Day Trip to DC Under $50

One of the perks about living in Baltimore are the great day-trip options available! I love to spend a day in DC whenever I get the chance, seeing as it's only a 45-ish minute train trip each way. The MARC train takes you from Baltimore's Penn Station to DC's Union Station for under $10, making this day-trip budget friendly for students. Once you're in DC, there are a plethora of free cultural opportunities, so the rest of your budget can go towards exploring the food scene :) Read below to see one of my recent trips, which was museum-centered. I've also included price points and travel tips so the only thing left for you to do is find your next available free day.

1. If you're starting off at Loyola's campus, grab the 51 train downtown to Penn Station ($2)

Unless you're getting a ride to the train station, the bus is your cheapest choice. Hop on at the intersection of Charles St and Coldspring Ln, staying on for 16 stops (roughly 15-20 minutes). Get off at the Maryland Ave & Oliver St stop and walk a block to the train station. 

2. MARC Train from Penn Station in Baltimore to Union Station in DC ($9)

3.  National Gallery of Art (free)

You could spend a day at this museum alone, especially if you take advantage of the multiple free tours offered daily. I've taken tours here before, and the guides are really knowledgable. 

4. National Museum of African American History and Culture (free, reserve in advance)

This museum's structure is unlike a lot of others, in that it gently forces you to follow a specific path through the exhibits. You walk in to the ground floor, but then go downstairs to start, and slowly make your way back to the ground floor after winding through what the museum has to display. Everyone should make it here at least once when doing DC.

5. Lunch at Chercher (~$20)

After a morning full of museums, grab the bus towards Logan Circle to walk around a different area of DC and get some lunch. I loved Chercher when I was there-- you can get the sample vegetarian platter, which lets you try a bit of everything. I always find myself coming back to the split peas and cabbage dishes when I get Ethiopian food; while everything is good, I'd be fine with just those two! They also have Ethiopian Honey wines available and imported beers- not your typical Baltimore brew. 

6. National Portrait Gallery (free)*

The National Portrait Gallery is only a 15 minute walk from Chercher, and I always love to walk around a city to orient myself. I think the thing I miss most from living in NYC and Montreal was the walkability- some days, Baltimore feels as if you need to incorporate public transit/cars into your routines to get around. The National Portrait Gallery is massive, so go in with a game plan of what works you absolutely want to see. Spend the rest of your time wandering around. 

7. Grab a coffee from Tatte (~$8)

At this point, it'll be late in the afternoon and you might be getting a bit tired. Head to Tatte, a chain in DC, for a caffeinated bevy. The last time I was there, I had a ginger date oat milk latte that was amazing. If you see it on the menu, I recommend trying it out :)

8. National Museum of Women in the Arts (21 and under get in for free, every 1st Sunday and 2nd Wednesday is free for all)*

This is the smallest museum of the day, and you can see most works in around an hour and a half. It's a lovely curated space of exclusively female works of art. In the past decade, only 11% of all acquisitions in prominent museums in the US were made by women artists, so this museum serves as a space to amplify women's voices in the field. 

9. MARC Train from Union Station in DC to Penn Station in Baltimore ($9)

From the NMWA, you can catch the red line to Union Station and then catch your MARC train back from there. Make sure to arrive early, because people line up to board around 15-20 minutes before the train is scheduled. 

10. Head home!

Once you're back in Baltimore, you can grab the bus back uptown to Loyola or have someone pick you up. Congratulate yourself on a fun, successful day out, that comes in at just under $50! If you want to grab a bite before going home, I'd recommend Rice and Noodles, which is a block from the train station. Try the Ramen or Pho, they're both amazing. 

* The NMWA closes at 5pm daily and the National Portrait Gallery closes at 7pm daily, so if you had a longer morning, you might want to swap these two spots to maximize your time