you really want to explore (and especially if it’s Sunday) take a short trip and visit…

If you’re a foodie at heart, then you should definitely visit the Eastern Market. The Eastern Market is a local favourite for farm fresh produce, flowers, meats and some of the best (and affordable) food in DC.

If you’re fortunate enough to be in DC on a Sunday, there’s also live music, art and crafts in a bustling marketplace right outside the building. No matter what, you have to try the blueberry pancakes, they’re a huge favourite for locals and visitors alike.

  • Find it at: Union Market, 1309 5th St NE, Washington, DC 20002
  • Opens at: Tue-Fri 7am-7pm, Sat 7am-6pm, Sun 9am-5pm and closed Mon
  • Costs: Most food is affordable at around $10 for a great meal (check the website every week to see who’s cooking!)
  • Nearest Metro: Eastern Market station
  • Website: Eastern Market
Free Things To Do in Washington D.C.

Panda bears (photo @ Judy)

Early Afternoon (option 1)

2pm – 4pm. Smithsonian National Zoo

I know, you’re probably thinking, “going to a zoo seems childish”. If you’re not, then you’re like me and you think animals are adorable. Especially when you get to see those animals for free! The Smithsonian Zoo is home to the famous giant pandas Tian Tian, Mei Xiang and Bei Bei, it will take a lot of willpower not to try and jump in and hug them.

The zoo sits on 163 acres, only a 15 minute metro ride from Downtown DC, and is home to over 1,500 animals across 300 different species. If you love animals and want a slight break from the busy city for a little bit, this should be your next stop. Also, a litter of cheetah cubs was born just recently (so cute!)

Early Afternoon (option 2)

2pm – 4pm. Friends Experience

If you’re a fan of the iconic Friends series and are in Washington on a Thursday or Friday, you can join the Friends Experience and get interactive within the set recreations of 12 of the rooms. See Monica and Rachel’s kitchen, Joey and Chandler’s apartment and the famous Central Perk. See the original props and costumes and have a photo opportunity on the iconic orange couch. A must-do for Friends lovers! Opening hours 

  • Find it at: 1025 F Street NW, Washington, DC 20004 (Entrance located on 11th St NW)
  • Opens at: Thurs & Fri: 12pm – 7pm. Sat: 10am – 8pm. Sun: 11am – 6pm.
  • Costs: $42
  • Website: Friends Experience Washington
Free Things To Do in Washington D.C.

Georgetown (photo @ M R)

Early Evening

5pm – 8pm. Georgetown

With a full day of culture, history, art and fuzzy animals, sometimes it’s nice to take a break and do some window (or actual) shopping, and enjoy a little glamor. Georgetown is not only one of the most beautiful and oldest areas in DC.

It also has some of the nicest shops, boutiques and restaurants. Georgetown really is the trendiest place you’ll go to in DC. Although buying anything here may be a bit much for a budget traveler (like me), it’s still tons of fun to window shop and explore the area.

After you have your fill of window-shopping, take a nice walk along the Georgetown waterfront along the canals and the Potomac River for a great view. Oh, and if you’ve ever seen that show DC Cupcakes on TLC, that cupcake shop is in Georgetown too.

  • Find it at: Georgetown Neighbourhood in Washington, DC.
  • Opens at: 10am – 7pm
  • Nearest Metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro station (see hotels nearby here)
  • Costs: Free to look, $3.25 for a cupcake

Dinner

DC offers tons of incredible food options both in the city and in the outskirts. But, if you want the most for your money, then just visit check online at Food Truck Fiesta. This super handy website tells you the location of all the food trucks in DC.

Whether you want BBQ, sushi, empanadas or even Korean Tacos, there are hundreds of food trucks to choose from! Plus, if you don’t feel like moving anywhere, you can just look to see what food truck is closest to you, which I call a win-win.

Free Things To Do in Washington D.C.

Lincoln Memorial (ohoto @ Mr. TinDC)

Evening

National Mall (West)

If you haven’t gone to the western side of the National Mall yet, this is one of the best times to do it. All the monuments and memorials are lit up with lights once the sun goes down, creating one of the most breathtaking sights you can imagine.

From the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial, and every memorial and monument in-between, it makes for a great walk (or bike ride if you don’t mind spending about $8 to rent a bicycle) around.

