Health & Safety

Emergencies -- Call tel. 911 for police, fire, and medical emergencies. This is a toll-free call. If you encounter serious problems, contact the Travelers Aid Society International (www.travelersaid.org; tel. 202/546-1127), a nationwide, nonprofit, social-service organization geared to helping travelers in difficult straits, from reuniting families separated while traveling to providing food and/or shelter to people stranded without cash. Travelers Aid operates help desks at Washington Dulles International Airport, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, and Union Station. At Baltimore–Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, a volunteer agency called Pathfinders (tel. 410/859-7826) staffs the customer service desks throughout the airport.

Hospitals -- If you don’t require immediate ambulance transportation but still need emergency-room treatment, call one of the following hospitals (and be sure to get directions): Children’s Hospital National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave. NW (tel. 202/476-5203); George Washington University Hospital, 900 23rd St. NW, at Washington Circle (tel. 202/715-4000); Medstar Georgetown University Hospital, 3800 Reservoir Rd. NW (tel. 202/444-2119); or Howard University Hospital, 2041 Georgia Ave. NW (tel. 202/865-1141).

Insurance -- As a rule, check your health insurance policies to make sure you’re covered should you get sick away from home. If you require additional medical insurance, try Travel Assistance International (www.travelassistanceinternational.com; tel. 800/821-2828 or 410/987-6233). Also consider buying travel insurance that covers costs incurred due to trip cancellation or interruption. You can get estimates from various providers through InsureMyTrip.com, or try one of these recommended insurers: Travel Guard International (www.travelguard.com; tel. 800/826-4919) or Allianz Travel Insurance (formerly Access America; www.allianztravelinsurance.com; tel. 866/884-3556).

Police -- The number of different police agencies in Washington is quite staggering. They include the city’s own Metropolitan Police Department, the National Park Service police, the U.S. Capitol police, the Secret Service, the FBI, and the Metro Transit police. The only thing you need to know is: In an emergency, dial tel. 911.

Safety -- In the years following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attack on the Pentagon, the federal and D.C. governments, along with agencies such as the National Park Service, have continued to work together to increase security, not just at airports but also around the city, including at government buildings, tourist attractions, and in the subway. The most noticeable and, honestly, most irksome aspect of increased security at tourist attractions can be summed up in three little words: waiting in line. Although visitors have always had to queue to enter the Capitol, the Supreme Court, and other federal buildings, now it can take more time to get through because of more intense scrutiny when you finally reach the door.

Besides lines, you will notice the intense amount of security in place around the White House and the Capitol, as well as a profusion of vehicle barriers. A tightly secured underground visitor center at the Capitol, which opened in late 2008, was built in great part to safeguard members of Congress as well as all who work for them. Greater numbers of police and security officers are on duty around and inside government buildings, the memorials, and the Metro.

Just because so many police are around, you shouldn’t let your guard down. Washington, like any urban area, has a criminal element, so it’s important to stay alert and take normal safety precautions.

See “The Neighborhoods in Brief” section to get a better idea of where you might feel most comfortable. Ask hotel front-desk staff or the city’s tourist office if you’re in doubt about which neighborhoods are safe.

Avoid deserted areas, especially at night, and don’t go into public parks at night unless there’s a concert or a similar occasion that will attract a crowd.

Avoid carrying valuables with you on the street, and don’t display expensive cameras or electronic equipment. If you’re using a map, consult it inconspicuously—or better yet, try to study it before you leave your room. In general the more you look like a tourist, the more likely someone will try to take advantage of you. If you’re walking, pay attention to who is near you as you walk. If you’re attending a convention or event where you wear a name tag, remove it before venturing outside. Hold on to your purse, and place your wallet in an inside pocket. In theaters, restaurants, and other public places, keep your possessions in sight. Also remember that hotels are open to the public, and in a large hotel, security may not be able to screen everyone entering. Always lock your room door.

Sustainable Travel & Ecotourism

In some respects, Washington, D.C., has always been ahead of the curve when it comes to green-friendly endeavors. It was Pierre L'Enfant, in 1791, after all, whose vision for the city included a network of parks, an expansive "public walk," beautiful gardens, and sweeping vistas. The capital today stays true to L'Enfant's plan, as anyone can see who has strolled the 2-mile-long National Mall, biked through the 2,000-acre Rock Creek Park (the nation's oldest natural urban park), or picnicked on a verdant spot overlooking the Potomac River. National Park Service spokesman Bill Line says that "the National Park Service maintains, conserves, and preserves 27% of the land space of Washington, D.C.," which means that the nation's capital has to be one of the greenest cities, if not the greenest, in the country, especially since that percentage does not include parkland maintained by the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation.

