Check in at the W Washington DC, which is centrally located just blocks from the White House and National Mall. It's modern and fully wired, so you'll never be offline.

Head upstairs to the roof deck, and take a look at one of the best views in the city. Be sure to take some photographs up here; you won't get this view anywhere else. 

A twenty-minute walk down historic Pennsylvania Ave will take you to the National Gallery of Art, which has one of the best art collections in the world. Take a docent-led tour to help you navigate this sprawling complex, and don't miss the modernist East Building. Designed by architect I.M. Pei, it's a masterful structure with a stunning triangular atrium.

Head back towards the White House for lunch at the Oval Room; starched tablecloths and attentive service are the backdrop to its modern cuisine. Try the crispy duck or the rockfish, and sample their wine list, which is reliably excellent.

Spend the afternoon touring the Presidential Memorials on the western edge of the National Mall. Designed by a variety of world-class artists and landscape architects, these open-air spaces are part of our living history.

Happy hour should be at Number Nine in Logan Circle, a chic spot with the best cocktails in town and a bevy of handsome bartenders. It's a good place to catch the political set just getting off work on the Hill.

Round out the day with dinner at Bourbon Steak in Georgetown's Four Seasons Hotel, where they add an Asian flair to classic steakhouse fare. You can walk off the meal along M Street, with some of the best boutique shopping in DC.