The Sustainable Travel Guide to Washington D.C.
The U.S. Capitol
WHY YOU SHOULD VISIT WASHINGTON D.C.
As if being the capital of the United States wasn’t enough reason to visit, Washington D.C. is filled with unique corners that makes it a place like no other.
Luckily, I was due to renew my passport, and I was trying to decide whether I should go to the embassy in Chicago or Washington, but DC’s appointment was more convenient to me. I booked it, bought a flight, and decided to stay some extra time to get to know this intriguing city.
I had been to D.C. as a teenager, but the only thing I remembered about it was how spacious everything was. This time I visited, I realized that perception must have come from the National Mall, the huge and beautiful park where you can find monuments like Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, The White House, as well as Smithsonian museums, lawns, and pathways, and where everything is wide and immeasurable. Some may think I’m crazy, but that area reminded me a bit of Paris.
I was surprised at how much I liked the city; even an entire week wouldn’t be enough, because there’s so much to see, so many museums (that are free!), so many streets and neighborhoods to discover.
The Best Time to Visit Washington D.C.
My appointment was set for early October, the earlier days of Autumn. The weather was perfect; a bit hotter than I expected. Living in South Florida, I always try to travel up north during the colder months, so that I can wear a jacket and enjoy different seasons. But I only wore my faux-leather jacket once, and because I forced myself to do it. It wasn’t even cold! The trees hadn’t turned orange yet–some were starting to–so I would have liked to go a few days later, during the peak of fall. However, I’d like to go back to D.C. during springtime, when the city is filled with cherry blossoms that turn the entire place pink when they bloom. It’s a magical thing, really, and I’d love to experience that, especially because these trees are one of my favorites (together with the jacaranda and the almond tree).
Cute streets in Washington D.C.
A SUSTAINABLE AND CONSCIOUS TRAVEL GUIDE TO WASHINGTON D.C., USA
USED BOOKS IN WASHINGTON DC
Two of my favorite activities are visiting bookstores and discovering coffee shops. The two go hand in hand, and sometimes I’m lucky and I find a bookstore that also serves coffee, or vice versa, both in beautiful symbiosis. I visited at least 6 bookstores in Washington D.C., but I’m going to include three that I loved and that specialized in used books.
I love a good worn-out book that’s turned a bit yellowish, that smells of the past fused with the present, and that has some scrawls or a handwritten dedication. Sometimes you find old tickets and receipts from the previous owner, or even photos. To me, it’s one of the most precious things. On the other hand, I also buy new books sometimes, particularly those that have been published recently. I consider it important to support the book industry, not only the writers, but everyone involved in the publishing of a book, as well as the bookstores itself. I’d never like a bookstore to close because everyone bought only used books, the same way I don’t like Amazon to displace them.
But this time, I’ll recommend you three bookstores where you can buy second-hand books and give them a new home.
If anyone was trying to find literary heaven on earth, it would be Capitol Hill Books. Just from standing on the street and seeing its façade, you get goosebumps. You can see books piled through the windows, both on the first floor as well as the second, and from that moment, before you even step inside, you know it’s an amazing world in there. The shelves are placed in such a way that you feel as if you were in a maze where you can get lost, and the books overflow to the floor, continuing to pile in what seems like infinite stacks. There are even books in the bathroom.
The Lantern is another great place with lots of nooks. They sell some new books on the first floor, but they specialize in used and rare books. What I loved about it was how lovely the lady who worked there was, and the light that comes in from the second-floor windows. There’s even a comfy chair where you can sit and browse through the books. It’s located in Georgetown, so you can take a walk after you’ve found some peace and quiet in the bookstore.
The last bookstore I’ll recommend is Second Story Books. I liked that it’s located in a corner, and the store is bigger than it looks from outside. There are quotes on the wall, like “a room without books is like a body without a soul”, which I loved. They sell lots of collectibles and rare books, and outside, on the sidewalk, they have some shelves with books on sale.
Capitol Hills books, where you can find used and rare books
VEGAN RESTAURANTS IN WASHINGTON D.C.
I get tired just thinking about it, because I had more vegan restaurants to visit in Washington D.C. than meals during the trip. Since a plant-based diet is more sustainable (and most importantly, is good for the animals), I’ll tell you about the ones I visited.
If you are a vegan-burger lover in DC, then you should definitely visit Bubbie’s Plant Burgers. I was amazed at how good everything tasted, from the burgers to the fries (a very important combo to master). They offer plant-Based & Kosher Certified American burgers, fries and soda.
I decided to go to Fare Well for breakfast, because I was tempted at the selection they had. It was a great choice. They had many gluten-free options, and everyone there was so nice and seemed to love working at the restaurant. I was happy I found a spot at the bar (I was traveling solo), because they were so busy. I ordered Chilaquiles: tofu scramble, black beans, poblanos, roasted tomato rojo sauce, and cilantro crema. Different than my usual oatmeal with blueberries, it was so tasty I can’t even explain! I accompanied it with Turmeric Spritz, which is a mocktail made with turmeric, ginger, agave, and lime, one of their specialties. Unfortunately, Fare Well closed this location, BUT they did open a vegan bakery in Takoma (about 20 minutes away from the previous location), called Sticky Fingers Sweets & Eats, so you can check them out.
Another restaurant I loved (and that also closed, unfortunately) was Fancy Radish, where I had dinner (this was the time I wore my jacket!) and was surprised at how innovative their dishes were. I had a vegan fondue which was unbelievable, served with gluten-free bread and some veggies. I then ordered stuffed avocado: romesco, pickled cauliflower, “fried rice”, and black salt. After dinner, I walked to my hotel by crossing the National Mall, and saw the Capitol at night, which was a wonderful experience. I would recommend this place to anyone who’s looking for a romantic atmosphere and who wants to try new flavors.
