Category Archives: Free Things in Washington DC

Labor Day Concert at the US Capitol

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Once again the West Lawn of the US Capitol serves as the choice venue for musical celebration for a national holiday. The National Symphony Orchestra will be featured at the Labor Day Concert on September 4th at 8PM. Admission to the event is free. Gates open at 5pm, but an earlier arrival is highly suggested as most will be in line early to secure a good seat on the lawn. The event will be moved to the Kennedy Center Concert Hall should there be inclement weather.

The US Capitol is accessible by the Capitol South metro station, serviced by the blue and orange lines. Should the event be moved to the Kennedy Center due to inclement weather, the Kennedy Center is accessible by the Foggy Bottom metro station also accessible by the blue and orange lines. The Kennedy Center  shuttle provides service to and from the Kennedy Center and Foggy Bottom metro station. Alternatively, should you decide to walk, the center is a 10 minutes away.  Please visit metro’s website for additional travel information and real time status updates.

Enjoy! Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

The US Supreme Court

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The legislative branch of the U.S. government can be described as the backbone of American society. Curious about how it functions and operates. Take a tour of the U.S. Supreme Court and listen to a public lecture every hour on the half-hour Monday to Friday 9:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m on days when the Court is not sitting, all for free! Seating is first come, first served. Be prepared for security at the entrance and take a look at the visitors etiquette to be well prepared for your visit.

Visitors may also listen in to a live oral argument of a case brought to the court. As indicated by their website, “All oral arguments are open to the public, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One is for those who wish to attend an entire argument, and the other, a three-minute line, is for those who wish to observe the Court in session only briefly. Please do not hold a space in either line for others who have not yet arrived.”

Tours may be taken by the visitors, however, there are no guides. For more information, take a look at the Tours section of their website. Visitors are encouraged to take advantage of the exhibits available on display and the Visitor’s Film.

Current Justices include, Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr and Associate Justices: Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Ruth Bader? Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Samuel Alito, Jr., Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan.

Enjoy your visit! Jonathan, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Millenium Stage

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The Kennedy Center offers free performances at 6pm every evening, year round via the Millenium Stage. The featured shows cover a large spectrum of musical styles and genres. If you are on a budget and would like to include a performance at the Kennedy Center on your list of things to do, this is an excellent option. The Kennedy Center also offers a great view of the Potomac River. Washington Harbour is walking distance, and there are tons of restaurants to choose from.

The Kennedy Center is accessible via the Foggy Bottom metro station, serviced by the blue and orange lines. There is a shuttle that provides transport from the metro station to the Kennedy Center. On a nice day, you may want to walk. It will only take you about 10 minutes, and you will pass the infamous Watergate building.

Enjoy the Show!
Alexis,  Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

P.O.V. (Point Of View) Rooftop Bar and Terrace

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One of the best view in Washington DC: the W hotel rooftop!Located next door to The White House, the historic Hotel Washington , one of the city’s oldest hotels, has been reinvented into W Hotel Washington. The luxury hotel was remodeled in 2009 and infuses bright colors and contemporary design while preserving the building’s Beaux Arts architecture.

The famed rooftop terrace, once the most popular destination for presidents and politicos, has for decades provided what are known as the best views of the White House lawn and the nation’s capital.

The Roof top on 15 street is located within walking distance to the National Mall and many of the city’s most popular attractions, including the national memorials, museums, restaurants, shopping, and theaters.

Enjoy the view! Jonathan, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations .  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

The NOMA Summer Screen

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NOMA Summer Screen  is a free local outdoor film series that features local BBQ, local music and other activities. NOMA takes place on Wednesdays from May through August. Some of the films being features are Standy By Me, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Slum Dog Millionaire and the Incredibles. There will be a variety of family friendly films and activities.

The event begins at 7pm on Wednesdays, beginning with food and activities. Film viewing begins at 9pm. The series will take place on L Street between 2nd and 3rd, NE. This area is accessible by the New York Avenue metro station serviced by the red line. Please contact metro for additional travel information.

