Devon King

in Spring 2015, Student's Blog
March 27th, 2015

Making your D.C. Bucket List

By Devon King
Spring 2015

When you first get to D.C. you’re going to feel overwhelmed—there’s so much to do here and you might only have one semester to do it. You’ll have to weigh your options to see what you should pay for, what’s 100% necessary to do, and what you wouldn’t mind missing out on. The best way to do this is a Bucket List, your must-do’s of D.C. Everyone will tell you what’s on their bucket list, but what do you quintessentially need to do? Here are my 16 suggestions:

1. Visit all 17 Smithsonian Museums that are located in the Greater D.C. area. They’re all free, all interesting, and a great way to kill a Saturday afternoon.
2. Go on a night tour of the monuments. It’s one thing to see them during the day, but it’s another to see them lit up, with fewer crowds. No matter the weather, you’ll enjoy this.

3. Travel to Virginia and Maryland. Both are accessible by the Metro, so take a day for each and get off on a Metro stop and just explore. I’ve enjoyed going to Arlington, VA and Germantown, MD. Alexandria, VA and Annapolis, MD are supposed to be great as well.
4. See a show at the Kennedy Center. Whether you see one of their nightly free shows or pay to see a performance, it’s an amazing place where people have come around from the world to perform in. Make sure you take a picture on the terrace.
5. Spend a weekend in Adams Morgan and U Street. This is mainly for those of you who are 21+, but both neighborhoods are a source of nightlife and have different vibes, yes Adams Morgan is closer, but see which environment you like better.
6. People watch at the White House. You will not find a more diverse group of people than the thousands of tourists who visit here daily. Grab a cup of coffee and just start watching.
7. Eat near Capitol Hill. Pete has a lot of suggestions for places to eat depending on the neighborhood, and I’ve found a great mix of places near the Eastern Market Metro Stop. Whether you want steak, El Salvadorian food, or even a homemade pop tart, go for a meal in this area.
8. Go to the seasonal events. This one goes without saying: if you’re there for a semester, go to the events only available then. Here for the summer? Go to the National Mall for the fireworks. Here in the fall? Go leaf peeping, to a Redskins game, and definitely go ice-skating. Here in the spring? Go to the Cherry Blossom Festival events. Truly, whatever semester you’re here, take advantage of the events.

9. Go to a BU Alumni event. Even if you’re just a sophomore, it is so great having that BU connection and knowing people in the city. You might not see or talk to them after that night, but the Terrier connection is very strong here.
10. Go to the Newseum. There are very few museums you have to pay for in D.C., but this one is worth it. You will spend an entire day there, even if you’re not a history or journalism person. On the first weekend of every month it’s free if you’re a customer with Bank of America, so take advantage of that.
11. Visit the local colleges. Like Boston, D.C. is a college city. Most notable are GWU and Georgetown, but there’s also Howard, GMU, American, UMD, and JMU close by, and a lot of people who are also on abroad programs. Get to know the other students and see what their campuses are like.

12. Attend a Politico event. I had no idea what Politico was before I came to D.C., but they host great events with key people in Washington and always provide free snacks/meals. They’re always worth going to and the networking possibilities are endless.
13. Go to an event on the Hill. Whether it’s watching the Senate in session or going to an open forum, take advantage of the politicians and leaders in this country that you will have access to. It can be as simple as going to a talk on youth in foster care during your lunch break, or only working a half-day so you can see John McCain and Henry Kissinger speak.
14. Eat and drink outside of Woodley Park. The area has some delicious restaurants, Chinese take-out, happy hour specials, and fast food, but make sure you’re leaving the area. Dupont Circle and Cleveland Park are only about 20 minutes away respectively; explore your palette and don’t always eat Chipotle.
15. Take a day and walk around the city. Whether you decide to walk to the museums, walk down Florida Ave., or even take a stroll down Embassy Row, make sure you’re exploring by foot. You will find so many places you didn’t know existed and some really cool and beautiful stops along the way. You will know the city so much better if you take the time to walk it.

16. Ask Pete, Chelsea, and Walter for suggestions. They haven’t spent their whole lives here, but they’re a great source of information. Some of my best historical visits have been because of Walter, my best restaurants from Pete, and my best areas to explore from Chelsea. They’re here to help you so when making your bucket list, ask them for advice – they still have items to cross of theirs.

Devon is a senior in the spring 2015 semester, majoring in American Studies and History. She is interning at the U.S. Department of Education.