Maximize the moments between events
Hosting your wedding weekend at Kimpton’s Hotel Monaco means giving your guests access to the very heart of Washington, DC. We see no better place to sate your sense of discovery than in our centrally located Penn Quarter home — a beautiful juxtaposition between old and new — that sits just blocks from some of the most distinguished sights in our nation's capital. With an abundance of museums, galleries, landmarks and boutiques to choose from, the only trouble your guests will have in DC is deciding where to go next.
A Couple Hours
The Hotel Monaco DC is at the center of the capital’s most exciting neighborhoods. All of these options are just a few steps away.
- Experience portraiture beyond the frame at the National Portrait Gallery. You’ll come face-to-face with the artists, politicians, scientists, inventors, activists, and performers who form our national identity. 100 feet from hotel entrance.
- Want even more beauty? Just a few extra steps and you’ll find the world famous National Gallery of Art with breathtaking works by Degas, Leonardo, Rembrandt, Monet & more. 4 blocks away.
- Get up-close-and-personal with America’s birth certificate (aka the Declaration of Independence) alongside the Constitution and Bill of Rights at The National Archives. Skip the long entrance lines by taking advantage of Hotel Monaco's exclusive Archives All Access Tour. Just inquire at the front desk for availability. 3 blocks away.
- At Ford's Theater you’ll be immersed in the compelling story of the Lincoln Assassination. Set your sights on the actual murder weapon inside the terrace level museum before heading upstairs for an exploration of the theater itself. 2 blocks away.
- Stroll the shopfronts and restaurants of DC’s colorful Chinatown neighborhood and count the many dragons on the eye-popping Friendship Archway. Farther down H Street you’ll find glamorous designer shopping at City Center DC. 2 blocks away.
Half Day
If you have even more time to explore, sign out one of the hotel’s PUBLIC bikes to ride around the city’s great landmarks.
- The National Mall is where you’ll find the renowned monuments which make our city famous including the Washington Monument and memorials to WWII, Vietnam, and Korea. Make your way up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial to take in views of the Capitol to the south and Arlington National Cemetery to the north.
- The Tidal Basin is where you’ll encounter DC’s renowned Cherry Blossom Trees and monuments to Martin Luther King Jr., Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Thomas Jefferson.
- Discover the grandeur of Union Station on Capitol Hill, a short distance from the US Capitol Building. A further trip around The Hill brings you past the United States Botanic Garden, the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.
- The neighborhood surrounding the White House is filled with historic buildings like the Dolley Madison House, the Blair House, the Renwick Gallery, St. John’s Church, the Willard Hotel and Alexander Hamilton’s statue at the Treasury Department.
- Venture inside the many National Museums of the Smithsonian. Taken together, the museums of Air & Space, Natural History, American History, American Indian and African American History & Culture represent one of mankind’s greatest repositories of knowledge. The best part— they’re free.
Full Day
A short metro hop or ride share will bring you across the Potomac River into Virginia. There’s so much to see!
- Arlington National Cemetery is the nation’s most sacred shrine. The hallowed grounds contain the remains of countless national heroes like astronaut John Glenn, civil rights icon Medgar Evers, General Colin Powell, and Presidents William Howard Taft & John F. Kennedy. You’ll also see the hilltop manor at Arlington House and the changing of the guard ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
- The Iwo Jima Memorial honors those who have given their lives in service of the United States Marine Corps. The memorial recalls one of America’s proudest moments and the commanding vista is one of the best panoramic photo opportunities in the city.
- Old Town Alexandria abounds with night-time ghost tours, tasty eateries and boutique storefronts framed by picturesque views and historic town homes. Visit the nation’s oldest open-air market in the aptly named Market Square after enjoying a ride on the King Street Trolley.
- End the day back in DC with a trip to Georgetown - the city’s oldest neighborhood! The famous Georgetown University is among the country’s best, the Exorcist Steps are spooky fun, and the stroll along the C&O Canal is journey into the past. Did we mention the shopping is fantastic and the restaurants can’t be beat?