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Weekend plan

Washington DC on a Budget — Free & Cheap Weekend Plan

Free walks, cheap eats and the good stuff that doesn't cost anything.

Build your own

Friday

  1. Evening

    Compass Rose

    Global street food · $$ · 14th Street

    Land soft: Khachapuri, jianbing and Trinidadian doubles in a townhouse.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Dinner-grade kitchen worth lingering at
    • ·Keeps you in 14th Street — short walk from your other stops

Saturday

  1. Morning
    National Gallery of Art Ice Rink
    Family · National Mall

    Free outdoor skating rink in the sculpture garden — one of DC's most charming winter outings.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Best early — lighter crowds before noon
    • ·Keeps you in National Mall — short walk from your other stops
  2. Lunch

    Rose's Luxury

    New American · $$$ · Capitol Hill

    No reservations, line at 4pm — pork sausage with lychee is the move.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Strong lunch option, quick enough to keep the day moving
    • ·Keeps you in Capitol Hill — short walk from your other stops
  3. Afternoon
    Theodore Roosevelt Island
    Outdoors · Potomac River

    Car-free wooded island nature trail in the middle of the Potomac — a hidden solitary retreat in the city.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Holds up in the afternoon energy lull
    • ·Keeps you in Potomac River — short walk from your other stops
  4. Evening

    Free night plan

    Grab a bottle, walk to a viewpoint or waterfront, and watch the city light up. Costs nothing.

Sunday

  1. Morning
    C&O Canal Towpath
    Outdoors · Georgetown to Great Falls

    Historic 184-mile flat trail along the canal — beloved by cyclists and walkers seeking a quiet outdoor escape.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Best early — lighter crowds before noon
    • ·Keeps you in Georgetown to Great Falls — short walk from your other stops
  2. Afternoon
    Rock Creek Park
    Outdoors · Northwest

    1,754-acre forest in the middle of the city — trails, horse stables, planetarium.

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    Why this pick
    • ·Light on the wallet without feeling cheap
    • ·Holds up in the afternoon energy lull
    • ·Keeps you in Northwest — short walk from your other stops

Remix

Want a different vibe?

Every plan below is freshly built from Washington DC's top curated picks.