1. Summary 2. Highlights 3. Background 4. Getting Here 5. Getting Around 6. Weather and Climate 7. Health and Safety 8. Things to See and Do 9. Shopping 10. Nearby

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edit Washington DC Travel Guide

The capital of the United States of America is a city full of power, history, and intrigue. Overflowing with beautiful architecture, universally recognized monuments, world class museums, and excellent cultural centers, Washington DC is one of the most heavily visited places in the U.S., attracting millions of tourists per year.

edit Highlights

Downtown (Mall area) - the most famous area of DC, featuring monuments, museums, the White House, and the Capitol
Capitol Hill = "Capitol, Supreme Court, Congressional Offices, Library of Congress, restaurants and residences"
Penn Quarter - "theatre district, fine dining"
Chinatown - "Chinese and other international organizations, many restaurants"

edit Background

Washington, D.C. was established in 1791 by an act of the infant United States Congress. To avoid a dispute between the various states and regions about which city should be the capital of the new nation, Congress established a brand new city, outside any existing state. The District of Columbia was carved out of Virginia and Maryland, and the new city was built (the land ceded by Virginia was returned to that state in 1846 and now comprises Arlington County and much of the City of Alexandria). Designed by architect Pierre Charles L'Enfant according to Enlightenment-era rationalist philosophy, Washington (named after the country's first president) was envisioned as a kind of Socratic wildlife refuge for America's new philosopher-kings.

Fast-forward two hundred years, and you'll see that the Founding Fathers' vision has been partially fulfilled. Washington, D.C. is a very diverse city of native residents and transients from across the nation who come to serve as employees of the many federal government departments and government contractors. While some are legislators, executives, and judges, much of the population is middle class or impoverished. As home to federal decision-makers, the city's attention is sometimes on topics unique to the city such as advertisements for military technology from large defense contractors vying for brainshare among Pentagon employees. It is a very "young" city, with a large percentage of the population under 30. Relatively few residents have lived here all their lives. Most recent census figures report that about 50% of the population has relocated in the past 5 years. Virtually all cultures, languages and religions are present and accepted. Spanish speaker inhabitants seem to be primarily of Central American origin. African inhabitants seem to be primarily of West African origin with small numbers of Somalis and Ethiopians. Significant and growing numbers of South Asian and Middle Eastern inhabitants present. Meanwhile, a large portion of Washington's population is African-American.

The low wages many residents live on have caused occasional tensions, as the theoretical ideals of a temporary governing population conflict with the needs of a real-world metropolis' permanent residents. As Washington doesn't belong to a state, its municipal government is required to provide all the services that would normally be provided by state governments. It is also subject to overrule by the U.S. Congress, a body in which its residents have no voting representation. Hence, the slogan found on many D.C. license plates, "Taxation Without Representation". A comically and occasionally dangerously dysfunctional city, that is the home of the somewhat dysfunctional US Federal government. Simultaneously inhabited by the most informed and ignorant US citizens. Simultaneously inhabited by some of the most privileged and underprivileged US citizens.

Center of African American Culture

In many ways DC was and remains a significant and outstanding center of African American Culture at least as important as Harlem (NYC). It is home to Howard University, one of the most important Historically Black Colleges. It is the hometown of many significant Black figures of history and culture to include Fredrick Douglass, Duke Ellington.....

Center of "Deaf" Culture

Washington DC is hometown to Gaulladet University, one of the only universities in the world with a primary mission to educate the Hearing Impaired.

edit Getting Here

By plane

By train

By car

By bus

By boat

edit Getting Around

By Car

By Mass Transit

Washington has one of the best public transportation systems in the country. The hub-and-spoke rail system is integrated with an extensive bus system, with all lines converging in downtown D.C. A car is often a hindrance in the District, particularly for tourists; public transportation is often the fastest way to get around.

New, red "DC Circulator" buses provide the cheapest way ($1) to travel crosstown along D.C.'s major axes: East-West from Union Station past the Convention Center to Georgetown and North-South from the Convention Center through the National Mall to the Southwest Waterfront.

For more extensive coverage, use the "Metro", operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority: http://www.wmata.com/

By Foot

edit Weather And Climate

edit Health And Safety

Police

Washington, D.C. is covered by many law enforcement agencies. The main force is the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which has jurisdiction in most of the city. You will also see many federal officers, usually assigned to a specific institution, among them:

United States Park Police (patrols the Mall, Rock Creek, and other federal park lands)
United States Capitol Police (patrols the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas)
Metro Transit Police Department (patrols Metro trains and buses)
United States Secret Service (around the White House and embassies)
Federal Protective Service (scattered)

Fire Department

Hospitals

Crime

While Washington claimed the title of Murder Capital of America in the late 1980s and early 1990s, violent crime has since fallen dramatically; what remains is concentrated in the residential areas of outer portions of Northwest east of 16th Street NW, Northeast and Southeast D.C. beyond the Capitol Hill neighborhood (especially those portions south and east of the Anacostia River), and inner areas of Northwest more than two blocks north of Massachusetts Avenue east of 7th Street. While these are general areas of concentrated crime in Washington there is no good way to predict the more random acts of violence within this city. As recently as 2007 there have been murders in Georgetown, one of Washington's most expensive and prestigious areas. With "hot areas" of violence in such close proximity to historic and otherwise very safe areas it is best to stay in a well lit environment at night and to travel in groups if possible especially as much of the more affordable nightlife exists in areas closer to Southeast and inner northwest.

Smoking

Smoking and food and drink of any kind are prohibited on Metro trains and buses, a rule strictly enforced with fines and occasionally even arrests.

edit Things To See And Do

A list of the "must see" attractions:

The Smithsonian Institution. The Smithsonian is a series of government supported museums lining the Capital Mall and elsewhere. You could easily spend a month or more visiting all the specialized museums. But if you are in a rush, most people find the Museum of Air and Space and the Museum of Natural History to be the best. Closely rivaling these two, the new Museum of the American Indian and the Museum of American History (re-opening in 2008) are extremely popular.
The National Mall. Flanked by the Capital Building on one end, and the Lincoln Memorial on the other, with the Smithsonian museums on either side, the National Mall is America's front yard and the center of almost any visit to DC. No one should miss it.
The Washington Monument Located on the National Mall, the Washington Monument is an imposing presence. If you have time, definetly ride the elevator up or even opt for a ranger-led walk down. If you don't have time to wait to go in (lines can be very long), you can at least take some great photos of the monument and the area around it.
The Tidal Basin. The Tidal Basin offers a spectacular grove of Japanese Cherry blossom trees as well as paddle boats that can be rented to use in the Basin. The Cherry Blossom Festival, when the trees bloom in the Spring, is a fantastic, and very popular event.
The Capital Building and the White House offer front-row views to history being made. Unfortunatly, necessary security concerns have made visits to both a bit complicated. Visitors to the White House must reserve tickets through their Senator or Congressman, while visits to the Capital Building now take place in group tours. If you do not have the time or inclination to join an organized tour, keep in mind that you can still go to the outside of both the Capital and White House, and take photos in front of them. In front of the White House you may see protesters - the right to peacefully petition government is enshrined in the American Constitution.

There are regular festivals throughout the year, many of which happen on the Mall. Some highlights include:

National Cherry Blossom Festival (late March/early April)
A Capitol Fourth (July 4th)
Smithsonian Folklife Festival (late June and ending around July 4th)

The District is also home to many large parks that offer hiking and biking. Many of the downtown parks are crowded with football and ultimate frisbee players.