City Guide: Washington, D.C.

Mar 11

The Monuments

These are the main sites that DC is famous for. You can walk the route but the distance between them is longer than it looks. Biking is another option…you can rent bikes and/or do a tour. Here is one company that offers bike rentals. Capital Bike Share is also a great way to get around for $8/day (individual rides must be less than 30 mins. to avoid extra charges) or $2 for a single ride.

I also definitely recommend going back to see some of the monuments lit up at night – my favorite is the night-time view from the steps of Lincoln Memorial.

If you don't do a guided tour, I usually take people visiting on this route.

Start at Lincoln Memorial (closest metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU) and see the Korean and Vietnam War memorials on either side of the Lincoln
Cross the street from Korean War Memorial and head towards the Tidal Basin via Independence Avenue – you’ll see the Martin Luther King Jr., FDR and Jefferson Memorials along the Tidal Basin path (if you are here in March/April, this is where the Cherry Blossom trees bloom – amazing sight but very busy).
Continue along the Tidal Basin back to the Mall and end at the
World War II Memorial and Washington Monument (you can then continue to walk up the mall to the Capitol past the various Smithsonian Museums on either side of the Mall.)

The Mall and the Museums

The tour of the Capitol Building (metro: Capitol South or Archives) is OK (often very crowded and pretty short) but good to see. After the tour, if you are a non-US citizen, you can just show a passport or drivers license at the info booth for access to go to inside both the House and Senate chambers (US citizens can request passes from their Member of Congress). Also after the tour, you can take the underground tunnel to the Library of Congress and tour there or just look around - it is a really nice place. The Supreme Court is next door to the Library and has free tours too.

Most of the The Smithsonian Institution museums (metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle) are along both sides of the Mall between the Capitol and the Washington Monument. You can start at the Smithsonian Castle (near the Smithsonian Metro stop) which will give you an overview of all the different museums (there are more than 15 of them). All museums are free to all. The most popular are probably the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum and the Natural History Museum. The American Indian Museum is known for its excellent food court. The African American History Museum is the newest Smithsonian and opened in Fall 2016.

There are other fantastic non-Smithsonian museums, most of which are also free. These include the Holocaust Museum, The National Gallery (East and West Building) and the National Archives. The Renwick (across from the White House) has rotating exhibits that are often popular but it really depends on what is on at the time. The new International Spy Museum also just opened in L’Enfant Plaza, near the Mall.

You can normally go to the top of the Washington Monument (metro: Smithsonian). You will need to get there early to line up to get a timed ticket or you can also reserve online in advance - they usually sell out well in advance in peak season (March-October).

Neighborhoods

Touring the neighborhoods of DC is a great way to get away from the ‘official’ side of Washington.

Northwest DC

Georgetown

Georgetown (closest metro: Foggy Bottom-GWU) is the most famous DC neighborhood, and is centred on
M Street and Wisconsin Avenue, with mostly residential areas on other neighborhood streets. It is known for being the nicest area of the city with fancy shopping and restaurants. It’s also famous for its cupcakes: Georgetown Cupcake is the most well-known but Baked+Wired is generally believed to be the best. The Georgetown Waterfront Park and Georgetown Harbour (a few blocks down from M Street is also a nice place to walk. There’s a central area around a water fountain/skating rink which a bunch of (mostly expensive) restaurants, all with outdoor seating by the water. Key Bridge Boathouse by the bridge at the end of the Waterfront Park has kayaks and stand-up paddle-boarding – very popular on hot summer weekends and nice way to see the city from the water.

A few restaurant ideas: ll Canale (Itlalian) Farmers Fishers Bakers (brunch, American)

14th St and U Street / Shaw

The stretch of 14th Street between about Q and U Streets (metro: U Street): are packed with all kinds of restaurants - mostly new ones from the past 10 or so years. U Street is also an interesting place to walk around and is one of the most vibrant parts of town and a main destination for nightlife (centered at U + 14th St. but stretching from about 9th to 16th along U Street.). DC is known for its Ethopian food, with many of these based in Shaw (metro: Shaw-Howard), a recently-gentrified extension of U. St. with a wide selection of restaurants, bars, and the Howard Theatre.

A few restaurant ideas: Ted’s Bulletin (desert, alcoholic milkshakes), El Centro (Mexican food/drinks), Le Diplomate (French), Jeni’s (ice-cream), Busboys and Poets (bookstore/theatre/vegetarian-focused restaurant.) Habesha and Chercher (Ethiopian), Right Proper Brewing (beer).

You can also see my U Street tour here.

Dupont Circle

The neighborhood surrounding the Dupont Circle fountain (metro: Dupont Circle) with lots of restaurants and shops in the streets surrounding it. Embassy Row runs off the circle on Mass. Ave., many of the Embassies/Ambassador houses are located here and it’s an interesting walk. There is also a small stretch along 17th St. with decent restaurants and a neighborhood feel, for example, Meridian Hill Park (metro: U Street or Columbia Heights) (also known as Malcolm X Park) near the U Street and Dupont areas is a nice little park that’s a popular place on summer afternoons complete with a Sunday drum circle.