The capital continues to build upon its green foundation. Consider these facts:

Not only is D.C. the nation's most walkable city, but it also has the greatest number of walkable urban places per capita, according to the Brookings Institution. Biking, always popular here as recreation, is increasingly a commuter transportation choice. The District has more than 50 miles of bike lanes and hopes to add 30 more miles to city streets, and has partnered with CapitalBikeShare (www.capitalbikeshare.com), a self-service bike rental program, to avail subscribers (membership fees range from $8/24 hr. to $85 for a year) of bikes, kept at stations throughout the city. CaBi currently operates 1,100 bikes at 101 locations throughout the District. Look for bike lanes along stretches of Pennsylvania Ave. and other major downtown streets. Many sightseeing spots are accessible by bike paths along Rock Creek Park and the National Mall.

D.C.'s excellent public transportation system provides another inducement for drivers to leave their cars behind -- though if you do opt to drive, the following D.C. car-rental agencies offer hybrid cars: Zipcars and Enterprise Car Rentals at Washington National and Dulles International airports.

According to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, of Metro's 1,500 Metrobus fleet, 439 buses run on Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), 117 buses run on advanced technology diesel, and 250 buses are diesel/electric hybrid.

The list goes on, whether we're talking about construction: Washington, D.C., was the first major city to require developers to adhere to guidelines established by the U.S. Green Building Council; hotel trends: most D.C. hotels are incorporating ecofriendly practices into their daily operations and many, like the Willard InterContinental, go even further, adopting nearby parks, for instance, and helping to maintain them; or dining options: from Hook, named as one of the country's top 10 ecofriendly restaurants by "Bon Appetit," to Equinox, known as Michelle Obama's choice for celebrating her birthday, but also as a restaurant committed to using ingredients grown within 100 miles of the restaurant.

If participating in the environmental movement is important to you, why not make like a green-leaning local and leave the car behind to travel around the city on foot, by bike, or by Metro? Dine at ecofriendly restaurants? Go paperless by booking restaurant and ticket reservations online, and by jotting down confirmation numbers, rather than printing the confirmation?

Staying Green in D.C.

D.C. hotels are taking the green cause to heart, though with varying degrees of fervor. The following list, though not comprehensive, is a good starting point for assessing the level of ecological commitment at some D.C. hotels.

• Four Seasons has a behind-the-scenes program that directs various departments toward practices that conserve energy and reduce, reuse, and recycle, whenever possible. The hotel's program allows guests the option of keeping the same bed linens and towels during their stay. In addition, the hotel's Bourbon Steak restaurant cultivates its own herb garden on the property. The hotel uses saltwater rather than chemicals to maintain sanitary conditions in its lap pool.

• All Kimpton Hotels in D.C. participate in the chain's EarthCare program, which uses low-flow toilets, sinks, and showerheads; nontoxic cleaning agents; in-room recycle bins; and a service that allows guests to keep the same linens and towels during their stay, saving on water and energy use. Individual properties go a bit further; for instance, the Madera provides free parking to guests with hybrid cars. All of D.C.'s Kimptons have received silver-level certification by Green Seal, the science-based environmental standards organization.

• The Willard InterContinental buys all of its electricity from such renewable energy sources as wind power. A hybrid car is available for guest transport. All of the hotel's light bulbs are now low-impact fluorescents. The hotel invests in local environmental causes, such as the cleanup of the much-polluted Anacostia River and maintenance of Pershing Park, across the street from the Willard.

• Phoenix Park Hotel has a green procurement program, "Irish Green Goes Extreme," which includes recycling goods and purchasing recycled goods as much as possible; using energy-efficient light bulbs and sensors, timers, and nontoxic cleaning supplies; and installing low-flow showerheads, sinks, and toilets. The hotel also offers guests the option of keeping the same linens and towels during their stay to conserve water and energy, and reduce the use of detergents.

• All Marriott properties, in D.C. and elsewhere, have low-flow toilets and showerheads; fluorescent lighting in place of standard light bulbs; and linen reuse programs. Marriott partners with several environmental groups, including Conservation International and the National Audubon Society, to determine ways to reduce its carbon footprint. 

Visitor Information

Destination D.C. is the official tourism and convention corporation for Washington, D.C., 901 7th St. NW, 4th Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001-3719 (www.washington.org; tel. 202/789-7000). Before you leave home, order (or download) a free copy of the bureau’s Washington, D.C. Visitors Guide, which covers hotels, restaurants, attractions, shops, and more and is updated twice yearly. Call to speak directly to a staff “visitor services specialist” and get answers to your specific questions about the city.

