Budget Washington DC Trip Itinerary - 4 Days 4 Nights - Autumn season

Washington DC being the capital of United States offers many tourist attractions and historical places which is interesting to visit. Some of these places being features in the box office Hollywood movies and having Pentagon in spy related movies. The main attractions to Washington DC is the National Mall. The National Mall area comprises the area from US Capitol to Washington Monument. The best thing about National Mall is that most of the museums are free of charge. And at the National Mall, you can view most of the national monuments here such as Washington Monument, US Capitol Building, Lincoln Memorial and White House which is the official residence for the president of United States.


US Capitol Building.

White House at night.

Beautiful main hall of Library of Congress.

Learn the meaning of freedom from Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Day	Morning	Afternoon	Evening	Night
Day 1 (Thur)	1. Arrival 6.00am at Washington Dulles Airport (IAD) via Virgin America flight from Los Angeles, USA 2. Taking Metrobus 5A from Washington Dulles Airport to Rosslyn Metro station. From Rosslyn Metro Station you have direct access to Washington DC. I took the metro train to Braddock Road Station in Alexandria, Virginia. Do take note that Washington DC is located nearby state of Virginia and Maryland. 3. Check in at Home Stay via Airbnb. Great the host allowed me to put my luggage.	1. Lunch. Hard Times cafe 2. Visit Old Town of Alexandria, Virginia. View photos of Alexandria here.	1. Washington Monument 2. Lincoln Memorial 3. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum 4. US Capitol outside view.	1. Dinner. Chinatown Express having chicken noodles. 2. White House at night outside view.
Day 2 (Fri)	1. US Capitol Visitor Centre	1. Lunch at US Capitol Cafeteria. 2. Library Of Congress. This is the world largest library. Beautiful interior.	1. National Gallery of Art	1. Dinner. Panda Express.
Day 3 (Sat)	1. Breakfast at King Street Cafe 2. Arlington National Cemetery	1. Lunch. Ben's Chili Bowl.	1. Georgetown, Washington DC.	1. Dinner. Little Viet Garden Restaurant for Vietnamese food.
Day 4 (Sun)	1. Breakfast. Cereal at home stay. 2. Thomas Jefferson Memorial.	1. Martin Luther King Memorial	1. Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. 2. Shopping in Pentagon City Mall.	1. Dinner. J Paul's Georgetown having baby back rib.

Little Viet Garden @ Washington DC, USA

Little Viet Garden located in Georgetown, Washington DC offers Vietnamese food and Asian delicacies.

Taste:7/10(Moderate. The Garden spring roll with the peanut sauce were good. However, the beef noodles soup is a bit plain).
Price:6/10(Moderate. The Garden roll price at USD5.50 and beef noodles soup at USD10.95).


Good and fresh Vietnamese Garden spring rolls. Rice paper rolls filled with shrimp, egg, and shredded greens. Served with peanut sauce.

Beef noodles soup with so much bean sprout. Rice stick noodles in a beef broth with thinly slice beef and traditional greens.

Inside Little Viet Garden during dinner time.

Little Viet Garden at night.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.905040, -77.059015
Address: 2934 M St NW, Washington, DC 20007 (between intersection of N 30th St & N 29th St in Georgetown).
Public transport: Bus no 31, 32, 36, 38B, D5 & DCDGR. Stop at intersection of M Street NW and 30th Street NW.

Georgetown @ Washington DC

Georgetown is a historic neighborhood, commercial, and entertainment district located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. I am amazed with the nice classic scenery of Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. Can't imagine that a normal looking front shop, having a different look behind the shops with canal.


PNC Bank in Georgetown at M Street & Wisconsin Avenue, NW

Lovely canal at residential area.

Nice Chesapeake and Ohio Canal. If you have time, stop by the Georgetown Visitor Center and learn about the history of commerce and transportation in Washington DC.

Houses at Georgetown.

Georgetown waterfront.

One of the nice building in Georgetown.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.905178, -77.062608
Address: M St NW, Washington, DC 20007, United States.
Public transport: Bus no 31 or Dupont Circle - Georgetown - Rosslyn Circulator bus. The bus operates until midnight on weekday and 2.00am on weekend.

Washington DC Metro

Washington Metro mass transit system in Washington DC is the second busiest metro system in the United States after New York metro. The rail metro station have some unique characteristic as shown below.


Gateway to Washington DC Metro. Rider enter and exit Washington metro system using this proximity card known as SmarTrip. They also have paper based magnetic stripe farecard as well.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.

Ronald Reagan National Airport has the distinctive golden colour. The airport is under tight security and close oversight by the federal government due to its proximity to the national capital. To show now near this airport, its is just around 12 minutes drive to White House.

Cement ceiling vault pattern at Metro stations.

Intersection of cement ceiling.

