12 Cheap Things To Do in Washington, D.C.

With the Fourth of July just around the corner, the National Mall in Washington, D.C. is sure to be packed with tourists all week. While there’s nothing wrong with celebrating America’s independence in 90+ degree heat with thousands of your closest friends, there are better ways to spend your time in the nation’s capital.

I’ve lived less than an hour outside of D.C. my entire life. Many Americans, and non-Americans, only dream of visiting the capital to see the White House and other monuments. And yes, those things are pretty cool, but there is so much more to D.C. and you can explore it for little to no money.

Here are 12 things to do in D.C. on a budget (in no particular order):

1. Visit the Smithsonian Museums: It might surprise visitors to learn that all Smithsonian museums in D.C. are totally free. On top of being free, there is a museum for everyone. Some favorites include the National Museum of Natural History, the National Museum of American History, the Hirshhorn, the National Postal Museum, and the National Air and Space Museum. I still haven’t been able to get into the National Museum of African American History & Culture, but if you can get in, I’ve heard great things.

2. Check out the Mansion on O Street: This “mansion” is actually five connected townhouses and is a hoarder’s paradise. Wander through secret doors and passageways, explore more than 500 odd rooms including a wood cabin inside the mansion, or pay insane amounts of money to stay there for a night like Rosa Parks and other celebs. You can usually find a Groupon for around $15 that gets you a glass of champagne and admission to roam the halls as long as you want. Oh, and everything in the mansion is for sale.

3. Walk around Georgetown: This trendy neighborhood on the Potomac River is home to cute markets, cupcake shops, and well-known brand stores. Head toward the river to enjoy a drink in Washington Harbour or take a stroll through Georgetown Waterfront Park and splash in the fountain to beat the heat.

4. Shop at Eastern Market: Walk through the trendy neighborhood of Capitol Hill to Eastern Market where you can buy fresh flowers, fruits, veggies, meats, pastas, cheeses, or breakfast from the indoor vendors. The market extends outside on the weekends with vendors that sell furniture, art, clothes, jewelry, pottery, and other unique D.C. finds. The market is closed on Mondays.

5. See the monuments at night: One of D.C.’s biggest draws are the magnificent historical monuments throughout the city. It’s free to explore them, and some are really beautiful, but for a more unique visit, check them out in the evening or at night. You’ll avoid most of the crowds and hot weather, and the monuments are open 24 hours a day so you can visit whenever it’s convenient.

The Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, and White House all look a little more impressive lit-up at night, and the Jefferson Memorial is quite stunning at sunset. Another family-favorite is the Marine Corps War Memorial (or Iwo Jima) because not only is it a unique memorial, but it also stands on a hill that gives you a great view of the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and Capitol Building behind it.

6. Learn something at the Holocaust Memorial Museum: This museum is probably my favorite in D.C. It’s incredibly informative and immerses you in the terrible truths of the Holocaust. I know that doesn’t sound enticing to most tourists, but I think it’s important to learn from past mistakes and understand the world from different eyes.

The main exhibit includes testimonies from survivors, horrific pictures and artifacts from concentration camps, and information on how something like this could have happened. Be sure to get a $1 ticket online ahead of time or get there early to grab a free one so you can see the main exhibit. If you’re late, check out some of the smaller exhibits that don’t require a ticket.

7. Admire the National Building Museum: As the name implies, the National Building Museum is architecturally grand both inside and out. Most of the year, you can see the interior and do a free self-guided tour for free or pay $10 to see the few exhibits centered around buildings, housing, or architecture. Every summer the museum creates an interactive exhibit in the main hall so admission is not free, but for less than $20 you can visit all the regular exhibits and a unique summer one. Past Summer Block Party exhibits include a giant maze and a “beach” made of plastic balls.

8. Drink your way around Dupont Circle: If you’re looking to drink in D.C., one of your cheaper options is a bar crawl around Dupont Circle. Project DC Events often has themed bar crawls for around $15 ahead of time. Tickets get you access to drink specials at local bars, food deals, and entry for raffle prizes. This might not seem like a great deal, but if you can get a $10 drink for $3, it adds up.

If there aren’t any bar crawls when you’re visiting, still check out the bar scene in Dupont during happy hours. For the young or young-at-heart, I highly recommend the epic weekend dance floors at both The Madhatter and Café Citron.

9. Explore Theodore Roosevelt Island: Good old Teddy doesn’t just get a memorial, he gets an island. Head over to this little piece of wilderness in the city to see the memorial, hike nature trails, do some bird-watching, or put your kayak in the water for a paddle around the Potomac.

10. See the animals at the National Zoo: D.C.’s zoo is huge and totally free. The biggest draw is the Giant Pandas, but I’m a big fan of the Reptile Discovery Center and Small Mammal House. The zoo has a lot of interactive and educational exhibits along the way, and sometimes the zoo keepers get the animals to do unexpected things. I’ve seen a giant tortoise eat a pumpkin and a small mammal do some finger painting.

11. Take a tour of the Pentagon: While you can get a free tour of the White House, you need to request it through your Member of Congress a minimum of 21 days in advance. And if your Member of Congress is like mine, he’ll never respond. Instead, consider touring the Pentagon—one of the world’s largest office buildings and home to the U.S. Department of Defense. You can directly request a tour online at least 14 days in advance, or if you know one of the 26,000 employees there, they can probably get you in for a self-guided tour.

I’m taking my first official tour next month, but I’ve been working at the Pentagon for a few months now. Though uninspiring from the outside, the building is basically a little city. It has intricate exhibits of art and memorabilia down almost every hall along with restaurants, a pharmacy, an eye doctor, a dry cleaner, a post office, a florist, a chocolate shop, a DMV, and much more.

12. Catch a free show at the Kennedy Center: The Kennedy Center is the classiest place in D.C. to hear an orchestra or watch a Broadway-caliber play. Those tickets cost a pretty penny, but every night at 6 p.m. there is a free performance on Millennium Stage in the Grand Foyer. Full disclosure: I’ve never attended one of the free events, but if there is a free way to get inside the Kennedy Center, I recommend you take it if only to see the 3,000 pound bust of JFK.

So there you have it: 12 cheap(ish) things to do in D.C. Of course, there is so much more to explore in this city, but I’ve already written too much for a single blog post. Let me know if you have any favorite cheap D.C. activities in the comments below!