By Bill Malcolm (he/him)*
New exhibits at galleries in Washington, D.C. make it perfect for a weekend visit. And most of the museums are free. Upcoming events include the Cherry Blossom Festival, WorldPride, the May open house tours of the embassies, and a new bar (the new DC Eagle) on top of the 5 that have opened in the last two years. Indeed, the District now has over 10 bars and counting.
WHAT TO DO
Image Credit: WorldPride Washington, DC
Walk or run with the Frontrunners up Rock Creek Park.
GoGayDC has Friday night happy hours where you can meet the locals. Location varies. I went to the one at the bar at the Hotel Zena in Thomas Circle.
Enjoy the many museums and monuments.
Walk around the great neighborhoods. I like the Dupont Circle area although NoMa is a lot of fun as well.
Take in an exhibit at the many free museums. Don’t miss the Frank Lloyd Wright and Brutalist Architecture exhibits at the Building Museum. The Portrait Gallery is a must as is the DC History Museum. All free. The Phillips Collection is not free in Dupont Circle. But the new “Timeless Mucha—the Magic of Line” is great. Czech artist Alphonse Mucha enjoyed success in Belle Epoque Paris. You will find them at 1600 21stStreet NW.
WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK
Image Credit: Destination DC
Le Pain Quotidien in Dupont Circle has great French food and is your go to fast casual or sit down brunch spot. Sweetgreen is my favorite. I like the steak salad. You will find them on P Street across from the Whole Foods.
I like Trade on 14th Street NW. Happy hour runs until 9 pm. They have events every night to engage in and a great outdoor patio. Number 9 is also fun and is nearby.
Try the garlic shrimp at Jaleo on E Street NW across the street from the Kimpton Monaco. It’s the best Spanish food in town.
Enjoy a drink at the Denson Liquor Bar on F Street.
Pick up some great food to go or some Route 11 Virginia potato chips at Streets Market at 1221 Mass Avenue. The Wawa nearby on Thomas Circle is open 24 hours and has great salads.
WHERE TO STAY
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I always stay at the Comfort Inn, 13th, and M Streets. It’s walkable to all the bars, museums, and the great Logan Circle/14th Street shops and restaurants. I also like the Washington Plaza nearby. The Hotel Zena has been rebranded and is also an option. I have stayed at the Kimpton Monaco on E Street as well although the Penn Quarter neighborhood is boring. Also beware of resort fees (aka amenity fees and destination fees).
NEW STUFF
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The Cherry Blossom Festival runs in March and April. Look for peak blooms this year in later March.
WORLD PRIDE is coming to town in May and June!
Some of the must see museums and new exhibits that Destination DC recommends include:
- Felix Gonzalez-Torres: Always to Return – National Portrait Gallery
Oct 18, 2024-July 6, 2025
Website: https://npg.si.edu/exhibition/felix-gonzalez-torres-always-return
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery and the Archives of American Art present a multisite exhibition across downtown locations including the National Portrait Gallery, the facade of the museum, first floor of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library and outdoors along 8th Street NW. Felix was both revolutionary in his notions of portraiture as well as his role as a major figure in the LGBTQ+ community in the late 1980s and 90s before he passed away from AIDS related causes. Much of his work focuses on identity. - Guerrilla Girls: Making Trouble - National Museum of Women in the Arts
April 12-Sept. 28, 2025
Website: https://nmwa.org/exhibitions/guerrilla-girls-making-trouble/
The dynamic and indefatigable artist collective known as the Guerrilla Girls mark their 40th anniversary in 2025. The group, who declared themselves “the conscience of the art world,” emerged in 1985 with bold text- and graphic-based prints denouncing discrimination. Also on view in the museum — the first in the world dedicated to championing women artists — work from contemporary LGBTQIA+ artists including Harmony Hammond, Mickalene Thomas and Zanele Muholi, as well as historic figures such as Frida Kahlo. - LGBTers in the Federal City – Capital Jewish Museum
May 16 -
Website: https://capitaljewishmuseum.org/exhibition/lgbtjews-in-the-federal-city/
LGBTers in the Federal City explores a turbulent century of celebration, activism and change in the nation’s capital. This landmark exhibition is the first of its kind to explore DC history, Jewish history, and queer history together, drawing from the museum’s robust LGBTQ+ archive. Immerse yourself in historical and contemporary photography, artifacts, and oral histories. Learn about legal milestones, far-ranging protests, vibrant cultural life and change in religious spaces. - Essex Hemphill: Take Care of Your Blessings – The Phillips Collection
May 17-Aug. 31
Website: https://www.phillipscollection.org/event/2025-05-17-essex-hemphill-take-care-your-blessings
This exhibition charts the relationship between the writings of DC-based poet and activist Essex Hemphill and contemporary visual art. Hemphill emerged as a luminary in the DC arts scene of the 80s and 90s. While Hemphill died of AIDS-related illness at just 38, his work persists, reflected in visual dialogues with his contemporaries and inheritors. This exhibition brings together an intergenerational group of artists who have directly engaged with Hemphill’s oeuvre, tackling recurring themes in his work such as race, gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDs, family dynamics and community.
GETTING THERE
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I took American Regional Jet’s Republic Airlines nonstop into Washington Reagan (DCA) and hopped on the Yellow Line Metro to get to my hotel (the Comfort Inn). You get off at Mt. Vernon Square/Convention Center. It’s cheap and easy to find at DCA. And it only takes 15-20 minutes. I walked everywhere after that.
Other options include IAD (Dulles Airport) ,about a 40 minute Metro ride on the new Silver Line.
BWI is another option out of Baltimore. You can take Amtrak or the MARC train down to DC.
Best of all, DC has great Amtrak service including the Acela express train to NYC.
Under no circumstances arrive by or rent a car. The parking is expensive, the drivers are rude, there are lots of toll roads and the traffic is terrible.
INSIDER TIPS/FOR MORE INFORMATION
The two publications are DC Blade (print and on line) and Metro Weekly (online only).
Special thanks to Destination DC for the update.
There’s always something new in DC. And this visit was no exception.
*Bill Malcolm is a syndicated LGBTQ travel columnist who resides in Indianapolis.
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