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If there's a good price on a hotel in Dupont, definitely stay there! Fabulous part of the city to base yourself - restaurants, book stores, markets nearby, easy to walk, right on the Metro. Definitely spend a day on the Mall seeing the museums.. Air&Space if that's your thing, National Gallery, the sculpture garden. Spend another day in Georgetown, you can visit the famous cupcake place

DuPont is a nice area to stay in. You could spend days in the Smithsonians alone. I have to go against the grain and say I don't love Matchbox. I think there are better pizza places. 2Amys and 7th Hill, namely. Lauriol Plaza is a good Mexican place near DuPont. It's sister restaurant Cactus Cantina is great too. Old Ebbitt Grill is classic DC, right by the WH, and you never know who you might see in there.

@Weagle: I personally don't think the food at Old Ebbitt Grill is good. It's owned by the same people as Clyde's and I think it's just okay. I agree with Lauriol Plaza but that place gets CRAZY. Their margaritas are good.

@JoJoGirl: Do you like the cupcake place in Georgetown? I feel like it's so touristy. We had their cupcakes for a baby shower and they were good but not OMG I want to stand in line for them. I like Red Velvet Cupcake store that is near the Spy Museum.

I second @Weagle: old ebbitt grill is classic Washington. You don't have to do dinner...you could easily do lunch or drinks/appetizers if that fits your schedule better.

@littlek: True, you can find better food elsewhere, but the atmosphere is about as DC as you can get without being in the Senate dining room. But as @Irishmom: suggested, it's good for drinks/apps. I agree with you about G'town cupcakes. Nothing special, and such a pain. But I kind of feel that way about all cupcakes... And Georgetown in general.

Now that I think about it, I'd actually recommend looking up what kind of festivals are going on during the weekends you'd consider for travel. There are two days in the spring (usually in May) when embassies have open houses (one day for EU embassies, one for non-EU), and I think that's really fun... there's also the Cherry Blossom festival with various activities, and all kinds of other stuff. If you're flexible on dates, I think it's worth seeing what's going to be happening in DC around those dates.

@Weagle: i love eastern market!

we love founding farmers on pennsylvania ave. coco sala is also fun if you like chocolate! for a quick lunch, i love sweetgreen -- there is one in dupont. and hello cupcake is a yummy cupcake place in dupont, too. i agree that georgetown cupcake is overrated!

I stayed in Dupont Circle in May of last year and really loved it. It was a great area to walk around and close to pretty much everything. The best rec I got was to eat at Citronelle in Georgetown but to eat in the bar b.c their restaurant is set up as a multi-course fixed price menu.... it was amazing. I wish I could eat there every day. They had great gin and tonics, I think they actually made their tonic in house? Crazy awesome.

There are tons of places to get falafel in DC, but I'm not sure about the best, or even "great"- lots of people like Amsterdam Falafel in Adams Morgan, which is walking distance to Dupont, albeit kind of a long walk.
DC is also known for having great Ethiopian (there are several options around U Street, and a good place on the H street corridor), and there's good Salvadorean food too, though my favorites are in kind of random and inconvenient spots so I'm not a good person to ask about that).
Ben's Chili Bowl is iconic (for, um, chili. and such.)
And the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian is generally regarded as being the best of the inside-a-museum cafe options.
If embassies sound fun to you, even if you don't come for the open houses, many of them also host events or concerts or film series or wine tastings; if there's a particular country you have an interest in, check out their embassy page (or related organizations, like the Alliance Francaise) to see what they have going on.

Lots of great suggestions here! I'll add a few more for your consideration
- Portrait Gallery atrium - definitely worth the visit
- Teaism is a nice place to grab a light bite close to the Portrait Gallery
- I love the Hirshhorn Museum - and the walk is reasonable from the Portrait Gallery
- ALSO close to the Portrait Gallery and worth seeing is the National Building Museum. They have a great tour that is worth the time. But it's also an amazing building to see and the gift shop is one of the best!
- As for cupcakes - Georgetown Cupcake is tasty when the line is short
- Can you tell that I think you should keep the Portrait Gallery on your list of things to do? Have fun! And definitely look into the local event calendar to make sure you don't plan your visit around a crazy time. Unless you like the crazy

@Lozza: Yes! That sounds like a great plan

@keepcalmcarrie: Move! I'm always trying to get people to move here

@Lozza: let's do it!!!

@Happygal: Oooh, I've been wanting to try Restaurant Eve!
The other restaurant in Alexandria I've been wanting to try is Vermilion, and they do brunch on weekends, so that could be an option.
Plus there are tons of spots around the waterfront area- you could easily just walk around and pick whatever looks good.
Also on the waterfront is the Torpedo Factory Art Center, which is kind of cool.
I also think Cheesetique is fun- it's a cheese shop that also has a cafe that does brunch, and while I've never had their brunch, I've done cheeses and other stuff there.

@Mrs. Jacks: when? I'll be there too!!

@Mrs. Jacks: we are just missing you! I get in on 5.17!

@Happygal: I forgot to mention Brabo Tasting Room too - it is DEElicious!

Meeting up would be so fun - but I figured since it was a short trip for you two that I wouldn't impose. And especially now that I know it's your first anniversary! Keep me posted if you're ever in the area again though. I'm still planning on making a trip down to the Richmond area this year too. I'll be seeking out food recs from you!

Bump for any updates? I head up there tomorrow and have a half day Saturday night and several evenings for dinners!