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Washington, D.C. is a star article! It is a high-quality article complete with maps, photos, and great information. Washington, D.C. is a huge city with several district articles containing sightseeing, restaurant, nightlife and accommodation listings — have a look at each of them. Washington, D.C. is the capital of the United States of America and the seat of its three branches of government, as well as the federal district of the U.S. The city has an unparalleled collection of free, public museums and the lion's share of the nation's most treasured monuments and memorials. The vistas on the National Mall between the Capitol, Washington Monument, White House, and Lincoln Memorial are famous throughout the world as icons of the world's wealthiest and most powerful nation. D.C. shed its former reputation as a boring and dangerous city and it now has shopping, dining, and nightlife befitting a world-class metropolis. Travellers will find the city new, exciting, and decidedly cosmopolitan and international. Virtually all of D.C.'s tourists flock to the National Mall—a two-mile long, beautiful stretch of parkland that holds many of the city's monuments and Smithsonian museums—but the city itself is a vibrant metropolis that often has little to do with monuments, politics, or white, neoclassical buildings. The Smithsonian is a "can't miss," but don't trick yourself—you haven't really been to D.C. until you've been out and about the city. Downtown (The National Mall, East End, West End, Waterfront) The center of it all: The National Mall, D.C.'s main theater district, Smithsonian and non-Smithsonian museums galore, fine dining, Chinatown, the Verizon Center, the Convention Center, the central business district, the White House, West Potomac Park, the Kennedy Center, George Washington University, the beautiful Tidal Basin, and the new Nationals Park. North Central (Dupont Circle, Shaw, Adams Morgan-Columbia Heights, LeDroit Park) D.C.'s trendiest and most diverse neighborhoods and destination number one for live music and clubbing, as well as loads of restaurants, Howard University, boutique shopping, beautiful embassies, Little Ethiopia, jazz on U Street, and lots of nice hotels. West (Georgetown, Upper Northwest) The prestigious, wealthy side of town, home to the historic village of Georgetown with its energetic nightlife, colonial architecture, and fine dining; the National Zoo; the massive National Cathedral; bucolic Dumbarton Oaks; the bulk of D.C.'s high-end shopping; more Embassy Row; American University; and several nice dining strips. East (Capitol Hill, Near Northeast, Brookland-Petworth-Takoma, Anacostia) Starting at the Capitol Building and Library of Congress, and fanning out past grandiose Union Station and the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, to the less often visited neighborhoods by Gallaudet and Catholic University, historic Anacostia, D.C.'s "Little Vatican" around the National Shrine, the huge National Arboretum, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, offbeat nightlife in the Atlas District, and a handful of other eccentric neighborhoods to explore. The center of it all: The National Mall — the national park at the center of the city, surrounded by the white monumental buildings of the U.S. government, and containing an extraordinary collection of monuments, memorials, free museums, cherry blossoms, and pigeons. East End — D.C.'s downtown cultural center, with the main theater district, more great museums, more than a few tourist traps, the Verizon Center, the Convention Center, Chinatown, and fine dining a la José Andrés. West End — home to D.C.'s central business district, the White House, George Washington University, and the Kennedy Center. Capitol Hill — starting at the Capitol Building and Library of Congress, and fanning out past grandiose Union Station into a quiet, historic neighborhood home to most of the Hill's congressional staffers and some nice restaurants on Barracks Row, and then extending out to RFK Stadium. Waterfront — a booming neighborhood just south of the Mall, with an open-air waterfront seafood market within easy walking distance from the Mall, and the brand new home of the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. The prestigious, wealthy side of town: Georgetown — D.C.'s most historic neighborhood, and one of its most trendy, is home to the fabled "Washington Elite," the city's première upmarket dining scene, colonial architecture and cobblestone streets, tons of sports bars, upscale and boutique shopping, bucolic Dumbarton Oaks, and Georgetown University. Upper Northwest — the wealthy side of town, with a couple of very big attractions in the form of the excellent National Zoo, the gargantuan National Cathedral, and the city's main luxury shopping strip in Chevy Chase. D.C.'s trendiest and most diverse neighborhoods, where the locals go for nightlife: Dupont Circle — probably the number one contender for D.C.'s trendiest neighborhood, Dupont Circle has tons of restaurants, nightclubs, popular watering holes, shopping, most of Embassy Row along Massachusetts Ave, and is the center for the city's large gay community. Shaw — the more laid back of the three North Central neighborhoods, which historically has been the center of African-American cultural life in the city, has nightlife along U St catering to a slightly older (some would say more sophisticated) crowd, virtually all the city's great live jazz, incredible food in Little Ethiopia, off-beat shopping, the city's main live music venues, and its most exciting art gallery scene at Logan Circle. Adams Morgan — 18th St is caffeine central in what has been dubbed the "Liquorridor" for its hordes of clubs and bars; in addition to exploding real estate prices and high energy nightlife, Adams Morgan has a lot of good restaurants and is just a nice neighborhood for a walk; just northwest of the main area is Mount Pleasant, home to most of the city's big Salvadoran population and its signature comfort food, the pupusa. Even the least visited side of the city still has a lot to see: Near Northeast — offbeat nightlife in the Atlas District near Gallaudet University, and the huge National Arboretum. Brookland-Petworth-Takoma — a bunch of eccentric neighborhoods to explore and D.C.'s "Little Vatican" around the National Shrine and Catholic University. Anacostia — the many neighborhoods East of the River falls off even the radar of the locals, but can make a great "day trip" to visit the Frederick Douglass and Smithsonian Anacostia museums and the beautiful Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, or simply to better understand how such a poor and neglected neighborhood with such rich history could exist right in the capital of the world's richest nation. D.C. is actually at the center of one of the country's largest metropolitan areas, and a lot of the big area attractions, such as the Arlington Cemetery, the Iwo Jima Memorial, the airports, the Pentagon, the National Mormon Temple, the area's best ethnic dining, and hotels without the dreaded D.C. hotel tax are actually just beyond the rather arbitrary city borders—don't miss the Best of the 'Burbs. Washington, D.C., is a city borne of politics, by politics, and for politics. It wasn't the first national capital: Baltimore, Lancaster, York, Annapolis, Trenton, Philadelphia, and even New York City all hosted the national government. However, it was clear that the nation's capital would need to be independent from the then-powerful state governments and that the southern states would refuse to accept a capital in the north. On July 16, 1790, Congress passed The Residence Act, which established that the capital of the U.S. will be located along the Potomac River. On January 24, 1791, President Washington announced the specific location of the new federal city just north of his 70,000-acre estate. A diamond-shaped federal district was carved out of land from the states of Maryland and Virginia and the federal government purchased large swaths of mostly-undeveloped land from its owners. The existing municipalities of Georgetown and Alexandria remained independent cities within the newly created District of Columbia. The French-born architect Pierre L'Enfant was hired to plan the city layout. L'Enfant's plan, modeled after some of the leading cities in Europe, envisioned large parks and wide streets, including a grand boulevard connecting the "President's House" to the Capitol Building, with a huge waterfall cascading down Capitol Hill. However, L'Enfant was eccentric and fought bitterly with President Washington and the commissioners appointed to supervise the capital's construction. At the urging of Thomas Jefferson, L'Enfant resigned from his post and never received payment for his work. Issues with financing and a lack of skilled craftsmen slowed the construction of the city. The commissioners ultimately relied on African slaves lent from nearby plantations to complete construction. The federal government finally moved to the new capital in 1800, which by then had been named Washington, in honor of its founder (though Washington still preferred to call it the "Federal City"). During the War of 1812, British forces burned the Capitol Building, Treasury, and White House, although they were all rebuilt shortly thereafter. The Chesapeake & Ohio Canal was built in 1831 to bypass the treacherous rapids of the Potomac River and move goods from the western territories along the Ohio River all the way to Georgetown, where they could then be loaded onto ships. However, the canal was unable to compete with the more efficient Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, which was completed around the same time as the canal. Alexandria suffered from economic stagnation, since the government's plans favored the port at Georgetown and all government buildings were, by law, built on the formerly-Maryland side of the Potomac River. The economic stagnation, combined with rumors that Congress would ban slavery in the capital city, led the citizens of Alexandria to petition Congress to return the land south of the Potomac River to Virginia. Congress voted to do so and, after a referdum of the citizens of Alexandria, approval by President James K. Polk, and a vote by the Virginia General Assembly, the "retrocession", which spoiled the city's fine diamond shape, was effected, leaving only the land originally donated by Maryland under federal control. Washington D.C.'s compromise location on the border of North and South proved precarious during the Civil War. Surrounded by Confederate Virginia and southern sympathizers in Maryland, President Lincoln established a network of forts surrounding the capital. As the center of war operations for the Union, government workers, soldiers, and runaway slaves flooded into the city. Despite the city's growth, Washington still had dirt roads and lacked basic sanitation. The District of Columbia Act of 1871 created a new territorial government. Georgetown and Washington were formally combined. In 1873, President Grant appointed Alexander Robey Shepherd as governor, charged with modernizing the capital. Sewers and gas lines were installed, streets were paved, and the town was transformed into a modern metropolis. However, the modernization initiative wound up costing 3 times the original estimate, possibly in part due to cronyism, and in 1874, the city filed for bankruptcy protection. Congress replaced the territorial government with a 3-member board of commissioners that it appointed. By the early 1900s, the grand national capital had become marred by slums and randomly placed buildings, including a railroad station on the National Mall that created so much noise, it disrupted sessions of Congress. In 1901, Congress created the McMillan Commission, a team of architects and planners charged with developing the city generally in accordance with L'Enfant's grand plan. The commission re-landscaped the Capitol Building grounds, straightened the National Mall by reclaiming land from the Potomac River, eliminated the slums and alleys surrounding the Capitol Building and the National Mall, established a city-wide park system, and paved the framework for the monuments. The northern border of the city was pushed beyond Boundary Street (now Florida Ave) and the streetcar lines were extended, spurring the development of the neighborhoods of Bloomingdale, Eckington, Mount Pleasant, and Columbia Heights. The New Deal spending of the 1930s under president Franklin Delano Roosevelt created many more federal agencies and led to the construction of even more