Besides using Destination D.C.’s website to obtain a copy of the visitors guide, you can read about the latest travel information, including upcoming exhibits at the museums and anticipated closings of tourist attractions. The website is also a source for maps, which you can download and print from the site or order for delivery by mail.

Once you’ve arrived, stop by Destination D.C.’s offices on 7th Street NW (Metro: Gallery Place–Chinatown, H St. exit), to pick up the visitors guide and maps. Office hours are Monday to Friday 8:30am to 5pm.

If you’re arriving by plane or train, you can think of your airport or the train station as visitor information centers; all three Washington-area airports and Union Station offer all sorts of visitor services.

National Park Service information kiosks are located inside or near the Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War, and World War II memorials, and at the Washington Monument (www.nps.gov/nama for National Mall and Memorial Parks sites; tel. 202/426-6841 or 619-7222).

The White House Visitor Center, on the first floor of the Herbert Hoover Building, Department of Commerce, 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (btw. 14th and 15th sts.; tel. 202/208-1631, or 202/456-7041 for recorded information), is open daily (except for New Year’s Day, Christmas Day, and Thanksgiving) from 7:30am to 4pm.

The Smithsonian Information Center, in the Castle, 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW (www.si.edu; tel. 202/633-1000, or TTY [text telephone] 633-5285), is open every day but Christmas from 8:30am to 5:30pm; knowledgeable staff answer questions and dispense maps and brochures.

Visit the D.C. government’s website, www.dc.gov, and that of the nonprofit organization Cultural Tourism DC, www.culturaltourismdc.org, for more information about the city. The latter site in particular provides helpful and interesting background knowledge of D.C.’s historic and cultural landmarks, especially in neighborhoods or parts of neighborhoods not usually visited by tourists.

Check out www.washingtonpost.com, www.washingtonian.com, www.dcist.com, and one of my favorite websites, www.welovedc.com, for the latest commentary and information about Washington happenings.

Orientation

City Layout

Washington's appearance today pays homage to the 1791 vision of French engineer Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who created the capital's grand design of sweeping avenues intersected by spacious circles, directed that the Capitol and the White House be placed on prominent hilltops at either end of a wide stretch of avenue, and superimposed this overall plan upon a traditional street grid. The city's quadrants, grand avenues named after states, alphabetically ordered streets crossed by numerically ordered streets, and parks integrated with urban features are all ideas that started with L'Enfant. President George Washington, who had hired L'Enfant, was forced to dismiss the temperamental genius after L'Enfant apparently offended quite a number of people. But Washington recognized the brilliance of the city plan and hired surveyors Benjamin Banneker and Andrew Ellicott, who had worked with L'Enfant, to continue to implement L'Enfant's design.

The U.S. Capitol marks the center of the city, which is divided into northwest (NW), northeast (NE), southwest (SW), and southeast (SE) quadrants. Most, but not all, areas of interest to tourists are in the northwest. The boundary demarcations are often seamless; for instance, you are in the northwest quadrant when you visit the National Museum of Natural History, but by crossing the National Mall to the other side to visit the Freer Gallery, you put yourself in the southwest quadrant. Pay attention to the quadrant's geographic suffix; as you'll notice when you look on a map, some addresses -- for instance, the corner of G and 7th streets -- appear in all quadrants.

Main Arteries and Streets -- From the Capitol, North Capitol Street and South Capitol Street run north and south, respectively. East Capitol Street divides the city north and south. The area west of the Capitol is not a street at all, but the National Mall, which is bounded on the north by Constitution Avenue and on the south by Independence Avenue.

The primary artery of Washington is Pennsylvania Avenue, which is the scene of parades, inaugurations, and other splashy events. Pennsylvania runs northwest in a direct line between the Capitol and the White House -- if it weren't for the Treasury Building, the president would have a clear view of the Capitol -- before continuing on a northwest angle to Georgetown, where it becomes M Street.

Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House -- between 15th and 17th streets NW -- remains closed to cars for security reasons but has been remade into an attractive pedestrian plaza, lined with 88 Princeton American Elm trees.

Constitution Avenue, paralleled to the south most of the way by Independence Avenue, runs east-west, flanking the Capitol and the Mall. If you hear Washingtonians talk about the "House" side of the Hill, they're referring to the southern half of the Capitol, the side closest to Independence Avenue, and home to Congressional House offices and the House Chamber. Conversely, the Senate side is the northern half of the Capitol, where Senate offices and the Senate Chamber are found, closer to Constitution Avenue.

