Spectacular scenery, dynamic cities, and culinary adventures make it hard to run out of things to do in Oregon, but it would be fun to try.
02.04.2024 - 16:59 / lonelyplanet.com
The city of Washington, DC, is my favorite juxtaposition – an incredibly expensive city with a myriad of free things to do.
Yes, you may have heard horror stories of vacation bills that just keep climbing, but you don't need to bust your bank account with fine dining and exclusive bars. With my insider tips and some planning, you can have an incredible time in the US capital without even opening your wallet.
Save your budget for accommodations and special meals – this is how you can see the best of DC for free.
Early spring means streets and parks filled with cherry blossoms and lots of eager crowds. Ditch the touristy Tidal Basin and head to Hains Point in East Potomac Park for fewer crowds and even more trees.
Local tip: Catch a free ride across the channel to Hains Point on the District Wharf Jitney. It's only a five-minute journey, but it will give you a nice view of the blossoms on the water before you reach your destination.
The Smithsonian Institution has 17 museums, galleries and the National Zoo. And yes, they are all free to visit. Get off the beaten path and explore lesser-visited museums like the National Postal Museum, where you don't have to be a philatelist (fancy word for stamp collector) to marvel at the world's most extensive stamp collection. Amelia Earhart's flight suit also lives here. Fun fact: She sold postal souvenirs to help finance her round-the-world adventures.
No one throws an event quite like the Smithsonian Institution. If you're visiting DC, try to coordinate your dates with some of their happenings. A fan favorite is the Smithsonian Folklife Festival, an exciting five-day event aiming to preserve unique and diverse traditions through larger-than-life exhibitions on the National Mall.
If jazz music is your rhythm, enter the lottery for The National Gallery of Art's Jazz in the Garden summertime concert series. It's worth it.
One of the true gems of the city is the tiny but mighty Theodore Roosevelt Island. The 88.5-acre island sits on the banks of the Potomac River and is a beautiful tribute to the 26th President. Here, you'll find easy walking trails, like the 1.5-mile-long Swamp trail, and peaceful refuge from the busy city just minutes away.
Local tip: This is a popular spot for biking, walking and kayaking, so parking here can be limited. The island is only a short 15-minute walk from the Rosslyn Metro Center or a quick hop across the Key Bridge from Georgetown.
You haven't witnessed grandeur until you've seen a performance at The Kennedy Center, and I have some good news for your wallet: their cherished Millennium Stage has been whipping out free, inspiring performances to visitors since 1997. Greats like Chaka Khan and Norah Jones have graced the stage here.
The Kennedy
Spectacular scenery, dynamic cities, and culinary adventures make it hard to run out of things to do in Oregon, but it would be fun to try.
These three islands off the coast of Lombok are the ultimate tropical escape, where you can fully disconnect amongst the palm trees and powdery beaches. Thanks to a ban on motor vehicles, the islands feel like a whole world away from Bali’s crowded streets, allowing you to soak up the peaceful atmosphere no matter when you visit.
Although many people think of Oregon as one big forest — or equate the Pacific Northwest with Portland, its unabashedly weirdest and biggest city — this massive state offers so much more.
The best airline loyalty program is one that's well-rounded and can meet the needs of a wide range of travelers.
Istanbul probably doesn’t immediately come to mind when thinking up vegetarian- and vegan-friendly cities—and that’s fair. The city isn’t the most vegetarian friendly in Europe or Asia but certain neighborhoods are going to be a lot more progressive in the plant-based department than others. Kadıköy on the Asian city of the city is one of those residential parts of town with a relatively young population. Here you’ll find a lot of great bars, pubs, trendy cafes, and, you guessed it, vegetarian restaurants.
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Sedona is celebrated for being a luxury haven in Arizona, satisfying the senses with elegant resorts, rejuvenating spas and superb restaurants that blend beautifully into the natural surroundings. Not everything worth seeking out is expensive, which can help you keep your budget in balance after indulging in awe-inspiring experiences like drifting over the desert in a hot-air balloon and bouncing through the backcountry on a Jeep tour. Regardless of the reason, here are 12 free things to do in Sedona.
There's never a bad time to visit Washington, DC. Not only do brilliant events take place almost every day, but the district also undergoes breathtakingly beautiful transformations as the seasons change.
America's capital city is a fantastic destination to visit with children in tow. It's filled with kid-friendly museums, has an abundance of parks in which younger visitors can burn off excess energy, and a logical, pedestrian-friendly layout (let's not forget that DC was designed to showcase urban planning at its very best).
Though K-beauty first landed stateside back in 2011 — when Dr.Jart+ flooded the shelves of Sephora stores across the country and spawned the BB cream craze — South Korean skincare products have experienced a resurgence in popularity in the past few years.
In a groundbreaking move, the prestigious MICHELIN Guide unveils its inaugural ranking of MICHELIN Keys for France today, marking its first foray into hotels. With 189 distinguished establishments across France among the 600 hotels in the new guide, Michelin celebrates the talent and dedication of these hospitality professionals, setting a new standard for excellence in the hotel industry. As MICHELIN's inspectors continue to scour the planet for the best in class, hotel rankings for other destinations are to follow later this month.
Washington state encompasses such a large and varied terrain that, depending on your travel plans, your budget could either be rock-bottom or luxury – or a combination of both.