Spend the weekend in Washington D.C.

During the week, the MARC train will take you down to Washington D.C. for $7.

Since I’ve only ever had time for that during Intersession or Reading Period, usually going on a Saturday or Sunday makes more sense. Weekend trains are a bit more expensive, generally falling in the $20-$30 range.

So if you can spare about $50 for a round trip, or have a Zipcar account and can check one out for the day, DC is a great place to spend the day. And most of the attractions are free.

Last weekend I went to the National Gallery of Art. This museum has two parts: the East Building focuses on modern art while the West Building is comprised of pieces from the Middle Ages to the 19th century. Both structures sit on the National Mall.

If you walk out from behind the columns of the West Building, you’ll find yourself in the middle of the Mall, about equidistant from both the Washington Monument and the Capital Building.

Unfortunately for me, last weekend was cold and windy, so I didn’t get to spend much time outside. But there are plenty of indoor activities to keep you entertained.

You can get into all the Smithsonian Institution museums for free, including the National Air and Space Museum.

That makes up for the cost of the train ticket, don’t you think?

Of course there’s plenty to do in D.C. that doesn’t involve museums or history. You can check out the Georgetown area, home of (you guessed it) Georgetown University. It’s a very nice neighborhood with some high-end shopping and tasty cupcakes. Nearby is Foggy Bottom, which is home to George Washington University. I also like Dupont Circle; it has some shopping and foreign embassies to see.

You could even head outside the center of the city to check out the free National Zoo. Their pandas are pretty famous.

Then, if you have time to kill before your train home, Union Station is a fun place to hang out. It’s a beautiful old building that is both train station and mall. There are also quite a few restaurants inside. I’m partial to Crumbs Bake Shop, which has a delicious selection of cupcakes.

Overall, D.C. is great, but I find it a bit difficult to get around. There are so many circles with dozens of roads branching off; it’s hard to make sure you’re going in the right direction.

The DC Metro has a reputation as one of the most user-friendly in the country. However, when I was in D.C. this weekend, it was under construction. That meant significant delays, and little information about the trains’ arrival times. Thankfully, a cab ride can always get you where you want to go.

So while a weekend in Washington D.C. isn’t necessarily problem-free, it’s definitely worth the trip.