DC Bucket List

When I moved to DC, I knew my time here may be limited so I endeavored to make the most of my time in this great cultural hub while it lasted. DC and the entire East Coast were/are a mystery and I didn't want to miss any of the highlights. I asked friends I made, friends I knew, bartenders, tour guides, and even compiled what I could from DC travel books to come up with the following list. If you have any other "musts" for my time on the East Coast and DC area, comment here or e-mail me! I'm always looking to expand this already lengthy list :)

And yes, due to my foodie nature, a LOT of these are places to eat. My friends are also food people so, a lot of these recommendations are "you have to try the menu at____!" based.

Items that are noted with a Ö have been checked off already :)
The ones that have links even has a post about that activity letting you know my thoughts! Fancy.

Go on a tour of the Capitol Building (Thanks, Dave!) Ö
Go to Clarendon's Mardi Gras Parade Ö
Go to a Supreme Court Case
Go to the Folger Shakespear Library and Garden
Get oysters/drinks at Old Ebbit's back bar Ö
Go to the US Botanical Gardens
Play pool/get drinks at Jay's Saloon Ö
Go to Carpool on a nice night and drink on their open patio Ö
Go to Witlows on Wilson for mugs of beer and their roof top terrace Ö
Go to the Spy Museum
Go take pics of Theodore Roosevelt Island Ö
Go on a Pentagon Tour
Go take a White House Tour
Do to Dumbarton Oaks Gardens/Rock Creek Park
Go to the Newseum and Freedom Park Ö
Do a "Spies of Washington" tour
Go to "Antique Row"
Go to "Rock n' Roll Hotel"'s Drunk Spelling Bee Ö
Go to Rocket Bar Ö
Attend Nightmare on M Street Ö
Go to Backstage Books and Costumes
Go to the Torpedo Factory Art Center
Volunteer at "Christ Child Opportunity Shop"
Go see a performance of Capitol Steps (www.capsteps.com)
Go on a Halloween Ghost tour in Alexandria
Take a pic with the Einsteain Statue in Foggy Bottom
See the Marilyn Monroe Mural in Adam's Morgan Ö
See the Iwo Jima Memorial at night Ö
Check out Shenandoah Brewing & Co and brew some brews
Go to Old Town Alexandria's "Gadsby's Tavern Museum"
Shop at "Ruff N' Ready" Ö
Check out the Sonny Bono memorial on 20th St. NW & New Hampshire (Adams Morgan)
Go to DC Roller Derby Ö
Go to "Clydes" Ö
Go to "Jimmy T's Place"
Go to "Filomena" for italian Ö
Go to Metro Diner 29 Ö
Go to "Dangerously Delicious Pie" on H Street Ö
Go to "Sawah Diner" for hookah/food
Go to "Blue Duck Tavern" Ö
Take cooking classes at "Zola"
Go to the Smithsonian Butterfly Habitat Garden Ö
Get pepperoni rolls and cider at "Dodge City" on U Street
Kayak on the Potomac (Thompson Boat Center/Rental at Foggy Bottom)
Take cooking classes at "Hill's Kitchen"
Grab a sandwich from "So's Your Mom" in Adam's Morgan
Spend an evening catching a show at "Blue's Alley" - Jazz Club/Dinner Joint Ö
Try out the all cereal menu at "The Cereal Bowl"
Spend a Happy Hour or Breakfast at "Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe" Ö
Get a treat from "Something Sweet" Ö
Have an infamous "Georgetown Cupcake" Ö
Go to "The Liberty Tavern" Restaurant Ö
See a movie and grab a brew at Arlington Cinema and Draft House Ö
Go to the National Postal Museum
Get an authentic Italian Dinner at "Carmines" Ö
Go to "Ted's Bulletin" for breakfast
Go to "Desperado's Burgers and Bar" on U Street
Eat "Dolcezza's" Gelato
Go to the following farmers markets:

Eastern Market: Tues-Friday 7AM-7PM, Sat 7AM-6PM, Sundays 9AM-5PM @ 7th & C (Eastern Market Metro) Ö
White House: May-Nov, Thursdays from 3PM-7 @ 810 Vermont Ave
Penn Quarter: April-Dec, Thursdays from 3PM-7 @ the North end of 8th St NW
14th & U St: May-Nov, Saturdays from 9AM-1PM
Columbia Heights: May-Oct, Saturdays from 9AM-2PM, 14th and Irving
Dupont: Sundays from 10-1, 1500 block of 20th St (Between Mass Ave & Q)
Bloomingdale: May-Nov, Sundays from 10AM-2PM @ 1st and R St

