It’s all good. Just thought I’d mention it. But yeah, just the Smithsonian (which is all free) will keep you busy for a good while!
and of course bars. cap hill, georgetown, adam’s morgan, dupont… but i suspect you’re a u-street type of gal.
Okay if you’re looking to do touristy stuff the answers are pretty obvious; I mean, it’s DC, practically the whole city is wall-to-wall attractions.
If you’re looking for more “things to do around town that are more like just hanging out,” like things locals do in their down time, the primary spots in the city you should hit based on what I’m guessing your age is are U Street, Adams Morgan, and H Street. Other spots to hit would be Chinatown, Dupont Circle, Capitol Hill, Georgetown, Woodley Park, and for that matter Bethesda itself (and Chevy Chase just down the road) is a very nice, very upscale spot packed with good bars and restaurants.
You know what’s really fun to do in DC in August? Get the hell out of DC to a place where the weather isn’t so horrific.
What’s going on in the u-street area? I thought that’s where all the Ethiopian restaurants were…I will be visiting it for that reason alone. Am I wrong?
DCnDC, I’ll probably some of the major tourist spots again over a weekend but I’ve seen them all plenty of times since the 80s. The Spy Museum, hiking suggestions and the Walters suggestions are all awesome. I think I may have to prioritize 
U Street is packed with restaurants and bars of all sorts; the area is completely revived. Just start at Ben’s Chili Bowl and work your way down the street; you’ll find anything you could want down there. Check it out here.