Are you wondering what’s happening in the nation’s capital this month? December is the perfect time to travel to Washington, DC. You get to experience the holidays, walk among colorful holiday lights, bundle up and see the monuments among the snow, and attend a bunch of December events. Here is a list to help you plan your trip to DC and find out what activities you can do!
December in the District
Visit the Kennedy Center
When visiting Washington, DC, attending a show at the Kennedy Center is always a great experience. Enjoy shows in December like Improvised Shakespeare Company for a fully improvised masterpiece right before your very eyes, bringing you an evening of off-the-cuff comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare, attend various performances hosted by the National Symphony orchestra, or watch the classic and incredible Wicked which shows the adventures of Dorothy in the land of Oz at a different angle. See what’s on now and later in December at the Kennedy Center on their website here.
Georgetown Cookie Tour
On Saturday, December 10th from 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM take a delicious tour of Georgetown small businesses and collect holiday cookies along the way. Georgetown Main Street pairs a Georgetown-based small bakery with an independent retailer to create a unique opportunity to introduce you to amazing local businesses. Read about the Georgetown bakery and retail partners here. Tickets are $35 each and one ticket equals one dozen cookies. A ticket to the Georgetown Cookie Tour is a great gift for colleagues or clients who want to explore Georgetown and get to know the local businesses while also enjoying delicious treats. Proceeds from the Georgetown Cookie Tour go toward Georgetown Main Street (GMS) programming. Learn more about the Georgetown Cookie Tour here.
Georgetown GLOW
Attend the free outdoor light art experience in Georgetown this year. This is the 8th edition of the GLOW show, and the experience features five installations including Light Falls, Picto Sender Machine, All the Light You See, Butterfly Effect, and The Cloud Swing, which you can actually swing on! Learn more about the featured artwork and their locations here. In addition to the light art exhibits, GLOW programming includes walking tours, a silent disco, GLOW-themed yoga and Pilates classes, a special evening of late-night shopping on Friday, 9 December, and much more. Read more about the free light art experience set in the historic town of Georgetown here.
Downtown Holiday Market
Until December 23rd, 2022, attend the 18th Annual Downtown Holiday Market. This beloved outdoor market continues to support small businesses and entrepreneurs across the region, welcoming shoppers for a safe, secure and enhanced shopping experience in the heart of the District this year and is perfect for holiday shopping. The market is located in Downtown Washington, DC, centered at 8th and F Street NW, and is open from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM every day. Make sure to check out the market this holiday season! Read more about the annual holiday market here.
Museum of Illusions
The Museum of Illusions is opening on December 13th, 2022! Enter the wonderful world of illusions where you can truly experience the impossible. Illusions challenge us to see things differently and they reveal a lot about how our brain interprets reality. The museum invites members of the public to visit the Museum of Illusions. Guests will enjoy more than 50 visual and educational exhibits featuring holograms, stereograms, optical illusions, and immersive rooms that are designed to tease the senses and trick the mind. The Museum of Illusions is located in the heart of downtown Washington, right by the White House. Read more about the Museum of Illusions and exhibits on the Museum of Illusions website here.
Hip Hop Nutcracker
Attend the Hip Hop Nutcracker at Strathmore’s Music Center in Bethesda, Maryland this year. From December 19th to December 22nd at 8:00 PM each night, you don’t want to miss this event. This holiday mash-up is celebrating its 10th anniversary, so make sure to join Maria-Clara and the Nutcracker Prince as they set off for a magical adventure in modern day New York City. The Hip Hop Nutcracker features Tchaikovsky’s classic score with all-star contemporary and hip-hop dancers, a DJ, a violinist, and Kurtis Blow, one of hip-hop’s founding fathers, who opens the show with a short set. The show includes innovative visual effects that transform the landscape of the original and beloved story from traditional 19th century Germany to the vibrant, diverse sights and sounds of modern urban life in NYC. Read more about the show and purchase your tickets here.
Visit the Monuments
One of the most beautiful times to visit the monuments is during the winter, especially when there is snow on the ground and holiday lights shining throughout the city. Bundle up and join us on one of our guided monument tours throughout the nation’s capital. The National Mall features various must-see monuments and memorials like the Lincoln Memorial and the World War II Memorial. A great spot is the US Capitol where visitors can see the pathway lined with trees that beautifully contrasts with the white of the monuments, the Capitol’s architecture, and the winter snow. If you’re looking for a fun and educational way to explore the city’s iconic and historical sites, check out one of our narrated golf cart tours.
These tours are a fun and stress-free way to visit all of the popular sites in DC without needing to create a plan or research on your own. Capitol Express Tours is a local business that will take you to see the iconic monuments and memorials within the city on our narrated tour down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House to the Capitol and through the heart of the National Mall where you can see various monumental landmarks, memorials, and other sites that show the interesting details of the nation’s capital among the beautiful winter scenery. Book your tour now!