federal buildings, including the Pentagon. With the start of World War II, government spending in Washington increased, a trend that has continued over the decades. In 1957, Washington became the first city to have a majority African-American population and the population of the city exceeded 800,000. The March on Washington and the I Have A Dream speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Lincoln Memorial in 1963 were major events in the civil rights movement. After the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. in April 1968, riots broke out at the intersection of 14th St and U St and 1,200 buildings were badly damaged or destroyed. Many businesses were forced to permanently close and thousands of jobs were permanently lost. The influx of crack cocaine marred the District in the 1970s and 1980s. Government services and the public school system went into disrepair. The expanding suburbs, with excellent schools and lower crime and tax rates, became more desirable places to live by many. The population of the District fell below 600,000, shrinking the tax base. The arrest of Mayor Marion Barry on drug charges in 1990 also hurt the city's reputation. In 1991, D.C. led the country in homicides and many of the buildings destroyed in the 1968 riots still remained in rubble. Several government agencies, including the Patent and Trade Office, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), moved their offices to the suburbs. A wave of change began in the late 1990s. The construction of the Verizon Center and the nearby Metrorail station in 1997 led people to return to the East End for the first time in years. Further revitalization efforts in the late 1990s, supported by President Clinton and Mayor Anthony Williams, led to D.C. becoming one of the fastest improving cities in the U.S. and the population once again began to climb. According to census data, the population of D.C. is approximately 660,000 and is 51% black, 39% white, and 9% Hispanic. Due in part to its nature as a political hub, whereby regimes change every 4 or 8 years, D.C. is one of the most transient cities in the U.S. According to data published by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2011, only 37.3% of D.C. residents were born in D.C. The transient population is overwhelmingly professional, young, white, affluent, and highly educated. This is in stark contrast to the local African-American population, which has deep roots in the community. The sometimes uncomfortable blend of the transient professional population and permanent residents is often the source of controversy, especially as D.C. has been experiencing a wave of neighborhood rebuilding and "gentrification." Young professionals have been moving into poorer neighborhoods in search of lower rents, short commutes, and easy access to city amenities. While there is inevitably some conflict around neighborhood change, these changes have also created D.C.'s most diverse, culturally vibrant, and exciting neighborhoods—just walk up U St in Shaw or 18th St in Adams Morgan and you'll see that it's not a vain hope that the city's various cultures can come together to create something greater. The District was long an attractive destination for African-Americans leaving the South, as it was both nearby and a bastion of tolerance and progressivism in race relations. It was the home of abolitionist Frederick Douglass and the first of the formerly-segregated U.S. cities to integrate its public schools in 1954. D.C. is also home to Howard University in Shaw, one of the nation's most important historically black colleges. At one point, D.C. had the highest number of black residents of any U.S. city after New York City and had the highest percentage of black residents of any U.S. city, earning it the nickname "Chocolate City". U Street in Shaw was known as Black Broadway due to its jazz clubs and black performers. The persisting influence of African-American culture upon D.C.'s identity is obvious in the popular consciousness, the city government, local sports, popular culture, and, above all, the local intellectual and philosophical movements. D.C. is impressively international. There are more embassies in D.C. than in any other city in the world, drawing international professionals from almost every country in the world. In D.C., 13.5% of the population is foreign-born, although that figure is much higher if the suburbs are included. The biggest immigrant group is from El Salvador - it is estimated that there are 300,000 people from El Salvador in the D.C. area. Mount Pleasant and Columbia Heights have large El Salvadoran populations. D.C. also has a big African immigrant population, with an exceptionally large community from Ethiopia. Many of these immigrants live in Shaw, where you will find great Ethiopian food. The District of Columbia is under the ultimate control of the U.S. Congress. Since 1973, residents of D.C. have been able to elect a Mayor as well as representatives to the D.C. Council. However, Congress retains the right to overturn laws passed by the D.C. government. People residing in the city do not have voting representation in Congress because the District is not a "state." As a reminder to visitors that D.C. residents are taxed but are unable to vote for Congress, District license plates bear the slogan "Taxation Without Representation"—the same slogan used to denounce British rule before the Revolutionary War. Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs (°F) 43 48 56 66 75 84 88 86 79 68 57 47 Nightly lows (°F) 28 30 38 46 56 65 70 69 62 50 40 32 Precipitation (in) 3.2 2.6 3.6 2.7 3.8 3.1 3.6 3.4 3.8 3.2 3.0 3.0 Check Washington, D.C.'s 7 day forecast at NOAA D.C.'s climate has a bad reputation; there is a popular myth that the city was built on a swamp with the purpose of discouraging a large bureaucracy—after all, if no one wanted to live in D.C., then there wouldn't be too many bureaucrats. This is all untrue. There was no swamp here; in fact, even in the early 1800's, most of the city was comprised of apple orchards. And the weather is actually quite pleasant during the spring and fall. It's hard to beat spring in D.C. The northerly subtropical climate results in cool breezes, moderate temperatures, lush growth, flowers, budding trees, and, of course, the cherry blossoms. The most beautiful time of spring usually falls from April to mid-May. Domestic tourists know this, though, and you can expect the cherry blossom walk around the Tidal Basin to see (pedestrian) traffic jams that put the Beltway to shame. (A truly savvy tourist can escape the crowds but still enjoy the cherry blossoms at the National Arboretum.) Fall rivals spring for perfect temperatures. It's also a lovely time for a walk in Rock Creek Park, where the dense forest bursts with multicolored confetti. Winter sees few tourists, but it's actually a great time to visit. While it's less attractive in December, the Gulf Stream ensures that the temperatures remain mild, with very sporadic snow. But the best thing about the season is that the museums are practically empty, and theater season is in full force. However, it's very hot and very humid during the summer, due to the miserable, impenetrable humidity. On a hot day in D.C. in July, you will sweat like a dog, the kids will complain incessantly, and you'll want to spend as much time indoors as possible. It is not the best time to visit. It's worth considering the political climate as well. Before heading to D.C., research which events will coincide with your visit. Major international conferences, political events, or protests can hinder your sightseeing tour in dramatic fashion and also send lodging prices through the roof. Presidential elections, and inaugurations are times when the world's media descends on the city and can make hotel rooms non-existent. There are also several weeks during the year, as well as most of August, when Congress is on recess. During these weeks, there are fewer official visitors, elected officials, and staff members; the Metro becomes less crowded and there are overall fewer people in the city. Washingtonians are avid readers, and not just of the news — each Metro car at rush hour is a veritable library. Nonetheless, there is little "D.C. literature" to speak of. The city's culture has always been overshadowed by national politics, and those looking for local flavor will find political works: political chronicles, political histories, political hot air, political historical fiction, and of course political thrillers. Henry Adams' Democracy is President John Quincy Adams' grandson's satirical send-up of the moral morass that is politics. (Things haven't changed in the 120 years since he wrote it.) Almost certainly President Rutherford B Hayes' least favorite book, this remains a great read two centuries later. Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol sold one million copies on the first day it was published, so it's fair to assume that this 2009 book by the author of the Da Vinci Code could become the most famous D.C. work of fiction of all time. It's a mad chase of arcane conspiracies around D.C.'s Masonic Temple, National Cathedral, Smithsonian, Washington Monument, and every darkest nook and narrowest cranny of the Capitol Building. John Grisham's The Pelican Brief. Intrigue, corruption, and homicide on the Supreme Court, and some good chases around the capital city in one of Grisham's most famous thrillers. Republicans may get an unfair portrayal, but this is a good page turner. George Pelecanos' Sweet Forever. Pelecanos is one of D.C.'s most rare authors—one who knows the city beyond the politics, in and out, and uses it extensively and effectively as the backdrop for some amazing mysteries. In this one, detective Nick Stefanos investigates a drug-related murder on 1980s U St, leading him into a maze of basketball, dirty cops, the beginnings of the local crack empire, underground music, a thoroughly corrupt mayor's office, and all-around grit in a dangerous city. Ron Suskin's Hope in the Unseen and The One Percent Doctrine are both political, but about very different sides of Washington. The former chronicles the experiences of Cedric Jennings from his nightmarish Ballou High School in Anacostia to the Ivy League. The One Percent Doctrine, on the other hand, is an inside look at the run up to the Iraq War, predicated on the infamous one-percent doctrine coined in the wake of 9/11 by then-Vice President Dick Cheney. Gore Vidal's Lincoln. America's legendary master of political historical fiction turns his pen on the Lincoln Oval Office, bringing the administration's central figures to life in a way that no biography could. Vidal is famous for his lack of charity to beloved national figures, but even his sharp pen can't quite tarnish the nation's greatest. Bob Woodward's All the President's Men is perhaps the nation's single most famous political chronicle: the story of the investigative journalism that unearthed the Watergate Scandal and led to the impeachment and political demise of President Nixon. Woodward remains a huge influence in Washington, particularly due to his eminently readable insider accounts of the workings of the Bush Administration. Bush at War and Plan of Attack stand out. The first is a chronicle of the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the subsequent decision to invade Afghanistan, and the second addresses the run-up to the invasion of Iraq. In addition to the above, a trip to D.C. is a good time to pick up a presidential biography or two. Favorites include: Arthur Schlesinger's A Thousand Days: John F. Kennedy in the White House is the most famous account of the JFK presidency. Biased, certainly, but it's hard to beat an account by a Harvard historian turned special advisor who was there in the Oval Office to see every decision being made. Stephen Oates' Let the Trumpet Sound: A Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King isn't closely associated with the city, but this is a great inspirational read to keep in mind on the Mall, thinking of his I Have a Dream speech. Lou Cannon's Ronald Reagan: the Role of a Lifetime is one of the few mature Reagan biographies that is neither a tribute nor an attack, written about his years in office by the inner-circle chronicler who knew him best. Frank Friedel's Franklin D. Roosevelt: A Rendezvous with Destiny. FDR's presidency was so influential, and just plain long, that it's difficult to find good one-volume biographies—look no further than this definitive work. Joseph Ellis' His Excellency: George Washington. A Washington biography is an obvious reading choice on a trip to his namesake city, as his story is the story of the founding of both the nation and the capital (and his estate in Mount Vernon is an easy day trip outside the city). Ellis' account is very travel-friendly—accessible, humanist, and mercifully short. The nation's capital provides the essential backdrop to just about every political thriller or alien invasion movie set in the U.S. Some of these films are featured at the free outdoor movies shown in the summer. The following films, in order of release date, stand out either for their creation of national myths or for having actually captured something of the real culture of the city. