It’s already time for summer vacation! It is from Wednesday, August 17th to Saturday, August 20th.
We’d like to share attractive places and activities that you may enjoy during the summer break.
Your guide to free summer fun in the nation’s capital
There are plenty of exciting summertime recreation options in the District that won’t cost you a thing. Check ’em out and make the most out of your summer in DC.
And if you’re looking for even more discounted fun this summer, get up to 40% off on popular paid attractions with the Go Washington, DC Explorer Pass. Pick up either a three- or five-choice pass and experience everything from tickets to Madame Tussauds Washington D.C., Bike and Roll rentals, a hop on-hop off bus tour, Boating in DC, theNewseum, National Geographic Museum and International Spy Museum, among others.
1 Experience the National Mall
Besides well-known landmarks like the Washington Monument, Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial and Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall also features some 60-plus under-the-radar monuments and memorials.
2 Take the DC Circulator for $1 per ride
Now you can get around the Mall and the Tidal Basin for only a buck per ride on the newDC Circulator bus route, and kids under 5 ride free. The bus has routes operating throughout the city, too. Transfers within two hours from another Circulator bus or Metrobus are also free.
3 Fill up at the farmers’ market
Stock up on some local flavor, fresh produce or made-to-order treats by visiting any ofFRESHFARM Markets’ 13 DC metro area pop-ups – including the year-round Dupont Circle market, open on Sundays.
4 To free or not to free?
The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free for All is an annual ode to some of the Bard’s best plays. How to get tickets: enter an online lottery, follow social media or wait in line when they begin handing out tickets two hours before show time.
5 More free performances…
Take the free shuttle from the Foggy Bottom Metro stop to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage for a new, free performance every day at 6 p.m. For a kid-friendly, free performance, check out the Saturday Mornings at the National on select Saturdays at 9:30 and 11 a.m.
6 There’s always an exhibit to catch
Make sure to catch hotly anticipated exhibits debuting this summer, including Trailblazers: 100 Years of Our National Parks at the National Postal Museum and the newly renovated Boeing Milestones of Flight Hall at the National Air & Space Museum.
7 Animal-watch cubs, pups and pandas at the National Zoo
With nearly 300 species to admire, the National Zoo provides ample opportunities to say aww. A few cute animals to visit: two Andean bear cub brothers, two Sumatran tiger cubs, Rona the gray seal pup and Bao Bao the panda, who turns 2 years old on Aug. 23.
8 Cool down indoors with free Wi-Fi
Pull up a chair at the cafe inside the Smithsonian Institution Building, aka The Castle – one of the many public (and air conditioned!) sites that doubles as a free Wi-Fi hot spot. For more, check out the Wi-Fi hot spot map.
9 Get presidential at the White House Visitor Center
Take a virtual tour of the White House on a touchscreen TV, pick up a keepsake or admire artworks and other artifacts in the White House Visitor Center‘s exhibits.
10 Say you’ve been to America’s first museum of modern art
Amble through The Phillips Collection’s museum collection for free from Tuesday through Friday – otherwise pay a small fee for ticketed exhibits, like the all-new American Moments photography exhibition.
