I went to visit Washington D.C a few times and I totally love the city. The best part about it is the diversity of the people of from all around the world and the dream of all foodies. Yet, there’s one really big downside to Washington D.C – the cost. As much as I want to return to the city again and again, if I need to spend too much money on accommodation and the activities, I wouldn’t do it. Everyone should know by now, Washington D.C is not a cheap city. The cost here are pretty high – including the rates for parking, transportation, hotels and meals. Fortunately, there are great things to do for free in Washington D.C for budget travelers – like me.
Visit The Capitol Building
I visited The Capitol numerous of time not just because I wanted to watch Congress in session by sitting in the galley. It is because the free tours it offers throughout the day. These tickets are offered on first come, first serve basis and available at 8:30am. I usually get there early because I know the tickets are gone very quickly.
Visit The Supreme Court
With 40-minutes lectures in the main hall for free, who wouldn’t visit the Supreme Court when the entrance is also free of charge? I learned a lot of things here including how the court works and every detailed things about it.
Visit the Monuments
To watch the heroes of our fallen wars especially in Vietnam War, visiting the Monuments is a must. National Mall offers free tours of all monuments around the site. If you’re just like me, you’d probably like the FDR monument which has a little, relaxing garden and not very crowded. There are also other monuments of the past United States presidents.
Visit the Smithsonian Museums
Like I said earlier, there are a lot of museums to be visited for free in Washington D.C. The best part of this is probably the free wi-fi they offer as well. Two of the museums offer IMAX movies, however, these are not free, but I actually saved my money for the second movie for only USD4. The location of all museums scatter all around the big park, the National Mall of Washington D.C.
The Happy Hour
Of course, after the long day of sightseeing and walking, like any travelers, you would probably want to have a good drink and meal. Washington D.C is a place full of happy hour specials. My favorite location would be the DuPont Circle and Georgetown to enjoy the great discount of great food.
By standard, I have to agree that Washington D.C is not a cheap city when compared to others. However, if you’re just like me who would enjoy budget travel, Washington D.C does have tons of great free activitives to offer. Even for just a couple of days there, these great places allow you to see a lot of D.C, including the history of the country, without the need of spending too much money during your stay.