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939; Frank Capra, Jimmy Stewart) is the defining American myth of the ability of political idealism to stand up for the people against entrenched political interests and corruption. The More the Merrier (1943; George Stevens): A goofy romantic comedy, widely hailed as one of the best of its kind, set in WWII-era D.C. amidst the acute housing shortage faced by war workers, soldiers and other travelers during WWII. The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951; Robert Wise, Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Sam Jaffie) is a cult science fiction movie in which an alien lands in Washington with a message for the world -- live in peace or the earth will be destroyed by the other planets. A innocent Washington with streetcars and boarding houses is shown. The Exorcist (1973; William Friedkin) is a derivative of popular culture in the early 1970s. Formidable evil forces and equally formidable Jesuits collide in the struggle for the soul of a 12-year old girl living in Georgetown, in a tale where the modern humanist world quivers in the face of the ancient and the mystical. It's best remembered for terrifying audiences with a story uncomfortably plausible to those raised in the Catholic Church. A scene from the film was ranked as one of the scariest moments in a horror film. During the film, people are killed by being thrown down a steep set of stairs adjacent to the house at 3600 Prospect Ave, which remains a popular tourist attraction. All the President's Men (1976; Robert Redford, Dustin Hoffman, Jason Robards): A historically accurate portrayal of the events surrounding the Watergate scandal and the subsequent investigation by Washington Post journalists Bob Woodward (played by Robert Redford) and Carl Bernstein (played by Dustin Hoffman). No Way Out (1987; Roger Donaldson) is a movie set in the post-Watergate Washington. Kevin Costner plays a Soviet mole at the Pentagon who becomes involved in a political murder and its coverup. The movie features the Pantagon. An exciting scene is set in the DC Metro. A Few Good Men (1992; Tom Cruise): A dynamic Navy attorney blends two D.C. professions often overlooked beneath the glow of the Capitol Dome. Lieutenant Daniel Kaffee (played by Tom Cruise) realizes that his Naval service is more than just a resume bullet as he defends two Marines charged with murder. From the Navy Yard, to a seedy New York Avenue motel, to the leafy streets of gentrified Adams Morgan, this film gives Washington, D.C. an honest portrayal. More importantly, the story is a window into the idealism of many young D.C. transplants who move to town in search of a chance to change lives for the better. In the Line of Fire (1993; Wolfgang Petersen): is a D.C. political thriller that stand outs among all the rest, starring Clint Eastwood as the Secret Service agent and John Malkovich as the psychopathic assassin. If you intend to watch, you should also plan to add the legendary restaurant, Old Ebbitt Grille in the West End, to your dining itinerary. Wag The Dog (1997) is the story of a movie producer that creates a fake war to boost the ratings of the President after a sex scandal. The Nine Lives of Marion Barry (2009) is an HBO documentary that takes a look at Washington during its boom-and-bust period under the city's most infamous local politician, drug-addled Marion Barry, who served as mayor from 1979 to 1991 and again from 1995 to 1999. The film provides a balanced and unique insight that is necessary to truly understand America's capital, including the less-visited areas of the city. Washington, D.C. (IATA: WAS for all airports) is served by three major airports. All three airports offer unlimited free WiFi. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (IATA: DCA), is the closest and most convenient airport to D.C., located 3 miles south of the city in Arlington, Virginia, just across the Potomac River. However, there are no customs clearance facilities and therefore it can only serve destinations in the United States or airports in Canada and the Caribbean that allow U.S. customs pre-clearance. Moreover, due to the noise created by planes flying directly over a heavily populated area, the number of non-stop long-haul flights is limited. At Gravelly Point Park, directly north of the runway, you can watch planes takeoff and land, providing some great photo opportunities. To get to D.C. from the airport: WMATA operates Metrorail service to the airport via the Blue and Yellow lines. The trip to the East End takes approximately 15 minutes and costs approximately $3. Metrorail operates from 5AM to midnight weekdays (to 3AM Friday night), 7AM to 3AM Saturday, 7AM to midnight Sunday. Metrobus 13F & 13G operate between the airport and the East End from 5AM to 8AM. Taxi service to the East End takes approximately 10 minutes and costs about $15. Washington Dulles International Airport (IATA: IAD), is located 26 miles west of D.C. in Sterling, Virginia and serves as D.C.'s primary international airport. The main terminal is an architectural masterpiece, with a curved roof that arcs gracefully into air, suspended over a huge open ticketing and check-in area. Unfortunately some functionality was scrapped in pursuit of aesthetics—the layout includes lengthy corridors and long escalators and you will have to take a train between the main building and the concourses - expect that you will need some extra time to get to the gate. Many carriers serve the airport, which serves as an East Coast hub for United Airlines. If you have extra time to kill at Dulles, consider taking Fairfax Connector Bus #983 to the free Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Udvar-Hazy Center, which includes an unrivaled collection of spacecraft and aircraft. The bus departs from the airport every 20 minutes daily, costing $1.75 and taking 12 minutes to reach the museum. To get to D.C. from the airport: The Silver Line Express Bus operates every 15 minutes between the airport and the garage near the Wiehle-Reston East Metrorail Station (Silver Line). The bus journey takes 10 minutes and costs $5. From there, after crossing the pedestrian bridge over the highway to reach the Metrorail station, the journey by Metrorail to the East End takes another 45 minutes. A cheaper but slower option to get from the airport to the garage near the Metrorail station is to take Fairfax Connector Bus Routes 981/983 which depart the airport every 20 minutes from 9AM-7PM and every 40 minutes from 6AM-9AM and 7PM-11PM. The bus journey takes 30 minutes and costs $1.75. Note that the Silver Line of the Metrorail is in the process of being extended to the airport; however, the projected completion date is in 2020. Metrobus 5A makes stops in Herndon, Tysons Corner, Rosslyn Metrorail Station (Blue and Orange Lines), and L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail Station (Green, Yellow, Blue, and Orange Lines), a few blocks south of the National Mall. It generally departs from the airport every 40 minutes on weekdays and hourly (though not on the hour) on weekends, taking 40-50 minutes to the Rosslyn Metrorail Station and 50-60 minutes to the L'Enfant Plaza Metrorail Station. The fare is $7 one-way (no change given). The bus stops near Curb 2E outside of the airport terminal. Uber is a popular method of transport between the airport and the city due to the complexity of public transport. A non-surge rate trip using UberX to the East End costs around $45 and takes about 40-60 minutes. The pickup point can be reached by walking up the ramp after exiting the baggage claim area. Washington Flyer Taxi is the exclusive provider of taxis from the airport. A taxi trip to the East End costs around $75 and takes about 40-60 minutes. The taxi stand is down the ramp from the baggage claim area. SuperShuttle and Supreme Airport Shuttle operate door-to-door shared ride services to anywhere in the D.C. area. The fare to D.C. is $29 for the first passenger in your party, $10 for each additional passenger. The ticket booths are down the ramp from the baggage claim area. Shuttles leave when full or 20 minutes after the first passenger bought a ticket. If driving yourself from the airport in a rental car (or otherwise), be aware that the speed limit along the Dulles Access Road (which connects the airport to the I-495 Washington Beltway) is strictly enforced, and traffic police patrol the entire stretch with notorious enthusiasm - don't become become their next victim, despite the behavior of local drivers. Note also that the Access Road is divided into a tolled (outer lanes) and slower and often more congested toll free (inner lanes) section. Needless to say the speed limits aren't as tightly enforced on the tolled lanes of the highway. At the approaches from the airport exit, it is very easy to drive onto the tolled section by accident so pay attention to the signs. If you do, make sure you have a pile of quarters handy to pay the toll. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (IATA: BWI), is 30 miles northeast of D.C. and 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore, near Glen Burnie, Maryland. Compared to IAD and DCA, BWI is the farthest from D.C., but also offers the nicest in-airport experience. To get to D.C. from the airport: Metrobus B30 operates between the airport and the Greenbelt Metrorail Station (Green Line). The fare is $7 one-way (no change given) and takes about 40 minutes. From there, the Metrorail to the East End takes another 25 minutes. The bus makes 2 stops on the lower level of the airport: outside Terminal A (Southwest Airlines) and Terminal E (the international terminal). ICC Bus 201 operates hourly service between the airport and Gaithersburg, with a stop at the Shady Grove Metrorail Station (Red Line). The fare is $5 one-way (no change given) and takes about 70 minutes. From there, the Metrorail to the East End takes another 35 minutes. The bus makes 2 stops on the lower level of the airport: outside Terminal A (Southwest Airlines) and Terminal E (the international terminal). MARC commuter-rail train and Amtrak operate between BWI Rail Station and Union Station on Capitol Hill, also stopping at the New Carrolton Metrorail Station (Orange Line). A free "Amtrak/MARC" shuttle bus runs from the airport terminal to the BWI Rail Station every 12 minutes. The journey takes 10 minutes. If you are in a rush, you can can take a taxi for $8–9. MARC service to BWI is available on the "Penn" line and costs $6 one-way. MARC service is infrequent on the weekends; check the online schedules. Amtrak service costs $13-22 and is cheaper if purchased online in advance. Uber is a popular method of transport between the airport and the city due to the complexity of public transport. A non-surge rate trip using UberX to the East End costs around $50 and takes around 45-75 minutes. Taxi service to the East End takes around 45-75 minutes and costs around $100. SuperShuttle operates a door-to-door shared ride service to anywhere in the D.C. area. The fare to D.C. is $37 for the first passenger in your party, $12 for each additional passenger. Shuttles leave when full or 20 minutes after the first passenger bought a ticket. Amtrak trains arrive from all over the country, particularly the Northeast Corridor (Boston-to-Richmond). All stop at Union Station (Red Line Metro), a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol Building. The Capitol Limited comes from Chicago, passing through Pittsburgh and Cleveland while the Cardinal runs to Chicago passing thru Cincinnati and Indianapolis. A few lines also stop in adjacent Alexandria, Virginia, very close to the King Street stop on the Blue/Yellow Metro lines. If you are coming from the south, it might be easier to get off there, depending on your destination. Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) runs between D.C.'s Union Station to/from Baltimore's Camden Station or Penn Station. However, only the Penn Line stops at BWI Airport and provides weekend service. MARC also provides service on the Brunswick line towards western Maryland through the suburbs of Silver Spring, Kensington, Rockville, Gaithersburg, and Germantown, on the way out to Frederick and on to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Virginia Railway Express (VRE) provides weekday rail service to Union Station from the southwest, starting in the Virginia suburbs of Manassas and Fredericksburg. Baggage storage (left luggage) is available at Union Station and is provided through a private third-party vendor, Tiburon Lockers. D.C. is primarily served by the coastal superhighway, I-95 from Baltimore or Richmond. It does not go into the city itself, dodging the District by running along the eastern portion of the Beltway (I-495). Coming from the south, I-395 serves as a sort of extension of I-95 going past the Beltway into the city. The intent was to run I-95 straight through the city towards Baltimore, but locals scuttled the plan, leaving this section's terminus in the East End. I-495 is the Capital Beltway. The Beltway is reviled across the nation for its dangerous traffic patterns and impressive congestion (particularly during rush hour, when it rivals the Cross-Bronx Expressway in New York City as the most miserable highway in the United States). Still, the Beltway is often the only practical way to travel between suburbs. Because the Beltway is a circle, the direction of travel is often referred to by which "loop" is being used. The Inner Loop runs clockwise around the city, and the Outer Loop runs counter-clockwise around Washington, DC. Other particularly notable routes include: I-270, which connects I-70 in Frederick to I-495 in Bethesda; I-66 starts at the western part of downtown and goes 75 miles west, ending near Front Royal, Virginia; US-50 traverses D.C. primarily along city roads east–west, heading east toward Annapolis and Ocean City (the latter by way of the Bay Bridge), and west across the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge into Northern Virginia and then all the way cross-country to Sacramento, California; the Baltimore-Washington Pkwy (also "B-W Pkwy") starts at I-295 in Anacostia, crossing Central Maryland, passing near BWI Airport and terminating in Baltimore. Inside the Beltway, I-66 is HOV-2 only (all cars must have at least two passengers) eastbound 6AM-9:30AM and westbound 4PM-6:30PM. The HOV-2 restriction applies to the entire highway, not just specific lanes. US-50, US-29, and the George Washington Pkwy are the alternatives. Parking regulations are complicated in D.C. on weekdays. Metered parking is available throughout commercial areas, but meters limited to 2 hours during the daytime. Zoned parking is free, but you are limited to parking for two hours in each designated zone per day, although there is no parking time limit between 10PM and 7AM. Check the signs! Presumably, you could move your car to a different zone every 2 hours during the day and then find a metered spot to ditch your car overnight, but that would not be practical. Weekends and federal holidays are more accommodating to guests as there are less parking restrictions. So if you are coming by car during the week, what do you do? There are plenty of public parking garages and many hotels have garages but the cost will be $15-30 per day. The 2,194-space, $24/day, Union Station parking lot in Capitol Hill is convenient to many attractions. If you have a friend in the city, they can go to their local district police station to get you a temporary visitor parking permit, good for 15 days. There are garages offering parking for as low as $4.35 per day near several metro stations. Three stations have a very limited number of multi-day parking spots, up to ten days: Greenbelt, Huntington, and Franconia-Springfield. And if you just don't want to pay for parking at all, head over to a residential area in the suburbs outside of D.C. near a Metro station to ditch your car, then walk or catch a bus to the station and head into D.C.! However, if you are staying for a while, be aware that enforcement is strict on "abandoned" cars in the outlying counties. Many bus companies operate service to/from New York City, although Greyhound is the only company that provides service to smaller cities around the United States. Most bus companies pickup/dropoff at Union Station in Capitol Hill; however, you have a lot of bus choices if coming from New York City - there are bus companies that dropoff at Dupont Circle, Bethesda, Maryland and Arlington, Virginia and these may be much more convenient to your accommodation - check where you are staying before you book a bus. You do not need to book in advance, although it can be much cheaper to do so. Buses tend to be fully booked on Friday and Sunday evenings since weekend trips are popular among the locals. Most buses have power outlets and Wi-Fi access on board, although the Wi-Fi is not always reliable. BestBus, ☎ +1 202-332-2691. Operates service to/from Penn Station in New York City ($30-45) and, in the summer, weekend service to Dewey Beach and Rehoboth Beach in Delaware ($39); Pickup/dropoff at Union Station and Dupont Circle. The buses to/from New York also pickup and dropoff in Manassas and at the Silver Spring, Vienna, Franconia-Springfield Metrorail stations. BoltBus, ☎ +1 877-265-8287. Operates service to/from New York City and Newark, New Jersey; Pickup/dropoff at Union Station. Fares range from $1-45 depending on advance purchase and departure time. Eastern Shuttle, ☎ +1 212-244-6132. Operates service to/from Penn Station and Allen St in New York City ($21 weekday, $25 weekend). Pickup/dropoff in D.C. is at 715 H St NW, near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metrorail station in the East End, with limited pickups from Rockville. Focus Bus, ☎ +1 215-625-7999. Operates service to/from New York City ($21) and Philadelphia ($15). Pickup/dropoff at 513 H St NW, near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metrorail station in the East End. Greyhound, ☎ +1 800-231-2222. Operates service to/from almost every major city in the United States. Pickup/dropoff at Union Station. Fares to New York City range from $11 if purchased in advance on the internet to $45 on the departure date. There are other Greyhound stations located in Silver Spring and Arlington, with limited service. Megabus, ☎ +1 877-462-6342. Operates service between Washington DC and 20 major cities including New York City, Baltimore, Boston, Toronto, Philadelphia, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Charlotte, and Atlanta. Fares start at $1 when reserved far in advance. Pickup/dropoff at Union Station. Power outlets. Wheelchair accessible. Peter Pan, ☎ +1 800-343-9999. Operates service to/from New York City, with onward connections to several cities in New England. Fares to New York City range from $11 if purchased in advance on the internet to $45 on the departure date. Pickup/dropoff at Union Station. Royal Sprinter, operates 2 daily luxurious 8-seater buses between Washington and New York. The cost is $95 each way, but the services include comfortable seats with plenty of leg room, seven-inch flat screen monitors with DirecTV at every seat and bottles of water. Pickup/dropoff in DC in near the Foggy Bottom and Friendship Heights Metrorail stations. The stop in New York is at 61st Street & Park Ave. Tripper Bus ☎ +1 877-826-3874. Operates service to/from Penn Station in New York City. Pickup/dropoff near the Metrorail station in Bethesda, Maryland and the Rosslyn Metrorail station in Arlington, Virginia. $27 one way with discounts possible for advance purchase. Power outlets. Free one-way ticket with every 6 tickets purchased. Vamoose Bus, ☎ +1 301-718-0036. Operates service to/from Penn Station in New York City. Pickup/dropoff near the Metro stations in Bethesda and Rosslyn. $30-40. Free one-way ticket with every $120 spent. Operates a "Gold Bus" once per day which features large leather seats with plenty of legroom ($60 each way). Power outlets. Washington Deluxe, ☎ +1 866-287-6932. Operates service to/from New York City. $22 on weekdays with advance purchase, $26-34 weekends or walkup. Free ticket with every eight purchased. Pickup/dropoff at Dupont Circle and Union Station in DC and Penn Station, Times Square, and limited dropoffs at Prospect Park in New York City. Power outlets. No advance purchase required. D.C. is a walking and biking town. It's no surprise that D.C. has been cited as the fittest city in the country; residents and visitors get a lot of exercise simply getting around the city! Even if you plan on taking the Metro, bus, or driving (not recommended) to get downtown, you will often find yourself walking, biking, or taking a pedicab for the remainder of the day. Most of the city's attractions are located near each other, such as the museums and monuments along the National Mall, which makes driving or taking Metro between locations either impractical or in some cases impossible. Therefore, when touring around Washington make sure to wear good walking shoes and, especially during the spring and summer, wear comfortable and light clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, apply sunscreen, and drink lots of water. During the summer, visitors would be wise to visit air-conditioned museums during the day, saving monuments, neighborhood tours, and other outdoor attractions for the cooler early morning and evening hours. Washington, D.C. has a variety of public transportation options that make the city extremely easy to get around without the use of a car. Trains, buses and bikes are affordable and widely used. The District Department of Transportation provides information about all modes of public transportation available in the city on their tourist-friendly website goDCgo. The city is split into four quadrants of unequal size, which radiate out from the Capitol Building: Northwest (NW), Northeast (NE), Southeast (SE), and Southwest (SW). The NW quadrant is by far the largest and SW the smallest. Addresses in the city always include the quadrant abbreviation, e.g., 1000 H Street NE. Take note of the quadrant, otherwise you may find yourself on the exact opposite side of town from your destination! City streets are generally laid out in a grid, with east-west streets primarily named with letters (A–W) and north-south streets named with numbers. The street numbers and letters increase as the distance from the Capitol building increases. The numerous diagonal avenues, many named after states, that serve as the city's principal arteries. The street numbers and letters increase with distance from the Capitol. The grid has a few peculiarities that are a legacy from the city's foundation. The City of Washington originally occupied only a portion of the total area of the District. As a result, outside of what is now often called the "L'Enfant City" streets do not strictly adhere to the grid system. However, you will find that many street names were simply extended where practical and, past the letter "W", east-west streets loosely follow other alphabetical naming patterns. Curious to note, visitors to Washington will quickly discover that there is no "J" St. This is because, until the mid-nineteenth century, the letters "I" and "J" were indistinguishable when written. Following that same idea, "I" Street is often written as "Eye" Street, to distinguish it from the letter "L" and the numeral "1", and "Q" Street, is often written "Que," "Cue," or "Queue." For tourists, it is usually much easier to get around the city using public transportation, since parking is expensive and driving in a crowded city is not easy. