How to Have a Safe and Fun New Year's Eve in Washington DC

Goodbye, 2020. We won't miss you.

By austa somvichian-clausen

Published on 22/12/2020 at 09:47 PM

As the highly anticipated end to 2020 draws near, it’s natural to have mixed feelings. Typically, New Year’s Eve is a time to dress to the nines, let your figurative hair down, and clink champagne glasses. It’s a time to now look toward what is considered to be a clean slate, making resolutions about going to the gym every day or finally becoming a vegetarian.

This year it comes as no surprise to anyone that New Year’s Eve will look and feel very different. Most important now is to keep yourselves and your loved ones as safe as possible by limiting exposure to COVID-19. In fact, Washingtonians might have no choice this year, as the entire DMV has issued orders that end alcohol consumption at 10 pm in restaurants and bars. Virginia has taken it a step even further and issued a curfew that bans nonessential travel between midnight and 5 am. Also off limits will be enjoying your New Year’s Eve dinner inside a restaurant, as the District moved to shut down indoor dining for three weeks starting on December 23 to hopefully contend with the rising number of COVID cases in the area.

While that may sound depressing, it’s important to think about the positives of a chilled out NYE at home. For (hopefully) one year only, you’re getting to dodge the responsibility of dropping money on a new outfit, instead spending the celebratory evening in cozy loungewear with your closest pod members, partner, or roommate. There’s still plenty to look forward to, as 2021 starts us off with a White House switch up and our new best friends Moderna and Pfizer. So, top up that champagne flute and get ready for a New Year’s Eve like no other with our list of safe recommendations for how to spend your night.

Start your day with nature

Arboretum
Way before its time to pop the bubbly, get your New Year’s Eve started with a forest bathing session at the National Arboretum. The relaxing practice has been shown to raise your mood and aid your immune system, and is a nice way to reboot before the start of a new year. Meet at the arboretum for a two-hour program that ends with a soothing tea ceremony that also includes some sweet treats.
Cost: $35

Ring in the new year at 6 pm

Columbia, Maryland
While most fireworks displays have been called off this year, Merriweather Pavilion is still putting one on at the top of every hour from 6-9pm. Upon entering, guests can check out the pavilion’s mega light display that consists of over 300,000 bulbs, and indulge in a glass of champagne. COVID precautions are being taken at this family-friendly event, where guests must pick a 10-minute time window to enter in order to maintain social distancing.
Cost: $15 per person or $50 for a family of four

Let the Hamilton take care of food and entertainment

Downtown
While dining indoors on New Year’s Eve is a no-go, DC mainstay The Hamilton is offering a special package that includes takeout food and beverages for two-to-four or six-to-eight people as well as an exclusive live-streamed show. The 90-minute concert by 19th Street Band is taking place online and only available to those ordering food that night from The Hamilton.
Cost: Packages start at $150

Get tipsy with your favorite local bars, from home

Various locations
Most of your go-to bars are most likely doing something a little extra special for NYE this year, like cocktail haven Columbia Room, which has put together a make-at-home French 75 cocktail kit complete with hats and streamers, or Lulu’s Winegarden where you can order a “bubbly box” stocked with three bottles of sparkling wine.
Cost: Prices vary

Indulge in a four-course meal on your sofa

Various locations
Tons of DC restaurants are offering specials to help keep you out of the kitchen and jazz up your New Year’s Eve. Dupont Circle’s Boqueria has a party starter set made for two, complete with a bottle of sparkling Spanish wine, a selection of tapas, chocolate cake, and even an option to add seafood paella. The kit also includes hats, streamers, and access to a festive Spotify playlist. For a distinctly American celebration, try Shaw’s Nina May, offering a four-course surf and turf meal featuring oysters and pan-seared scallops, or Navy Yard’s Shilling Canning Company, which has curated a selection of reds, whites, and bubbles to pair with a multi-course dinner that features decadent dishes like lamb loin and gnudi with lobster.
Cost: Prices vary

Treat yourself to an epic staycation

Various locations
Tired of being at home? We hear you. Instead of heading out of town on New Year’s Eve, get a change of scenery without even leaving the city by treating yourself to a well-deserved staycation. Newly opened townhouses by The Rosewood Hotel in Georgetown offer guests a multi-level, uber private experience that comes complete with a full kitchen, outdoor space and the kind of tub you want to soak in all night long. The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan is also offering special rates this winter, and tiered packages by Brothers and Sisters chef Erik Bruner-Yang are available to order to your room for the special night, stocked with charcuterie, champagne, and other treats.
Cost: Prices varySign up here for our daily DC email and be the first to get all the food/drink/fun in town.

Austa is a freelance food and travel writer, as well as a staff writer for The Hill where she covers the topics of diversity and equality. She now lives in Brooklyn with her girlfriend and two fur babies, but called DC home for many years — attending American University and then working for National Geographic. Follow her on Instagram.

Washington DC

15 Totally Free Things to Do in DC

A full itinerary, completely free of charge.

By madeline weinfield

Published on 23/08/2022 at 09:39

Smithsonian American Art Museum and the Renwick Gallery

Washington DC is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations, and for those of us who call the District home, it’s easy to see why. With dozens of world-class museums, murals that transform streets into galleries, and sites brimming with history, DC offers a full agenda-completely free of charge. Whether you want to try a new farmer’s market, explore a new hike, or polish off your roller skating or canoeing skills, here are some of our favourite free things to do in the District.

