With my new low volume schedule, I am planning to explore the city a bit. It seems odd that I've been coming here 3 years and have seen so very little. Recommendations of sights to see and places to go this time of year are greatly appreciated. Warm regards.
xoxo

... the festivities at the Willard Hotel.  Hot toddies concocted for the season, beautiful decor, and wonderful carolers.  

  The Chrtistmas Market is open in the Portrait Gallery area of Penn Quarter.  Very festive, and fun.

  Enjoy our wonderful district!

Hugs,
Kelly

Also don't forget the National Christmas tree and surrounding memorials and monuments. The FDR and WWII monuments are beautiful at night
 I know, kind of boring but if you haven't visited them you have to at least once.
The Georgetown waterfront is newly renovated (Tony and Joe's, Nicks Riverside Grill) with an ice skating rink.
Happy Holidays,

JD

...nothing like a good run at sunrise or sunset, and taking in history along the way.  I just read about the new ice rink; sounds like fun, and larger than the Sculpture Garden.

Hugs and Kisses,
Kelly

... there is nothing better than a morning or evening run, past the monuments.  They are spectacular!

  The National Tree, and the surrounding area is just beautiful.  I would suggest visiting the monuments, seeing the tree, and then heading to the Willard for a toddy: all within walking distance.

Hugs and Kisses,
Kelly

I like to keep abreast of what is going on.

The Roy Lichtenstein exhibit is very large and very entertaining.   East Building of the National Gallery will be running until January 13th.  I keep returning to the National Gallery Buildings and I still haven't fully enjoyed all the works of art.

I also love the Hirshhorn museum as well.  I recommend the Sculpture Garden and Ali Weiwei currently has an exhibit there.  The Circle of Animals (The Chinese Zodiac) is impressive.

Enjoy

Jessie

Thursday Dec. 13, 7 pm Olney Theater - Olney Ballet Theater Nutcracker $9 -$20.50. 7:30 pm Brucker Hall Ft. Myer - Army Blues - A Stan Kenton Christmas,  7:30 pm Old Country Buffet 7820 Richmond Hwy Alexandria - The Bob Gibson Big Band Christmas Concert. Friday Dec. 14, 8:30 pm Tiffany Tavern, Alexandria - City Farm (bluegrass). Sunday Dec. 16, 3 pm Washington Lee H. S. - Army Blues - Duke Ellington's Nutcracker and Holiday Favorites. Monday Dec. 17, 6 pm Kennedy Center Millennium Stage - Army Blues - A Stan Kenton Christmas. 7:30 pm GM U Center for the Arts - Moscow Ballet's Grand Russian Nutcracker $40.80 - $60.60. Thursday Dec. 27, 2 pm & 7 pm Ernst Cultural Center - Virginia Ballet Theater - The Nutcracker. All the ticketed events are discount prices through goldstarevents.com.

Also at DAR Constitution Hall - Saturday Dec. 8 3 pm & 7:30 pm The U. S. Air Force Band Holiday Concert free but tickets are required see www.usafband.af.mil/events for information. Saturday Dec. 15, 7:30 pm and Sunday Dec. 16 3 pm U. S. Navy Band Holiday Concert  see www.navyband.navy.mil/holiday_concert.shtml.

You might need to take a taxi into the suburbs for some of these. There is a free 1 hour concert 6PM - 7PM every day of the year at the Millennium Stage at the Kennedy Center.

....with some off-the-beaten-path ideas.

Amazing!  I appreciate the responses. Wow! I may have to break some of this up into a few trips, so much to do and see. So enticing. I adore war memorials and history and it sounds like there is an overabundance! I knew I loved this city, not just the gentlemen :-P

If you can travel outside of DC I suggest spending a Christmas evening at the Williamsburg Inn. (Williamsburg, VA) If it snows, you may chance to say "Greetings and Good Tidings Mr. Jefferson" as you pass him by - the snow covered 17th century street.
Closer to town, take in the Ford's Theatre while coming from the Williard Hotel.

Just had our office Christmas party at Nick's. Totally redone after the flood. Very nice bar area.
I never get tired of the monuments, just didn't know what type of attractions she was looking for

Share with all of us?

Don't know if they are up yet, but if not they will be soon.

I am only a part-time resident myself, traveling between my home in ********** and my place here in Arlington.

One obvious spot is the national zoo, they do a wonderful job making the place festive for the holidays and of course best of all it is FREE!

If you cross the river, then there are two places in Arlington that I would recommend that others probably would not think of. One is Long Bridge Park, which just opened this past summer and is located in the Crystal City area. The park features an esplanade which is about a two mile circuit, well lit in the evening, and the views into DC are pretty awesome. Along those same lines you have the Air Force Memorial which is adjacent to the Arlington National Cemetary and Ft. Myers. It is on some serious high ground and offers awesome views into the city as well.

These two stops are easily accomplished in one evening.

The Marine Corps Museum at Quanitco is just fantastic in its presentation and the NRA museum has an entire wing dedicated to the actual weapons used in movies (from Dirty Harry's Smith and Wesson, to the weapons used in Terminator!). Very, VERY different. And both are also free of charge.

Will let you know if anything else comes to mind, trying to stay away from the "obvious" If you have not yet made the trip to the National Aquarium in Baltimore that place is just awesome sweetie.

Go get buck wild and crazy at numerous bars/night clubs, etc.
I have two spots that I'd like to take you- we talked about them! HA!

Its Old, dirty, mismanaged and the people are pretentious and somewhat mean. I say this comparing DC to other cosmopolitan cities such as San Fran, LA, Miami, Boston, Honolulu, NY, Atlanta, Etc. Just keep in mind that there are no beaches, no mountains, no lakes and aside from a little bit of forest with a mosquito stream called Rock Creek Park there is almost zero geographic beauty here.

Sure there are a few museums that have some intriguing exhibits like the Hope Diamond at the Natural History, the Anola Gay that is on Display at the Air & Space Museum in Chantilly VA, the Spy Museum or the Hillwood Museum are interesting. If Art is your thing the Corcoran Gallery is worth a visit. There is little by way of acclaimed galleries here. The theater district is barely noticeable but the Nutcracker is showing at the Warner Theater and Les Miserables is showing at the National Theater.

DC's restaurant scene is seriously lacking but PM me for some recommendations since I have worked in the industry and know it pretty well.

To sum up DC. It is a bunch of transients who flocked here because they think that there are jobs here so they stuck around. Thankfully many of there transients were women who at least brought some beauty to this city because it was seriously lacking in the looks dept. And still there is a huge beauty void here. With all that said we make up for DC's shortcomings with political corruption (both national and local), high taxes, excessive red light/speeding cameras, possibly the worst traffic outside NY, Atlanta and LA,  and good ol' fashioned street crime.

Enjoy your stay,
808

...is fantastic for a "hike in the woods".  Almost hesitate to mention it - nothing to see here folks - would rather keep it as pristine s it currently is....

Hi, Sofia.  I always like to take people to the Phillips Collection art museum off DuPont Circle.  Also in that area is the Russia House, a great bar/restaurant that opens at 5 or 5:30 and has some the of the best martinis around.

Check out the Exorcist Stairs in Georgetown.

Sackler Musuem off the mall is small, but very cool.

On a nice day a trip to Arlington Cemetary and the Iwo Jima is fun.  Come back to D.C. and check out the view from the rooftop bar at the Hotel W.  It's just down the street from Kelly's recommendation of the Willard.

Need to see you again one of these days.

Oki