Four Days: Washington DC

Whether I’m traveling for history, culture, food, or just trying to make the most of a few free evenings during a work trip, Washington, DC remains one of my favorite cities to visit. It’s why I keep coming back.

Sure, DC sees millions of tourists every year, and there are plenty of travel guides that cover the Smithsonian museums, monuments, and the National Mall. This isn’t really that post.

Instead, this is my personal take—what I actually do, see, and eat for four gay gays when I’m in the city. I’ve come several times for Capital Pride. Check out my post on LGBTQ Pride events for more on that.

Know Before You Go

Seeing as DC is the U.S. capitol, it’s probably no surprise that security and traffic and events can look a little different than elsewhere. Plan for metal detectors, traffic detours, and random sightings of motorcades and such. It can be a little frustrating, or it can be cool (I mean, you’re right there!). Keep a smile on your face and revel in it.

Beside that, and in addition to the information and advice found in other city guides and tour books, a few other notes worth noting:

• Metro, the subway system, is super convenient. It’s especially convenient to/from Washington National Airport (but does go to Dulles now). On your way into DC from the airport are stops for Arlington Cemetery, the Pentagon and more. So easy, and it’s only a few bucks each way. You can buy a fare card at any station or add one to your smartphone. Tap to pay (using a compatible physical card or one stored on your phone) is coming soon – DC aims to have it working on the Metro lines before World Pride in early June 2025
• If you’re only going a short(er) distance and you’re able, walk or take an electric scooter or bike share (they’re pretty much everywhere). You’ll be able to avoid traffic snarls more easily than if you were driving, plus you’ll see more than you will in a car or obviously if you’re on Metro.
• Plan some extra time. Besides the traffic comments above, many places may look close on a map, but can actually take a bit to get there—either because of distance, one-way streets, road closures, or all of the above
• Plan ahead for your trip. For things you really want to do, check for tickets or reservations ahead of time. Many things, even free ones (the African American Museum of History and Culture comes to mind) are booked or mostly booked well in advance.

Getting There

If you can fly into Washington National airport (DCA), do it! Technically, it’s Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, but whatever. Also read the Wikipedia info about it – fascinating. But I digress. It’s so close to everything, an easy transit ride to nearly everything, and is so much easier than the other options of Dulles (IAD). Or Baltimore (BWI).

As noted above, Metro access to and from downtown Washington DC and Washington National airport is among the easiest in the US. Driving, it’s amazingly close to DC as well, though I suspect traffic could make this dicey at times since the routes to/from the airport are limited. Assuming you avoid traffic issues, parking and rental car facilities are super close to the terminal.

LGBTQ Safety

Oddly, I couldn’t find Washington DC in HRC’s database of LGBTQ legal protections, though back in the 1970s DC was an early adopter of many legal protections for LGBTQ people. Washington DC earns a middling C grade for LGBTQ safety; however, from Safehome.org—their rating is a mix of legal protections and reported hate crime statistics (both the quality and quantity of data available to them means it’s imperfect, but I still found it of interest since few other resources include hate crime statistics in their formulas). As well, DC is listed as one of the safer places in terms of transgender protections and a relative lack of anti-trans legislation, with a caveat to be mindful of identification requirements for air travel that may not be consistent with other local protections.

Sightseeing Highlights

Not to be Captain Obvious, but there is sooooo much history in Washington DC. In ten trips, you probably won’t even scratch the surface of all the monuments, museums, or civic buildings that are noteworthy. Pick some priories or focus on a particular geographic area, but don’t stress out about hitting them all, because you won’t.

As mentioned above, my ideas here aren’t meant to replace other guides or guidebooks, but some of my highlights are below. I’ve split them into Greatest Hits—the places that are probably on others’ lists. And everything else—the places that are less likely to be on other lists, but are also favorites of mine in DC.

Greatest Hits are probably on 100 (ore more) other lists, but are ones I regularly revisit:

