Staycationing in Washington DC

While it’s no secret that DC has plenty of things to do, the options can be overwhelming and expensive if not planned strategically. The whole vibe for our trip was to wash away the stress of the year while doing only things we really wanted to do. Our planned itinerary included seeing the ballet and going to the spa but we were surprised by the many other activities we found that fit the energy of the trip.

DC is not the most walkable city in the area so we had to be prepared for longer walks and navigating the metro a bit. Our first night, we got our steps in venturing over to the Warner Theatre to catch the Nutcracker Ballet. The production was one for the books and a great way to start our weekend.

The next day, we had nothing on the books so we wandered around, as we were staying in the Capitol Hill area, we ended up being steps from Union Station, the Capitol Building and walking a bit further, we found ourselves in the National Gallery of Art. The afternoon was blissful as we walked around the museum (which has no entry fee!) and took in some gorgeous works.

One of the last things we did on our long weekend was travel over to Logans Circle for our appointment at Aura Spa. We spent the morning and well into the late afternoon getting pampered with facials and massages.

If there are plenty of things to do in Washington DC, then there are three times as many spots to eat. We enjoyed several different cuisines but had three clear favorites during our trip.

The first was Bistro Du Jour, the onsite restaurant at the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It was our favorite way to start the day. We tried both breakfast and lunch here and loved both French inspired menus.

For dinner, we still talk about Pappe’s. Farther out from our hotel in Capitol Hill but on the way back from the spa, the upscale Indian cuisine was to die for. I would personally drive back to DC for another order of their butter chicken and garlic naan.

Another fan favorite, the preference of my travel partner, was L’Ardente. For this dinner, we went Italian and it was incredible. The dining room was gorgeous and we got to sit at the kitchen bar which is always a favorite experience of mine. My friend still talks about their forty layer lasagna, yes forty! It was an elegant and delicious experience.