On the more casual side, I had breakfast on a different occasion at Fruitive, ordering an acai bowl. It was good and they had lots of options, but the thing about these places is that they use disposables. It was the only place where I found a filling vegan breakfast next to the embassy before my appointment. The same happened with Hipcity Veg, where I had a yummy salad, but it’s mostly for take-away, so there are only a few tables inside. Bubbie’s Plant Burgers is my last recommendation. They have vegan burgers, fries, salads, and fast-food style sides, like plant based Chick’n Nuggets and vegan onion rings. They’re kosher certified, and it’s also a very casual place that’s more intended for take-away.
The plant-based restaurants I didn’t get to visit were Pow Pow (which looks so good, if I’m lucky one day I’ll be able to go), NuVegan, Shouk, DC Vegan, and PLNT Burger. Also, one of my favorite plant-based restaurants opened a location in DC: Planta. I frequently visit their South Beach (Miami) and Fort Lauderdale locations, but now I’m happy that I know I will get to enjoy their delicious vegan dishes in other cities like DC and New York. Last but not least, Elizabeth’s Gone Raw provides a unique plant-based dining experience. It opens three nights a week to offer a six-course vegan tasting menu, that includes some gluten-free options. Make sure to book in advance. Hopefully, you get to visit all of them!
Vegan fondue at Fancy Radish
CONNECTING TO NATURE IN WASHINGTON DC
There are numerous green spots in Washington D.C., so you won’t have a problem at finding a place to unwind. As I mentioned before, the National Mall is a huge park where you will find most touristic spots that should be on your list, as well as lots of museums and green areas, like the Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden. At the park, you will find the Constitution Gardens, the huge lawn that surrounds the Washington Monument, the Capitol Reflecting Pool, and lots of grass in which to lay down, especially the area in front of the Capitol. Adjacent to this park, you will find the Tidal Basin, which is beautiful during spring because it’s surrounded by cherry blossoms. You can also walk alongside the Potomac River.
There are other parks in the city, of course. For example, Montrose Park, Dumbarton Oaks Park, Glover Archbold Park, P Street Beach, among others. It all depends on how much time you have.
Washington D.C. is also not far away from Shenandoah National Park, about an hour and a half drive to the Front Royal Entrance, which makes it a great weekend getaway, or a longer trip, if you have enough days.
The Kathrine Dulin Folger Rose Garden
moving around washington dc
I was amazed at how easy it was to move around the city. For longer distances I chose to grab one of Capital Bikeshare’s bikes. It’s a bicycle-sharing system that you can use with their own app or with the Lyft app, which is the one I used. The city is great for cyclists, as it has plenty of bike lanes, and to be honest, the streets were not very crowded when I visited.
Oh, to be a kid again. When I saw everyone riding scooters, I thought I’d give it a try. I’ve only done it once in Miami, but this time I unlocked dozens of scooters to do the shorter distances, when my legs were too sore from walking and biking (pause here: walking is the most sustainable way to move around! I also walked a LOT!). It was so much fun, and I experienced pure happiness feeling the wind on my face, dodging obstacles, and just being playful. Another thing I noticed was lots of runners, which makes sense. The city invites you to live it fully, to be outside, to cherish its beauty, and running is a great way to do it.
Finally, Washington D.C. has an excellent subway system–another eco-friendly way to move around. You can also take a bus, and make the most out of public transportation, which is affordable and sustainable.
United States Supreme Court Building
eco-friendly Shops in Washington D.C.
In case you like to shop when you travel, Secondi is a consignment shop where you can find second-hand clothes, jewelry, handbags, and shoes. You arrive by walking up some stairs, and then run into lots of clothes racks, where you can find what you’re looking for.
Another lovely store I found was Little Leaf Shop, which was basically an urban jungle that sells plants, and cute gifts for the plant lovers. Being there, surrounded by green and plants, made me want to spend more time in nature. Unfortunately, this is another shop that was hit by the pandemic and they closed, so my recommendation is you visit their sister store Salt & Sundry, where you can find beautiful home goods, including notebooks made with recycled paper, reusable bags, soy candles, and plants, among other things.
Little Leaf Shop
COFFEE SHOPS IN WASHINGTON DC
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, I love to visit coffee shops. The ones I loved were Dua Coffee, Emissary, La Colombe, Café Georgetown, and Wydown Coffee, which offer regular mugs if you don’t want to use a disposable one, and they have plant-based milks.
OTHER ACTIVITIES IN WASHINGTON DC
Besides the natural spots, make sure to visit the memorials, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Art’s rooftop, Logan Square, Georgetown, the Capitol and the White House, and the museums. I went to the National Gallery of Art, which was fantastic. The art exhibitions were remarkable (I was captivated by the Italian sculptures and the 19th Century French paintings), but there is also a Sculpture Garden outside the museum, with a coffeeshop and some space to walk around. The other museum I visited was the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, which was a great interactive way of learning about evolution, minerals, dinosaurs, and many other aspects of nature and its history.
The National Gallery of Art
Have you been to Washington D.C.? If so, would you add anything to this sustainable travel guide so you can explore the city in an eco-friendly way? Let me know in the comments below!
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Hi, I’m Melina,
I’m the creator of Sustainable Rookie, and my goal is to share what I learn throughout my sustainability journey, so that I can help other people live a more conscious life.
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