• The National Mall: on a nice day, this is such a great spot to just walk and soak in DC. Obviously there’s Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and the Capitol, as well as WWII, Vietnam War and other memorials. But in addition to the major sights, it’s also just a great place to walk, people watch, and see the city.
• White House: I mean, obviously. Some of the most iconic photos of DC are of the front of the White House, but walk around, too (if you can—it was mostly fenced off in June 2025 when I visited last). It’s great to see all angles, as well as seeing the event that is White House security. And there’s nearly always something going on around here, even if it’s just the gardens fresh for the season.
• Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Uh, airplanes and spaceships?! Yes please. Plus, if you’re willing to make the trek out to Dulles, there’s even more to check out there at the Udvar-Hazy Center (named after the founder of aircraft leasing company International Lease Finance Company).
• Arlington Cemetery is amazing and solemn and stunning. Please be respectful, as the signs will remind you. And you should totally go. Be sure to catch the changing of the guard as well as so many notable folks buried there.
• The Pentagon is a stop on the Metro and to be honest, it’s a little weird to be there. Signs will caution you: please don’t look at anything and definitely don’t go over there (basically everything is off limits, according to the warnings). But in addition to the significance of the Pentagon itself, the September 11 Memorial is simultaneously heartbreaking and touching.
• And when you’re ready for full emotional overload, there’s the Holocaust Museum. Steel yourself. Give yourself a lot of grace … and some time afterwards.

Beyond those greatest hits, I find DC to be a wonderfully walkable city: it’s relatively flat and there are usually plenty of other folks strolling around. The great thing about walking around (or to a lesser degree, grabbing a scooter) is discovering statues, squares, embassies, and other sights that aren’t on the must-do lists. Stop and read the plaques.

But when you’re walked out, DC also has a great Metro system. Nothing against the busses—I’m sure they’re fine too—but DC’s Metro stations are worth a visit of their own. They’re some of the deepest in the U.S., so the escalators provide a long, dramatic entry into the Capital city’s iconic underground. I think they’re beautiful. Others have different opinions. Let’s just say I have a LOT of photos of DC Metro stations…

Eating and Drinking

On a recent trip, I asked someone for tips of what not to miss and they said: pick a country and go eat the food. That about sums up DC, and is definitely one of my favorite attributes of the city!

My very favorite part of DC’s food scene; however, is all-you-can-eat Mediterranean brunch. It’s a staple of nearly every trip I’ve made to DC in recent years, and I suspect it will 100% remain so. Both of the places below serves their all-you-can-eat by bringing out a nearly endless variety of small plates (and you can request more of anything you’re particularly fond of) and each place also offers bottomless mimosas and/or bloody Mary’s. Do note that your entire table needs to join in on one type of booze—someone obviously thought they were sneaky at some point and ruined it for the good people—now it’s not bottomless for one unless it’s bottomless for all. To keep it from becoming total gluttony, restaurants will generally limit diners to 1-1/2 or 2 hours.

• Agora, a Turkish spot in the DuPont Circle neighborhood is my favorite. It’s also probably the busiest, so plan ahead, wait, or pick one of the others. And probably because of how busy they are, the host(s) are sometimes a little aloof, but once seated, the staff has been consistently awesome. And the food. OMG the food. The acuka (a red pepper and tomato pesto) and the yogurt parfait might be my two favorites, but I’d gladly eat anything they’ve ever put on my table.
• Ala is similarly good, just not my favorite because the competition is so strong. But second best is still amazing. As well, their mimosa bar, pictured above, is a special treat if you like sampling the whole encyclopedia of mimosas from orange to elderflower. Ala’s location is also a bit more convenient to the White House area.

Besides brunch, I’ve mentioned previously that I love using breweries as an excuse to check out different neighborhoods when visiting a city (or even at home in Portland, for that matter). DC is no exception. I’ve only scratched the surface, but a few breweries I’ve visited of late, plus some other restaurant recommendations include:

• Lost Generation Brewing Company is probably my new favorite in DC. I love their beers. Their taproom is beautiful and fun (see photo above with people and dogs). Several folks brought in their well-behaved pups (honestly, I was surprised about the well-behaved part), and there was a BBQ vendor providing food. If I lived here, I’d be at Lost Generation regularly.
• Aslin Beer Company has a great location with a nice outdoor patio and a small taproom. Their beers aren’t all on my favorite list, but the location and patio makes it a regular stop.
• Dacha Beer Garden has a couple locations, but their Shaw beer garden was a great spot for afternoon beers for us, and was also a reasonably solid for brunch (reservations appear to be useful for parties of more than two).
• Capitol City Brewing Company is easy access from Capitol Hill. Convenience is its biggest asset, but it’s decent otherwise.
• Stoney’s on P Street was recommended by one of the folks we met on our June 2025 trip as having a surprisingly good grilled cheese, which I can also vouch for. In addition, their fried chicken sandwich is also really good, and their location near a number of the bars noted below makes it a good spot to get some food in between drinks.
• Planta Cocina was highly recommended by one of the folks we met on our June 2025 trip with the remarks that it’s great vegan food even if you’re not exclusively vegan.
• Check the list from Yelp’s Pride 2025 post of LGBTQ-owned restaurants and bars in the DC area (screenshots below; list includes Capitol City, Dacha, and Lost Generation noted above and several of the bars and clubs noted below).

