National Mall
The National Mall in Washington DC is a massive park lined with museums, memorials and galleries. We stayed close by the National Mall which was a great and convenient location. During our stay in DC, we walked around the National Mall and saw the Washington State Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, White House and Washington Monument. You can't go to DC without walking along the National Mall and seeing the Washington Monument. Other's thought it was boring but I thought it was simple and beautiful, especially when viewed from the reflecting pool outside the Lincoln Memorial. The Washington State Capitol building was stunning and also looked amazing as it reflected off the frozen pool. There are multiple museums located around the National Mall as well as throughout the rest of DC. I have labelled all the museums we visited with Smithsonian, as these are the free museums in DC. Side note, the National Mall is a great area to go for a run in, but if you go in winter time make sure you have appropriate running clothing (yes I almost died).
Georgetown Cupcakes
If you've ever seen the reality TV show DC cupcakes, you'll know that Georgetown cupcakes has the most amazing cupcakes ever. I thought it would be a bit of a gimmick considering this cupcake store is featured in a reality TV show, but these literally are the best cupcakes I've ever tasted. So please, I'm begging you, if you visit DC you have to go to Georgetown Cupcakes!
National Zoological Park (Smithsonian)
The National Zoo has everything from elephants to prairie dogs. Unfortunately because our visit was in winter, a lot of the animals weren't around. I guess because the zoo is free, it's hard to complain but just beware that you may not be able to see a lot of the animals during winter time. The animals we did see were pretty cool and it is a fun day out after going through a lot of museums. I'd definitely recommend the zoo if you've got a sunny day and you don't mind a lot of walking.
National Geographic Museum
Unfortunately I wouldn't recommend the National Geographic Museum. It may possibly be better with other exhibits but when we visited there was just one exhibit about Jesus's Tomb in Jerusalem. The exhibit was fascinating as it including VR and a very immersive movie however I'm not really interested in Jerusalem. We paid $12 for the museum thinking it would be a huge museum full of National Geographic content, maybe some animal sculptures and National Geographic photos but there was literally nothing else. Considering all of the Smithsonian Museums in DC are free, I wouldn't waste your money on National Geographic.
Renwick Gallery (Smithsonian)
This is a gorgeous little gallery showcasing more american art with some very interesting and inspiring pieces. The security lady was super nice and explained some of the art works to us. She also recommended other great museums to visit in the area. I would highly recommend making a stop here and giving this little gallery as much support as you can.
Pentagon City Fashion Centre
We couldn't find many shops around the National Mall and only discovered Pentagon City Fashion Centre after a bit of research. We stayed in DC for a whole week which meant we had plenty of time on our hands and way too many museums to visit. If you ever need a shopping break in DC, head to Pentagon City Fashion Centre. The best part is, this shopping centre is attached to the Pentagon City metro station, so it's the perfect rainy day activity. This centre has heaps of great stores including Apple, Forever 21, Victoria's Secret, Sephora, Bath and Body Works, Nordstrom, Macy's and loads more. It also has a few nice restaurants as well as a casual food court.
National Museum of African American Culture (Smithsonian)
This is the newest Smithsonian museum in DC. It opened in September of 2016. It has three underground levels which take you through the history of African American's. This history starts from slavery and ends on the progress, current situation and pop culture of African American history. You can then go upstairs and view the art and culture galleries. This is a very sad but also educational experience. It was good to learn about African Americans and the very beginning of their history. This museum is free but you need a timed ticket. It's best to get them online in advance. If you are visiting in winter though, you can pretty much walk straight in.
National Gallery of Art (Smithsonian)
The National Gallery of Art is pretty self explanatory. There's a west wing full of some incredible pieces including works from some of my favourite artists including Calude Monet, Van Gogh and Andy Warhole. You'll need at least half a day to explore the NGA and all that it has to offer. In the east wing you'll find the contemporary art and an outdoor terrace. Be sure to head to the outdoor terrace to find the giant blue chicken sculpture.
Air & Space Museum (Smithsonian)
The Air and Space Museum is a wonderful free Smithsonian museum that is educational but still interesting. My favourite part of the Air and Space Museum was watching Journey to the Stars in the planetarium. It cost just nine dollars and ran for 25 minutes. Before watching Journey to the Stars I had never been in a planetarium. The museum itself is free with plenty of great exhibitions. I would highly recommend a visit while you're in DC.
National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian)
The Natural History Museum was a great museum. This one is perfect for all ages, I'm 100% sure every kid would love to visit the Natural History Museum. The highlight of my time here was the Butterfly Pavilion. It normally costs $7.5 for adults but for some reason it's free on Tuesday's, so that was pretty good. Inside the pavilion there's a range of gorgeous butterfly's. You're allowed to spend as much time inside as you like, take plenty of photos and the coolest part was that some of the butterfly's even land on you. It was really fun and I would highly recommend a visit.
National Portrait Gallery (Smithsonian)
The National Portrait Gallery has many great portraits and paintings. I would definitely choose the National Gallery of Art over the National Portrait Gallery but if you have plenty of time on your hands, the National Portrait Gallery is quite interesting. I'm a fan of Sylvia Plath and they had a wonderful exhibit on her which was my favourite part of the gallery. The giant neon USA art piece is quite amazing too.
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