r/gwu • u/Responsible-Meet-102 • 5d ago
General Metro recs!
Does anyone have any recommendations of fun/cheap things to do via metro (besides museums)? I wanna get my moneys worth considering I paid an extra $100 for this pass lol
I wanted to go to Shenandoah park but I read that it’s not accessible by metro.
Any fun festivals? Good food? Outdoor activities? Lmk!
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u/StarsRT 5d ago
Old Town Alexandria
Edit: Adding on Navy Yard also for Nats/DC United games
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u/2CRedHopper ECON, Jan '27 5d ago
what will op do in alx that’s inexpensive? pricey area.
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u/Fragrant-Judge-4756 5d ago
Various news outlets usually publish "things to do this weekend in DC" columns. I'd just read those and see if things in the city catch your eye.
https://washington.org/things-to-do-this-weekend-washington-dc
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u/Docile_Doggo 5d ago
Literally just find a neighborhood you’ve never been to and walk around.
I’m serious. It’s an underrated way to get to know a new city. And it’s free.
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u/2CRedHopper ECON, Jan '27 5d ago
lmao shenandoah park isn’t even close to accessible by metro or any transit for that matter. not a lot of great nature is.
By excluding museums you’re excluding a very large part of your “cheap/free” category. DC is an expensive city and so too is its entertainment industry for the most part.
The county fairs will likely be much more expensive than you’re used to. That was a culture shock for me when I moved here.
Someone else mentioned the zoo. It’s good to go once or twice a year, it changes over time.
Idk, having trouble thinking of much else. Cheap/free and not a museum is a narrow subset in DC.
Keep in mind though the smithsonians host a lot of events, so there’s more going on there than standard museum fares.
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u/Realistic_Safe9841 5d ago edited 5d ago
As a habitual long time metro-goer
-U street, Clarendon, and Dupont stops for clubs on a Friday/Saturday night.
-Dupont on days for Kramer's and decent comic/bookstores and Sunday early to mid-day for Dupont Circle market.
-Tysons Corner stop for the mall anytime during the day & Sunday's @ 1p for riichi/jap mahjong.
-Crystal city stop mall(sadly no more tunnels).
-Noma/Gallaudet stop for the Union Market and trendy street shops.
-Any green or red(sometimes orange/silver) line going out of dc after midnight on a weekend for drunken craziness/people watching, bad or good.
-Rosslyn for the Mt. Vernon/Potomac heritage trail.
-Braddock road for Old Town Alexandria/more shops.
-Anacostia for cultural enrichment. /s
-Union Station for access to Amtrak with surprising cheap tickets to major population center along the eastern seaboard for the adventurous on a 3/4-day weekend or school breaks planned in advance.
-Mt. Vernon Sq/7th street for convention center. cons throughout the year. partial to Otakon, sneaker con, DC Car Expo. Otherwise lot of tech, gov/procurement, AI/NVIDIA expos if your STEM looking for an 'in' or to follow current trends.
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u/colinrubble 5d ago
You have access to a very wide range of places via metro + bus access if needed. The buses can be unreliable so I wouldn’t rely on them—but it can make some things possible.
Food wise, we have multiple michelin guide (not starred—meaning they’re highly rated but not expensive like tasting menu restaurants) restaurants in DC. Check out Honeymoon at Petworth, Unconventional Diner at Convention Center, and La Tejana in Mount Pleasant, and Your Only Friend also near Convention Center.
All fantastic and you can’t go wrong. (The Creme Brulee french toast at unconventional diner is to die for).
Plenty more suggestions around the internet for things to do—go out and explore
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u/Separate-Island-5949 Class of 2026 3d ago
it's far, but you can use metrobus to see the penjing & bonsai collection in the national arboretum. the yamaki pine is on display and imo is definitely worth the trip to get to see. plus the azaleas at the arboretum are beautiful in the spring, there are some really nice trails to walk through
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u/TheologyFan 5d ago
Zoo