travel diary: washington, d.c.

Hey y’all!

If you’re following along on my Instagram you would know that I just got back from a short trip to Washington, D.C. for the Taylor Swift concert. I went with my twin brother, and we decided to make a fun little trip out of it since we had such a long drive. It was definitely kinda random that we bought tickets for D.C.. I asked y’all for some recommendations, which I appreciate so much!! I took up your advice on some of them, but we were there for such a short time that I couldn’t possibly hit everything!

My brother booked an Airbnb in the Capitol Hill Neighborhood, which was a short walk to the metro stop at Union Station. The first night when we arrived we had some difficulties finding the Airbnb, so we didn’t do much that first evening, just get dinner from a local pizza place (I can’t remember the name!)

In the morning, we walked to Union Station for breakfast. Union Station is the train station hub, and it has several stores and restaurants. We grabbed a quick breakfast from Le Pain Quotidien. We also peaked into some of the shops, such as Warby Parker and H&M. Then we hit the metro to go to the monuments. I was surprised at how easy the metro was to navigate, and I felt like I could be an expert by the time the trip ended. The first monument we walked to was the Washington Monument, and if it is hot outside, I recommend grabbing a popsicle from one of the food stands! From there we walked along the mall and saw several monuments, such as the World War II memorial, the Lincoln Memorial, and the Vietnam War Memorial.

After walking the mall, I headed to meet a sorority sister for lunch back at Union Station. We ate at the most delicious mediterranean style restaurant (it was set up like a Chipotle). The restaurant was Roti, and I am craving it while sitting at my desk! I then decided to hit up a museum by myself (I’ve always been someone who hates going to museums, especially with others because I like to go quickly through museums, anyone else??). I went to the American History museum because I remember only briefly visiting it the last time I went to D.C.. I was slightly disappointed to find out that the Ruby Red slippers were not showing until the fall, but I did enjoy seeing the First Lady Dresses (Melania Trump’s dress is now on display- gorgeous!!) and of course the Star Spangled Banner! 

If you are looking to go to D.C. on a budget, all the Smithsonian museums are free to get into (some might have extra ticket costs for certain exhibits, but for the most part- completely free!!). The museums are also located in the heart of the touristy area, so you can easily go to the National Mall and see those monuments and then head indoors for an escape from the heat in the summer time! 

After the museum I headed back to the Airbnb to rest. Walking all over the city in Jack Rogers is not the best idea, especially if you’re feet get tired way easier than they should?? After some rest, my brother and I headed to Foggy Bottom to meet one of his friends for dinner. We ate at Burger Tap & Shake, which had some delicious sweet potato fries and a great variety of burgers to choose from. Afterwards, I ubered back to the Airbnb because I was exhausted!

The next day, we stopped for a late breakfast at Ebenzer’s Coffeehouse, a local coffee shop in Capitol Hill. I tried the Honey Lavender latte, which was an interesting combo- as the lavender was definitely overpowering! I needed my typical iced latte though, so I’m glad I got some energy in me. I then navigated the metro to a restaurant near the White House to meet another sorority sister for lunch! We ate at District Taco, a local chain with cheap (and yummy) tacos and a delicious queso. I enjoyed catching up with this sweet friend, and she even took me for a photo op in front of the White House! We then headed to Pleasant Pops, a tiny coffee and popsicle shop! Popsicles were definitely a theme during this trip!

I then headed back to the Airbnb to rest up before the Taylor Swift concert (the main reason for the trip!!). We went to Roti for dinner (it’s seriously a new fave- super sad it’s not anywhere near me!!) and then we took the metro to FedEx Field. Taylor is such a great performer, and I absolutely loved her show!! She killed it! I will always be a big fan of hers. She is so talented and such a creative genius. 

Outfit Details:

dress // earrings // purse // shoes (Jacks)

shirt (old) // skirt // Jacks 

Taylor Swift concert outfit- will be shown in a later post!