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates the city's generally excellent public transportation system. The Metrorail is D.C.'s intra-city train system. It is composed of six color-coded rail lines that run primarily underground within the District and above ground in the nearby suburbs. Washingtonians are proud of their Metro system. It's clean, safe, user-friendly, and sports a surprisingly elegant and pleasing brutalist aesthetic. However, on nights and weekends, constant track maintenance can cause delays of up to 30 minutes beyond the already reduced schedules, making getting around the city by public transportation significantly more difficult. The Metro also attracts very large crowds during major public events; expect jam-packed stations and trains during any major event in DC such as the July 4th parade. Metrorail fares are complicated and vary based on day, time, and distance of trip. Up to two children (ages four and younger) may ride free per one paying adult. Seniors can get a discount, but it requires purchasing a special SmarTrip card (see below) from a booth at the Metro Center station; this is rarely practical or worthwhile unless staying in the city for quite some time. Fare Schedule: Weekdays (M-F)* 5-9:30AM 9:30AM-3PM 3-7PM 7PM-midnight Lowest fare $2.15 $1.75 $2.15 $1.75 Highest fare $5.90 $3.60 $5.90 $3.60 Fare Schedule: Weekends* Friday Saturday Saturday Sunday Midnight-3AM 7AM-midnight Midnight-3AM 7AM-midnight Lowest fare $2.15 $1.75 $2.15 $1.75 Highest fare $5.90 $3.60 $5.90 $3.60 *Riders using a paper farecard (see below) must add an additional $1 fee to all fares. Users can enter the Metrorail system by inserting a paper farecard ($1 surcharge) or by tapping a SmarTrip debit card. The same farecard or Smarttrip card is needed to exit the Metrorail system. The SmarTrip debit card ($10 cost with $8 transportation credit) can be used on the Metrorail as well as on Metrobus, the D.C. Circulator, and many other suburban bus systems. saving you the headache of correct change and providing a discount on transfers. Sales of paper farecards will be eliminated in 2015. SmarTrip cards can be bought online, at Metro stations, and at all D.C.-area CVS stores. Posted guides will help you calculate the appropriate fare for your ride, but since the paper farecards and SmarTrip cards are reusable and refillable, it's often easier to not worry about the fare; just put $10 on your card and refill as needed. The SmarTrip cards use radio-frequency technology and are used by simply touching the SmarTrip to a target on the fare gate. SmarTrip cards are also required for parking on the weekdays in almost all Metro lots. Parking is free on weekends and federal holidays. Flat-rate Metrorail passes that give riders an unlimited number of trips within the system for a set number of days are available for purchase at Metrorail stations. However, the passes are rarely a good deal for most tourists due to their high cost and restrictions on the time of day that they can be used. The farecards and Metro passes are needed to both enter and exit the system. Therefore, keep them handy but keep paper farecards away from credit cards and electronic devices, especially cell phones, which can cause the farecards to demagnetize! If that happens, see a Metro station manager for assistance. Metrorail lines are color-coded and, in some areas, up to three different lines may share the same track. Additionally, trains may terminate before reaching the end of the line, especially during rush hour. Therefore, be careful to note both the color and final destination indicated on the electronic displays and train cars before boarding. You will encounter dense platform crowds and jammed train cars during weekday rush hours, especially on the Red and Orange lines, as hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians daily use the system to get to and from work. When riding Metro late at night, be aware of when the last train leaves each particular station. This information is available both online and within Metro stations. The last trains of the evening continue to the end of their respective lines, even after the system has technically closed; there is no need to worry that a train will stop before you reach your destination. Absolutely no food or drink is allowed on trains or in stations. Metro employees, police officers, and even fellow riders will ask you to dispose of any food before entering. Violators are subject to fines or even arrest, including a rather outrageous incident from 2000 when a twelve-year-old girl was handcuffed for eating french fries. If you are carrying food/beverages, keep them closed and in a bag. Rider etiquette is key to smooth travel in the heavily-used system. Try not to obstruct train doors when passengers are leaving the train. Keep belongings off of the seats. When using escalators in stations, stand on the right, and leave the left side free for those who want to pass. Strollers must be folded at all times on the trains and in elevators. These rules are especially important during the summer months when commuters are sharing the Metro with large numbers of out-of-town visitors. Metrorail train doors do not auto-retract, and are somewhat notorious for pinning passengers and their belongings. Use caution; it's normally a better idea to wait for the next train than to attempt boarding at the last second. If you or your belongings are caught in the door, wait for the train operator to re-open them. Do not try to block the doors or force them open; this often breaks the doors and forces the operator to take the entire car out of service. If riding standing up, be sure to grab a stanchion or overhead bar when the train pulls into a station. Braking is currently manual, and depending on the train operator's skill level can be quite abrupt, causing some passengers to lose their footing. D.C.'s bus system is visitor-friendly and reaches destinations that are hard to reach by Metrorail. The tourist-friendly D.C. Circulator buses operate between main attractions and the city's most popular neighborhoods for visitors. All D.C. Circulator routes run every ten minutes and cost $1 per ride. There are five routes: Georgetown-Union Station "Yellow" Line — runs between Georgetown and Union Station Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-midnight (and midnight-2AM between Georgetown & Farragut Sq). Union Station-Navy Yard "Navy" Line — runs past Eastern Market between Union Station and Navy Yard near the Nationals Stadium M-F 6AM-6PM. Extended and weekend service is provided on Nationals game days. Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square "Green" Line — runs a limited-stop route through the "Liquorridor" between the Zoo, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, U Street, Logan Circle, and McPherson Square Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-3:30AM. These neighborhoods are home to some of the best restaurants, shopping, art galleries, local theaters, and nightlife in Washington. Dupont-Georgetown-Rossyln "Blue" Line — runs service between the Rosslyn Metro station in Virginia across the river to Georgetown and Dupont Circle Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-2AM. Potomac Ave-Skyland "Orange" Line — runs between Capitol Hill and the Skyland Shopping Center via Barracks Row and historic Anacostia M-F 6AM-7PM between Oct. 1 and March 31, M-F 6AM-9PM & Sa 7AM-9PM April 1 - Sept. 30. Metrobus operates hundreds of routes throughout the D.C. metro area. Metrobus will take you places hard to reach via Metrorail or the Circulator, and can be a really convenient, comfortable way to travel. In addition, some Metrobus lines operate later into the night than Metrorail. WMATA's website publishes maps and timetables for all routes, as well as system maps for its entire network. Most routes cost a flat fare of $1.75 if paying with cash or SmarTrip card. Seniors pay half fare and up to two children ages four and younger ride free per one paying adult. Every bus stop has a number written on it, which you can enter on the WMATA Next Bus Arrivals website or by phone (+1 202 637-7000) to get a highly accurate estimate of when the next bus will arrive to that stop, including active tracking on Google Maps. Free iPhone and Android apps that provide live Metrobus data are also available. The following important routes provide reliable and direct service along the city's most well-traveled corridors, running about every ten to twenty minutes: 16th St Line (S2, S4, S9) — operates north-south service on 16th St between the Silver Spring Metro Station on the Red Line and East End. It's the route of choice to reach the Fitzgerald Tennis Center and Carter Barron Amphitheater at Rock Creek Park. Massachusetts Ave Line (N2, N4, N6) — runs along Massachusetts Ave between the Friendship Heights and Farragut West Metro stops. The bus provides an excellent view of the 50+ embassies located along Embassy Row. It's also a good way to go from Dupont Circle to the hard-to-reach National Cathedral, as well as to American University. U St-Garfield Line (90, 92, 93) — runs a great cross-town route from the Zoo at Woodley Park through Adams Morgan/18th St, U St, Gallaudet University, and then on to Eastern Market. Pennsylvania Avenue-Wisconsin Avenue Line (31, 32, 36) - another good cross-town route along Pennsylvania Avenue through Capitol Hill, downtown, Georgetown, and neighborhoods along Wisconsin Avenue. These buses run around the clock and will take you to areas not serviced by Metrorail such as Georgetown, Glover Park, and the National Cathedral. There are approximately 6,500 licensed taxicabs in D.C. Despite the increasing popularity of rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft, use of taxis in D.C. has actually increased in recent years. Unlike rideshare services, taxis are able to be hailed from the street and the have ability to provide wheelchair-accessible transportation. Roof lights on all D.C. cabs have LED text that explicitly state whether or not the cab is available for hire. An alphabetical list of all licensed taxi companies is available online. The largest taxi operators are Yellow Cab (☎ +1 202 544-1212 or +1 202 TAXICAB) in D.C., Barwood (☎ +1 301 984-1900) in Montgomery County, and Silver Cab (☎ +1 301 277-6000) in Prince George's County. In Virginia, Red Top (☎ +1 703 522-3333) is the largest operator in both Arlington County and Alexandria. Taxicab drivers are required to take passengers anywhere within the D.C.-area. With the exception of rides to and from the airport, it is illegal for cabs to pick up passengers outside the jurisdiction in which they are based. All cabs are required to accept credit cards and provide receipts on request. Taxi rates for all D.C.-area taxicabs are fixed by the jurisdiction in which they are based and the rate does not change when state lines are crossed. Rates for DC-based taxicabs are fixed by the DC Taxicab Commission, currently $3.50 for the first eighth of a mile and 27¢ for each additional eighth of a mile. There is a $1.00 surcharge for additional passengers, regardless of the number of people. There is no rush hour fee, although meters do charge 42¢ for each minute the car is stopped in traffic or traveling under 10 mph. Rates for cabs based in Montgomery County, Maryland include a $4.00 initial charge plus a $2.00 per mile distance fee. Rates for cabs based in Virginia include a $2.00 initial charge plus a $2.00 per mile distance fee. District of Columbia speed limits are photo enforced. Speeding will result in a ticket issued to you by mail. Driving in D.C. is difficult. Even most Washingtonians avoid driving downtown or during the long rush hours. Headaches of driving in D.C. include limited and expensive parking, ruthless enforcement of complicated parking rules, sadistic traffic circles, fines from automated red light cameras and absurd speed traps, a pothole epidemic, frequent street direction changes, some of the worst congestion in the country, street closures without warning—take the Metro. D.C. is routinely ranked as one of the top 10 congested cities in the country. A report from Allstate Insurance reveals that you are statistically more likely to get into an accident in D.C. than any other city in the U.S. And the grid is deceptively tortuous. Washingtonians will proudly tell you that the plan was intended to confuse invading armies (though it's actually a myth). For a fun challenge, try to drive on Massachusetts Ave from Wisconsin Ave to RFK Stadium—it's like riding a bucking bronco! If for whatever reason you ignore all the above advice and do choose to drive in Washington, here are a few tips: Street parking downtown is limited to two hours only (even at meters), so be prepared to park in a private lot or garage, which cost anywhere from $10-25 per day. Avoid driving and parking during rush hour (weekdays, 6-10AM and 4-8PM), since this is when the majority of the city's traffic congestion, street direction changes, and parking restrictions are in effect. If you do park on the street, pay close attention to traffic signs. Most streets downtown restrict parking during rush hour and visitors often return to the spot where they parked only to find that their vehicle has been ticketed and towed! Local opposition prevented the construction of interstate highways through Washington, steering resources towards building the Washington Metro system instead. The two freeways that feed into the city from Virginia, I-66 and I-395, both terminate quickly. Washington and its innermost suburbs are encircled by the Capital Beltway, I-495, which gave rise to the expression "Inside