Total price for two: $1,390
The average nightly rate on a four-star hotel here is $96 for Dec. 24 to Jan. 2, reports Hotwire. "Splurge" on the sleek Hotel Palomar, which starts at $139 a night and is a 20-minute walk from the White House.
In the capital city, you have your pick of 13 Smithsonian museums, which are free and open every day except Dec. 25. And though it's no Times Square, the fireworks in Old Town Alexandria -- a 25-minute Metro ride away -- make for a pretty rockin' New Year's Eve.
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Last updated November 01 2010: 9:35 AM ET