I don’t know about you, but I have a love-hate relationship with conferences (well, conferences that are for my 9-5 job).
Pros:
- I typically only attend them if they are happening somewhere I’ve never been, so it’s another place crossed off my list.
- All (major) expenses paid!!!
- I don’t need to use any PTO for them, unless I choose to extend my trip.
Cons:
- Conferences are LONG! Which means that:
- Prime exploring hours are typically spent in a windowless room that can’t decide if it wants to freeze you to death or make you sweat to death.
- And, if it’s a torture-fest like the last conference I went to, they won’t even provide you with free coffee throughout the day so you’ll have to blow almost your entire meal budget on $8 coffees from Starbucks.
When my boss asked me to attend a conference in Washington, D.C. I was PUMPED! I had never been to DC before, but I knew that basically every touristy thing I would want to do (i.e. visit as many Smithsonian museums as possible) was free. So an all expenses paid trip to a city I’ve always wanted to visit and I don’t even need to pay for entertainment? Heck yeah, I’m in!
What I didn’t know before my trip was that the museums typically don’t open until 10 and they close around 5…my conference was 8:30-6 every day with only an hour for lunch that typically had a “lunch and learn” that I needed to attend…wtf…
If I wasn’t going to be able to see all that D.C. has to offer, then what was the point of even going?
I had to get creative.
I did a lot of research before my trip. I looked up every single museum within a 10 minute walk from the hotel, their hours, how long people typically spent there, and what exhibits I would want to see. I analyzed the schedule of the conference to see if there were any sessions I would be able to skip out on. I also had to find great local places to eat.
It wasn’t easy. But, lucky for you, I am here to help you figure out how to not only survive attending a conference in Washington D.C., but how to actually experience the city!
Warning: Based on what I did, you will not be leaving well rested. If going nonstop from dawn ‘til dusk isn’t your thing, I would recommend going through this, deciding what your top two or three priorities are, and planning accordingly. (Then of course start planning a real trip to D.C. when you can actually enjoy everything it has to offer.)
When to fly in (or out)
Lucky for me, day one of my conference in Washington D.C. didn’t actually start until 1pm. I grabbed the last flight out of Boston the night before so that I could use as much time as possible on day one to see a museum. Most conferences I’ve been to have a half day on the last day, so you could always flip this itinerary.
If day one of your conference starts in the morning, try to fly in the day before.
If the day before is a weekday, check your company’s policy to see if travel time is included in your compensation. It is at my company, so I can fly out during normal business hours without using any PTO. If the day before your conference is a Saturday or Sunday then you should be good to go to pick up that extra day (but, again, confirm what your company travel policies are).
Day 1
I have wanted to go to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History ever since the very first Night at the Museum movie came out in 2006, so I decided to dedicate my biggest chunk of time to seeing it. It was about a ten minute walk from my hotel so I gave myself an extra 15 minute buffer fully anticipating taking pictures along the way. The museum opened at 10 and I wanted to be back to the hotel by 12:30 so I could freshen up before the first session.
Let me tell you, 2 ish hours is not enough time to get everything you can out of the museum. There is just so much to take in and I probably could have spent two hours just on one floor alone. But, alas, I had to take what I could get.
There are 17 Smithsonian museums in Washington D.C., 11 are on the National Mall alone. So, if the Natural History Museum isn’t your thing you’ve got plenty of options! Pick the one museum that you absolutely need to see and dedicate your half day to seeing as much of it as you can.
After your sessions are over and you’ve gotten something to eat, I would recommend going to see the monuments. They are all lit up and it is perfectly safe to walk around them in the dark. Of course, like anywhere else, pay attention to your surroundings. But as long as you are alert you should be fine. Just try not to get back too late, tomorrow is going to be an early morning…
But Jenn, I wanted to see the monuments in the daytime.
Patience, young grasshopper, we’re getting to that…
Day 2
Rise and shine! Today is going to be a long, but rewarding, day. Get up before the sun and go watch the sun rise over our great nation’s capital! I personally wanted to watch the sun rise over the Capital Building, but it is quite a walk from where I was staying. If you don’t want to walk all that way, the sun rise is also stunning from the area around the Lincoln Memorial. You can get some pretty cool pictures focusing on the Washington Memorial with the silhouette of the Capital in the background.
After you watch the sunrise, it should still be early enough that you can visit a few more memorials before heading back to your conference. If you want to see the MLK Jr. or Teddy Roosevelt memorials you’ll need to walk extra fast because they’re quite a ways away from all the others. But, if those aren’t high on your list of priorities, you can spend plenty of time admiring the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, or the WWII Memorial (which is one of the most stunning in my personal opinion).
Depending on what time your conference ends, you should be able to squeeze in a trip to the National Portrait Gallery tonight. This is the only gallery in DC that stays open later. I did not end up going because there was a brewery a bit outside of town that I wanted to visit instead, but many people I know highly recommend it.
Day 3
Ahhh the final day of your conference…thank goodness! All conferences I have attended typically end by early afternoon at the extreme latest, so this is another great opportunity to get another museum crossed off your list. Depending on how much time you’ll be able to spend there will determine which one you go to, of course.
I didn’t think there was much that I wanted to see at the American History Museum, so I thought this was the perfect museum for me to get to around 1pm and still leave in time to make my 5pm flight feeling fulfilled and satisfied. I made a list of the three exhibits I needed to see and went off on my merry way.
(Spoiler alert: I did not have nearly enough time and had no idea how many incredible and interesting exhibits that museum had. Safe to say I most certainly did not feel fulfilled.)
Where to Eat in Washington D.C.
Below is a list of the places I visited. I did not have a single bad experience so highly recommend all of them. With the exception of District Taco, a local yet delicious chain, and Corner Bakery, all of these locations were recommended to me by locals.
- Ben’s Chili Bowl – a Washington D.C. staple, you cannot visit DC without trying the half smoke. It’s like this weird combination of a hot dog and sausage, topped with their infamous chili (which has a kick to it), cheese, and raw onions. If you don’t have time to make it to their original location you can always grab one at the airport or at Nationals Park.
- Le Diplomate – a world-renowned French restaurant that is surprisingly somewhat affordable. Fair warning to solo travelers: maybe it was just my waiter, but I was basically rushed out the door and treated like a second-rate guest because I was dining alone. The food was totally worth it and I’ve learned to ignore that kind of treatment, but I do think it is something to note.
- District Taco – You can find a District Taco just about everywhere. I ordered a bowl online for pickup and ate it in my room between sessions while trying to get some work done. It gets hectic at lunch time so I would recommend taking a similar approach.
- Old Ebbitt Grill – Old Ebbitt Grill is the oldest restaurant in Washington D.C. and sits about a block away from the White House. I actually wasn’t prepared for how formal it was and showed up in jeans with my t-shirt on. Despite my misinformed wardrobe choice, the service was excellent and food was even better. I highly recommend the lump crab cake!
- Corner Bakery – This is another chain in DC that serves up a really delicious and affordable breakfast. They have some pretty unique seasonal offerings, like bananas foster pancakes, and you can never go wrong with one of their scramblers.
This is a quick, basic itinerary for how to see the basic things in DC, but there is plenty more to do if monuments and museums aren’t your thing! While I was there I attended a Washington Nationals baseball game (which was pretty cool since a couple months later they went on to win the World Series) and hanging out at Three Star Brewing Company was awesome!
Do you have any other questions about how to survive a conference in Washington D.C.? Want more information on attending a baseball game or heading to a brewery? Let me know in the comments below!