Enjoy! Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast
Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minute walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Screen on the Green

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Screen on the Green is the annual free movie festival that Washingtonians and Tourists alike enjoy during the summer months in the District. HBO and Comcast cable company, sponsor some of America’s classic films of various genres to be shown on the “silver screen” on the National Mall. The premiere film of the season is “In the Heat of the Night” starring Sidney Poitier, a celebrated academy award winning actor. To add a bit of levity to the festival, “Some like it Hot”, the classic comedy starring Jack Lemon, Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe will also be shown during August. An appropriate choice being that August is DC’s most formidably hot month. A relaxing picnic on the National Mall’s lawn after a day of walking to the tourist attractions is an ideal conclusion to your day. With the Capitol building as your back drop, you will enjoy the Nation’s Capitol as a true Washingtonian does.

Screen on the Green is accessible by the Smithsonian Metro Station serviced by the blue and orange lines. L’enfant Plaza metro station is also walking distance to the mall, and is serviced by the green and yellow lines. Please contact metro for additional travel information.

Enjoy,
Alexis, Innkeeper
American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Eastern Market

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Eastern Market was opened in 1873 and renovated in 2009. It has served as a public fresh food market since it’s inception.  On Saturday and Sundays Washingtonians flock to Eastern Market for their pick of fresh produce and to peruse over the offerings of local artisan food purveyors as well as local artists and craftsman. Eastern Market is located in the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood. A thriving neighborhood with tons of small businesses ranging from baby consignments shops to specialty kitchenware. You may also have your pick of coffee shops and restaurants. The Market is bustling with individuals perusing the markets vendor stands or just people watching.

Eastern Market is accessible by the Eastern Market metro serviced by the blue and orange lines. The indoor market is open Tuesday-Friday 7 am – 7 pm. The outdoor market is open on Saturdays from 7 am – 6 pm and Sundays from 9 am – 5 pm. The market is open to the public and admission is free. Please visit the website for additional information about their vendors and other events.

Enjoy!
Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Dupont Circle Walking Tour, Washington DC

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Named after Civil War naval hero, Rear Admiral Samuel Francis Dupont, Dupont Circle is one of the most vibrant and cosmopolitan DC neighbourhood. If you’re not sure where to begin, follow Cultural Tourism DC’s Insider’s Insights tour of the neighbourhood with the Art on Call boxes  formerly abandoned police and fire call boxes restored as community art which tell you the story of the area. Along the way you will find some of the city’s finest museums and historic homes as well as ethnic restaurants, embassies, and Washington’s largest concentration of private art galleries.

The points of interest of Dupont Circle include:

 

Tip: stop by the neighbourhood farmer’s market on Sunday for fresh local produce and cooking demonstrations by local chefs. Try the chocolate almond croissant from Bonaparte’s pastries!

Enjoy your visit! Jonathan

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

Free Walking tours, Washington DC

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You want to walk around and visit the city? We have a tip for you: DC by Foot proposes the only free, tip-based walking tours of Washington DC!  

These interesting and informative tours will take you from the National Mall to Arlington Cemetery to the Pentagon and beyond.  They offer different tours to the public such as:

More than just Monuments Tour  which is the most popular.  It brings to life the monuments and memorials of the National Mall, with day and twilight options.

The Lincoln Assassination Tour  which give you the opportunity to track the killers who terrorized the city in 1865…

 The Arlington Cemetery Tour  where you will see all the highlights of this national and fascinating place. 

 Enjoy! Jonathan

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.

White House Tours, Washington DC

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Public Tour’s of the White House are available. One must contact their Member of Congress with a request for admission. If you are resident of Washington DC and would like to coordinate a group tour for your visitors,  you may submit requests to the office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. If you are from a foreign country, please contact your country’s embassy in Washington DC. Please keep in mind that you may need to request your tour dates several months in advance. The minimum notice required for requests is 21 days, and there are no guarantees that a date will be granted within that time frame.

Admission to White House self guided tours are free. The hours in which access to tours are granted varies through out the week and time of year. Tours are offered Tuesday through Saturday with the exception of Federal Holidays. All tours are subject to cancellation. Please visit the White House Tours and Events page for additional information on times of tours and other visitor guidelines.

The White House is centrally located in the heart of downtown Washington DC. The White House is accessible by the Farragut West or McPherson Square metro stations on the blue and orange lines, as well as the Farragut North metro station on the red line. There are several metro buses and DC Circulator buses that will leave you within proximity as well. Please visit the metro website for additional information.

Enjoy!
Alexis, Innkeeper

American Guest House Bed and Breakfast

Washington DC Bed and Breakfast accommodations.  We are centrally located, 10 minutes walk to DuPont Circle metro/subway, 1 mile north west of White House.