In case you’re living under a rock, DC is abundant of top-notch free things to do, and it’s not just about monuments and museums. Make the most out of your trip with these 53 totally free activities, from happy hours with free food to fitness classes!
1. Visit every Smithsonian museum.
Every. Single. One. It’s very important that you come at your parents with some cultural talking points.
2. Improve your cooking skills
Hit the P Street Whole Foods on Tuesday nights when there are free cooking classes or demos. They are posted online and registration is totally free.
3. Get inspired in the Kogod Courtyard
Find the trippy, canopied space inside the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Sitting there AND Wi-Fi are both free.
4. Plunge into one of DC’s 19 public pools
You can leave your cash at home, but bring your driver’s license to prove you’re a DC citizen. Try Banneker that has two diving boards!
5. Give your workout a wild side
Visit the National Zoo where you can see 1,800 animals for free.
6. Catch a free Friday night concert
Concerts starts at 6:30pm and run from mid-May through mid-September.
7. See some celebrity portraits
The Portrait Gallery’s “Eye Pop: The Celebrity Gaze” runs through July 2016 and includes Katy Perry, Kobe Bryant, Sonia Sotomayor, and Serena Williams.
8. Catch a show on the Millennium Stage
Get to the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage where there are free performances ranging from jazz to dance troupes nightly at 6pm.
9. Hang out or bring your work at Canal Park
Canal Park has ample seating, including benches that have built-in electric outlets so you can plug on in.
10. Get a live look at our Supreme Court justices
Oral arguments are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-seated basis. Make sure they’re in session.
11. Listen to live jazz in the Sculpture Garden
Friday afternoons in the Sculpture Garden could also be called “where to pick up a summer intern.”
12. Ditch the gym and enjoy the great outdoors
The November Project joins early-risers together for fitness in various locations throughout the city including Meridian Hill Park and the Lincoln Memorial steps.
13. Win a free trivia
Try Ventnor or Biergarten Haus on Tuesdays and Stoney’s or The Pinch on Wednesdays.
14. Stroll through the C&O Canal towpath
Stick to Georgetown, or get more ambitious because it’s 184.5 miles long.
15. Find DC’s outdoor art
This map from Michael Antonucci will direct you to every last outdoor work of art in the region. Don’t forget to snap pics like this.
16. Game on the National Mall
Make the National Mall your backdrop for an afternoon of game playing, whether that means an innocent Frisbee toss or a really raucous round of Cards Against Humanity.
17. Catch Topaz Hotel’s Laughing Buddha-ha-ha
The hotel hosts free comedy from 8-10pm. After hearing 10 local comedians do their best, it’s your turn to take the stage. Three volunteers from the audience can win $25 in cash and beer by telling one solid joke.
18. Complain about the defunct Fort Reno concert series
19. Walk among lily pads at the Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
It’s one of our DC secrets well worth finding.
20. See stars in Rock Creek Park
Get an extra-good look at the sky during the park’s “Exploring the Sky,” series. The schedule details what you’re likely to see through telescopes. Saturn! Jupiter! Mercury!
21. Jam out at the O Street Mansion
The quirkiest museum in DC offers free Sunday jam sessions ranging from bluegrass and blues to gospel and classical.
22. Play free bocce at Vendetta
The H Street NE bar has two indoor bocce courts offering free play. Visit Friday and Saturday nights for “Glo Bocce.” Vinoteca and Black Jack have free bocce too.
23. Find the beat at the Meridian Hill Park drum circle
The drum circle happens Sunday nights. It’ll help you become a real Washingtonian. Extra points if you do yoga simultaneously.
24. Sweat out during Farragut Fridays
The park gets really playful on Friday afternoons with ping-pong tables and free Wi-Fi. Bring your lunch and gather your buds.
25. Hit a happy hour with free food
Order yourself a club soda so you don’t look like too much of a lurker then dig in. Two favorites: Casa Luca (4-7pm) and Piola (4:30-7:30pm) on weekdays only.
26. Play chess in Dupont Circle
Boards are set up around the perimeter.
27. Visit the Library of Congress
It’s the biggest library in the world, so you should probably visit it.
28. Sit on the Spanish Steps
Spend an afternoon having meaningful conversation while tucked away in the Kalorama neighborhood.
29. Do eighth-grade science experiments at a bar
The Argonaut’s science night asks competitors to answer trivia questions and complete experiments (think egg drops) with the hopes of winning $50 and $25 gift cards. Science nights are on Tuesdays from 8-10pm.
30. Let the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial captivate you
It’s one of DC’s newest monuments.
31. Snap photos of the monuments in the moonlight
They’re so stunning, even an iPhone will do. Full moon is on July 31, August 29, and September 27.
32. Take in the beauty of the National Cathedral
It’s free to visit on Sundays. Isn’t that the day you’re supposed to be going to church anyway?
33. Take a Monday night meditation class for free
A free introductory series kicks off every four weeks. Registration required.
34. Have a photo op with a 14ft Adirondack chair
Find it on the front lawn of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts.
35. Catch an outdoor movie
We’ve got them all in one calendar.
36. Attend the Modern Times Unplugged Open Mic at Politics & Prose
See up-and-comers Friday nights from 8-10:30pm. Better yet, come at 7:30pm and sign up to perform.
37. Drop by a cooking demo
Find cookbook author and culinary entertainer, Jonathan Bardzik, at Eastern Market from 10am-1pm on Saturdays.
38. Play tennis for a set or two
There are 136 courts offering free tennis in DC.
39. Visit the United States Botanic Garden
You definitely need a picture inside the 10ft faux pitcher plant inside its carnivorous plants exhibit.
40. Tour a distillery
Spend a Saturday going behind the scenes at One Eight Distilling, New Columbia Distillers, and more.
41. Sneak onto a roof
That Holiday Inn at 15th and Rhode Island Ave NW is easy to crack and has a pool, just saying.
42. Study miniature trees
The National Arboretum’s National Bonsai & Penjing Museum may be the best part of the 400+ acres of gardens.
43. Take a 1.49-mile tour of the Pentagon
Free one-hour tours of our Department of Defense headquarters are free but you have to request them in advance.
44. Take a free fitness class
Many trendy exercise studios offer one freebie to get you hooked, like Zengo Cycle orCrossFit Balance.
45. Watch planes land from Gravelly Point Park
See a low-flying aircraft.
46. Get free food delivered for free
Every once in a while Postmates will offer free food on demand like wings or ice cream. Open the app every few days to check.
47. Witness the Changing of the Guard at Arlington National Cemetery
It happens every hour, from October through March.
48. Follow a neighborhood heritage trail
Cultural Tourism DC will outfit you with a trail booklet and send you on your way to explore the history of popular DC neighborhoods like Adams Morgan.
49. Bet awed by the 1,500 cherry blossom trees blooming
They pop out each spring and come with a flurry of festivals.
50. Visit a cemetery
Congressional Cemetery offers “Yoga Mortis” every Monday from 6-7pm. It’s free.
51. Sample local produce at FRESHFARM Markets
The Sunday market at Dupont Circle is particularly memorable.
52. Look for Bartholdi Park and its awesome fountain
Then grab some shade and unwind.
53. Snoop on some real estate
Ever wonder what homes look like on the inside? Check real estate websites for open houses and make a day out of it.
