Exclusive for America's 250th
Discover innovation through murals, museums, restaurants and tours across the District.
There’s no better place to celebrate America’s 250th birthday than Washington, DC. In the itinerary below, we present experiences that showcase urban development and innovation, allowing you to reflect on both the past and future of American cities.
Whether you plan to visit the nation’s capital in 2025 or 2026, the itinerary below will serve your adventure well. Learn more about how the District plans to honor the semi quincentennial.
Your stay: Choose from one of DC’s many sustainable hotels, which prioritize innovation in their groundbreaking work.
Day 1
Morning
DC’s neighborhoods are packed with murals in both ready-made and unexpected places. Take an artistic stroll with DC Mural Tour through NoMa & Union Market. You’ll see numerous painted exteriors and learn about the District’s artists and art scene, including plenty of history, along the way.
Afternoon
Your tour concludes at Union Market where you can lunch at Stellina Pizzeria, a World Top 50 Artisan Pizza Chain per the Michelin Guide. As its name implies, the restaurant is a little star. Between cacio e pepe, eggs and braised kale, bomboloni and a million other mouthwatering options (including some damn good pizza), you’ll find something to satisfy your craving.
After Italian cuisine in the heart of the nation’s capital, head to the National Building Museum. In the morning, you learned about buildings that act as out-of-the-ordinary urban canvases. Now, learn about the making of the buildings themselves. Mark the calendar for Past and Future Cities, which opens Oct. 1, 2026 and will showcase the evolution of cities and towns over the years, including the ways we shape our landscapes and are then shaped by them.
Evening
Enjoy dinner at one of many globally inspired restaurants that shape DC’s cultural landscape. At Love, Makoto, a first-of-its-kind installment in the U.S., you can choose your own Japanese cuisine adventure. The culinary collection offers fast casual, Japanese steakhouse, sushi omakase and a full-service sit-down option, all under one roof. Here, Chef Makoto Okuwa helps feed the city where his American career began.
For a different Japanese palate – that is, ramen, fried chicken and donuts – visit the fun and funky Bantam King, just blocks from the National Building Museum. The colorful retro joint is a nod to the former Burger King in which the Daikaya group opened its first fast casual concept, but the only meat here is chicken (and it’s in everything). Try a “Big Fat Chocolate Chip Cookie,” made with Valrhona chocolate and rendered chicken fat.
Day 2
Morning
The Anacostia Community Museum examines DC’s rich past of cultural treasures and also looks to the future of the ever-evolving city. The country’s first federally funded community museum documents and interprets the impact of historical and contemporary social issues on urban communities. From art to music to literature to gentrification to employment and environmental change, exhibits bring a keen eye to what the Anacostia community has offered the country and the challenges it has faced.
Afternoon
Marvel at architecture and additional aesthetic glory with a remarkable journey guided by DC Design Tours. Let your chosen route guide your lunch decision: the Evolution of Southwest Tour could mean a Colada Shop stop, where you can savor a Cuban coffee, cocktail or croqueta (sandwiches and much more here too). The tour includes a visit to The Wharf and the oldest continuously running fish market in the country.
If you find yourself drawn to America's Main Street: the Pennsylvania Avenue Tour (a voyage from the White House to the U.S. Capitol Building), we suggest Il Piatto for classic Italian with a modern twist, along with a deep wine list and express lunch options.
DC Design Tours offers a wide range of other tour options as well.
Evening
After Italian, Japanese and Cuban meals, you can see that the future of freedom lies in multicultural fusion bursting with flavor. For dinner tonight, we’re excited to provide you two standout Mexican options. At The Wharf, try Mi Vida. Chef Roberto Santibañez explores his native country with everything from ceviche and mole to birria and plantains. At Oyamel, José Andrés pays homage to the vibrant urban energy of Mexico City. House-made corn tortillas, inventive margaritas, a variety of antojitos and even adventurous dishes like octopus over sweet potato mean you’ll leave full and happy.
Day 3
Morning
Start the day with the breathtaking view to be found atop the Old Post Office Tower, one of the city’s hidden gems. You will immediately see why as you gaze at a vista of Downtown that is inspiring and invigorating.
From the Tower, it’s a short walk to the National Museum of American History. You can continue to follow stories of the development of all aspects of the U.S. (cultural, social, technological, political, scientific) from colonial times to the present. Out of the Smithsonian Institution’s more than three million historical objects, you can form an understanding of American identity and where it might be headed. Highlights include an endlessly fascinating rotation of exhibits, the Star-Spangled Banner (the one that inspired the National Anthem) and Dorothy’s ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz. There’s no place like home – discover a piece of yours here in the nation’s capital.
Afternoon
Do like the name says and Eat at America's Table Cafe. Right in the Museum of American History, you’re covered for lunch – no need to leave the building. On the menu you’ll find changing offerings of regional cuisine from all over the U.S.
History is intimately informed by geography. See the vibrancy of this link in real time as you head toward the National Geographic Museum of Exploration. DC locals eagerly await the reopening of the beloved Nat Geo while it is renovated thanks to the museum’s reputation for immersive exhibits and cutting-edge technology. When doors open in 2026, celebrate the can’t-miss moment by exploring the landscapes, wildlife, communities and cultures that form our planet.
Evening
Not far from the adventures of Nat Geo is Dauphine's, a dinner experience that will bring you back to American cities, specifically the flavors of New Orleans. Chefs Douglas Alexander and Kyle Bailey use mid-Atlantic ingredients to prepare classic NoLa dishes and to create their own originals inspired by the Gulf Coast city. Beignets make an appearance on the dessert menu.
Rest and digest on a Monuments by Moonlight trolley tour. During your visit to DC, you’ve experienced mural tours and design tours, food and community, buildings, history and geographic splendor. Let it all sink in while you glimpse a completely new view of the District, stately and sparkling. The future of freedom is bright if we build it together.