HI-Washington, DC 
Washington, DC 
HI-USA 
Activities & Events
There is so much to see in Washington, DC that you can’t see it all during your stay. This page will help you to focus on the things that most interest you. For the go-it-alone types, the hostel has an Info Center on the Lobby Level. There you will find information on the local area, famous neighborhoods, nightlife, transportation, sights, tours and much more.
As always, our Front Desk staff is available to answer questions, provide short cuts and tips to make visiting easier, and suggest alternatives and options that you may not have known existed.
Free Tours
Make the best use of your time by joining our free tours. Quite easily one of our most popular amenities, the free tours led by our dedicated volunteers give you the local’s perspective on our great city. For more information on our volunteers, click here.
Hostelling International-Washington, DC (HI-DC) coordinates several free activities each week, all led by our wonderful volunteers. Please note that tours are subject to change and cancellation. Here is a sample weekly schedule of activities:
Monday Evening at the Kennedy Center: Enjoy a great performance with our volunteer, Andrew, at the Kennedy Center.
Wednesday Morning Historic Tour: Explore Washington, DC with professional tour guide, Larry Amman. You will see DC’s most popular monuments including Arlington Cemetery. This tour is very popular as it focuses on the rich historic background of the nation’s capital.
“No two experiences are alike thanks to the fine people I have met through HI-DC.”
Larry Amman, HI-DC volunteer since 2000
Thursday Evening in Georgetown: Join our volunteer, Marc, for an incredible walking tour of the historic neighborhood of Georgetown. The tour includes an overview of Georgetown, stops at former JFK residences, a visit to DC’s oldest standing building, strolls through the beautiful Georgetown University Campus and views of a “horrifying” Hollywood staircase. The tour ends with an optional dinner at Third Edition, a popular bar of Georgetown.
“Volunteering at Hostelling International-DC is one of the best things that I have ever done. My tours at HI-DC all feel like mini-vacations.”
Marc Mehrespand, HI-DC volunteer since 2005
Friday Morning at the Kennedy Center: For those interested in the performing arts, join an “insider’s” tour of the storied and famous Kennedy Center. You never know what famous person you might see strolling the halls, or you may catch a glimpse of an artist or group practicing for an upcoming performance.
Saturday Monuments Tour: Discover DC’s most impressive monuments with our friendly volunteer, Jeff. This tour includes stops at popular historic sites such as the Old Post Office, Lafayette Park, the White House, the Old Executive Building, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial. If you have a great interest in the rich historic and cultural background of the District of Columbia, you should definitely join this fun tour.
Saturday Night Tours: Our volunteer, Marc, usually leads one of these two incredible tours:
- Dupont Circle Tour & Pub Crawl: This amazing tour highlights significant sights of the Dupont Circle neighborhood, such as Embassy Row. This tour is a lot of fun, as you will have a chance to hang out at popular bars.
- Adams Morgan Tour: This one-hour walking tour takes hostellers inside the history of one of DC’s most vibrant and multicultural neighborhoods. Adams Morgan is the epicenter of activity among immigrants, artists and entrepreneurs. The tour ends with a pub crawl. For many people, Adams Morgan is DC’s most entertaining area.
Sunday Evening at the National Gallery of Art: Join our volunteer, Manny, for a breathtaking classical concert at the Gallery of Art. This is also a great opportunity to see the Gallery of Art and its sculpture garden.
“My experience at Hostelling International-DC has been rewarding, and I enjoy interacting with hostellers.”
Manny Rokny, HI-DC volunteer since 1988
Movie and Documentary Nights in Our TV Room
Enjoy a wide variety of movies on our 60-inch flat screen TV, including new releases, classics, dramas, foreign / international films, thrillers, and comedies. Refer to the events board in the Lobby for the schedule.
- Documentary Series: In celebration of the cultural diversity of the DC community, our hostel shows international documentaries. These Documentary Nights sometimes include a short discussion of the film and its themes.
- Go Green Series: We regularly show documentaries that help hostellers to celebrate the rich ecological diversity of our planet, to gain a better understanding of environmental issues and challenges, and to be more environmentally conscious and learn ways reduce our own – and our communities’ – impacts.
Monthly Events
Travelers’ Circle on the 1st Wednesday of the Month: Share your trip adventures with Washingtonians and fellow travelers at the Mayur Kabab House, across the street from the hostel. Marc Laxer, President of Chimp-n-Sea Wildlife Conservation Fund, sponsors this program. To learn more about that organization, click here.
Poetry Reading on the 3rd Tuesday of the Month: Unveil the intoxicating world of poetry with accomplished poets Surehka Vijh and Amy Melrose. Each poetry session ends with a workshop that helps budding poets uncover their artistic talent. Please click here to read poems written by hostellers during our poetry sessions.