Washington's longest avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, runs parallel to Pennsylvania (a few avenues north). Along the way, you'll find Union Station and then Dupont Circle, which is central to the area known as Embassy Row. Farther out are the Naval Observatory (the vice president's residence is on the premises), Washington National Cathedral, American University, and, eventually, Maryland.

Connecticut Avenue, which runs more directly north (the other avenues run southeast to northwest), starts at Lafayette Square, intersects Dupont Circle, and eventually takes you to the National Zoo, on to the charming residential neighborhood known as Cleveland Park, and into Chevy Chase, Maryland, where you can pick up the Beltway to head out of town. Connecticut Avenue, with its chic-to-funky array of shops and clusters of top-dollar to good-value restaurants, is an interesting street to stroll.

Wisconsin Avenue originates in Georgetown; its intersection with M Street forms Georgetown's hub. Antiques shops, trendy boutiques, nightclubs, restaurants, and pubs all vie for attention. Wisconsin Avenue basically parallels Connecticut Avenue; one of the few irritating things about the city's transportation system is that the Metro does not connect these two major arteries in the heart of the city. (Buses do, and, of course, you can always walk or take a taxi from one avenue to the other; read about the supplemental bus system, the D.C. Circulator, below.) Metrorail's first stop on Wisconsin Avenue is in Tenleytown, a residential area. Follow the avenue north and you land in the affluent Maryland cities of Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

Finding an Address

If you understand the city's layout, it's easy to find your way around. As you read this, have a map handy.

Each of the four corners of the District of Columbia is exactly the same distance from the Capitol dome. The White House and most government buildings and important monuments are west of the Capitol (in the northwest and southwest quadrants), as are major hotels and tourist facilities.

Numbered streets run north-south, beginning on either side of the Capitol with 1st Street. Lettered streets run east-west and are named alphabetically, beginning with A Street. (Don't look for a B, a J, an X, a Y, or a Z st., however.) After W Street, street names of two syllables continue in alphabetical order, followed by street names of three syllables; the more syllables in a name, the farther the street is from the Capitol.

Avenues, named for U.S. states, run at angles across the grid pattern and often intersect at traffic circles. For example, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts avenues intersect at Dupont Circle.

With this in mind, you can easily find an address. On lettered streets, the address tells you exactly where to go. For instance, 1776 K St. NW is between 17th and 18th streets (the first two digits of 1776 tell you that) in the northwest quadrant (NW). Note: I Street is often written as "Eye" Street to prevent confusion with 1st Street.

To find an address on numbered streets, you'll probably have to use your fingers. For instance, 623 8th St. SE is between F and G streets (the sixth and seventh letters of the alphabet; the first digit of 623 tells you that) in the southeast quadrant (SE). One thing to remember: You count B as the second letter of the alphabet even though no B Street exists today (Constitution and Independence aves. were the original B sts.), but because there's no J Street, K becomes the 10th letter, L the 11th, and so on. To be honest, though, I don't know anyone who actually uses this method for figuring out an exact location.

Getting to Georgetown

Metrorail doesn't go to Georgetown, and though Metro buses do (nos. 31, 32, 36, 38B, D1, D2, D3, D5, D6, and G2), the public transportation I'd recommend is that provided by the D.C. Circulator which travels two Georgetown routes, one that runs between the Rosslyn, Virginia, and Dupont Circle Metro stations, stopping at designated points in Georgetown along the way, and a second one that runs between Georgetown and Union Station. The buses come by every 10 minutes from 7am to midnight Sunday through Thursday, 7am to 2am Friday and Saturday. One-way fares cost $1, or 50¢ with a SmarTrip card.

Staying Connected

Telephones

Within the District of Columbia, the area code is 202. In Northern Virginia it's 703, and in D.C.’s Maryland suburbs, the area code is 301. You must use the area code when dialing a phone number, whether it’s a local 202, 703, or 301 phone number.

Most long-distance and international calls can be dialed directly from any phone. To make calls within the United States and to Canada, dial 1 followed by the area code and the seven-digit number. For other international calls, dial 011 followed by the country code, the city code, and the number you are calling.

Calls to area codes 800, 888, 877, and 866 are toll free. However, calls to area codes 700 and 900 (chat lines, bulletin boards, “dating” services, and so on) can be expensive—charges of 95¢ to $3 or more per minute. Some numbers have minimum charges that can run $15 or more.