Nightlife

I’ve always had a good time out in the bars in Washington DC. While the big dance clubs that used to exist in DC don’t seem to be around any longer (or have been replaced by smaller venues and rotating events), I’ve generally found the bars to be friendly and fun. It helps that there’s a good mix of places to check out so you can typically find a vibe to match your mood or style. I don’t promise that this is an all-inclusive list, but I think I’ve checked out a pretty good proportion of DC’s gay bars, including:

• JR’s Bar is probably my default go-to. It’s one of the few places left that’s still in DuPont Circle and it fits my definition of a neighborhood gay bar. That includes being the watering hole that hosts local gay sports teams’ after-game events and weekly show tunes nights, just for variety.
• Trade is my other favorite in DC. It manages something between a neighborhood bar and something slightly more seedy, I think. I’ve been there for screenings of RuPaul’s Drag Race and for a post-pride leather event as well as stumbling in on a Tuesday trans night, if that helps paint the picture. Despite crowds and having the bar at the front of the establishment, there’s somehow little waiting for a drink and the crew that works there has always been friendly and efficient, which is also a plus. The back patio has also been recently expanded.
• Green Lantern has been around for as long as I’ve been traveling to DC and also is what I’d consider a neighborhood bar. It’s the closest to the White House and Capitol Hill (if that’s where you’re coming from), which can be convenient and was especially busy and fun during Pride.
• Nellie’s Sports Bar has a raucous drag brunch (make reservations) and a fun gay sports bar atmosphere. I’ve never been there at peak time, but even when it’s a little more quiet, it’s still a good spot to stop and have a drink. Nearby is Kiki, which has a nice rooftop deck for sunny days.
• The Little Gay Pub is a super cute little spot I hadn’t discovered until my trip in the spring of 2024. But having now been back multiple times, I think it’s a great spot to have a drink (or several) in a lounge-y atmosphere that felt to me like you’ve dropped into some quirky uncle’s living room. There’s also a nice outdoor patio for when the weather insists you should be outside.
• Number 9 has been hit or miss for me. When it’s busy, it’s great fun with a lively crowd in a great space. When it’s more quiet, it felt to me to be more fussy and cliquey. Conveniently, it’s halfway between JR’s and Trade, so you can walk by and pop in and decide for yourself if you’re into the vibe of the moment.
• Bunker is one of the few spaces I’m aware of that still exists in DC that has a decidedly club atmosphere. True to the name, Bunker is down a flight of not-necessarily-obvious stairs, with several connecting subterranean rooms. It’s good fun with great decor, rotating themes, and a great dance floor.
• District Eagle is almost next door to Bunker and Thurst Lounge (BIPOC + LGBTQ-owned) is just up the street. Pitchers is a short distance away. While I’ve not yet been to any of these, I wanted to include them to round out the list.

Lodging

In some cities, I have a favorite hotel or at least a neighborhood I gravitate to. In DC, that isn’t as much the case.

To be fair, a lot of our Capitol travels have centered around work, so we’ve stayed where work is (or conferences are). But even with that, DC feels so accessible (see above) so as long as there’s a metro stop within a few blocks—and if you’re anywhere downtown, there’s a metro stop nearby—you’re golden.

All that said, DC is kind of special in that there are a lot of boutique hotels scattered throughout the city’s neighborhoods. Take advantage of rates, location, or amenities and find a spot that works for you. Some spots I’ve stayed and enjoyed include:

• Capitol Hilton is a great location and as far as I know, recently remodeled (the last time I stayed there, the remodel was coming soon and was desperately needed).
• The Canopy by Hilton Embassy Row was also really well located with spacious rooms. This is where we stayed for Capital Pride in 2025 and I’ll definitely stay here again on a future trip.
• The Renaissance Washington DC hotel is about halfway between the White House and Capital and as you might expect for a Renaissance Hotel, is quite nice (if you’re willing to pay for it, or someone else is paying).
• The West End, part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, is something you’d think was an apartment or condo building if you walked by. It’s a great example of hotels that are scattered among DC neighborhoods. The rooms appear to be widely varied – we got a nice (if a little worn) street-side room with a separate bedroom and living area that worked well for WFH duties.
• On his last trip, the hubby stayed at the Royal Sonesta Capitol Hill (there’s also one in DuPont Circle), which had gorgeous rooms with huge windows.
• If you’re willing to be a little further afield, or have business in Alexandria, VA, the Residence Inn there is nice, close to transit, and walking distance from a lot of the great restaurants in Old Town Alexandria, which is beautiful and charming.