Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion.
Despite the fact that going to "the Mall" in D.C. doesn’t mean you’re going shopping, Washington offers fabulous stores that sell serious or silly souvenirs, designer fashions, recycled and green goods, books about almost everything, and handicrafts. Even if you are headed to the mall, our nation’s Mall, that is, you’ll discover that plenty of collections housed along the famous greensward, such as the Smithsonian museums and the National Gallery of Art, sell interesting keepsakes in their gift shops.
Beyond the Mall, smaller one-of-a-kind shops, designer boutiques, and interesting specialty collections add to Washington’s shopping scene alongside stores that have been part of the landscape for generations. Weekdays, Downtown street vendors add to the mix by offering funky jewelry; brightly patterned ties; buyer-beware watches; sunglasses; and African-inspired clothing, accessories, and art. Discriminating shoppers will find satisfaction at upscale malls on the city's outskirts. Not surprisingly, T-shirts and Capitol City souvenirs are in plentiful supply.
The well-chosen collectibles—handpicked by Miss Pixie herself—include gorgeous textiles, antique home furnishings, lamps, mirrors, glass- and silverware, and artwork. The reasonable prices will grab your attention, as will the location, in an old car-dealer showroom.