A few restaurant ideas: Duke’s Grocery (burgers), Dupont Italian Kitchen (reasonably-priced Italian.) Julia’s Empananas (quick snack), Surfside (24 hour tacos), Kramerbooks and Afterwards (bookstore/restaurant/bar)

Downtown/Chinatown

The main attractions downtown (metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown or Metro Center) here include the Archives, Ford’s Theatre, Portrait Gallery/American Art Museum, and Verizon Center - home of the Capitals (NHL) and Wizards (NBA). If you're downtown and looking for a quick lunch the stretch of 7th Street near the Verizon Center is great - there is usually a row of food trucks outside the Portrait Gallery Museum and lots of Chipotle-style fast, casual restaurants. The courtyard at the Portrait Gallery is nice open space to eat your takeout and cool off in the summer or warm up in the winter. Chinatown is pretty much reduced to a one block stretch of Chinese restaurants along H Street near 7th Ave. (see the archway close to the Verizon Center). The White House is pretty central – you can access one side of it from G Street b/w 15th and 17th and the other side from E Street.. The relatively new City Center development is around here too.

A few restaurant ideas: &Pizza (chain with fast pizza), Cava (fast casual Mediterranean), Zatinya and Jaleo (restaurants by famed DC chef Jose Andres), W Hotel (POV) (rooftop bar with views of White House), Dolcezza (gelato, City Center).

Adams Morgan

Adams Morgan (metro: Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-Zoo, Columbia Heights or Dupont Circle) is centered along 18th St starting from Colombia Road and is a lively area full of music, bars and international food. The main street (18th) is usually packed and rowdy later on Friday and Saturday nights.

A few restaurant ideas: Tryst (bar/coffeeshop), Roofer’s Union, Madam’s Organ, Jack Rose, Johnny Pistolas (bars), Keren and Zenebech (Ethiopian), Amsterdam Falafel (falafel, open late)

Upper Northwest

Other popular sights a little further out of the central part of the city (but not too far) include the National Cathedral (bus or uber) and the National Zoo (metro: Cleveland Park or Woodley Park) which is free and famous for its giant pandas. Theodore Roosevelt Island (metro: Rosslyn) is a nice spot for a little walk, and feels like you are much further out of the city than you are.

Northeast DC

Union Market

Union Market (metro: NoMa or Union Station) is a big, modern food hall with local food outlets, coffee shops, etc. It just opened a few years ago, and is one of my favourite places in the city. It is very busy on weekends even though it a little off the tourist track.

H Street NE

H Street NE (metro: Union Station and then H Street streetcar or walk) is an up-and-coming neighborhood behind Union Station, and is also becoming a major nightlife area but is a little bit of a trek compared to U Street/Dupont/Adams-Morgan. The area further down from the station - between 12th and 14th - is the best stretch.

Southwest

The Wharf is a major new development that just opened along the SW waterfront (not too far from the Jefferson memorial). There are a bunch of restaurants of all sorts (some more unpscale but there is also places like Shake Shack and a Falafel stand), a riverside walk and piers with fire-pits, swings, lie down chairs, etc. There is also a major concert venue (The Anthem). Next door to the modern development is the original Maine Ave. Fish Market, an authentic place for crab cakes, although it has shrunk in recent years, being taken over by the wharf. This is a good place for quick bite after touring the monuments since there is nothing besides expensive snack stands along the mall.

Southeast

Eastern Market/Capitol Hill (metro: Eastern Market for market or Capitol South for Capitol Hill) is a nice little area to walk around near the Capitol Building and site of the historic market building; there are also lots of restaurant options in the area centred around 8th St. SE. There is a large outdoor market surrounding the main Eastern Market building on weekends.

Some restaurant ideas: Anbar (eastern European), We the Pizza, Good Stuff Eatery (burgers), District Doughnuts.

Yards Park/Navy Yard/Nationals Park (metro: Navy Yard/Ballpark) is yet another new development along the waterfront that was recently developed following the opening of the Nationals Park stadium (check the Nationals schedule for games April-Sept). This area is walkable from Eastern Market area or you can take the metro directly to Navy Yard. Complete with many bars and restaurants, you can also check out some of DC’s best ice cream at Ice Cream Jubilee, close to the waterfront restaurant area. A new soccer stadium for DC United is also in this area.

Virginia

· Arlington Cemetery (metro: Arlington Cemetery) - a short walk over the bridge from the Lincoln Memorial or take the blue line metro right there. You can see the JFK grave, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and nice views of the city. The Iwo Jima memorial is a little bit of a further walk from the metro stop.

· Alexandria, Virginia (metro: Old Town/King Street and walk or take trolley)- historic town about 30 minutes outside of DC (similar to Georgetown). It’s also a great bike ride from DC past the monuments, over the bridge to Virginia, along the airport (check out the planes taking off) and then to Alexandria – they also have Capital Bike Share here so you can bike from DC and metro back! You can also continue to Mt. Vernon, the home of George Washington, although this is a bit of a trek by bike.

Getting Around

The metro is easy to use and a good way to get around the city, although it does run less frequently on the weekends. The metro does not go to Georgetown so Uber/Lyft or walking from the Foggy Bottom metro are your best bets.