A Low Cost of Playing, One Perk of D.C.
You’ll frequently hear us D.C. folk complaining about the cost of living in our lovely little city. And it’s true: you’ll be hard-pressed to find many people who spend the recommended 1/3 of their income on rent, and most of our supermarkets will certainly leave you sticker-shocked your first time through (why do you think the lines at Trader Joe’s are so long!?) But while the cost of living may be high, thankfully the cost of playing isn’t. That is to say, there’s plenty to do in the way of entertainment that won’t break your piggy bank!
This is an especially nice perk when you have guests in town. In addition to the traditional tourist stops, the monuments and the Smithsonian Museums, there are usually a number of other free things going on in D.C. This Saturday was one of my favorites, the annual Passport DC Embassy Tour. Two weekends each Spring, guests can experience art, music, dance and most importantly food at many embassies across the city. Last year we visited the European embassies, so it was fun to see some new ones this time around!
After we were thoroughly embassied out (aka sick of crowds, lines and standing) we made our way home for a quick break before heading back out for more food. Yes, my Saturdays generally consist of going from one place to eat to the next. Our next stop was Taste of Barrack’s Row, which while not free will only set you back a mere $20 for five tastings (which we split among four of us).
I wasn’t blown away by most of the samples, but hey, I guess you get what you pay for.
With summer coming, this is only the start of free fun in D.C.! Here are just a few…
- There are over a dozen screens on the green, in the district alone! I’m of course partial to Capitol Riverfront since it’s just three blocks from our house!
- Every D.C. resident knows that you can enjoy free jazz in the Sculpture Garden every Friday in the summertime!
- And if you prefer things a bit less crowded (and much closer to my house!) there’s also the Yard Park concert series every Friday!
- And Sundays, you can enjoy Music in the Yard at Eastern Market!