the Beltway." Note that some lanes on the Beltway in Virginia require the payment of a toll, with the fee varying based on time and congestion. The Dulles Tollway from I-495 to the airport (VA-267) is also a toll road. Drivers need an E-Z Pass transponder to pay tolls. Washington boasts several scenic drives: Pennsylvania Ave from Fourteenth St NW toward the Capitol. Rock Creek Pkwy, which follows the Rock Creek through D.C.'s own central park, then traces the Potomac River to the Lincoln Memorial. Reservoir Rd from Georgetown through the leafy Clara Barton Pkwy, continuing to the Capital Beltway. Embassy Row, Massachusetts Ave between Scott Circle and Wisconsin Ave. George Washington Memorial Pkwy, which follows the Potomac on the Virginia side of the river to Mount Vernon. Bicycling is a great way to explore D.C.'s neighborhoods, as bikes allow tourists to cover more ground, can be less exhausting than walking, and are more pleasant and cheaper than metro or taxi rides. Many streets, including the iconic Pennsylvania Avenue, have dedicated bike lanes and there is plenty of bike parking available. It's been ranked as one of top cities in the U.S. for bicycling. Capital Bikeshare, operates a bike sharing network that has over 3,000 bicycles available at over 350 bike stations throughout the Washington, D.C. area. This is the second-largest bike sharing network in the country, after that of New York City. Users can take a bike from any station and return it to a different station. Membership fees are $7/day or $15 for 3 days, payable by using a credit card at the automated kiosks attached to every Capital Bikeshare station. On top of membership fees, usage fees vary, but the first 30 minutes are free. This is intentional to encourage people to use the system for short place-to-place trips; however, after riding for 30 minutes, you can dock your bike into a station, wait 2 minutes, and then take the bike out again to restart the timer. BikeStation allows visitors to rent bikes, have their bikes repaired, or arrange for temporary storage in a controlled environment at Union Station. Cycling information can be obtained here as well. Bike Shops are plentiful and may be a better option if you plan on using a bike for an extended period. To the uninitiated cyclist, traveling by bike on some of D.C.'s streets may be downright harrowing. Locals all have horror stories of cycling through quiet, residential streets only to come across extremely-busy traffic on some of D.C.'s main commuter thoroughfares. Ride The City: DC can help you plan your routes to avoid the most dangerous areas for bicyclists. Bicycling on the sidewalk is legal in D.C. except in the downtown Central Business District, which generally consists of the area between Massachusetts Avenue and the National Mall. However, biking in the street is perfectly legal everywhere in the city and bike lanes are available on many downtown streets. Helmets are advised, of course, but traffic in DC is actually slow enough -- and the drivers considerate enough of cyclists -- that lacking a helmet is a poor reason not to avail yourself of this excellent way to see the city. The downtown core, including the National Mall, is largely flat terrain, with more hills and steeper streets generally as one rides west and north (although many neighborhoods east of the Anacostia River are also quite hilly). You may also take advantage of some of the Washington area's fantastic biking trails: Capital Crescent Trail connects Georgetown to Bethesda and Silver Spring, Maryland. Metropolitan Branch Trail, connects Union Station to Silver Spring, Maryland. Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park offers shaded trail from Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland. passing through the waterfalls at Great Falls, 15 miles up-stream from Georgetown. Mount Vernon Trail (18 miles) offers a direct bike connection between downtown Washington, Alexandria, VA, and George Washington's former estate. If you'd rather relax than pedal, there are several pedicab tour/ride companies in DC. Rates are generally affordable and negotiable, but usually more expensive than taxis. Advanced bookings are strongly suggested for tours and reserved rides as these services do get busy and sell out particularly in the late afternoons and evenings. Nonpartisan Pedicab D.C. Pedicabs Show Peds Pedicabs National Pedicabs Most of the attractions in D.C. are located on the National Mall, the West End, and Capitol Hill. While there are many maps on display throughout the city, you should print out and carry with you the official National Mall map (pdf), which also includes most of the West End and Capitol Hill. For a map that encompasses a larger portion of the city, print out the DC Circulator Route Map (pdf). The National Mall is a unique National Park, filled with an intense concentration of monuments, memorials, museums, and monumental government buildings instantly recognizable to people all over the world. The Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial and Reflecting Pool, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the National Gallery of Art, the National Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Holocaust Museum, are just a few of the top attractions on the National Mall. To walk down the National Mall is to thread the halls of world power in the modern era. Here the world's most powerful politicians and their staffs fill the grand neo-classical buildings of the three branches of US Government, making decisions that reverberate in the remotest corners of the world. The National Mall is larger than it looks, and a walk from one end of the National Mall to the other will take a while and may wear you down a bit. Plan ahead what you want to see and concentrate your activities in one section of the National Mall each day. The East End, just north of the National Mall, includes many more museums and attractions, including the Newseum, the International Spy Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the American Art Museum, and the home of an original copy of the Constitution at the National Archives. The White House, as well as Textile Museum and the Kennedy Center, are located in the West End. The the Capitol Building and the Supreme Court are on Capitol Hill. Another attraction here that shouldn't be missed is the Library of Congress, which has some of the most beautiful architecture that can be seen in the city. The free National Zoo in Upper Northwest is one of the nation's most prestigious zoos, and the National Cathedral is an awe-inspiring mammoth. Dupont Circle is home to much of Embassy Row, an impressive stretch of some 50 foreign-owned historic and modernist mansions along Massachusetts Ave, as well as several brilliant small museums, such as the Phillips Collection and the Woodrow Wilson House. The historic neighborhood of Georgetown is another great sightseeing destination, full of beautiful old colonial buildings, the 200+ year-old Jesuit campus of Georgetown University, a pleasant waterfront, and the infamous Exorcist steps. By car (i.e., taxi) or bus, you can get to some of the capital's more far-flung and less-frequented attractions, like the National Arboretum in the Northeast, or the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in eastern Anacostia. By taking the Metro red line to Brookland-CUA, you can easily visit the magnificent Catholic Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. This is the largest Catholic church in North America. D.C.'s famous building height restrictions—no taller than the width of the street the building is on plus 20 feet—have resulted in a skyscraper-less downtown, giving D.C. a distinctly muted feel for what is actually the heart of a huge metropolis. The obvious downside to this law is that it limits the supply of housing and office space and tax revenues and causes rents to soar. Since many buildings downtown are of the same height level, many rooftop terraces offer great views. There are several classic spots to get a look out over the city: Kennedy Center Rooftop Terrace (free), in the West End, provides a nice skyline somewhat removed from the city, with the Lincoln Memorial prominent in the foreground. Washington Monument (free), on the National Mall, though as a vista point its small, bunker-like ports covered with scratched plastic make it less inspiring than might be expected. Newseum ($20), in the East End), is a good place to see a remarkable museum and get a close up view of downtown. W Hotel, in the West End, just a block from the White House, has a rooftop terrace, bar, and lounge called POV (Point of View). While the bar and lounge are expensive, a single cocktail gets a table for several people long enough to take in the view, and suave cheapskates can simply wander around long enough to get a load of the White House from above (close enough to make out the Secret Service overwatch) before heading back to the elevator. Trump Hotel Washington DC @ The Old Post Office Pavillion is closed for renovations until 2016. Washington, D.C. in four days D.C. is 21.9% covered in parkland, one of the highest ratios among U.S. cities. Many of these parks are crowded with soccer, football, rugby, kickball, baseball, and ultimate frisbee players. The National Mall may be the most famous park, but there are several other large beautiful parks in the city. The 2,000 acre Rock Creek Park, a national park, bisects the city north of the Anacostia River. The park is full of deer (who overpopulate, due to lack of predators), squirrels, rabbits, raccoons, birds, and even a few coyotes. The park includes paved biking/running trails that extend from Maryland to the Lincoln Memorial and connecting with the Mount Vernon trail in Northern Virginia. There are also plenty of hiking trails, picnic spots, a golf course, a variety of Ranger-led/educational programs, and boats can be rented for kayaking and sailing at the Thompson Boat Center on the Potomac River. There are plenty of nice outdoor spaces just beyond the park. South of Massachusetts Ave, you can take a path west out to the beautiful Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown, and then on to enormous Archibald-Glover Park, where the trails can lead you as far south and west as the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historical Park and Palisades Park. Following the main trail along the creek all the way south will take you under the Whitehurst Fwy and down to the National Mall, where joggers avail themselves of the incredible path right along the Potomac beneath the monuments. Roosevelt Island is one of those gems just far enough out of the way that it is missed by most tourists. The Teddy Roosevelt Memorial is at the center of the island, which includes a couple fountains and several stone obelisks inscribed with his quotes. The rest of the island is a nice natural park of woods and swamp with a boardwalk in the center of the Potomac, with great views of Georgetown University on the northwest side and of the Kennedy Center on the east. What could be better befitting the great outdoorsman president than an island park memorial? To reach the island, walk down the stairs at the Rosslyn side of the Key Bridge—which connects Rosslyn with Georgetown—then head east on the trail (the Mount Vernon Trail) to the footbridge to the island. Rosslyn is the nearest Metro stop. By car, you can access the parking lot just north of the Roosevelt Bridge from the northbound lanes of the George Washington Pkwy only. There are several other parks worth visiting, including the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Anacostia, the National Arboretum in Northeast, Meridian Hill Park in Columbia Heights, and the C&O Canal Towpath in Georgetown. Free in DC, DCist, and the Going Out Guide by the Washington Post are websites that will keep you up-to-date on current events in DC. D.C.'s status as the capital of the U.S. provides for some unique events - many embassies offer regular events open to the public that showcase their country's music, theatre, and culture, sometimes for a fee. These events are listed on the websites noted above as well as onthis site. D.C. has a bustling live music scene, most of which takes place at small and medium sized bars and clubs. More information on these venues is available in the Drink section of this article. The Kennedy Center, which is in the West End and is administered by the Smithsonian, offers a free 1-hour show every day at 6PM on its Millennium Stage. Shows range from poetry to plays to music to dance and are always top-notch. The Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra also both perform here, although these events are rarely free. Major concerts and gatherings are held at the 18,200 seat Verizon Center in the East End. There are more intimate classical music concerts in various locations. Try the Dumbarton Concerts by Candlelight in Georgetown! Well-known Broadway shows are generally performed either at the Kennedy Center or at one of 3 theatres in the East End: Ford's Theatre, the National Theatre, and the Warner Theatre. There are also multiple options for seeing top-notch performances of Shakespeare's works; the Shakespeare Theatre Company performs at both the Lansburgh Theatre and Harman Hall in the East End, while smaller performances are held at Folger Shakespeare Theatre on Capitol Hill. Avant-garde, intensely physical, dance-heavy renditions of well-known plays are performed at the metro-accessible Synetic Theater in Arlington. The performance troupe was named one of the most innovative physical theatre companies in the world and was founded by Georgian immigrants Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili, who were named the Washingtonians of the Year in 2014. Other great theatre options that generally show lesser-known plays include Woolly Mammoth Theatre in the East End, the Atlas Theatre in Near Northeast, the GALA Hispanic Theatre @ The Tivoli Theater in Columbia Heights, or the Studio Theatre in Shaw. During the summer, there is generally a free outdoor movie shown every weekday evening on a large outdoor screen at one of several locations in D.C. There are also similar movie showings in nearby suburbs such as National Harbor, Columbia, Bethesda, Frederick, Hagerstown, and Ellicott City. It's good to show up as early as possible to stake out a good spot, lay down the picnic blanket, and socialize. People start arriving at 7:00PM and films generally start at sunset, approximately 8:30PM. The movies being shown are posted on the respective websites. D.C. is awash in free public events all throughout the year, but especially in the summer. A few highlights include: D.C. has a professional team in each of the six major U.S. professional sports. The Washington Redskins are one of professional football's most established and storied clubs, boasting five NFL championships. The team plays at FedEx Field in Largo (Maryland). To get there, take the Blue Line Metro to the Morgan Blvd stop, then walk one mile straight up Morgan Blvd to the stadium. The team has survived movements and lawsuits trying to change a team name that some consider an offensive term for Native Americans. However, recently an add campaign claiming that Native Americans call themselves many things but never the r word put additional pressure on Dan Snyder, the owner of the Washington DC professional gridiron football team to change its name. The University of Maryland Terrapins, representing the main campus of the University of Maryland, also has a large following in the area. The team plays just outside DC in College Park (Maryland). The Washington Capitals, under coach Barry Trotz and led by superstar Alexander Ovechkin, are having their best years yet. The team plays at the Verizon Center, located in the East End The Washington Wizards also play at the Verizon Center. The Washington Mystics are the WNBA women's basketball team, and are (in)famously the league's regular "attendance champions." That is, they don't actually have winning seasons, but they do have plenty of fans. The team also plays at the Verizon Center. The Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball team are far and away the most popular college sports team in the city, and they often sport a more exciting season than even the Wizards. The team also plays at the Verizon Center since the crowds for the Hoyas' games are too big for the University to hold. The University of Maryland Terrapins also have a large following in the area. The team plays just outside DC in College Park (Maryland). Three other NCAA Division I teams play in the District, and a fourth plays in the immediate metropolitan area. The District also has the George Washington Colonials in Foggy Bottom, the American Eagles in Tenleytown, and the Howard Bison in Shaw. The George Mason Patriots are in Fairfax County, Virginia, just outside the city of Fairfax. The Washington Nationals, a.k.a. the Nats have been playing in DC since 2005 and at a new stadium by the Waterfront since 2008. Star pitcher Stephen Strasburg and outfielder Bryce Harper have brought baseball fever back to DC for the first time in 100 years, selling out games and leaving the city abuzz with baseball talk. In 2012, the Nats won their first division title since moving to the city. Previous DC baseball teams include two versions of the Washington Senators. The first played in the District from 1901 to 1960 before moving to Minneapolis as the Minnesota Twins, and the second played from 1961 to 1971 until leaving for Arlington, Texas as the Texas Rangers. Both versions of the Senators suffered from a singular inability to win, though. The first incarnation was quite successful for its first twenty years, but by WWII they earned the city the slogan "first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League." Before the Nats' division title in 2012, the city had not seen postseason baseball since the first Senators played in (and lost) the 1933 World Series. The last World Series win for the city came in 1924. D.C. United is one of the MLS' most successful teams, with 4 MLS cups under its belt, as well as successful international competition in CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, where the club has both a CONCACAF championship and a Copa Interamericana. D.C. is a big soccer town, owing to the metropolitan area's very international population and its big Latino communities, as well as to a home-grown affection for soccer in this section of the Mid-Atlantic, and the games are high-energy and well attended. United plays at the worn down RFK Stadium in Washington, although a new stadium is in the plans. In 2012, the Washington Kastles captured their third Mylan World TeamTennis title in four years and completed their second consecutive perfect season. Since the franchise's launch in 2008, the Kastles have featured five current or former World No. 1 players: Serena & Venus Williams, Leander Paes, Rennae Stubbs and Victoria Azarenka. With an exciting team format, music between points, no-ad scoring and dramatic overtimes, the Kastles offer a brand of professional tennis unlike any other. D.C. has a long list of highly accredited universities. It's a political town, and the best known institutions are undoubtedly those with the political connections. Georgetown University is arguably the best academic program period for those looking to cozy up to the Washington elite and/or launch a public career. George Washington University American University is great international students looking for a politics-oriented exchange program, producing world leaders from kings to African finance ministers (and a Bill Clinton for good measure). Johns Hopkins SAIS Johns Hopkins Carey Business School The Catholic University of America University of the District of Columbia Gallaudet University is the world's only university for the deaf. Howard University is one of the nation's most esteemed historically black universities. National Defense University serves the military elite. Certain career fields find a natural home in D.C. While everyone knows that this is where politicians go, you can also find a fair share of diplomats, lawyers, lobbyists, journalists, defense contractors, and civil servants. Good fields for international visitors to pursue include the various NGOs, national lobbying groups, and for the select few, embassies and consulates. Many ambitious young people come to Washington for internships, and the huge student-aged population peaks in the summer. With so many high-powered career types out to change the world, the need for child care is obvious. Nannies and au pairs, mostly placed through agencies, provide child care to many of Washington's elite; the city has the highest proportion of in-home childcare in the country. U.S. citizen nannies are especially sought after as government types carefully follow employment law to avoid problems with security clearances or negative publicity. Wages for legal U.S. residents with experience can top $800 per week, room and board included. Souvenirs are easy to find at stands and stores near the National Mall and East End. However, these offerings tend to be tacky (shot glasses, Obama t-shirts, etc...). The gift shops of the Smithsonian museums have unique offerings and are great places to buy gifts. Eastern Market in Capitol Hill is a favorite Saturday or Sunday afternoon shopping destination for locally produced food and artwork. Even if you're not buying, it's a great time. Eclectic boutiques and vintage stores abound in Georgetown, Adams Morgan, Upper Northwest, and Shaw. However, you are not likely to find many bargains. Art galleries are plentiful throughout the city and make for great browsing, although the prices are on the high side. Specialty book stores are also common in D.C. due to the educated populace. If you are willing to make the trek, Politics & Prose in Upper Northwest has a rightful claim to be the city's favorite. Other popular book stores include Kramerbooks and Second Story Books in Dupont Circle. There are also some great options in Capitol Hill and the East End. By far, the best bargains in the D.C. area can be found at Simon's humongous Potomac Mills in Woodbridge and Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets in Leesburg; however, these malls are located outside the city and it can take as much as 2 hours to reach them via public transportation. For discount shopping in the city, Marshalls, with stores in Columbia Heights and Upper Northwest, has great deals. The most centrally-located department store is a 4-story Macy's in the East End, which is nearby several brand-name clothing stores such as H&M, Urban Outfitters, Zara, and Guess. Large indoor shopping malls are located adjacent to Pentagon City Metrorail Station in Arlington and Tysons Corner Metrorail Station in Tysons Corner. There is a Tanger Outlet Mall at National Harbor, accessible by MetroBus. For cheap groceries and household items, try the Walmart on 1st & H Street NW, near Union Station, and the Target at the Columbia Heights Metrorail Station. Washington has a little bit of everything, from really good ethnic takeout to high-dollar lobbyist-fueled places that will cause your credit card to burst into flames. Most of the high end cuisine is available in the West End, the East End, Georgetown, and Dupont Circle—offering dining experiences ranging from steakhouses packed with powerful suits to Minibar by Jose Andres, a 12-seat restaurant offering a 30-course meal for $250. D.C.'s international might draws representatives from all corners of the globe, and they all need ex-pat cafes and restaurants to haunt. Notable "ethnic" enclaves include wonderful Ethiopian food in Shaw and decent Chinese food in what remains of D.C.'s disappearing Chinatown. Salvadoran cuisine such as the pupusa is common in Columbia Heights. Pupusas are thick corn tortillas stuffed with cheese, optionally fried pork, refried beans, or all sorts of other things, then topped with a tart cabbage salad and an Italianesque red sauce. Ethiopian food is a D.C. staple due to the city's large Ethiopian community, and this is one of the best places in the world to try the cuisine. Ethiopian food is a wild ride of spicy stewed and sautéed meats and vegetables served atop a plate covered with a spongy bread called injera. You eat the dishes with your hands, using an extra plate of injera (similar to bread) as your sole "utensil"—rip off a piece of the injera and use it to pick up your food. It's proper in Ethiopia to use only the tips of your fingers in this exercise, and with good reason: you'll have a messy meal otherwise. It's also perfectly proper to feed your date, making this a fun cuisine if you know your date well. The best places to try Ethiopian food are in Shaw, which includes D.C.'s own Little Ethiopia Despite featuring cuisines from all over the world, D.C. seems to lack a cuisine of its own. The city, realizing this, went through a brief period of soul-searching, wondering why it lacked any unique regional culinary traditions, and realized that it indeed has one: the D.C. hot dog stand. They are common around the Mall, and they sell the unique-to-D.C. smoked half-beef, half-pork sausages appropriately named half-smokes. They have a firm "snap" when you bite into one, are served on a hot dog bun, and are often topped with chili. Most hot dog vendors are mere shells of the half-smoke greatness served out of WWII-era aluminum shacks. If you want a true, quality half-smoke, you should visit Ben's Chili Bowl in Shaw. Cupcake fever has hit the District in recent years, first as a local craze, and now a national one fueled by pilgrims lured by TV shows such as Cupcake Wars and DC Cupcakes. The star of the latter show, Georgetown Cupcakes has lines running around the block, with patrons coming from the whole country. Other cupcakeries that do not have their own TV shows, however, easily give Georgetown Cupcakes a run for their money in terms of quality. If you're in Georgetown and not up to the lines, try the delicious Baked & Wired, Red Velvet Cupcakery, or LA transplant Sprinkles instead. The legal drinking/purchasing age is 21 and it is strictly enforced in D.C. Be prepared to have your identification checked, even if you appear to be well over 21. The downtown nightlife is lacking - many bars in the East End are tourist traps and the West End is generally quiet at night despite the student population. D.C.'s classiest bars and dance clubs are along Connecticut Avenue in Dupont Circle and on M St and Wisconsin Ave in Georgetown. Music genres played at clubs here include pop, hip hop, and Latin. Many of these bars and clubs have a dress code. Dupont Circle also has many bars/clubs that cater to a gay crowd. More laid-back bars and dance clubs, many of which have live music, are plentiful along 18th St in Adams Morgan, along 14th St and along U St in nearby Shaw, and in Near Northeast, which is the closest thing that D.C. has to a bohemian neighborhood. Barracks Row in Capitol Hill and various areas in Upper Northwest each have their own nice bar "strips," although they may not be worth the trip if they are out of the way. There are several 500-1,500 person music venues in Shaw including 9:30 Club, Black Cat, DC9, U Street Music Hall, and Velvet Lounge. Other medium-sized music clubs are located in Capitol Hill. The Fillmore Silver Spring, which also features international acts, is located just outside of the city limits in Silver Spring, and is Metro accessible. Live jazz is very popular in D.C. Jazz legend Duke Ellington frequently played at clubs in Shaw, centered around U St, and many of these clubs still remain. Blues Alley in Georgetown is the city's most prestigious jazz club - the interior looks like it is from a Spike Lee movie - straight from the 1920s! There is a weekly $5 blues performance called Blue Monday Blues at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Waterfront and there is a weekly Saturday night jazz/swing band performance at Glen Echo Park in Potomac. Go-go is a musical genre related to funk and early hip-hop that originated in D.C. in the 1960's. Go-go clubs were once probably D.C.'s most distinctive nightlife scene and were concentrated in Anacostia. Chuck Brown, “the Godfather of Go-Go,” lived in D.C. However, many clubs now refuse to host go-go bands due to the staggering number of stabbings and homicides that occurred at these events. If you're looking for live go-go, look for big outdoor events or head out to Takoma Station Tavern in Takoma, the only venue in D.C that still has regular go-go acts. Hotels of all classes and price ranges can be found in many neighborhoods of D.C., as well as in the nearby suburbs. If you are coming by car, be sure to factor the cost of parking, which can be free in hotels outside the city limits but can cost over $35 per day in hotels in the downtown area. Also note that the hotel tax in D.C. is 14.50%, while the tax is 13.00% in the nearby suburbs of Arlington and Bethesda, and 12.00% in Tysons Corner, Reston, and most of Herndon. Hotels in the D.C.-area are generally most expensive on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, when business travel reaches its peak, and cheapest on the weekend. The hotels of the East End, the business-centric West End, and the charming boutique hotels of Georgetown are the most popular accommodation options due to their proximity to the tourist attractions and top dining spots. If booking in these areas, be aware that the West End is mostly comprised of office buildings and is generally dead after dark and Georgetown is not accessible by Metrorail, although it is easy to travel to/from Georgetown by bus. Better bargains may be had in the nightlife-centered districts of Dupont Circle, Shaw, Near Northeast, and Capitol Hill, all of which are a short metro or bus ride to, or, when the weather is nice, a nice walk to, the National Mall. These areas may actually be preferable because their nightlife options make a late night out more convenient. Moreover, it is easier to find street parking on the weekend. There are also many hotels of all classes located close to metro stations just outside the city limits in Arlington and Alexandria, Bethesda, and Silver Spring. If you are flying into or out of Dulles Airport, you may want to look into hotels in the nearby areas of Tysons Corner, Reston, or Herndon, although the ride to D.C. via public transport can take up to an hour. These hotels are generally much cheaper than hotels in D.C., especially on the weekends. There are approximately 10 hostels in D.C., several of which are in the northern part of the East End. Dorm bed rates are generally just under $40 per night, including taxes. The number of reported incidents of certain types of crime, but not all types of crime, within a certain proximity to any street address can be tracked on the DC Crime Map. The number of annual homicides has declined from 479 in 1991, when Washington was known as the "murder capital", to 105 in 2014. As a visitor, you are extremely unlikely to be victim of a homicide; the vast majority of homicide victims in the U.S. are acquainted with their murderer long before the crime. The majority of homicides occur in the less-traveled parts of the city, especially near public housing projects. Muggings are a problem in the nightlife-centered neighborhoods of Shaw, Adams Morgan-Columbia Heights, and Near Northeast and the area around the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. However, visitors should not avoid these areas—on the contrary, it would be a shame to miss out on them—but visitors should be vigilant. In particular, avoid walking at night on side streets—stick to the well-lit main commercial strips, travel in groups, and maintain a basic level of sobriety. Be extra vigilant with your mobile phones; they are a very popular snatch-and-grab item around the Metro stations and on the trains. For health emergencies, George Washington University Hospital is on Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom, adjacent to the Foggy Bottom Metro station. This is where former Vice President Dick Cheney went in 2004 for his irregular heartbeat, and where the President would go in event of a medical emergency. Other hospitals in the city include Howard University Hospital, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington Hospital Center, and the Children's National Medical Center. If you are looking for a quick walk-in clinic, try Farragut Medical & Travel Care, 815 Connecticut Ave NW, ☎ +1 202 775-8500, . M-F 10AM-5PM. The D.C. government operates a network of free, public WiFi hotspots across the city. Free WiFi is also available at D.C. public libraries and many local coffee shops, which are also nice places to relax. If you need to use a computer, the libraries have public computer terminals. As in most of the U.S., Internet cafes are a rare phenomenon. The one telephone area code throughout the District is 202, although you will also see a lot of Maryland (301 and 240) and Virginia (703 and 571) area codes. Pay phones are non-existent. Smoking is banned within almost all enclosed public spaces, including shops, restaurants, bars, and clubs. Most, but not all, restaurants allow smoking in patio seating. If there are no ashtrays, ask for one to double check. Businesses relying principally on tobacco sales are exempt, so smoking is allowed in tobacco shops, cigar bars, and hookah bars. Talking on your phone while driving carries a $100 fine, a rule that is strictly enforced within D.C. Hands-free devices are permitted to be used while driving, but if you get pulled over for another violation while using one, expect a hard line from the police, who are sick of dealing with accidents caused by distracted drivers. When visiting federal buildings and museums, you will pass through metal detectors and have your bags inspected. Some buildings (such as courts, etc.) even ban mobile telephones and recording devices. Security personnel have no sense of humor. If you so much as utter the word "bomb," you will be in for a bad time. You give implied consent for your property and person to be searched when entering a government building or public event such as a concert or sports match. If you are not comfortable with the searches, you can always elect not to enter. Washington Post. The Post is both one of the country's preeminent newspapers and a great source of information for what is going on in the city. The Going Out Guide section of its website has listings for virtually every known restaurant, bar, theatrical production, music concert, etc. in the city. Washington City Paper. The City Paper, an alternative weekly newspaper distributed on Thursdays, is easy to find around Metro stations and in hotels, and has a listings section in the back that serves as a good, quick reference for what live music, DJ events, theater, gallery openings, etc. will be going on over the weekend (and the following week). The calendar on their website is particularly handy. The cover story can give you a good taste of the sorts of issues actually on the minds of locals—well detached from the culture and priorities of the national politics features in the Post! Washingtonian Magazine highlights events in the city as well as dining recommendations. Where Magazine. "Where" is a monthly glossy geared towards tourists, and is a fantastic source of information on upcoming happenings, particularly useful for listing the current exhibitions in the city's museums in a convenient fashion (this information is often overlooked by journals tailored to locals, jaded and spoiled from living in a city full of free museums). D.C. is home to more embassies than any other city in the world, and any country without one will have consular representation one way or another. Most are housed in beautiful old buildings (or impressive modern ones), especially those most prominently located along Embassy Row on Massachusetts Ave through Dupont Circle and Woodley Park. If you just want to visit one for the heck of it, try ringing the buzzer of one from a small, lesser-known country—they may well let you in and give a little tour! Each May, dozens of embassies open their doors to the public for the Passport D.C. festival, which showcases the buildings themselves, as well as exhibits, talks, and performances. Also keep in mind that if you need a foreign visa, new passport (or renewal), notarization, and/or other consular services, the consular functions can be in a separate location with a different phone number from the main embassy chancery. So check their websites or call them before going there. D.C. is, perhaps surprisingly, a fairly fashion-conscious city; downtown and in the more fashionable districts (especially Dupont Circle, Georgetown, and U St at night) you will see fewer T-shirts and fewer still shorts. While the stereotypical drab formality trickles down from the politicians and those who must work with them, something approaching actual stylishness has been making rumblings in the past ten years, much to the surprise of longtime residents. Now, if you just want to enjoy being a tourist, don't worry—you'll be in good company!
That which we call a District by any other. Washington, D.C., is known to locals as simply D.C. or the District, and it is rare to hear it called anything else.
Marion Barry dies at 78; 4-term D.C. mayor was the most powerful local politician of his generation.
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WTOP is Washington D.C.'s all news station now broadcasting over the web. WTOP is the source for breaking news, traffic and weather.
Washington, D.C.
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Justice Thurgood Marshall, left, administering the oath of office to Mayor Marion S. Barry Jr. of Washington in 1979. Associated Press. Mr. Barry was a.
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