For reverse-charge or collect calls, and for person-to-person calls, dial the number 0 then the area code and number; an operator will come on the line, and you should specify whether you are calling collect, person-to-person, or both. If your operator-assisted call is international, ask for the overseas operator.

For directory assistance (“Information”), dial 411 for local numbers and national numbers in the U.S. and Canada. For dedicated long-distance information, dial 1 then the appropriate area code, plus 555-1212.

Mobile Phones

AT&T, Verizon, Sprint, and T-Mobile are the primary cellphone networks operating in Washington, D.C., so there’s a good chance you’ll have full and excellent coverage anywhere in the city. International visitors should check their GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) wireless network to see where GSM phones and text messaging work in the U.S.

You can rent a phone before you leave home from InTouch USA (www.intouchusa.us; tel. 800/872-7626 in the U.S., or 703/222-7161 outside the U.S.). You can purchase a pay-as-you-go phone from all sorts of places, from Amazon to any Verizon Wireless store. In D.C., Verizon has a store at Union Station (tel. 202/682-9475) and another at 1314 F St. NW (tel. 202/624-0072), to name just two convenient locations.

If you have Web access while traveling, consider a broadband-based telephone service such as Skype (www.skype.com) or Vonage (www.vonage.com), which allow you to make free international calls from your laptop or in a cybercafe. Neither service requires the people you're calling to also have that service (though there are fees if they do not). Also look into Google's phone calling option, www.google.com/voice, which allows free calls in the U.S. and charges varying rates for calls to destinations outside the U.S. Check the websites for details.

Internet and Wi-Fi

More and more hotels, resorts, airports, cafes, and retailers are offering free Wi-Fi. Likewise, all three D.C. airports offer complimentary Wi-Fi. All D.C. hotels listed in this guide offer Internet access, and most offer it for free. Or, you could just head to your corner Starbucks, which has offered Wi-Fi service with its lattes for quite some time.

Neighborhoods in Brief

Money

If you are traveling to Washington, D.C. from outside the United States, you should consult a currency exchange website such as http://www.xe.com/currencyconverter to check up-to-the-minute exchange rates before your departure.

Anyone who travels to the nation’s capital expecting bargains is in for a rude awakening, especially when it comes to lodging. Less expensive than New York and London, Washington, D.C.’s daily hotel rate nevertheless reflects the city’s popularity as a top destination among U.S. travelers, averaging $242 (according to most recent statistics). D.C.’s restaurant scene is rather more egalitarian: heavy on the fine, top-dollar establishments, where you can easily spend $100 per person, but with plenty of excellent bistros and small restaurants offering great eats at lower prices. When it comes to attractions, though, the nation’s capital has the rest of the world beat, because most of its museums and tourist sites offer free admission.

In Washington, D.C., ATMs are ubiquitous, in locations ranging from the National Gallery of Art’s gift shop to Union Station to grocery stores. Go to your bank-card’s website or call one of your branches to find ATM locations in Washington. Be sure you know your personal identification number (PIN) and daily withdrawal limit before you depart. If your PIN is five or six digits, you should obtain a four-digit PIN from your local bank before you leave home, because four-digit PINs are what most ATMs in Washington accept.

Note: Many banks impose a fee every time you use a card at another bank’s ATM, and that fee is often higher for international transactions (up to $5 or more) than for domestic ones (where they’re rarely more than $2). 

In addition to debit cards, credit cards are the most widely used form of payment in the United States: Visa (Barclaycard in Britain), MasterCard (Eurocard in Europe, Access in Britain), American Express, Diners Club, and Discover. Beware of hidden credit card fees while traveling. Check with your credit or debit card issuer to see what fees, if any, will be charged for overseas transactions. Fees can amount to 3% or more of the purchase price. Check with your bank before departing to avoid any surprise charges on your statement.

Getting Around

Washington is one of the easiest U.S. cities to navigate, thanks to its manageable size and easy-to-understand layout. I wish I could boast as well about the city’s comprehensive public transportation system. Ours is the second-busiest rail transit network and the sixth-largest bus network in the country. It used to be swell, but 40+ years of increased usage and inadequate maintenance put the system into crisis mode in 2016, which the Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority (WMATA) has been working hard to correct ever since. And the system is safer and more reliable. But the effort continues. Here’s what I recommend as you plan your trip: Choose lodging close to where you want to be, whether the center of the city, near the offices where you’re doing business, or in a favorite neighborhood, and then consider all the transportation options in this chapter. In addition, I recommend the website www.godcgo.com, which has info about traversing the city, from every angle, with links to Washington Post articles reporting on the latest traffic and transit news. You might just find yourself shunning transportation anyway, for the pleasure of walking or bike-riding your way around the compact capital.