The reflection pool catches the lights from all around and makes for some of the best pictures you can take. Of course, also can’t forget that Dr. Martin Luther King made his famous “I have a Dream” speech at the Lincoln Memorial, making it that much more awesome!

Free things to do in Washington D.C.

Washington D.C City Tours

Get Your Guide – Get Your Guide helps you to find top-rated day tours and activities in Washington D.C. Choose from a full day Washington D.C tour with a scenic river cruise, a National Mall walking tour, or a haunted history ghost tour. Some of the tours require a minimum of 2 people but there are plenty to book as a solo including evening tours such as a monuments by moonlight nighttime trolley tour, and it’s really simple to use. Just check the reviews, price and availability then book online. Read my Get Your Guide review or click the link below for all their tours.

* Check all Get Your Guide tours, prices and availability

Viator – Viator are similar to Get Your Guide. They are an American company and a tour platform with more than 345,000 tours and worldwide activities. They offer a Capitol Hill and DC monuments tour in an electric cart, an African-American history tour with museum entry, and a Washington D.C. Capitol sites bike tour. Although some of their tours have a minimum of 2 people, there are several tours to join as a solo. Read my Viator review or click the link for all their tours.

* Check all Viator tours, prices and availability

Accommodation in Washington

If you are only planning Washington DC in one day you may not need accommodation but if you are planning to stay overnight, Washington has a variety of accommodation to stay in. Choose from a 3,4 or 5-star hotel (including international hotels), guest houses, boutique inns and B&Bs, and hostels if you’re on a budget. There’s also Airbnb which offers rental accommodation in Washington on a short-term basis and rooms with a local. Save $20 off your first stay with this Airbnb link. 

All of the accommodations below have been recommended by solo female travellers from our Girls about the Globe community and come with our Solo Female Friendly endorsement. For all other accommodation, click on the link below.

* To book, check prices or availability for all accommodation in Washington

For those who prefer the freedom of the open road consider hiring an RV and driving yourself around the USA stopping in Washington on the way. As a solo traveller, you’ll have plenty of space for your accommodation, your own transport and possibly a kitchenette too. RVshare allows you to compare RV rates from different brands and find local owners near you. In most cases, they deliver to a specific location or park, so the home-away-from-home will be ready and waiting for you on arrival. Plus, you can bring your pet! Prices start from $75 a night. * Book a campervan with RVshare

Duo Nomad – $

Located just over a mile from The Capitol, Duo Nomad is a popular choice with solo travellers. There’s a kitchen and dining area to prepare your own meals and a charming quiet room if you prefer to read. Plus, free coffee is also available all day. It’s an ideal place for those wanting to meet other visitors to Washington. Choose from a 4, 6 or 8-bed mixed dormitory room.

The Georgetown House Boutique Inn – $$

This gorgeous boutique inn is situated along the C&O canal in a quiet location and a short walk away from the Georgetown Waterfront. The White House is just over 1.2 miles away and you’ll find places to dine nearby. The rooms are cute and cosy with flat-screen TVs and private bathrooms. Choose from a small double room, a standard double room or a double room.

Hotel Hive – $$$

Hotel Hive is a stylish mix of industrial and modern, and is in a great location, just a 15 minute walk from the Lincoln Memorial, and close to the train. The front desk is open 24 hours and there is a restaurant serving pizza and a terrace. The rooms can be small but have inspiring messages on the walls. If you are a light sleeper you may want to avoid the Buzz rooms that are situated above the bar. Choose from a buzz king or buzz queen (above the bar or basement), a hive bunk, double room, hive queen or king, loft queen or loft king.

Getting From The Airport

Washington DC has an incredibly convenient Metrorail System that will get you wherever you need to go for cheap. For a whole day of DC exploring, I suggest purchasing the One-Day SmarTrip Pass. You can take the Metro as many times as you want from the moment the train starts running until the last train finishes.

Washington D.C. is a fantastic place to visit but if you’re in the US, why not explore more of the country? There is good transport infrastructure in the USA with trains, flights and buses. You could take the bus from Washington to Atlanta for example and see Georgia too. There is so much to see in the USA. 

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Author Bio: I’m Kate, half of the team behind Hotels Near DC Metro; I’m also a mother and wife with plenty of experience living, and traveling, in Washington, DC. Huge fan of art and being outside exploring new adventures. Avid Internet searcher for cute animal pictures, especially puppies and any animal in baby form.

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