1. Prioritize. Know what you want to see, and do those first. Crowds get worse as the day goes on. Though they probably won't be as bad as they were in the middle of both spring break and cherry blossom season, they will still be there.
2. If you are unlucky enough to intercept a field trip (usually 90-150 kids), RUN to wherever you want to go first. Nothing is very enjoyable with over a hundred kids crowding around you. With a party of four, you can usually avoid them by going to wherever they aren't. We were able to avoid them most of the time, but on some of the guided events there was no way around it.
3. Take the metro. Yes, it is kind of expensive, but so is the bus. The metro is a lot faster and a little less crowded. If you want to save some pennies, ride the metro to the nearest stop to your location, then walk (no bus) the rest of the way. Exercise + saving money= good. I would also recommend getting the metro pass. It saves money, as you only have to add more money when you want to. It is five dollars to buy the card, and then you decide how much more to add. There's no daily, weekly, or monthly agreement or anything. You use it when you need it. Also, a few tips for riding the metro: Try to wait at the ends of the track. People usually group around the middle. If you can make it to the end of the train, those cars tend to be less crowded. Also, when you board, try to snag the chairs closest to the door. People are less likely to stick an armpit in your face if you are away from the standing poles.
4.I do have a few recommendations for things to see and do: Lincoln Memorial,
Washington Monument,
Jefferson Monument, US Capitol,
Smithsonian Museums 
(specifically the Air and Space
and American History), the National Archives, 
Spy Museum, Iwo Jima, 
and the Vietnam Memorial:
All of these can get a little crowded, so either make reservations or arrive early. Some of these are less popular than others. For example, the Jefferson memorial is not as crowded as the Smithsonian museums, so see the Smithsonian first, then the Jefferson, then whatever else you want to see. I would also highly recommend taking the night bus tour to get your bearings and learn about want you want to see most. It also is a nice way to see the city after dark and still be safe.
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