City Layout

Washington’s appearance today pays homage to the 1791 vision of French engineer Pierre Charles L’Enfant, who created the capital’s grand design of sweeping avenues intersected by spacious circles, directed that the Capitol and the White House be placed on prominent hilltops at either end of a wide stretch of avenue, and superimposed this overall plan upon a traditional street grid. The city’s quadrants, grand avenues named after states, alphabetically ordered streets crossed by numerically ordered streets, and parks integrated with urban features are all ideas that started with L’Enfant. President George Washington, who had hired L’Enfant, was forced to dismiss the temperamental genius after L’Enfant apparently offended quite a number of people. But Washington recognized the brilliance of the city plan and hired surveyors Benjamin Banneker and Andrew Ellicott, who had worked with L’Enfant, to continue to implement L’Enfant’s design.

The U.S. Capitol marks the center of the city, which is divided into northwest (NW), northeast (NE), southwest (SW), and southeast (SE) quadrants. Most, but not all, areas of interest to tourists are in the northwest. The boundary demarcations are often seamless; for instance, you are in the northwest quadrant when you visit the National Museum of Natural History, but by crossing the National Mall to the other side to visit the Freer Gallery, you put yourself in the southwest quadrant. Pay attention to the quadrant’s geographic suffix; as you’ll notice when you look on a map, some addresses appear in multiple quadrants (for instance, the corner of G and 7th sts. appears in all four).

Main Arteries & Streets—From the Capitol, North Capitol Street and South Capitol Street run north and south, respectively. East Capitol Street divides the city north and south. The area west of the Capitol is not a street at all, but the National Mall, which is bounded on the north by Constitution Avenue and on the south by Independence Avenue.

The primary artery of Washington is Pennsylvania Avenue, which is the scene of parades, inaugurations, and other splashy events. Pennsylvania runs northwest in a direct line between the Capitol and the White House—if it weren’t for the Treasury Building, the president would have a clear view of the Capitol—before continuing on a northwest angle to Georgetown, where it becomes M Street.

Constitution Avenue, paralleled to the south most of the way by Independence Avenue, runs east-west, flanking the Capitol and the Mall. Washington’s longest avenue, Massachusetts Avenue, runs parallel to Pennsylvania (a few avenues north). Along the way, you’ll find Union Station and then Dupont Circle, which is central to the area known as Embassy Row. Farther out are the Naval Observatory (the vice president’s residence is on the premises), Washington National Cathedral, American University, and, eventually, Maryland.

Connecticut Avenue, which runs more directly north (the other avenues run southeast to northwest), starts at Lafayette Square, intersects Dupont Circle, and eventually takes you to the National Zoo, on to the charming residential neighborhood known as Cleveland Park, and into Chevy Chase, Maryland, where you can pick up the Beltway to head out of town. Connecticut Avenue, with its chic-to-funky array of shops and clusters of top-dollar to good-value restaurants, is an interesting street to stroll.

Wisconsin Avenue originates in Georgetown; its intersection with M Street forms Georgetown’s hub. Wisconsin Avenue basically parallels Connecticut Avenue; one of the few irritating things about the city’s transportation system is that the Metro does not connect these two major arteries in the heart of the city. (Buses do, and, of course, you can always walk or take a taxi from one avenue to the other; read about the supplemental bus system, the D.C. Circulator) Metrorail’s first stop on Wisconsin Avenue is in Tenleytown, a residential area. Follow the avenue north and you land in the affluent Maryland cities of Chevy Chase and Bethesda.

Finding an Address—If you understand the city’s layout, it’s easy to find your way around. As you read this, have a map handy.

Each of the four corners of the District of Columbia is exactly the same distance from the Capitol dome. The White House and most government buildings and important monuments are west of the Capitol (in the northwest and southwest quadrants), as are major hotels and tourist facilities.

Numbered streets run north-south, beginning on either side of the Capitol with 1st Street. Lettered streets run east-west and are named alphabetically, beginning with A Street. (Don’t look for J, X, Y, or Z streets, however—they don’t exist.) After W Street, street names of two syllables continue in alphabetical order, followed by street names of three syllables; the more syllables in a name, the farther the street is from the Capitol.

Avenues, named for U.S. states, run at angles across the grid pattern and often intersect at traffic circles. For example, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts avenues intersect at Dupont Circle.

