It’s been a full-month of exploring Washington, DC on a budget. I’ve lived in DC for 4-years and never really challenged myself to see what the city is all about. Now living in DC is expensive and listed again in Investopedia, as top 10 most expensive cities in the US. But one thing the city has going for it is the bus links and transport routes. It’s easy to move around within metropolitan on a budget of about $10, and I’ve decided to take advantage of this good fortune.
Truth is I’ve come to love my own company. For long, I held onto the belief that to enjoy the vibe of a city, while exploring, I needed to be accompanied. And while that is relatively true, I’m now ok venturing out on my own to experience new things. Recently, I carved out a $50 monthly budget experience some fun things in DC, and this post is to give you some ideas.
One thing is important thing to note is, if you live in DC and want to explore the city, think like a tourist.
Transportation: The metropolitan area of Washington, DC is commutable for different commuters, including those without a pedestrians, cyclist and motorist. In my case, I use the bus or train to move from one end to another. The bus fare is $2 per stop and you can easily connect to popular areas like U Street, Georgetown Waterfront, Capitol Hill, DC monument or H street NE.
Visit Record Stores: I have formed the habit of visiting record stores. Visiting these record stores can be nostalgic and informative, if you try to engage the store owner. It’s interesting the history and fun fact you learn by speaking to them. There were lots of interesting happenings during the vintage music era, bonus you get to interact with other buyers.
Food: I’ve relied mostly on google reviews to guide me on recommended restaurants to dine in, within DC. You’re most likely to experience a similar service. Google maps is your friend and I cannot emphasize this enough. I found Jenis Ice Cream after a quick google search on “best Ice cream places in DC,” and their rating was 4.7. My experience was a 4.9, and I was thankful to have found them.
Street Performance: One thing about DC, is that you’re likely to find pocket of street performances at random stops. Because of that, I make random stops and I’ve loved watching a few, like the Capitol Hillibilies. I’ll also recommend Georgetown waterfront and M street for music lovers who want an out of the box experience.
Open Market: I believe there is a hidden tourist code, to visit the open market in any city the visit. I have enjoyed visiting the Eastern market here in DC. I am looking forward to visiting other open markets here, because it’s the only way to experience the true vibe of a city or area.
Let me know how you enjoy a city on a budget. Also, follow me through my social media links on desktop view.
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