Otter Expedition: Washington, D.C.

I should really rename this: How to spend 24 hours in D.C.

cuz that’s all the time I had in the city before jetting off to an Arizona wedding.

I feel like I missed SO MUCH! I’ll have to book a trip back again to see everything I couldn’t (this wasn’t my first visit either).

I was in town to experience a bit of the #InterContinentalLife in partnership with The Willard InterContinental! They are hosting an on-going dinner series called “A Taste Of InterContinental” which celebrates cuisine from InterContinental properties around the world (they’re in nearly 100 countries).

Executive Chef Peter Laufer and his team served up everything from Wagyu Beef cheeks to a Ghirardelli Chocolate Shooters (for the first InterContinental in the U.S. in San Fran). Scroll all the way down to see pics from this incredible dinner. They change up the menu every few weeks, so be sure to hit up The Willard when you’re in town.

With a little help from my friends at The Willard InterContinental and you guys on Instagram, I compiled a list of MUST DO’s in D.C.. It’s not comprehensive and I wasn’t able to hit most of these places myself, but I trust they (and you) know what’s up!

Lemme know what I missed in the comments below!

The Willard InterContinental (obviously)- It’s a GORGEOUS luxury hotel 1/2 a block from the White House and the National Mall. My room had a perfect view of the Washington Monument. There is just so much history in the hotel! Almost every President since the 1850’s has stayed there and it’s literally the place where the term ‘lobbyist’ was popularized… in the lobby of the hotel!
The Round Robin Bar- Also at The Willard. Sit at the circular bar and talk to Jim. He has been a bartender there for decades and has some incredible stories about the whose-who of Washington. He also makes a mean mint julep and crafts cocktails around what Presidents liked to drink. It's pretty cool.
The National Mall- Since I only had 24 hours, I spent most of my afternoon walking around the entire Mall. It’s about a 5-6 mile circle, but by far the best way to see everything. I started in the middle and swung down to the Lincoln Memorial then all the way back to the Capitol. You can hit up the Smithsonian Museums along the way (which are completely free)! My favorite is the Air & Space but everyone tells me The National Gallery is the best. Stop at the carousel for fried dough and a pic.
Museum of African American History- Just opened and is a stone throw away from the hotel. It’s supposedly still really busy, so plan ahead.
Shaw- I heard someone compare this area of the city to Brooklyn. It’s trendy, has a great night life and is just a cool area to walk around. Head to Georgetown if you want classic architecture and homes.
Alright, FOOD- I had a million recommendations so I’m listing them all here. They’re all over the city, but these recommendations come from D.C. natives, so you know they’re legit: Bistro du Coin, Dolcezza, Le Diplomate, Julia’s Empanadas, Old Ebbitt, The Hamilton, Astro Donuts, District Taco, CoCo Sala and Zaytinya. (Huge thank you to my bud Diego from Diego Downtown for a lot of those recommendations!)
Chinatown- Zatyinya is near there and the Portrait Gallery is right in Chinatown. There’s basically museums all over the city.

That’s all I got! I’m sure I will compile a more comprehensive list on my next trip to D.C. Huge thank you to The Willard InterContinental for hosting me! Where should I head for my next Otter Expedition?!?

*This post is in partnership with InterContinental Hotels. All thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.

Otter ExpeditionAaron WesterNovember 5, 2016