With this in mind, you can easily find an address. On lettered streets, the address tells you exactly where to go. For instance, 1776 K St. NW is between 17th and 18th streets (the first two digits of 1776 tell you that) in the northwest quadrant (NW). Note: I Street is often written as “Eye” Street to prevent confusion with 1st Street.

To find an address on numbered streets, you’ll probably have to use your fingers. For instance, 623 8th St. SE is between F and G streets (the sixth and seventh letters of the alphabet; the first digit of 623 tells you that) in the southeast quadrant (SE). One thing to remember: You count B as the second letter of the alphabet even though B Street North and B Street South are now Constitution and Independence avenues, respectively, but because there’s no J Street, K becomes the 10th letter, L the 11th, and so on.

By Public Transportation

Metrorail

The Metrorail system is in the midst of long-overdue repairs and reconstruction. Which means you may encounter delays and possible cancellation of service on segments of different lines during your visit. Check Metro’s website for the latest updates or do as locals do: Sign up for Metro alerts (www.metroalerts.info) to receive timely announcements of Metrorail and Metrobus service delays, disruptions, schedule changes, advisories, and enhancements.You should expect delays on weekends especially, throughout the long period of repair and maintenance, as trains travel at reduced speeds and schedules are disrupted to allow for service. For more information, contact Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA; www.wmata.com; tel 202/637-7000). If you have concerns, you can always ride the buses, which will always be slower than the train system, but will get you wherever you want to go.

If you do ride Metrorail, try to avoid traveling during rush hour (Mon–Fri 5–9:30am and 3–7pm), since delays can be frequent, lines at farecard machines long, trains overcrowded, and Washingtonians at their rudest. You can expect to get a seat during off-peak hours (weekdays 10am–3pm, weeknights after 7pm, and weekends). All cars are air-conditioned.

Metrorail’s base system of 91 stations and 118 miles of track includes locations at or near almost every sightseeing attraction; it also extends to suburban Maryland and northern Virginia. There are six lines in operation—Red, Blue, Orange, Yellow, Green, and the new Silver line. For now, the Silver Line has five stops that snake off the Orange line in Northern Virginia; future stops will lead to Washington Dulles Airport, by 2020 if all goes as planned. The lines connect at several central points, making transfers relatively easy. All but Yellow, Green, and Silver Line trains stop at Metro Center; all except Red and Silver Line trains stop at L’Enfant Plaza; all but Blue, Orange, and Silver Line trains stop at Gallery Place–Chinatown.

Metro stations are indicated by discreet brown columns bearing the station’s name and topped by the letter M. Below the M is a colored stripe or stripes indicating the line or lines that stop there. To reach the train platform of a Metro station, you need a computerized SmarTrip card (see box above). SmarTrip card “Fare Vending” and “Add Value” machines are located inside the vestibule areas of the Metro stations. The blue SmarTrip Card Fare Vending machines sell SmarTrip cards for $10 ($2 for the card and $8 in trip value), add value up to $300, and add special value passes to your SmarTrip Card; the machines accept debit and credit cards and bills up to $20, with change up to $10 returned in coins. The black Fare Vending machines are strictly for adding value to your current SmarTrip Card; the machines accept cash only, up to $20, with change up to $10 returned in coins.

Metrorail fares are calculated on distance traveled and time of day. Base fare during non-peak hours (Mon–Fri 9:30am–3pm; Mon–Thurs 7pm–11:30pm; Fri 7pm to 1am; Sat–Sun all day) ranges from a minimum of $2 to a maximum of $3.85. During peak hours (Mon–Fri 5–9:30am and 3–7pm; Fri and Sat midnight–1am), the fare ranges from a minimum of $2.25 to a maximum of $6.

For best value, consider buying a $14.75 1-Day Rail/Bus pass or a $38.50 7-Day short trip pass for travel on Metrorail. You can buy these online, adding the value to the SmarTrip card you’re purchasing, or at the machines in the stations. See Metro’s website for details.

Up to two children ages 4 and under can ride free with a paying passenger. Seniors (65 and older) and people with disabilities (with valid proof) ride Metrorail and Metrobus for a reduced fare.

To get to the train platforms, enter the station through the faregates, touching your SmarTrip card to the SmarTrip logo–marked target on top of the regular faregates or on the inside of the wide faregates. When you exit a station, you touch your card again to the SmarTrip logo–marked target on the faregate at your destination. If you arrive at a destination and the exit faregate tells you that you need to add value to your SmarTrip Card to exit, use the brown Exitfare machines near the faregate to add the necessary amount—cash only.