Have a french brunch at "L'Enfant Cafe"
Try a trapeze class at TSNY
Dinner and Drinks at "Circa" Ö
Go to an outdoor movie at "Crystal Screen" Ö
Go to the National Archives
Go to "CoCo Sala" Chocolate Lounge and Boutique Ö
Go to the National Portrait Gallery Ö
Go to the Smithsonian National Zoo Park Ö
See the Monuments at night Ö
See/photograph the architecture at the National Building Museum
Get a meal at "Zaytinya"
Get sushi at "Oya" or "Sei" Ö
Go to the National Museum of Natural History (particularly the Ocean Hall!)
Go to an afternoon movie at "The Uptown Theater" in Cleveland Park
Take a picture on the outdoor terrace of the 6th floor of the Newseum Ö
Take a pic on the Kennedy Center's Roof Top Terrace Ö
Get drinks and Chili at "Hard Times" Ö
Go to a happy hour at "Toledo Lounge"
Go to "Mie N Yu" for dinner and drinks Ö
Go to Ping Pong for their unlimited dim sum/champagne brunch
Go to "The Tune Inn" from Diners, Drive Thrus, and Dives with Guy Fieri
Take a cooking/beverage class at "The Columbia Room"
Go to "Rustik Tavern"
Go to "Fish Market Black Salt Restaurant"
Go to "Baked and Wired" Ö (BEST CUPCAKES IN THE CITY!)
Go to "Bedrock Billiards"
Go to Twisted Tuesday Karokee at "The Reef" in Adam's Morgan Ö
Get Pizza Rolls at "The Ugly Mug" on Capitol Hill
Go to "Rhino Bar & Pumphouse"
Go ice skating at The Sculpture Garden Ice Rink (Nov-March)
Eat at "The Diner" at 2453 18th St NW
Go to the United States National Arboretum
Go to "Iron Horse Tap Room"
Go to Dinner or Brunch at "Poste Moderne Brasserie"
See Fall Foliage Along C&O Canal Ö
Go Thai Fusion at "Rice" in Logan Circle
Get comfort food at "Buck's Fishing and Camping"
Happy Hour at "Churchkey" in Logan Circle (above Birch & Barley)
Get "Crepes on the Walk" Ö
Go to Meridian Hill Park
Go to Great Falls Park
Explore Old Town Alexandria Ö
See George Washington's Mt. Vernon Estates/Gardens
Check out the Library of Congress
Visit Arlington National Cemetary for the Changing of the Gaurd
Go to National Gallery of Art (Especially the Sculpture Garden) Ö
Walk Montrose Park, taking a pic of "Lovers Lane"
Go to "Ben's Chili Bowl" for Chili
Get noodles/watch them get made at Chinatown Express Ö
Check out "Busboys & Poets" Ö
Go to the National Geographic Museum
Go see "The Big Chair" in Anacostia
See the view at the old post office pavilion on Pennsylvania Ave
Check out the bookstore Politics and Prose in Van Ness
Go on a Washington Walk Tour- particularly "Memorials by Moonlight"
Go to Monday night showtunes sing-a-long at "JR's Bar and Grill"
Go to "H St Country Club" for old school gaming Ö
Go to "Remingtons" for Monday/Wednesday $5 Dance Lessons and Fridays see the "DC Cowboys" dance
Go to the Holocaust Museum
Go horseback riding at Rock Creek Park
Go to the Bureau of engraving and printing to see money made
Go on the Gargoyle Tour of the Washington National Cathedral (Darth Vadar Gargoyle!)
Go to the National Museum of American History (Especially Pop Culture) Ö
Go to the Willard Intercontinental Hotel Lobby for a taste of history
Move to dinner beats at the "Mahogany Restaurant/Bohemian Caverns"
Visit "Old Stone House", built in 1765, open Wed-Sun 10-4
See the Cherry Blossom Parade/festival (April) Ö
Go to the DC Caribbean Carnival (June)
Try "Terrapin Adventures
East Coast Trips/Day Trips to Take!

Take the train to New York for a weekend
Go to Gettysburg
Go to Valey Forge
Go to Shenandoah
Go to Baltimore, MD Ö
Go to Dover, DE
Go to Harrisburg, PA
Go to Philidelphia, PA
Go to Portsmouth, VA
Go to Virginia Beach, VA
Go to Pittsburgh, PA
Go to Assateague (& see the wild horses)
Go to Bethesda, MD (Second Story Books/On Saturdays from 7-3 @ 7155 Wisconsin Ave there's a market) Ö