Washington's history and Maryland's casino resort sit about twenty minutes apart by car. This itinerary puts the Old Post Office at the centre of a long weekend and ends with an evening on the Potomac at National Harbor.
Day one: Pennsylvania Avenue on foot
- Morning: start at Federal Triangle Metro. Walk around the Old Post Office, looking for the details described on our architecture page: the three entrance arches, the Vinalhaven granite, the dormers and the clock. Stop at the Benjamin Franklin statue in front of the building.
- Late morning: walk the Federal Triangle, then cross to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.
- Afternoon: follow Pennsylvania Avenue west past Freedom Plaza to the Willard and the Treasury, and on to the White House.
- Evening: dinner in Penn Quarter, or a drink in the old light court of the Old Post Office, now the hotel lobby.
Tower note: the Old Post Office Tower reopened in July 2026 with limited morning hours, now run by the hotel. Check the details on our visiting page before planning around it.
Day two: the Mall, then National Harbor
- Morning and afternoon: the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument (book timed tickets ahead) and one or two Smithsonian museums.
- Getting to the harbor: National Harbor is in Prince George's County, Maryland, just across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Driving or a ride-hail takes about twenty to thirty minutes from downtown outside rush hour. In season, water taxis link the harbor with Old Town Alexandria.
- Sunset: ride the Capital Wheel, a 180-foot observation wheel on the pier, and see J. Seward Johnson's giant sculpture The Awakening on the beach.
- Night: dinner and a casino evening at MGM National Harbor, up the hill from the waterfront.
A casino night at MGM National Harbor
The resort opened in December 2016 and is the closest full casino to the capital. Its floor offers slot machines, table games such as blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat, a dedicated poker room and a sportsbook. There is a hotel, restaurants from well-known chefs and a theatre that hosts concerts and comedy. Dress is smart casual, and the floor stays busy late into the night at weekends.
| Game | Why try it |
|---|---|
| Blackjack | Simple rules and one of the lower house edges if you learn basic strategy |
| Roulette | Easy to follow, good for groups and first-timers |
| Craps | The loudest, most social table in the room |
| Poker room | You play against other guests, not the house |
| Sportsbook | Watch the weekend's games on big screens and place a bet |
Day three: Alexandria and Mount Vernon
Take the water taxi or drive to Old Town Alexandria for brunch and a walk along King Street, then continue to George Washington's home at Mount Vernon. Washington himself once ran a lottery to build a mountain road, part of the story in the lotteries that built Washington.
Planning notes
- Metro does not run to National Harbor directly; local buses connect it with stations in Maryland and Virginia.
- Parking at the resort and the harbor garages is plentiful but not always free.
- Washington itself has no casinos; legal sports betting apps work inside the District. Details are in Washington DC and gambling.