{"id":37940,"date":"2018-08-23T08:54:40","date_gmt":"2018-08-23T15:54:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=37940"},"modified":"2018-09-07T10:52:08","modified_gmt":"2018-09-07T17:52:08","slug":"city-guide-48-hours-in-d-c","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-d-c","title":{"rendered":"City guide: 48 hours in D.C."},"content":{"rendered":"

Heading to the D.C. area? From food to movement to cultural sites, here\u2019s how to maximize your exploration during a 48-hour trip in Washington, D.C., and on the city\u2019s periphery.<\/p>\n

Saturday<\/h4>\n

When you arrive in D.C. on Friday night (or early Saturday morning), it\u2019s time for a green fix. \u201cI am a city girl to the core and I love the ability to get out to green spaces,\u201d said Ambreen Tariq, founder of Brown People Camping<\/a>, who has lived in D.C. for 12 years. \u201cD.C. has so many city spaces that are green and metro accessible, so the city can fulfill an outdoor lover\u2019s heart. I haven\u2019t had a car in D.C. for 12 years! There are also outdoor places outside of D.C. that are more traditional wilderness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Start your day with a self-guided 2.5-mile<\/a> outdoor history tour. From the Martin Luther King, Jr Memorial, walk (or rent two wheels from a bike share<\/a>) clockwise around the Tidal Basin. Visit the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and after the George Mason Memorial hop onto the Rock Creek Park Trails<\/a>, a tree-covered path through Rock Creek Park<\/a> alongside the Potomac River. Head north until you reach the Lincoln Memorial. Bonus: If you spend day two here, you can rent a paddle boat from Tidal Basin Paddle Boats<\/a> (as early as 10am) and glide across the pristine morning water.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe monuments are a beautiful family-friendly tradition that are a part of the National Park [Service]<\/a>. There are cherry blossoms. It\u2019s well lit, and everything is very close. The city is brilliant for urban hiking,\u201d said Tariq.<\/p>\n

Sunday<\/h4>\n

Embrace another early morning and return west for a day of urban exploration. First, visit Theodore Roosevelt Island<\/a>, which sits on the Potomac River in-between D.C. and Virginia. The island memorial was created in the 1930s and designed to mimic natural forest that formerly covered the island.<\/p>\n

\u201cTheodore Roosevelt Island has interesting history, a giant statue of Roosevelt, crosses over wetlands, and is a major bird-watching location,\u201d said Ronda Lee Chapman, leader for Outdoor Afro<\/a>, and executive director for Groundwork USA<\/a>. The island features two miles of trails for walking or running.<\/p>\n

Midday, grab lunch at La Granja de Oro<\/a>: \u201cThere is a very established Peruvian community in D.C. Here, you have to order the Peruvian chicken with plantains\u2014it\u2019s fantastic,\u201d said Tariq.<\/p>\n

Spend the afternoon paddling a kayak, canoe or stand up paddle board on the Potomac River. Swing by Key Bridge Boathouse<\/a> or Boating in DC at Ballpark Boathouse<\/a> to rent your gear.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of people enjoy paddling on the Potomac River. They put in at Georgetown<\/a> and paddle along the Potomac. For those who try to go where there are less people, the Anacostia River is phenomenal,\u201d said Chapman. \u201cThe two rivers tell the tale of two cities with wealthier sections along the Potomac that lack cultural and ethnic diversity, and environmental injustice along the Anacostia. There is a huge investment in river cleanup and a sediment project underway,\u201d explained Chapman.<\/p>\n

Along the Anacostia River is its namesake park with more than 1,200 acres of green space, which is managed by the National Park Service. Two of Chapman\u2019s favorite places along the river: the U.S. National Arboretum<\/a> and the Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens.<\/a> Depending on where you rent your paddle equipment and your energy levels, consider paddling round-trip to Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens.<\/p>\n

During your last night in D.C. don\u2019t miss dinner at Ben\u2019s Chili Bowl<\/a>, a historic landmark for the D.C. area. Ben and Virginia Ali opened the restaurant in 1958. The African American family-owned business served as a shelter during the city\u2019s restoration period, after the 1968 riots. \u201cIt\u2019s a really important piece of the Civil Rights movement and the food is so great and yummy,\u201d said Tariq.<\/p>\n

Whether you explore D.C. via trail or waterway, you\u2019re bound to be inspired by the city\u2019s combination of national landmarks and outdoor spaces. With so many endless options, you\u2019ll be drawn to return for more.<\/p>\n<\/span>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Heading to the D.C. area? From food to movement to cultural sites, here\u2019s how to maximize your exploration during a 48-hour trip in Washington, D.C., and on the city\u2019s periphery. Saturday When you arrive in D.C. on Friday night (or early Saturday morning), it\u2019s time for a green fix. \u201cI am a city girl to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":37941,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[388],"tags":[],"internal-tag":[],"class_list":["post-37940","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-d-c","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"City guide: 48 hours in D.C.","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-d-c","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/travel\/city-guide-48-hours-in-d-c"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/On-the-shore-of-Tidal-Basin-next-to-Thomas-Jefferson-Memorial-in-Washington-D.C._PC-Flickr-and-Thomas-James-Caldwell.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2018\/08\/On-the-shore-of-Tidal-Basin-next-to-Thomas-Jefferson-Memorial-in-Washington-D.C._PC-Flickr-and-Thomas-James-Caldwell.jpg?fit=2771%2C1847"},"articleSection":"Travel","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Chelsea Davis"}],"creator":["Chelsea Davis"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":[],"dateCreated":"2018-08-23T15:54:40Z","datePublished":"2018-08-23T15:54:40Z","dateModified":"2018-09-07T17:52:08Z"},"rendered":"