Known for its historic charm and European feel, a mini Georgetown vacation can also be a relaxing alternative to a trip that entails a passport and stressful check-ins at the airport. Eater DC has two days completely planned out for you, including accommodations, meals, scenic attractions, and must-try nightlife picks, from a live piano bar to plenty of snazzy cocktail parlors. We promise you’ll return home completely rested and recharged.

Picnic on the Potomac

Jump head-first into the neighborhood with a perfect picnic on the banks of the Potomac River. To stock up on a spread, head to cobblestone-lined Grace Street to encounter a cluster of popular takeout counters. Reliable picks include a veggie taco trio from Chaia, a smoothie from South Block, and excellent focaccia and salads at Green Almond Pantry. At Grace Street Coffee Roasters’ new ice latte-fueled flagship at the foot of the Papermill Building, chef Alex McCoy’s popular breakfast burrito pop-up Monstera hosts a long-term residency starting Saturday, July 13.

Pack up and walk the nearby stretch of Washington Harbor for front-row views of bobbing boats and the iconic Kennedy Center. Stellar seafood picks along the riverfront promenade include shellfish towers at fancy fixture Fiola Mare to seasonal blue crab at dressed-down stalwart Tony & Joe’s Seafood Place. Georgetown Harbor is also where Potomac Paddle Club’s growing fleet of thatched-roof tiki bars and pontoon boats set sail.

Checking in

For the ultimate overnight splurge, Georgetown’s tony Rosewood is a best bet. The 55-room hotel oozes luxury out of the gate, with an intimate lobby filled with flowers, chandeliers, soft jade seating, chess, and Wolfgang Puck’s posh steakhouse Cut that recently added a Sunday jazz brunch. In-room perks include a Nespresso machine, top-tier mini bar, and marble-wrapped rain shower bathrooms filled with Parisian Diptyque toiletries.

Epic summer add-ons to round out the stay include a Potomac River cruise, round-trip afternoon excursion to the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains to visit top Virginia vineyards (Lost Creek, RdV, Linden). Opt to hop on a provided custom bike to zip around world-famous attractions like the White House, the Lincoln Memorial, and the always-free Smithsonian museums. For more affordable boutique options, consider the Graham — home to one of the only other scenic hotel rooftops around — or charming, 96-room Georgetown Inn in the heart of all the shopping and dining action along Wisconsin Avenue NW. At the foot you’ll find chef Jenn Crovato’s American mainstay 1310 Kitchen & Bar, where diners order delicious breakfast until 2 p.m. under framed portraits of female rock stars.

Dinner at Kyojin

Wander off the M Street strip and into Cady’s Alley to stumble upon Eater DC’s 2023 Restaurant of the Year Kyojin, the neighborhood’s latest spot to sample luxe sushi rolls. For a more casual option, consider lively pasta-and-pizza haven Flavio. Order popular pillowy ricotta gnocchi and savor a widely unknown fun fact: the brick-lined building was inventor Thomas Edison’s home back in the day. One of Georgetown’s most romantic twilight strolls is right along the nearby C&O Canal.

Nightcap at Cafe Milano

The corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW is the nightlife nucleus of the neighborhood. Hidden off the nearby Prospect Street alley is timeless Italian standby Cafe Milano. Take notice of a Capitals Stanley Cup ring displayed upon exit, a glittery gift from the NHL team after their wild, post-win party there in 2018. Walk deeper along the same block to encounter La Bonne Vache, a dreamy new corner bistro for French-ified burgers, bubbles, and vermouth cocktails.

Up a short walk on Wisconsin Avenue, Donahue is a scene-y magnet for Georgetown’s social set. An earpiece-wearing doorman on a red carpet welcomes guests below, where you can stay up with one of the better espresso martinis in Georgetown. Pro tip: the brightly-lit Wawa on Wisconsin Avenue, open 24 hours, is a beacon for late-night subs and snacks. And instead of spending at the hotel bar, shop local at decades-old Potomac Wine & Spirits to stock up the room.

Pastries at Yellow

Wake up with wood-fired fare from a James Beard Award-winning chef. Michael Rafidi’s all-day Levantine cafe Yellow is a must-try for flaky pastries dusted with za’atar and pita sandwiches. Or treat yourself to a giant, gooey cookie at Levain on M Street NW, its first location outside of NYC. You’ll need the carbs while window shopping the strip’s famed retail row and around the newly restored Georgetown Park.

Cocktails at L’Annexe

Time to freshen up a little more than usual and dress to impress at some of Georgetown’s classiest drinking and dining gems. Take a brisk walk along M Street to the outskirts of Georgetown to find swanky cocktail bar L’Annexe. A sophisticated back lounge surrounded with infused liquors on bookshelves just added a summer menu full of burrata flatbreads and beef sliders. Just next door, Villa Vara’s pretty back patio full of flickering candelabras is the place to order a parade of Lebanese meze and charcoal-grilled meats.

Over a decade in, the Four Seasons Hotel’s dimly-lit Bourbon Steak across the street remains one of Georgetown’s hottest spots to see and be seen. On the walk back, ogle over some of Georgetown’s nicest row homes framing quaint Rose Park. It’s there you’ll stumble upon an unexpected surprise: chic Champagne-and-caviar bar Apéro, which just installed a Shakespearean-themed tasting room up top.

Live music

Georgetown Piano Bar is the place to be on weekends come 9 p.m., when the bustling basement venue that just turned 10 showcases dueling piano players who take requests for pretty much any song. Dirt-cheap cocktails sent out from a sunken circular bar are named after music legends, with happy hour starting at 5 p.m. And Blues Alley, a jazz and supper club around since 1965, is among the last of its kind in D.C.

Brunch at the Tombs

If a walk up the famed Exorcist stairs isn’t in the cards in this heat, another way to experience old-school Georgetown is checking out subterranean, stone-clad mainstay the Tombs for brunch. Framed with Ivy League rowing oars and other sports memorabilia, the handsome Hoyas classic depicted in St. Elmo’s Fire keeps tradition alive with draft beers and stellar pub grub like Reubens and chili.

For a quicker bite around Georgetown University’s campus, grab a pastrami sandwich from beloved butcher shop Stachowski’s Market before heading home to reality.