Washington, DC is full of rich history. On a recent visit, I experienced many sites and had the amazing opportunity to see the cherry blossoms at peak bloom in March (I took the picture above). Here is a list of some of my favorite things to do, hidden gems to see and places to eat.

• National Mall and Memorial Parks – this is a great area to walk around and explore! Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes! The National Mall includes such sites as the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, the World War II Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, The Martin Luther King Memorial and the Korean War Veterans Memorial.
  
• Some hidden gems include the District of Columbia War Memorial, the John Paul Jones Memorial (he was the first Naval Commander), the Constitution Gardens, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial.
  
• Other special sites include the National Cathedral (I would recommend the guided tour and definitely check out the views from the top floor), Arlington National Cemetery which includes the Tomb of the Unknown Solider and President Kennedy’s grave.
  
• I would recommend checking out The Lincoln Waffle Shop for an amazing (and inexpensive) breakfast right next to Ford’s Theater, lunch at Martin’s Tavern in Georgetown (where JFK and Jackie got engaged – you can actually sit in the exact booth), and the Dirty Habit in Penn Quarter.