A Travel Guide of My Hidden Gems of Washington, D.C. - Discovered Through Exploring In My College Years (Part 2)

Hi friends! I want to share with you my favorite spots in DC that are lesser known or off the beaten track. I attended American University in Northwest DC and lived in the city for 2.5 years (I was traveling or studying abroad for half of my college degree, whoops!). DC is well known for that big white house, its monuments, and free museums, but there is so much more to the city. It took a while to peel back the layers of the capital, but its hidden gems started to slowly appear. Here are some of my favorite spots to visit in DC (I will create a separate post on my favorite eats of DC because there are way too many!)

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1) The Blind Whino

The Blind Whino in SW DC is truly a hidden gem of the city. It was an old church that remained vacant for over 20 years until it was turned into a nonprofit art space. It had a face lift with a new mural painted on the exterior and graffiti art sprayed on the interior. It is now a community art space that provides exhibition rooms for local artists as well as an event space for a multitude of gatherings. It's concept and mission is to spark community change through art. My first night at the Blind Whino was for a trap music festival, and my last night at Blind Whino was for an event called "The Amazing Art Jam". This night was filled with art exhibitions, a fashion show, old-style video games, and multiple DJs. They just had a "Chicken and Mumbo Sauce" day party and have an anniversary cook-off coming up. This may be one of the most diverse event spaces I've been to. Also the crowd is hot! And by hot, I mean some of the most interestingly dressed, creative minds in the city.

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2) Great Falls Park

Technically this is not in DC, but the 30 minute drive away is worth it! Coming from California, I was in serious need of a weekly nature fix. I needed something more than taking walks around the monuments and hanging out in city parks. Thankfully, I found my weekly refugee at Great Falls Park. This park, located 15 miles away in Virginia, consists of 800 acres. It boasts views of multiple waterfalls, has the Potomac River rushing through, and is filled with hiking trails of jagged rocks and expansive forests. On weekends this place is packed with families, picnics, and dogs, and can be a bit overwhelming. My favorite time to go was on a weekday afternoon, when the air was crisp, no one else was in sight, and the only sounds to hear were the rushing waterfalls and whistling wind. My favorite hike is the "Billy Goat Trail", which is a 4.7 mile hike, though the last half of it is more of a scramble over boulders. The first time I hiked the trail it was summer time, and my friend and I were sweating hot from running up the jagged rock cliffs. We finally reached the river bed and were so excited for a little dip in the a calm section of the Potomac. Out of nowhere, a voice from the other side of the river boomed: "You can't do that!" A park ranger popped out, as if she had been posted there the whole time, just waiting for suckers like us who had hopes of bathing in the cool water. "Uh...can we at least dip our feet in?" I yelled. "No no and no!" she responded back. There went my blissful nature escape...until we just ran forward a bit and found a hidden place to dip in :-)

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3) Busboys and Poets

Busboys and Poets is my favorite weekday evening hangout spot. It is a cafe, restaurant, book store, art space, event venue, and community gathering place. It was created in 2005 by an Iraqi-American artist and activist. It has six locations in DC, and when I lived close to their flagship location I was a frequent visitor. Their tribal statement reads: "Busboys and Poets is a community where racial and cultural connections are consciously uplifted...a place to take a deliberate pause and feed your mind, body and soul...a space for art, culture and politics to intentionally collide...we believe that by creating such a space we can inspire social change and begin to transform our community and the world."
Almost every night they have some kind of event. There are weekly open mic poetry nights, book clubs, book presentations, plays, and so much more. Not to mention, they have mouth watering food and drinks to accompany these amazing events! The open mic nights are my favorite. They often spotlight one poet at the beginning, and then open the floor for any aspiring poets in the house. My friend, pictured below, was visiting me for the week and got to read her poems at one of these open mic nights. It also has a killer bookstore where you'll be sure to pick up some stimulating reads.

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4) Eastern Market

Eastern market is a huge public market nestled in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. It has one of the most unique and diverse selections of goods that I've seen from public markets. Ranging from whatever instrument my boyfriend is playing with in the picture below, to bonsai trees, to kimchi, to hot apple cider, this market has it all. On the weekends the market expands and local street vendors set up shop, while everything shuts down for Moody Mondays. My favorite part about Eastern Market is its eclectic mix. One side is like a farmers market, while the other side is like an open air art show, while the other side is like an antique flea market. There are some great hole-in-the-wall used books stores in the area as well, just in case the rain pours down!

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5) Glover Archbold Park

I couldn't drive out to Great Falls Park every time I needed a little hike. So I looked out my backdoor, and found a surprisingly peaceful wooded trail. It was in Glover Archbold Park, and the path began through a shortcut on Massachusetts Avenue. I followed the path for about 2.5 miles, through thick forest, rusted bridges, and blooming flowers. A few times the trail spat me out on roads that I had to cross, which was startling, as the bulk of the trail was extremely secluded and peaceful despite its proximity to roads and homes. I found myself walking out of the woods and facing the Potomac River, right next to Georgetown. I walked to the main street of Georgetown, grabbed a drink, and headed back home. This nice 5 mile roundtrip hike or run became a regular way for me to clear my head from my studies and work.

6) Home

While I've shared with you some amazing gems of DC, the best gem of them all was my last home. I struggled a lot in my first year moving from California to DC. I did not like the city that much, was not accustomed to East Coast culture, and felt like a cactus stuck in a swamp. I yearned to escape DC, and I succeeded. For 3 out of my 8 college semesters I was studying abroad or traveling. For my last semester, I was fortunate enough to be in a home with 6 beautiful friends. We were each other's support system and family. Surrounded by the right people, I found that the aspects of DC bringing me down before now barely touched me. While I don't think I'll ever move back to DC, I am so grateful to my community there and to the hidden side of the city that was so worth finding.