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Let the world's smartest guide enrich your trip Vivid descriptions evoke what makes Washington, D.C. unique - Local experts show you the special places - Thorough updating keeps you on track - Practical information gives you the tools to explore - Easy-to-use format puts it all at your fingertips
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Destination: Washington, D.C.
America's HometownWelcome to Washington. An ad for a local bank called Washington "the most important city in the world." It's the seat of our government, with some 300,000 federal employees. Our president lives here. Many of the 535 members of Congress who work here also live in the city. Washington is not known for its fashionably dressed inhabitants, nor its hip arts scene. The main business is politics, and that's probably what most people think of when they think about Washington: politicians, lobbyists, lawyers, public relations firms, government contractors.
So Why Come to Washington?
Let's start with the simple beauty of the city. As you fly or drive into the city, one of the first things you might notice is the low profile of the city: there are no skyscrapers. (The maximum allowable height of buildings is related to the width of the streets that run in front of those buildings.) And that low profile makes Washington somehow seem more manageable as a tourist destination and a lot less overwhelming than a city where the buildings tower 40 or more stories overhead. While a New York or Boston skyline is spectacular for its concentration of towering buildings, Washington is just as breathtaking for its open spaces and clean site lines between some of its most famous attractions. It's almost like an amusement park, with all the best attractions concentrated in a relatively small area.
Washington does have one "skyscraper": the Washington Monument. Awe-inspiring in its own right, it also offers one of Washington's most impressive views -- without even going up to the top. Standing at the base of the Washington Monument, you can see some of the most famous and familiar sights in the world. Look along the National Mall to the east and you'll see the Capitol, a short 15 blocks away. Lining the Mall on both sides are many of the Smithsonian Institution's wonderful museums, as well as both buildings of the National Gallery of Art. To the north sits the White House. To the west are the Lincoln Memorial and the reflecting pool. Looking southward, you'll see the Jefferson Memorial and the cherry tree-lined Tidal Basin.
Small parks all around the city function as seasonal flower pots, their beds replanted with new flowers as the seasons change.
And Washington isn't just the monuments and museums. There are first-class restaurants all around the city. Looking for inexpensive ethnic food? Try Adams-Morgan. Looking for something on the fancy side? Try Georgetown or Downtown. In a city of many immigrants, the cuisine options are plentiful.
As for D.C.'s reputation as a somewhat stuffy, uptight political city: well, that's part of Washington, but it certainly isn't all the city is. While D.C. is no New York, it actually does having a thriving arts scene. The Kennedy Center, with its full schedule of music and theater programs, is the jewel in Washington's performing arts crown (there's something going on here almost every day, including free nightly music performances), but there is also a thriving local and community theater scene throughout the city. Art galleries abound in Georgetown and Dupont Circle.
One of the nicest things about Washington is how much you can do here for free. The national monuments, as well as many of the museums and parks, are free. A variety of festivals and concerts takes place throughout the year. During most evenings in the summer, the various military bands perform. The Smithsonian puts on a weeklong Festival of American Folklife with loads of free entertainment. The National Symphony Orchestra performs on the Capitol lawn several times a year. And it's all free.
And, thanks to the small scale of the city, nothing is really too far away from anything else. Your feet will get you around most areas just fine. The Metro -- at 25 years old still new by many cities' standards -- is clean and safe, and it will get you to most places you'd want to visit. Buses fill in the blanks where the Metro doesn't go (Georgetown and Adams-Morgan, for example).
You might wonder if it's safe to come here. Unfortunately, it's a fact of life that there is crime in America's cities, and the crime you hear about is usually violent crime. Don't let crime statistics give you the wrong impression. Several years ago, Washington was known as the murder capital of the country. What that doesn't say is that almost without exception violent crime is far removed from major attractions. Just use common sense and you'll be fine. If you're out at night in a deserted part of town (Washington is not an all-night city like New York), consider taking a taxi.
Finally, visit Washington to remind yourself that the government does more than just take your money and engage in political infighting. Drop by the National Archives to see the original documents that have created, shaped, and fine-tuned this country. Visit the monuments to our nation's past, and find in them faith in a strong future. See some of the good things your tax dollars do: they protect and preserve our history, promote education and learning, provide parks and gardens. Or, on a more pragmatic note, tour some of the government buildings and find out just what it is that they really do.
So, why
not come to Washington?
