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North America · Single base · 5 NIGHTS

Washington, DC neighborhood break · Smithsonian science galleries

Compare several neighborhoods from one hotel

Submitted by Walkable Weekends
Use this itinerary

Route and nights

  1. Washington, DC5 nights

Trip format: Single base · One city hotel near local transport

Tradeoff: Pick a base that makes the evening return easy, even if a different neighborhood has a lower room rate.

Compare: Walking and local transit to compare

Trip stats

Trip days
6
Nights
5
Home Bases
1
Scheduled entries
34

Days by place

Washington, DC
6

Hotels and other stays

citizenM Washington DC Capitol · Washington, DC
5 nights

Schedule by type

Activity
14
Meal
14
Lodging
3
Ground transport
3

Day-by-day agenda

Jump to Calendar View
Day 1 Washington, DC
  1. to · Lodging Check in or drop your bags citizenM Washington DC Capitol

    If your arrival is late, keep just the hotel and dinner.

  2. to · Activity Walk the southwest edge of the National Mall National Mall, Washington, DC

    Use the walk to find the Mall entrances you will use the next day.

  3. to · Activity Walk along the Washington Channel The Wharf, Washington, DC

    Pick a short stretch between the piers.

  4. to · Meal Dinner at The Wharf The Wharf, Washington, DC
citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
Day 2 Washington, DC
  1. to · Meal Breakfast near L'Enfant Plaza L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
  2. to · Ground transport Reach the Air and Space Museum entrance Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

    Reserve for the National Mall building in Washington, DC.

  3. to · Activity Visit the National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

    Check the current timed-entry policy and use your reserved slot. Pick a short list of open galleries.

  4. to · Meal Lunch around the National Mall National Mall, Washington, DC
  5. to · Activity Visit the National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC

    Choose a priority such as the fossil hall or the ocean galleries. Allow for a security line and skip a second hall if the first takes longer.

  6. to · Meal Dinner near Penn Quarter Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
Day 3 Washington, DC
  1. to · Meal Breakfast near the Archives Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
  2. to · Activity See the National Gallery's West Building National Gallery of Art West Building, Washington, DC

    Choose one painting collection and leave time to get between floors.

  3. to · Meal Lunch near Pennsylvania Avenue NW Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
  4. to · Activity Visit the National Gallery Sculpture Garden National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC

    Check any weather or event changes. Use the indoor East Building as a backup.

  5. to · Activity See modern and contemporary art in the East Building National Gallery of Art East Building, Washington, DC
  6. to · Meal Dinner in Penn Quarter Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
Day 4 Washington, DC
  1. to · Meal Coffee and breakfast near Union Market Union Market District, Washington, DC
  2. to · Activity Explore Union Market and its surrounding blocks Union Market, Washington, DC

    Verify vendor opening times individually. Allow more time here if you prefer one market visit.

  3. to · Meal Lunch at Union Market Union Market, Washington, DC
  4. to · Ground transport Travel to Eastern Market Eastern Market, Washington, DC
  5. to · Activity Visit Eastern Market and walk the nearby residential blocks Eastern Market, Washington, DC

    Check the indoor market's days and outdoor vendor schedule. Choose a weekend if outdoor stalls are a priority.

  6. to · Meal Dinner on Barracks Row Barracks Row, Washington, DC
citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
Day 5 Washington, DC
  1. to · Meal Breakfast near the hotel L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
  2. to · Ground transport Get to the west end of the National Mall Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
  3. to · Activity Visit the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

    Check National Park Service access notices for construction and use the marked paths.

  4. to · Activity Stop at the World War II Memorial World War II Memorial, Washington, DC
  5. to · Meal Lunch near the Mall National Mall, Washington, DC
  6. to · Activity See two sections of the National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC

    Choose two priorities from open exhibits. The Star-Spangled Banner and transportation collections offer different angles.

  7. to · Activity Walk the Mall toward the Smithsonian Castle exterior Smithsonian Castle, Washington, DC

    Treat this as a grounds and exterior stop, or cut it if the museum takes longer.

  8. to · Meal Dinner around The Wharf The Wharf, Washington, DC
citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
Day 6 Washington, DC
  1. to · Meal Breakfast near L'Enfant Plaza L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
  2. to · Lodging Check out and leave bags if needed citizenM Washington DC Capitol

    Confirm checkout and luggage storage with the hotel.

