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Your Washington, DC Summer Bucket List
We’ve gathered up some of the most exciting reasons to visit the nation’s capital this summer, culminating in a lively Labor Day send-off. If you’re interested in catching a baseball game, savoring a great meal at an award-winning restaurant or exploring colorful street murals throughout the city, it’s all possible. Right now is the perfect time to plan your next visit to DC with these memory-making, only-in-DC trip ideas.
Amazing Boating Experiences You Need to Try in Washington, DC
As exciting waterfront destinations pull more visitors and locals closer and closer to the river, you might be surprised to know what’s waiting just beyond DC's shoreline. The area’s top boating and tour companies provide plenty of unique experiences on the water and there’s never been a better time to seek an off-land escape on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
Can't-Miss Summer Events & Festivals in Washington, DC
Washington, DC never lacks for can't-miss events and warm-weather festivals. In fact, there are so many amazing choices that it can be tough to figure out which to attend. No worries – we’ve got you covered with some of the season’s biggest events and festivals that are perfect for having the best summer ever. Make sure to check out our things to do this week, weekend and month as well.
Visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Renovations & New Openings While it remains operational, the museum is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce galleries and public spaces both reimagined and brand new. Learn more about the transformation. The renovation of all 20 galleries, which began in 2018, will unveil five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance on July 28. The project as a whole is scheduled to conclude next year on July 1 – the 50th anniversary of the museum in Washington and the 250th anniversary of the United States. This summer, thousands of artifacts will go back on display, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock. The Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A series rocket are among new additions to the galleries. The exhibits include Futures in Space, World War I: The Birth of Military Flight and more. A museum that goes above and beyond Glimpse the 1903 Wright Flyer, run your hands over moon rock and experience the larger-than-life world of aviation and space travel at the National Air and Space Museum. Since opening on the National Mall in 1976, this hub of all things flight has educated and inspired future generations of pilots and astronauts from around the world. The museum (along with its second location, the Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Va.) contains the largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. All components of human flight are on display, including related art and archival materials. National Air and Space Museum hours and location The museum is located on Jefferson Drive, between 4th and 7th Streets SW and admission is always free. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The easiest way to reach the museum is via Metrorail or Metrobus. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines). Learn more about the museum's accessibility features on its website. The Museum’s second facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located just south of Dulles Airport’s runways in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center website for more information. What’s inside the National Air and Space Museum? The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. Our fascination with flight is still alive and well, as the museum (and the Udvar-Hazy Center) is one of the most visited in the world year-after-year. The historical objects on display are breathtaking – fundamental to the story of flight. The 1903 Wright Flyer, which completed the world’s first successful flight, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, are two fan favorites. The Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth, is currently at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Visitors can also see the spacesuit astronaut Neil Armstrong wore during his mission to the moon and, beginning in July, touch a sample of a lunar rock brought back from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Browse the full lineup of exhibitions, current and upcoming. A stellar Only1DC experience Look through the lens of a high-powered telescope and watch as celestial bodies come into focus. Held on select evenings throughout the year, astronomy program events like nighttime stargazing at the National Air and Space Museum’s Public Observatory bring out volunteer experts (many of whom share their personal telescopes) to give families, couples and curious visitors a taste of the cosmos. On a given night, you may be able to look through three different telescopes, each focused on a different point in the sky.
Your Washington, DC Summer Bucket List
We’ve gathered up some of the most exciting reasons to visit the nation’s capital this summer, culminating in a lively Labor Day send-off. If you’re interested in catching a baseball game, savoring a great meal at an award-winning restaurant or exploring colorful street murals throughout the city, it’s all possible. Right now is the perfect time to plan your next visit to DC with these memory-making, only-in-DC trip ideas.
Amazing Boating Experiences You Need to Try in Washington, DC
As exciting waterfront destinations pull more visitors and locals closer and closer to the river, you might be surprised to know what’s waiting just beyond DC's shoreline. The area’s top boating and tour companies provide plenty of unique experiences on the water and there’s never been a better time to seek an off-land escape on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.
Can't-Miss Summer Events & Festivals in Washington, DC
Washington, DC never lacks for can't-miss events and warm-weather festivals. In fact, there are so many amazing choices that it can be tough to figure out which to attend. No worries – we’ve got you covered with some of the season’s biggest events and festivals that are perfect for having the best summer ever. Make sure to check out our things to do this week, weekend and month as well.
Visiting the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC
Renovations & New Openings While it remains operational, the museum is currently undergoing a large-scale, multi-year renovation that will introduce galleries and public spaces both reimagined and brand new. Learn more about the transformation. The renovation of all 20 galleries, which began in 2018, will unveil five new exhibitions, the Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater and a redesigned entrance on July 28. The project as a whole is scheduled to conclude next year on July 1 – the 50th anniversary of the museum in Washington and the 250th anniversary of the United States. This summer, thousands of artifacts will go back on display, including the Spirit of St. Louis, the North American X-15, John Glenn’s Mercury Friendship 7 capsule, Apollo Lunar Module 2 and the touchable moon rock. The Sopwith F.1 Camel, Virgin Galactic’s RocketMotorTwo, a Blue Origin New Shepard crew capsule mockup and a Goddard 1935 A series rocket are among new additions to the galleries. The exhibits include Futures in Space, World War I: The Birth of Military Flight and more. A museum that goes above and beyond Glimpse the 1903 Wright Flyer, run your hands over moon rock and experience the larger-than-life world of aviation and space travel at the National Air and Space Museum. Since opening on the National Mall in 1976, this hub of all things flight has educated and inspired future generations of pilots and astronauts from around the world. The museum (along with its second location, the Udvar-Hazy Center, in Chantilly, Va.) contains the largest and most significant collection of aviation and space artifacts in the world. All components of human flight are on display, including related art and archival materials. National Air and Space Museum hours and location The museum is located on Jefferson Drive, between 4th and 7th Streets SW and admission is always free. Regular hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. The easiest way to reach the museum is via Metrorail or Metrobus. The closest Metro station is L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Green, Orange, Silver and Yellow lines). Learn more about the museum's accessibility features on its website. The Museum’s second facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located just south of Dulles Airport’s runways in Fairfax County, Virginia. It is open daily from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Visit the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center website for more information. What’s inside the National Air and Space Museum? The Air and Space Museum takes visitors to the sky, showcasing the amazing technological achievements that have progressed aviation and space exploration throughout the last century. Our fascination with flight is still alive and well, as the museum (and the Udvar-Hazy Center) is one of the most visited in the world year-after-year. The historical objects on display are breathtaking – fundamental to the story of flight. The 1903 Wright Flyer, which completed the world’s first successful flight, and Charles Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, the first aircraft to complete a nonstop flight from New York to Paris, are two fan favorites. The Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, the only portion of the Apollo 11 spacecraft to return to Earth, is currently at the Udvar-Hazy Center. Visitors can also see the spacesuit astronaut Neil Armstrong wore during his mission to the moon and, beginning in July, touch a sample of a lunar rock brought back from the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. Browse the full lineup of exhibitions, current and upcoming. A stellar Only1DC experience Look through the lens of a high-powered telescope and watch as celestial bodies come into focus. Held on select evenings throughout the year, astronomy program events like nighttime stargazing at the National Air and Space Museum’s Public Observatory bring out volunteer experts (many of whom share their personal telescopes) to give families, couples and curious visitors a taste of the cosmos. On a given night, you may be able to look through three different telescopes, each focused on a different point in the sky.