Lincoln Memorial @ Washington DC

The Lincoln Memorial is an iconic landmark on the National Mall in Washington DC. It is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln, who fought to preserve United States during the Civil War from 1861-1865.


Lincoln memorial. Many people were sitting on the steps to enjoy the view around National Mall from Lincoln Memorial.

In this temple
As in the heart of the people
For whom he saved the union
The memory of Abraham Lincoln
Is enshrined forever.

Me selfie with Lincoln sculpture.

Overlooking Washington Monument from Lincoln Memorial.

GPS/Coordinate: 38.889248, -77.050165
Address: 2 Lincoln Memorial Cir NW, Washington, DC 20037, United States.
Public transport: Smithsonian Metro Station via blue, orange or RSLV line.

Chinatown Express Restaurant @ Washington DC

Chinatown Express serve handmade noodles and dumplings. If you are looking for fast, hot soup and simple food with nutritious consideration, this is the place that you are looking for. I opt for soup based meal as the weather is windy and cold during the night I was in Washington DC.

Taste:6/10(Moderate. The chicken noodles taste were average as the chicken is a bit blend but noodles is ok. The fried egg roll is oily).
Price:6/10(Moderate. The price for the meal shown below is USD10.90. The chicken noodles contain a lot of meat and the portion are huge).


Noodles in soup with chicken slice.

Fried egg roll. Its oily and taste not so good.

GPS/Coordinate: 38.899594, -77.020117
Address: 746 6th Street NW, Washington DC 20001
Public transport: Gallery Place Chinatown Metro Station via green, red or yellow line.

Thomas Jefferson Memorial @ Washington DC

Beneath the marble rotunda, the 19-foot statue of the third US President is surrounded by passages from the Declaration of Independence and other famous Jefferson writings.


Thomas Jefferson Memorial.

Thomas Jefferson statue surrounded by Declaration of Independence and writings.


Thomas Jefferson statue.

One of the Jefferson's famous writing.

Thomas Jefferson memorial from the side dome. Its easily recognized by the round dome on The National Mall.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.881429,-77.036651
Metro Station:Smithsonian Metro(Orange/Blue lines). Its quite a distance to walk as it is accorss the Tidal Basin. Estimated 20 minutes walk from this metro station.
Address:1500 Maine Ave. SW, Washington DC
Phone:(202) 426-6841
Hours: Daily 8am to 12am.

J Paul's Georgetown @ Washington DC

I happen to choose this restaurant by chance. Looking and checking all the American style dinner restaurant on M Street in Georgetown. I found this restaurant quite interesting and with proper ambience. I looked at the menu and seems like this restaurant is specialized in seafood but I don't want to take any raw seafood here while my journey in the US is still long way to go. So I decided to try their slow smoked baby back rib. The menu turn out to be surprisingly good.

On that night, I notice that a customer wanted to order the same menu as me but turn out that he gets the wrong menu. He is so angry and complaint to the server. He wrote something when he pays his bill but I not sure what he wrote to inform the server. I saw the server face changed after reading the note. However, I notice that his baby back rib is only half compared to the one that I had. Maybe he angry because of he gets less rib. I think the server might has recommend him the wrong menu. Instead of baby back rib, she probably has recommended JP combo which comes with half a rack of rib, crab cake, apple jicama coleslaw and fries.

Taste:10/10(Excellent. Best baby back rib I ever had. Well done and the combination seasoning on the rib were just nice. The meat were tender and flavourful. Good combination with Apple Jicama Coleslaw).
Price:5/10(Near expensive. Baby back rib USD23.00 & Orange juice USD5.00. There is 10% tax).



Baby back rib with apple jicama coleslaw and fries.

Delicious pretzel.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.905127,-77.063524
Transport: Take the DC Circulator bus route (Dupont Circle - Georgetown - Rosslyn). Press the bell when reaching M Street.
Address: 3218 M Street NW, Washington DC 20007 (between N Potomac St & N Wisconsin Ave)
Phone: 202 333-3450
Hours: Monday - Thursday 11:30 am - 2:00 am; Friday 11:30 am - 3:00 am; Saturday 10:30 am - 3:00 am; Sunday 10:30 am - 2:00 am

Ben's Chili Bowl @ Washington DC

Ben's Chili Bowl is so famous in Washington DC until it is recognized as one of the famous landmark in Washington DC. Chili is a local slang meaning chili with meat. Not chili sauce! This restaurant became so popular as it is frequented by many notable historical figures such as Barack Obama, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nat King Cole, Miles Davis and Bill Cosby. The must order dish here is their Chili Half Smoke (a quarter pound half pork and beef smoked sausage on steamed bun) with mustard, onions and chili sauce. In this shop, there is even a signboard mention that only two persons can eat for free. They are Barack Obama & Bill Cosby.

Taste:7/10(Moderate. Spicy, juicy and tender sausage. However this is not the best available hot dog. The chili gravy is ok).
Price:6/10(Moderate. Half smoke original USD5.70 and with additional 10% tax. The price is higher compared to hot dog that you can get from the street trolleys).


