As we all know, it can be difficult to get off campus, especially due to our lack of a Metro stop. With transportation already a bit of an extra cost, here are some ways to break the bubble, without breaking the bank!
1. Take a trip to the wild side by visiting the National Zoo. Located in Woodley Park, the Zoo is free to all and is home to elephants, otters, gorillas, and other adorable animals.
2. Take advantage of the Smithsonian offerings by checking out the National Museum of African American History and Culture, walking through the National Gallery of Art , getting the perfect selfie at the National Building Museum, or exploring your love of art at the Renwick Gallery.
3. Having fun isn’t hard, when you have a library card!! Bop on over to the Library of Congress to get your FREE library card and break the bubble while writing that History paper that’s due tomorrow
4. Take a quick walk across Key Bridge to Roosevelt Island, the monument to Teddy Roosevelt that I just discovered over the summer (even though I am a senior?!). With a cute secluded trail and very few tourists, this is the perfect place to go on your first one-on-one with that cutie in your Econ class!!
5. Set that alarm clock reallll early for the coolest experience of your life. Head on over to the Supreme Court to hear a case being presented and check out the highest court of law in the U.S. Whether you’re studying for the LSAT, thinking about becoming a Gov major, or honestly just trying to graduate from Georgetown with a job, this is sure to make your non-DC friends jealous.
6. While you’re in the area, drop into a Senate Judiciary Hearing. Open to the public, you’ll have the chance to see my husband Sen. Cory Booker in action and may even learn something you didn’t know about ~politics~.
7. Want to visit the Kennedy Center but don’t want to shell out $$$? Catch a performance at the Kennedy Center’s Millennium Stage for FREE every night at 6pm! Check their online schedule to see the calendar of events.
8. Are you a bookworm? Wish your reading entailed more than what is assigned to you on Canvas? Head to Kramerbooks for a book reading (split a Death by Chocolate Cake with your friends at Afterwords while you’re there) or check out Politics and Prose at the Wharf to start adding to your birthday wishlist.
9. Is poetry more your style? Check off your DC Bucket List by hitting up Busboys and Poets’ Open Mic Night every Tuesday from 9 to 11pm at their 14th and V Street location for only $5.
10. If you’re tired of running into that awkward acquaintance at Yates, change up your exercise regimen! Bop over to Rock Creek Park to take advantage of the trails and beautiful scenery.
Yates? I don’t know her. Rock Creek Park is also a beautiful place to take a casual hike with friends or just get away from the pre-professional Georgetown vibe.
11. Grab your #squad and take a picnic to Gravelly Point. Located next to DCA, you can watch planes land right over your head and breathe in the fresh air all for the low price of zero dollars!
12. Embrace your inner rhythm at Meridian Park’s Drum Circle on Sundays between 3 and 9pm (weather permitting). Not only is the park absolutely stunning, but the drum circle attracts people from all walks of life and is a really cool way to break up the mundane homework routine.
13. You pass it every time you Uber to DCA. This time, make Arlington National Cemetery your final destination as you pay your respects to those who died in service, witness the Changing of the Guards, and stop by JFK’s eternal flame.
14. Are you a planner? Some free bucket list items require a little more planning. For tours of the Capitol, White House, and Pentagon, contact your Congressman/Congresswoman to lock down your spot before you graduate!
15. Hidden gem alert: Throughout the summer and early fall, Union Market hosts a drive-in movie theater. Don’t have a car? The drive-in has free ground seating (just bring a blanket)!
16. Missed “Crazy Rich Asians” in theaters? You played yourself!! Take advantage of $5 Ticket Tuesdays at AMC by becoming an AMC Stubs member (for free!) and check out the box office hit.
17. If history is more your style, hop on a bus to Ford’s Theatre. The home of President Lincoln’s last breath, you can sit in the theatre where he was shot, see the bed in which he died, and learn more about the history of John Wilkes Booth all for only $3!
18. As Halloween approaches, get in the spirit by joining a DC by Foot ghost tour. These tours take place in Georgetown and provide a haunted history of the area for free, just watch out for the rats…
Now, there’s no excuse to stay in your room all day on Saturday! Grab a friend and get out there!