Day Tripper: A Day in DC

One of the many perks of living in Philadelphia is its proximity to so many snazzy places. Philadelphians are within a two or three hour drive of the mountains, the ocean, and some of the coolest and most important cities in the world. With that in mind, the What is proud to present Day Tripper, our guide to the numerous fun trips you can take in and around the Philadelphia region.

The Destination

Washington, DC is one of my favorite cities in the world, and second only to Philadelphia in the states. Aside from being the nation's capital, it has a ton of culture and easily walkable or accessible via their fantastic Metro system. Like New York, DC is a destination that will pop up frequently in the Day Tripper feature. For this particular trip, we will be focusing on a day that is ideal for a date or a small group of friends (perhaps even a double-date). Furthermore, keep in mind that this itinerary is designed for a very specific Saturday, March 19, 2011. Also, you probably want to wear black and red. It becomes important later.



The Itinerary
Depending on how fast you drive, DC is somewhere between two and three hours from the Philadelphia area. With that in mind, I would aim to be on the road around 7AM. Early, I know, but worth it. Your first stop will actually be just outside of DC, in Arlington. Beginning at 9AM every Saturday Arlington is host to the Arlington Urban Village Market, an open-air market featuring a variety of vendors. Key to this stop is the free parking. You can park in the court house garage at 2100 Clarendon Blvd. Arlington, VA 22201. You will be leaving your car here all day. In the meantime, wander around and check out the vendors. If you buy anything, drop it in the car before you leave.

From here, you will be using the Metro to navigate the city. Your next step  is a cool little art gallery on 21st St. NW, so to get there you will hop on the Orange Line toward New Carrollton. Get off at Metro Center and transfer to the Red Line toward Shady Grove. Get off the train at Dupont Circle, take the Q St. exit and hang a left. You will be heading to the Phillips Collection, the aforementioned art gallery, which is located at 1600 21^st St. NW, Washington DC 20009. For $10 per person, it's a sweet deal. Aim to arrive here around noon, which will give you plenty of time to check out the gallery before a late lunch.

After you are done at the Phillips Collection, it's lunch time! You are going to go back to the Dupont Circle stop and take the Red Line toward Silver Spring back to Metro Center. This time you will transfer to the Blue Line toward Largo Town Center and take that to the Capitol South stop. At that point you will be just a few blocks from the Wellness Cafe, a sweet little shop/lunch counter at 325 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. Washington, DC 20003. Be sure to make your reservations well in advance, as they only have a couple of tables. Your meal will end up being one of the healthiest lunches out you've ever had, without skimping on taste. This should leave your hunger pleasantly satisfied and provide you with the energy required for the day's grand finale, DC United's home opener.
 
To get to RFK Stadium, get back on the Blue Line heading for Largo Town Center. Your stop will be Stadium Armory, and from there you can basically follow the crowd to the parking lot at which there will be several tailgate parties. Once you've arrived, join a tailgate! Feel free to join the What crew at the Screaming Eagles tailgate, where you can join in on the fun for a very modest fee. Once it's time for the United to open their season against the Columbus Crew, we will head into the stadium, where I recommend you sit with the Screaming Eagles or La Barra Brava for the best game day experience. You can get your tickets, which are not expensive, from DC United or directly from a supporter's group.

Following what will likely be your most intense experience being a spectator, the trip back home will be simple. Follow the crowd back to the Metro and wait for the Orange Line toward Vienna/Fairfax. Take this all the way to the Court House stop, which is where you started your journey. Pile into the car and drive home!

Should you decide to take part in these festivities and follow this itinerary, leave us a comment below or a shout on Twitter letting us know! We will be there too, following this very itinerary, so we're likely to bump into each other at several points throughout the day. We hope to see you then!