So many sausages. Looks good.

This is what I ordered. Half Smoke Original. The sausage is spicy, juicy and tender. The taste is however just normal.

This is what makes the hot dog good & famous. The chili gravy.

Home of famous hot dog.

Its long queue.

This restaurant is a landmark by itself.

This is the restaurant. The side wall showing both President Barack Obama and comedian Bill Cosby.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.917166,-77.028733
Address: 1213 U Street NW, Washington DC 20009.
Metro Station: U Street. Located just opposite the road of U Street metro station exit.
Phone: 202-667-0909
Hours: Mon-Thu 6 am - 2 am; Fri-Sat 6 am - 4 am; Sun 11 am - 11 pm
Website: www.benschilibowl.com

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum @ Washington DC

Out of all the museums I visited on my trip to DC, this would have to be the most memorable. I can't even explain how it impacted me the entire time I was in there.

The museum is designed also to give you a glimpse of what it was like during the holocaust and being inside a concentration camp. Not that there could be any comparison but even those minute glimpses is enough to make you walk away with a feeling of unease and discomfort. During my visit. they have special exhibition on propaganda. I really learn a lot on the effect of propaganda and how it was use by the Nazis. This method is now widely used by the politician around the world to gain support from their own people. This really open up my mind as well. Not many photos here as can't take photo in the exhibition area.


Hall of Remembrance.

Museum lobby area.

Very informative and detail exhibition about propaganda.

The US Holocaust Memorial.

Address: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Pl SW
(between S 15th St & S Jefferson Dr)
Washington, DC 20024
Metro Station: Smithsonian Metro Station (Blue, Orange)
Coordinate/GPS: 38.886557,-77.032191
Entrance fee: Free.
Opens: Mon-Sun 10 am - 5:30 pm

Hard Times Cafe @ Alexandria, Virginia

Hard Times cafe is a chain restaurant serving chili with meat. The restaurant located in Old Town, Alexandria is the first outlet opened in 1980. They served chili macs, nachos, veggie nachos, chili tots, wings, and chili dogs. Each weekday they have discount on certain items such as on monday USD6.99 burgers, tuesday USD6.99 chili macs, wednesday USD7.99 chicken wings and thursday USD7.99 boneless chicken wings.

Taste:6/10(Moderate. I have mistakenly ordered the food! I actually don't like buffalo style chicken wings but I ordered that. Too sour for me. By the standard, the taste of far better to the one in Chili in Malaysia).
Price:6/10(Moderate. The chili taster with 4 types of chili at USD2.39 and 8 boneless chicken wings at USD7.99).


Buffalo boneless chicken wings. The day discount special meal.

They are famous for chili with meat. There are four types to choose from namely Terlingua red chili, Cincinnati chili, Texas Chili and vegetarian chili.

Assorted sauce and biscuits.

Cute menu.

Coordinate: 38.805989,-77.05489
Address: 1404 King St Alexandria, VA 22314, United States
Metro: King Street metro station.

US Capitol @ Washington DC

The United States Capitol is the meeting place of the United States Congress, the legislature of the federal government of the United States. In order to gain access to the building, you will need to pre-book your visit via the website below. When you register, you will attend a tour which will bring you to view inside US Capitol. Tours of the Capitol begin with a 13-minute orientation film and last approximately one hour. As usual, the security checks are tight and there is restriction on what you can bring.


Iconic US Capitol dome (The Rotunda). It have become international symbols of US representative democracy. At the top of the dome is Statue of Freedom. The Rotunda is the heart and centre of the Capitol. Although it serves no legislative function, it is a ceremonial space where state funerals have been held since the time of Abraham Lincoln, for Presidents, members of Congress, military heroes and eminent citizens. Visiting heads of state and special guests are often received in the Rotunda as well.


US Capitol facing sunset.

Inside US Capitol dome.

Zoom to the top of the dome.

The figures shown the historical event in America.

Under the dome.

The old house of representative.

Can only show you the entrance ticket to the House of Representative. No recording devices are allowed. You need to get this special ticket from a counter above the US Capitol tour counter after your US Capitol tour. The House is referred to as the lower house, with the Senate being the upper house, although the United States Constitution does not use that terminology. Both houses' approval is necessary for the passage of legislation.

The Capitol restaurant.

Having my lunch here. I order penne with carbonara sauce with broccoli and chicken. This dish cost USD8.00.

The restaurant is like a huge canteen. The food selection is moderate.

You will need to register here to get your free pass.

Me with US Capitol building.

Coordinate/GPS: 38.88983,-77.009164
Metro station: Capitol South Station on blue or orange line.
Address: Washington, DC 20510, United States.
Hours: The Capitol Visitor Center is open to visitors from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Inauguration Day.
Website: http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/