  3. to · Activity Take an optional final waterfront walk The Wharf, Washington, DC

    Skip this if you need an earlier departure.

  4. to · Lodging Collect your bags citizenM Washington DC Capitol

Trip calendar

Itinerary map Print itinerary

Suggested schedule · All times are local. Check hours and availability for your dates.

  1. Day 1

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Lodging Check in or drop your bags citizenM Washington DC Capitol

      If your arrival is late, keep just the hotel and dinner.

    2. to · Activity Walk the southwest edge of the National Mall National Mall, Washington, DC

      Use the walk to find the Mall entrances you will use the next day.

    3. to · Activity Walk along the Washington Channel The Wharf, Washington, DC

      Pick a short stretch between the piers.

    4. to · Meal Dinner at The Wharf The Wharf, Washington, DC
    citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
  2. Day 2

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Meal Breakfast near L'Enfant Plaza L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
    2. to · Ground transport Reach the Air and Space Museum entrance Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

      Reserve for the National Mall building in Washington, DC.

    3. to · Activity Visit the National Air and Space Museum Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC

      Check the current timed-entry policy and use your reserved slot. Pick a short list of open galleries.

    4. to · Meal Lunch around the National Mall National Mall, Washington, DC
    5. to · Activity Visit the National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC

      Choose a priority such as the fossil hall or the ocean galleries. Allow for a security line and skip a second hall if the first takes longer.

    6. to · Meal Dinner near Penn Quarter Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
    citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
  3. Day 3

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Meal Breakfast near the Archives Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
    2. to · Activity See the National Gallery's West Building National Gallery of Art West Building, Washington, DC

      Choose one painting collection and leave time to get between floors.

    3. to · Meal Lunch near Pennsylvania Avenue NW Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
    4. to · Activity Visit the National Gallery Sculpture Garden National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC

      Check any weather or event changes. Use the indoor East Building as a backup.

    5. to · Activity See modern and contemporary art in the East Building National Gallery of Art East Building, Washington, DC
    6. to · Meal Dinner in Penn Quarter Penn Quarter, Washington, DC
    citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
  4. Day 4

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Meal Coffee and breakfast near Union Market Union Market District, Washington, DC
    2. to · Activity Explore Union Market and its surrounding blocks Union Market, Washington, DC

      Verify vendor opening times individually. Allow more time here if you prefer one market visit.

    3. to · Meal Lunch at Union Market Union Market, Washington, DC
    4. to · Ground transport Travel to Eastern Market Eastern Market, Washington, DC
    5. to · Activity Visit Eastern Market and walk the nearby residential blocks Eastern Market, Washington, DC

      Check the indoor market's days and outdoor vendor schedule. Choose a weekend if outdoor stalls are a priority.

    6. to · Meal Dinner on Barracks Row Barracks Row, Washington, DC
    citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
  5. Day 5

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Meal Breakfast near the hotel L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
    2. to · Ground transport Get to the west end of the National Mall Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC
    3. to · Activity Visit the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC

      Check National Park Service access notices for construction and use the marked paths.

    4. to · Activity Stop at the World War II Memorial World War II Memorial, Washington, DC
    5. to · Meal Lunch near the Mall National Mall, Washington, DC
    6. to · Activity See two sections of the National Museum of American History Smithsonian National Museum of American History, Washington, DC

      Choose two priorities from open exhibits. The Star-Spangled Banner and transportation collections offer different angles.

    7. to · Activity Walk the Mall toward the Smithsonian Castle exterior Smithsonian Castle, Washington, DC

      Treat this as a grounds and exterior stop, or cut it if the museum takes longer.

    8. to · Meal Dinner around The Wharf The Wharf, Washington, DC
    citizenM Washington DC CapitolWashington, DC
  6. Day 6

    Washington, DC

    America/New_York Open map for Washington, DC
    1. to · Meal Breakfast near L'Enfant Plaza L'Enfant Plaza, Washington, DC
    2. to · Lodging Check out and leave bags if needed citizenM Washington DC Capitol

      Confirm checkout and luggage storage with the hotel.

    3. to · Activity Take an optional final waterfront walk The Wharf, Washington, DC

      Skip this if you need an earlier departure.

    4. to · Lodging Collect your bags citizenM Washington DC Capitol