36 Hours in Washington, D.C.

Some may write it off as a cheesy tourist activity, but more Washingtonians could benefit from a relaxing sunset cruise of the Potomac River. Departing from the revitalized (and some local residents may say heavily gentrified) Wharf district, City Experiences’s bright yellow water taxis head out five times a day for the Monuments Tour From the Wharf ($22 one way, $35 round trip). The 1.5 hour round-trip tour, with audio narration, covers sites too difficult to see on foot in one weekend: the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial (which is stunning when lit up at night), the behemoth John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the notorious Watergate complex and the Georgetown waterfront.

Back at the Wharf, drop into Shop Made in DC, which spotlights Washington-based artisans. You’ll find “202” (the city’s area code) and “The District vs Congress” T-shirts by Bailiwick Clothing, illustrated maps of local neighborhoods by Terratorie, and tiny onesies covered in cherry blossoms by Mirasa Design. Then stroll to Ilili, a Lebanese restaurant on the waterfront with colorful fixtures made in Lebanon, such as laser-cut metal doves suspended from the ceiling and dining chairs with hand-sewn floral designs. You’ll see local twists on the cuisine, like the hummus ($13) that can be topped with Maryland blue crab falafel ($8). Don’t miss the fried brussels sprouts with grapes and mint yogurt ($18), and a plate of riz (Lebanese rice, toasted vermicelli, Marcona almonds and cashews, $11) to accompany the heaping mixed grill for two ($76). Book a week ahead.

The Potomac River, which separates Washington from Virginia, may be more famous, but the banks of the Anacostia River is where many local residents go for peaceful waterside views without the National Mall crowds. From Nationals Park, the major league baseball stadium, stroll across the pedestrian-friendly Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge that connects the paved Anacostia Riverwalk Trail to Anacostia Park. From there, take a short ride-share to the recently renovated Smithsonian’s Anacostia Community Museum (free), which shares the stories of everyday people making changes in their communities. The current exhibition, “To Live and Breathe: Women and Environmental Justice in Washington, D.C.,” which runs through Jan. 7, highlights the role women of color have played in the fight for environmental rights. Interactive activities invite guests to make their own protest buttons and write a prayer for those lost to environmental harms.

Japan and Washington have long had a connection, as the famed cherry trees along the National Mall, a gift from the country in 1912, remind us when they blossom each year. Love, Makoto adds to that relationship. The new 20,000-square-foot Japanese food hall (a quick ride from Anacostia) from the chef Makoto Okuwa offers three full-service concepts in Dear Sushi, an omakase experience; Beloved Barbecue, a high-end steakhouse; and Hiya Izakaya, a sleek bar serving whiskey highballs and charcoal-grilled skewers. There’s also a fourth fast-casual option: a light-filled dining hall called Love on the Run, with touch-screen menus for ordering grab-and go salads, sushi rolls, ramen bowls and sandwiches. Try the salmon-and-avocado roll with yuzu mayo ($18), or the fried-chicken sandwich, dripping with shiso coleslaw and teriyaki sauce, and served with fries ($16).

With so many free museums in Washington, the notion of paying for one might not immediately appeal. But the Museum of Illusions Washington (adult admission, $23.95; children, $18.95), which opened last year, is a fun, interactive option for all ages amid the history and science-focused institutions. Though the concept exists in more than 40 locations, including Paris, New York and Madrid, this iteration’s 50 mind-bending optical illusions, games and brain teasers feature Washington-specific displays, including a mural of George Washington, whose eyes follow you wherever you walk, and the Instagram-friendly Reversed Room where you appear to stroll on the ceiling of a Washington metro car. In the Tilted Room, you can lean almost as far as Michael Jackson in the “Smooth Criminal” video, and in the Vortex Tunnel, swirling lights trick you into thinking the floor is moving.

There are few things more peak Washington on a Sunday morning than a trip to Eastern Market in Capitol Hill. Celebrating its 150th anniversary this year, this national landmark is one of the few historic public market buildings left in Washington and the only one still operating. In its outdoor section, peruse fresh produce from area farmers like Agora Farms and Gardeners Gourmet, sold alongside vibrant artwork from the local painter Cherif Mamadou and handcrafted cutting boards from Blue Ridge Cutting Board Company. Inside the market hall, get in line for the crab cakes Benedict ($22.95) at the Market Lunch food counter. It’ll be worth the wait. There’s a long, communal bar table for dining.

The first major museum in the United States dedicated to women artists, the National Museum of Women in the Arts in downtown Washington reopened in October after a two-year renovation. The museum, in a former Masonic temple built in 1908, now offers expanded gallery space for more than 6,000 works by women and non-binary artists that span five centuries and six continents (admission, $16). Themed collections like “Heavyweight,” intended to dispel assumptions that female artists use more delicate materials than men, feature large sculptures like Chakaia Booker’s “Acid Rain,” a textured work of shredded rubber tires and wood. The “In Focus” theme showcases women at the forefront of photography; there you’ll find the stop-in-your-tracks “Bullets Revisited #3,” a large-scale photo triptych by the Moroccan-American photographer Lalla Essaydi, whose henna-covered model poses among thousands of golden bullet casings.