Curator’s statement
A long spring weekend in the capital city is always a good idea. This trip was all about food, fun and exploring with friends — complete with long walks through Georgetown and down Embassy Row — and peaceful nights at a luxury stay at The Dupont Circle. As someone who hadn’t visited Washington DC since elementary school, I was excited to see it again through fresh eyes — and with a cocktail in hand! It reminded me how fun it is to rediscover a place you only knew through school trips and historical tours.
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This weekend was all about enjoying the local side of the city and making the most of great food and relaxed fun. Dupont Circle is the ideal neighborhood for a Washington DC long weekend. With both Georgetown and the National Mall just a 20-minute walk away, we couldn’t have asked for a better location. The neighborhood had the perfect blend of energy and charm. It was busy but safe, with a relaxed and residential feel. We spent our days walking to cafés and browsing local bookstores, and even treated ourselves to Sunday morning massages after a stop at the farmers market.
The Dupont Circle Deluxe Double Room
Our home base was The Dupont Circle Hotel, a stunning property that felt modern, stylish and welcoming. The staff greeted us warmly and helped us check in early, setting the tone for a seamless stay. Breakfast each morning at The Pembroke was a treat that was included with our stay through Fora. Both The Pembroke and The Doyle are popular spots in the neighborhood, so we felt very lucky to have them right downstairs.
A warm welcome from the hotel staff
We happened to visit during the Georgetown French Market, which ended up being one of the highlights. There were pop-up vendors, neighborhood charm and lots of great sales that made exploring even more fun. We even had a French-inspired lunch at Lutèce to complete the experience.
Exploring Georgetown
We visited over a few days and really tried to make the most of our time. We did both sunrise and sunset walks around the Mall and other monuments to get a bit of history while we were there. We found as many coffee shops as possible to try, and located some great remote work spots—All Day by Kramers and Compass Coffee in Georgetown took the cake. At the end of each day, we enjoyed dinners at L’Ardente and Zaytinya, and capped things off with a night in and room service back at the hotel.
This trip reminded me how much DC has to offer beyond its monuments! It was a weekend full of great food, new discoveries and quality time with friends.
Need to know
The Dupont Circle Hotel has a restaurant, a bar and a coffee shop that operates on the weekdays, which made the hotel very convenient for a long weekend.
The Dupont Circle Red Line Metro stop is less than five minutes away and takes you everywhere — just download the SmarTrip app!
On Sunday mornings, the neighborhood hosts a local farmers market, where we bought some fresh fruit and sweet treats.
Kramers and All Day by Kramers is right across the street, for all of your bookstore and work-from-home cafe needs.
Morgan Pharmacy in Georgetown has all of your French skincare wants.
I got a wonderful deep tissue massage at Deluca Massage, which was only a five-minute walk from the hotel.
For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Washington DC page.
Travel Advisor
Julia Maynard
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