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For couples · Washington, D.C. · United States

Romantic things to do in Washington, D.C.

Ideas for a couples' trip, from small moments to a special day out.

Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team

Photo: Quadell, CC BY-SA 3.0

Quick answer

Washington's romantic side comes out after dark and on the water: floodlit memorials, riverside walks in Georgetown and the Wharf, and quiet gardens. Cherry-blossom season is lovely but crowded, so go at dawn. Couples tend to stay in Georgetown.

Key facts

Romantic ideas
6
Couple-friendly sights
3
Area for couples
Georgetown
Best months
September

Romantic ideas

1.Monuments by night

Walk from the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool to the floodlit Washington Monument, with the Capitol glowing at the far end.

2.Sunset at Georgetown Waterfront Park

Watch the sun go down over the Potomac and Key Bridge from the terraced steps, then dine on M Street.

3.Dumbarton Oaks Gardens

Terraced gardens in Georgetown designed by Beatrix Farrand, with rose gardens, pools and a hillside orchard.

4.Dawn at the Tidal Basin

During blossom season, sunrise over the Jefferson Memorial is the quietest and most beautiful hour.

5.Water taxi to Old Town Alexandria

Ride the Potomac from the Wharf to Alexandria for dinner on King Street.

6.Jazz at Blues Alley

A small Georgetown supper club that has hosted jazz performers since the 1960s.

Sights couples love

Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial, Washington, D.C.
Photo: Brian Hamfeldt, CC BY-SA 4.0

Landmark · West Potomac Park

Tidal Basin and Jefferson Memorial

During blossom season, arrive at sunrise; by mid-morning the path around the basin is shoulder to shoulder.

Time needed
1.5–2 hours
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Iconic
  • Couples
  • Photo spot
  • Outdoors
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Photo: ajay_suresh, CC BY 4.0

Gallery · National Mall

National Gallery of Art

Use the underground concourse with its light-filled cascade wall to move between the two buildings.

Time needed
2–3 hours
Cost
Free
  • Art
  • Free
  • Rainy day
  • Architecture
  • Couples
Georgetown and the C&O Canal, Washington, D.C.
Photo: Ben Schumin, CC BY-SA 2.5

Neighbourhood · Georgetown

Georgetown and the C&O Canal

Walk from Foggy Bottom station along Pennsylvania Avenue or take the riverside path; Georgetown has no Metro stop of its own.

Time needed
Half a day
Cost
Free
  • Free
  • Shopping
  • Couples
  • History
  • Outdoors

Where couples should stay

$$$$ · Best for couples, shopping and luxury

Georgetown

Founded in 1751, before the capital existed, Georgetown has cobbled side streets of brick rowhouses, the shops of M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, the C&O Canal towpath and Georgetown Waterfront Park on the Potomac. It is the most picturesque place to stay, with boutique hotels and some of the city's grandest, but it has no Metro station; Foggy Bottom station is about a 20-minute walk.

Good
The city's prettiest streets; Riverside walks and dining; Upscale shopping on the doorstep
Watch out
No Metro station; Expensive hotels and restaurants; Crowded on weekend afternoons
Nearby
Georgetown Waterfront Park, C&O Canal, Dumbarton Oaks, Georgetown University

Romantic day trips

  • Old Town Alexandria (About 20 minutes by Metro) — An 18th-century port town on the Potomac with cobbled lanes, Federal townhouses, King Street's shops and restaurants and the Torpedo Factory Art Center, where artists work in open studios by the river.
  • Annapolis (About 45 minutes by car) — Maryland's sailing capital on the Chesapeake Bay has brick colonial streets, the Maryland State House and the US Naval Academy, where visitors can join guided walking tours of the grounds.
  • Shenandoah National Park (About 1 hour 30 minutes by car to Front Royal) — Skyline Drive runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains through the park, with dozens of overlooks and trailheads for waterfall hikes and sections of the Appalachian Trail.

For dinner

Share local specialities such as Ethiopian injera and wot, Steamed blue crabs and Crab cake. Some restaurants add a service or wellness surcharge to the bill; read the menu footnotes before tipping.

Questions travellers ask

+Is Washington, D.C. romantic?

Washington's romantic side comes out after dark and on the water: floodlit memorials, riverside walks in Georgetown and the Wharf, and quiet gardens. Cherry-blossom season is lovely but crowded, so go at dawn.

+What is the most romantic thing to do in Washington, D.C.?

Monuments by night: Walk from the Lincoln Memorial along the Reflecting Pool to the floodlit Washington Monument, with the Capitol glowing at the far end.

+Where should couples stay in Washington, D.C.?

Georgetown: Federal-era rowhouses, M Street shopping and the C&O Canal.