Monuments and memorials, waterfront views, true local flavor – Washington, DC is a place unlike any other. There’s an endless amount of things to see and do in the District, such as exploring the free and interactive museums across the city. Also, don’t forget to save time to take in the sights along the National Mall in all its splendor.

My road dog and I got the opportunity, thanks to his Dad’s conference, to visit Washington, DC for a week near the later part of November. He even got his Granny Duck to take the train up from Virginia in order to hang out with us for a couple of days. I was hoping and looking forward to cool jacket weather, but that ended up not being the case. Instead, we got sunny, mid 70 degree days.

Before she arrived, he and I went to the National Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. It was free and so cool to see him eagerly engaged in all it had to offer. He normally will run right through a museum and its exhibits, but not this one. I’m sure it has to do with the fact that he loves anything that has to do with flying, especially planes.

Morning of her arrival, we got up and had breakfast at Founding Farmers. This farmer’s owned restaurant offers fresh food straight from the farm served in an elegant ambiance. It was delicious! Well worth the 40 minute wait. After filling our bellies, we Ubered over to the National Mall Area and saw the Washington Monument, the Capital, and the Lincoln Memorial (his favorite memorial). Unfortunately, we were unable to take the elevator inside the Washington Monument due to vandalism. It is closed until the Spring of 2018. Next, we walked over to view the Korean War Veterans Memorial and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. We could see the Jefferson Memorial in the distance, but he had no interest in going over to the the island to view it close up.

Instead, we Ubered over to Theodore Roosevelt Island, really intending to go to the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial. This was a costly and time consuming mistake due to rush hour traffic. But, if you are interested in getting away from the crowds and taking a short island hike in the woods, then it’s definitely the place to go.

Eventually, we did make it to the FDR Memorial (my favorite). Luckily, the place was not that crowded, all the more enjoyable. The memorial, which honors the 32nd president of the United States, is composed of four “rooms” which represent each of President Roosevelt’s four terms as commander in chief.

After a full day of sightseeing, we finished off the night at Matchbox in Chinatown. The restaurant has exposed brick, warm woods, and bright red metal in their contemporary space. It was a great place to have a few drinks and sit down to dinner with family for a unique experience.