Nuts & Bolts
Travel Time : An hour-and-a-half via plane from Rhode Island T . F . Green International Airport ; about six to seven hours via train from Providence Amtrak / MBTA station ; or seven to eight hours via car . How to Get There : Take I-95 South . Bucket List for Next Time : The National Cherry Blossom Festival fills the city with vibrant pink in early spring . Worth a Detour : For some extra history , visit the Hillwood Estate , Museum & Gardens or the U . S . Marine Corps War Memorial in Arlington , Virginia .
tavern . com ) for lunch , where legend says John F . Kennedy proposed to Jacqueline Bouvier . You could also visit Ben ’ s Chili Bowl ( bens chilibowl . com ) for a famous half smoke — a smoked-then-grilled sausage made of halfpork and half-beef or Guapo ’ s Restaurant ( guaposrestaurant . com ) for family-friendly authentic Mexican cuisine .
Broaden your taste buds with flavors from restaurants that recently brought home 2024 James Beard Awards : Perry ’ s ( perrysam . com ), where Masako Morishita won the Emerging Chef category , and Albi ( albidc . com ), where Michael Rafidi won Outstanding Chef .
The night is still young , and if you have the energy and competitiveness for it , ping-pong it up at SPIN ( wearespin . com ). The social club is known for craft cocktails and global eats . If you ’ re in the mood to be amazed , Artechouse ( artechouse . com ) is an immersive exhibit that combines art and technology to spark creativity and innovation .
Pick up souvenirs for loved ones at Shop Made in DC ( shopmadeindc . com ) or City Center DC ( citycenterdc . com ) before heading back home , and get some snacks for yourself while you ’ re at it . — Edelinda Baptista
THE DEETS ON D . C . Tips to help you thrive on your next visit .
To save on parking ( and patience ), opt for Uber , ride the Metro system ( use SmarTrip for quick contactless payments from your phone ) or bike / scooter throughout the city as a fun form of transportation .
The National Zoo .
Take a water bottle with you everywhere , especially if you plan on walking the city streets and parks ( sport some comfy sneakers , too ).
Planning on visiting the National Zoo ? Beat the crowds and the heat by booking your timed entry early in the day when it ’ s a bit cooler .
A visit to a rooftop bar during the warmer months is a must in D . C ., so take in a higher view of the city from locations like Lucha Rosa ( moxydcdining . com / lucha-rosa ) for Mexican fare and drinks , VUE ( vueroof topdc . com ) on the eleventh floor of Hotel Washington , or Moonraker ( pendry . com / washington-dc ) at the Pendry for sushi and other light bites .
Care for some afternoon tea ? Cure your midday slump at the Willard InterContinental ( washington . intercontinental . com ) and get treated like royalty as you sip on green , black , white and herbal teas paired with scones . — E . B .
PHOTOGRAPHY : COURTESY OF DESTINATION DC ; GETTY IMAGES / BP PERRY ; EDELINDA BAPTISTA .
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l SEPTEMBER 2024 57