Hike, bike, or stroll along the C&O Canal

The historic Chesapeake and Ohio Canal is one of the most accessible nature escapes from the District. Thanks to a multi-year restoration project, the first mile of the canal is an idyllic walk that’s easy to access in Georgetown. Stick to a short stroll there, or grab a bike or lace up your hiking shoes for a longer adventure along the 184.5-mile canal.

Jump on the pickleball craze

Pickleball is working its way up the ladder past kickball and softball as one of America’s favourite games. Jump on the craze and practice your paddling at one of the District’s pickleball courts in Takoma Park, the Palisades, and more. Plus, Washington DC Pickleball invites guests to drop in to beginner sessions to try their hand at the sport before signing up for a $30 annual membership.

Bike the Mount Vernon Trail

DC is incredibly bike-friendly, and luckily that applies to the land immediately outside of the city as well. Start in the city and bike along the Mount Vernon Trail, a scenic route that hugs the water and cuts through the woods. It’s about a 10-mile trip from DC to Mount Vernon, but you can cut the trip slightly short and end at the Old Town Alexandria waterfront-just make sure to factor in time for ice cream before pedalling home.

Explore a sculpture park

While not located in the District proper, Glenstone, an expansive sculpture park in Maryland, is worth the 45-minute drive. Tickets to the park are free (just be sure to reserve several weeks in advance), and the 300-acre space offers stunning art, architecture, and open land. In addition to its indoor gallery spaces, you can spend hours walking on paths that wind through sculptures, meadows, and forests.

See the monuments at night

When the sun goes down-and the summer humidity somewhat dissipates-head to the National Mall for the rare chance to see the monuments without busloads of tourists. Moonlight will give you a different perspective as you traverse the marble steps of the Lincoln Memorial or gaze up at the Washington Monument set aglow with lights.

Museum hop the day away

One of DC’s greatest strengths is its world-class Smithsonian museums that are open to the public free of charge. There is no shortage of options, from the intimate Renwick Gallery, to the sprawling National Museum of Natural History, the Smithsonians offer something for everyone. Pro tip: Some of the museums are open late in the evenings, making for an ideal date night.

Explore the city’s murals

Washington is home to hundreds of murals that are becoming as much a part of the city’s landscape as the monuments on the National Mall. Take a self-guided tour of these colourful creations no matter which neighbourhood you happen to be in. MuralsDC, the organization behind 150 of the District’s public artworks, is a great resource for mapping out a route to explore the city’s street art.

Take in a birds-eye view of the city

Washington looks pretty stunning from up high, and there are few spots within the city that make for phenomenal vantage points. Rooftop bars and restaurants offer epic views for the price of a drink or two, but there’s no more iconic sight than seeing the city from the top of the Washington Monument, which is completely free. Book a ticket ahead of time and ride an elevator all the way to the top of the monument and step out on the 500-foot observation deck.

Wander through a garden

DC is home to some of the most beautiful urban gardens in the country, and many of them are open to the public for free. There is nothing like an afternoon spent strolling through, or picnicking, at the expansive 446-acre United States Arboretum or wandering through the Botanic Garden on the edge of the Mall. For something a bit smaller, explore the grounds at Tudor Place or Dumbarton Oaks (free in the winter), both of which are in Georgetown.

Hike the Billy Goat Trail

You can catch one of the District’s most popular hiking trails, the Billy Goat Trail, from the C&O canal. The full trail is 4.7 miles and ranges from easy to strenuous, so hike a section in and back or make the full loop for the variety.

Pay your respect at Arlington National Cemetery

Just across the Potomac from DC, Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place for more than 400,000 veterans. The cemetery is an expanse of 639 hallowed acres and the ANC Explorer allows visitors to locate graves, notable sites, and take self-guided walking tours to spots including the tomb of the Unknown Soldier as well as the final resting place of President John F. Kennedy.

Lace up your roller skates

When was the last time you went roller skating? Chances are it’s been too long. So get back into this nostalgic activity at the Anacostia Park roller skating pavilion. You can rent skates for free, just show proof of a government-issued ID, and the skating pavilion is open from 9 to 5 every day.

Help clean up the Anacostia River

We all know there’s a lot of work to be done to keep our waterways clean. Do your part, and have some fun, by participating in the city’s Green Boat initiative. On select weekends, DCers can join a two-hour guided paddle along the Anacostia River to collect trash and monitor the river’s progress.

Stroll your local farmer’s market

DC’s close proximity to the farms of Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and beyond mean that the city’s farmers’ markets always have something to offer. Check out the year-round markets like Eastern Market in Capitol Hill and the Sunday market in Dupont Circle or head to seasonal markets like the pop-up in front of the White House that draws vendors like Cucina al Volo and Call Your Mother Deli.

Play tourist all around the city

It’s easy to forget that all those traditionally touristy activities can be fun for locals too. If you haven’t been on a tour of the White House, the National Archives, the Library of Congress, or the Capitol, this is your sign. All are free with advanced reservations. Plus, tucked in the northern quadrant of NW, the Washington National Cathedral is free and open to all. Tour the cathedral’s impressive architecture, 215 stained glass windows, 112 Gothically-inspired gargoyles, and enormous pipe organ. See if you can spot the sculpture of Darth Vader.

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Madeline Weinfield is a Thrillist contributor.