Let’s be honest: stepping into the world of Showtime’s Homeland TV show would be a harrowing experience, what with all the terrorism, torture, and inner demons the characters face on a regular basis. That said, a large portion of the cloak-and-dagger series about rogue CIA agent Carrie Mathison (played with chin-quivering intensity by Claire Danes) takes place in one of the country’s great travel destinations: Washington, DC.

To prepare for the show’s Season 5 premiere on October 4, we’ve put together a loose itinerary for a (safe) Homeland-inspired day in the nation’s capital. And you won’t even need surveillance equipment or top-level security clearance to enjoy it. But we must warn you of one danger: MILD SPOILERS AHEAD.

Stop 1: The National Mall

Our sightseeing tour begins where many spy thrillers (Homeland not excepted) wind up sooner or later: on the National Mall. Spend some time scoping out the Capitol, where Carrie’s lover-nemesis Nicholas Brody (Damian Lewis) briefly served as a congressman, and station yourself near the Washington Monument or Lincoln Memorial to carry out any tense exchanges with shadowy informants. 

Stop 2: The Pentagon

You can cross the Potomac River to reach the enormous and heavily fortified Pentagon—but don’t expect to waltz right in the way they do on the show. In real life, you’re gonna need to book a tour 14 to 90 days in advance. Alternatively, you can travel north to the National Cryptologic Museum in Maryland (though it has to do more with code-breaking than spying). Unless you’re a CIA employee, don’t even think about visiting the agency’s headquarters in Langley, Virginia; the complex is completely closed to the public.

For a break from all the hugger-mugger, make a detour to Arlington National Cemetery and spend some moments in quiet contemplation as you walk among the hundreds of solemn white grave markers.

Stop 3: Wind Down with Wine and Jazz

To end the day in true Carrie Mathison fashion, you’ll need a glass or two of white wine and some jazz. One place where you can find both (as well as an acclaimed menu of French cuisine): Bistrot Lepic and Wine Bar, an intimate Georgetown spot featuring live jazz music on Monday and Wednesday evenings. For more DC jazz offerings, check out the nearby Blues Alley or head east to the venerable Bohemian Caverns.

Photos: Washington D.C. - Capital Building Dome by David Ohmer under CC BY 2.0; The Pentagon by David B. Gleason under CC BY-SA 2.0; Wine Glass by Ryan Albrey under CC BY 2.0