Washington DC Road Trip Day 2 – Breathtaking Monuments

I was so thrilled to spend the second day of our weekend getaway on a Washington DC road trip. Let me tell you, DC is completely awe-inspiring. Washington, DC has been at the top of my ultimate travel bucket list for years so when the BF suggested a weekend trip to the Capitol I jumped at the chance!

But this post is about day 2, so if you haven’t read about the first leg of our Virginia road trip, feel free to check it out!

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We started off the second day of our adventure with some breakfast at Jimmy T’s Place, a tiny diner just a short walk from Tom’s beautiful home. The diner was incredibly cozy with funny, mismatched coffee mugs and crammed full of people, which of course means that the food was fantastic! From there, the boyfriend and I walked over to the Capitol and took a look around.

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Washington DC Road Trip: The Capitol

The Capitol was so beautiful and absolutely breathtaking – perhaps even moreso than in photos.

On this trip, I learned that the House and Senate each have their own wing, and a flag is flown over their respective wing when that branch is in session. You can see the flagposts in the image below, even though no flags were flown this day.

Perhaps one of my favorite aspects about DC was the incredibly detailed architecture. Just check out that dome and those columns! It was a complete work of art to behold and I was surprised by how close you’re able to get to the building, though I imagine there might be increased security when the Senators and Congressmen and women are present.

Fun fact: Did you know that on snow days, the lawn beside the Capitol building is opened up to visitors for sledding? I found that to be just so sweet. Apparently, the practice was stopped for some time due to security concerns, until a Senator complained and insisted that his grandchildren and all others be allowed back on to the majestic slope. Without getting into politics, I found it funny and endearing that in this case, wielding power in the federal government worked out for the best for these local kiddos in the most wholesome of ways.

After walking around the Capitol, we went back to Tom’s to grab our belongings and the car. It was much too hot to walk the entire Mall and the BF was forward-thinking enough to have us not even try. So we drove over to the Lincoln Monument and started the next part of our tour there.

Washington DC Road Trip: The monuments

I mean, it’s Washington, DC, need I say more?

The culture and the history present in this place is enough to make one take a moment of silence. For our Founding Fathers who gave us the foundations for where we are today and the soldiers who have fought and died in battle to maintain our freedom and help others abroad. If you’ve read my blog post on a Tour of the USA you’ll know I have a deep-rooted love for my country and getting to see the hub of it all just gave me shivers.

In this photo, you can see the full length of the Mall. The BF and I were standing at the foot of the Lincoln Memorial, and you can see the Washington Memorial at the far end.

We also took some time to walk the Vietnam War Memorial and although I found it beautiful, both in meaning and in design, I was not able to find an angle at which to take a photo that conveyed its somber reverence without seeming touristy. I find this a sensitive line to walk but suffice to say that it is absolutely worth visiting and paying a moment of respect.

Washington DC Road Trip: Georgetown

My boyfriend went to Georgetown for undergrad and wanted to show me his old stomping grounds and let me tell you something- I am SO glad he did!

Just check out that castle!

With a view like that, I’d never want to graduate! And with all those secret hiding spots college kids find to sneak around in, I can’t imagine studying in a place that looks straight out of Harry Potter! It’s a shame I didn’t bring Dobby along for this trip ??

Like with the Capitol building, I was completely awestruck by the architecture of Georgetown. Having grown up in Miami, where everything is designed to be so sleek and modern, this college campus just took my breath away.

Washington DC Road Trip: The drive back to Norfolk

It was a long and hot day so as much as I enjoyed our trip to DC, I was glad to be on our way home. We caught some rain but the gorgeous green views made it worth the rain.

TL;DR

I can’t believe that I got to spend a dreamy weekend getaway touring Washington DC as a road trip within my trip! All in all, today in Washington DC was incredible. There are just so many attractions and activities to do in the city including hidden away breakfast spots, monuments, and even a MUST-SEE college campus straight out of Harry Potter.