🇺🇸 Washington During Shutdown: An Unexpectedly Pleasant City Walk 😅

Our carefully planned trip to Washington collided with the U.S. government shutdown. Our booked Capitol tour was canceled, forcing us into a day of unplanned wandering—which, surprisingly, turned out to be quite enjoyable. Here’s my one-day guide to exploring D.C. when plans fall through 😎 🚇 Transportation Purchase a SmartTrip card at any Metro station—one per person. Tap in and out for each ride. There's a $2 card fee, and you can reload it with cash or card as needed. Most attractions are downtown, with a single trip costing around $2.25. 🏨 Hotel We stayed at Hilton Garden Inn Reagan National Airport—close to the airport but a bit of a walk to the Metro. Check-in is at 4 PM, but they offer free luggage storage. 🗺️ Itinerary 💡 Most of D.C.’s key sights are concentrated in the downtown area, making it ideal for a walking-focused day. On the map, you’ll see everything laid out neatly: the Lincoln Memorial at one end, the Capitol Building at the other, and the grand National Mall lawn in between, flanked by museums, galleries, and institutions. We took the Metro to the farthest point—the Capitol—and walked back from there. 💡 U.S. Capitol: Normally open to visitors with free online reservations. Bring your passport. You can also book a tour of the Library of Congress—the two buildings are connected underground. 💡 Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum: Features the Apollo 11 command module, moon rock samples, the Wright Flyer, and more. Scan the QR code at the entrance to register before security check. 💡 National Museum of Natural History: Filming location for Night at the Museum, with dinosaur fossils and impressive exhibits. 💡 Washington Monument: Tickets (usually released one month ahead) are hard to get—but worth it for the views from the top. 💡 The White House: Snap photos from a distance. 💡 Lincoln Memorial: The Reflecting Pool offers iconic photo opportunities, and it’s a filming site for Forrest Gump and many other movies. 💡 The walk can be tiring, but the weather was lovely and the Mall felt like a vast urban park. Plenty of benches line the sides—perfect for resting tired feet. The shutdown, ironically, freed us from rushing. We took our time and enjoyed the slow pace 👍 🍜 Food Highlights For Chinese food, try Yu Noodle 📍1515 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22209 After an overnight flight, we craved something warm and soupy. We stumbled upon this spot on our way to find pho—and were blown away. Their pork and chive dumplings were fragrant and delicious (better than many I’ve had back in China!). The chicken wonton soup and beef noodles were also satisfying. The staff were super friendly and even refilled my cup with hot water. A truly comforting meal—nothing beats Chinese food after all 🥰 #OneDayInDC #USATravel #WashingtonDC #GovernmentShutdown #CapitolHill #WhiteHouse #LincolnMemorial