Most Metro stations have more than one exit. To save yourself time and confusion, try to figure out ahead of time which exit gets you closer to where you’re going. In this book, I include the appropriate exit for every venue.

Metrorail opens at 5am weekdays, 7am Saturday, and 8am Sunday, operating until 11:30pm Monday through Thursday, 1am Friday and Saturday, and 11pm Sunday. Visit www.wmata.com for the up-to-date info on routes and schedules.

Be Smart: Buy a SmarTrip Card

If you are planning on using D.C.’s Metro system while you’re here, do yourself a favor and order a SmarTrip card (www.wmata.com; tel. 888/762-7874) online a couple of weeks in advance of your trip, so you’ll have it with you when you arrive. SmarTrip is a permanent, rechargeable card that pays your way in the subway, on Metro and DC Circulator buses, and on other area transit systems, like the DASH buses in Old Town Alexandria, VA. Easy to use, you just touch the card to the target on a faregate inside a Metro station, or farebox in a Metrobus. You can also purchase SmarTrip cards at vending machines in any Metro station; and at WMATA headquarters (Mon–Fri only), 600 5th St. NW; its sales office at Metro Center (Mon–Fri only), 12th and F streets NW; or at one of many retail stores, such as CVS drugstores and Giant grocery stores. By purchasing the card in advance (but not too far ahead—the card expires if not used within 30 days of its purchase!), you’ll avoid a hassle at the Metro station, where first-time use of the vending machines can be confusing. The cost of a SmarTrip card is $10: $2 for the card, plus $8 stored value to get you started. You can add value and special value passes as needed online and at the SmarTrip Card Fare Vending/Passes machines in every Metro station, or even on a Metrobus, using the farebox. For more info, contact Metro.

Metro Etiquette 101

To avoid risking the ire of commuters, be sure to follow these guidelines: Stand to the right on the escalator so that people in a hurry can get past you on the left. And when you reach the train level, don’t puddle at the bottom of the escalator, blocking the path of those coming behind you; move down the platform. Eating, drinking, and smoking are strictly prohibited on the Metro and in stations.

Getting to Georgetown

Metrorail doesn’t go to Georgetown, and although Metro buses do (nos. 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 38B, D1, D2, D5, D6, and G2), the public transportation I’d recommend is the DC Circulator bus, which travels two Georgetown routes: one that runs between the Rosslyn, VA, and Dupont Circle Metro stations, stopping at designated points in Georgetown along the way, and a second one that runs between Georgetown and Union Station. The buses come every 10 minutes from 6am to midnight Monday to Thursday; 6am to 3am Friday; 7am to 3am Saturday; and 7am to midnight Sunday. One-way fares cost $1.

Getting to the Atlas District

The long-awaited DC Streetcar is up and running, transporting people between Union Station and points along H Street NE in the hopping, nightlife-rich neighborhood known as the Atlas District. The distance between Union Station and the heart of the Atlas District is about 1 mile; the entire Union Station-to-Benning Road streetcar segment is 2.4 miles. All you have to do is ride Metro to Union Station, and transfer to the streetcar from there. Here’s the deal, though: When you arrive at the Union Station Metro stop, you must make your way up through the station to the bus deck level of the parking garage, then walk and walk and walk the marked pathway that leads to H St., where you cross at the crosswalk to reach the streetcar stop. Dimly lit during the day, Union Station’s garage is downright creepy at night. That’s one drawback. Second, from Union Station, you’re actually not that far, only a couple of blocks, from the start of the Atlas District; personally, I think it makes more sense most of the time to just walk the distance. For more information, go to www.dcstreetcar.com.

Metrobus

The Transit Authority’s bus system is a comprehensive operation that encompasses 1,500 buses traveling 325 routes, making about 11,500 stops, operating within a 1,500-square-mile area that includes major arteries in D.C. and the Virginia and Maryland suburbs. The system is gradually phasing in the new, sleekly designed, red and silver buses that run on a combination of diesel and electric hybrid fuel.

The Transit Authority is also working to improve placement of bus stop signs. For now, look for red, white, and blue signs that tell you which buses stop at that location. Eventually, signage should tell you the routes and schedules. In the meantime, the Transit Authority has inaugurated electronic NEXT BUS signs at some bus stops that post real-time arrival information and alerts. You can also find out when the next bus is due to arrive at www.wmata.com (click on the NEXT BUS popup box on your screen and enter intersection, bus route no., or bus stop code).

Base fare in the District, using a SmarTrip card, is $2, or $4.25 for the faster express buses, which make fewer stops. There may be additional charges for travel into the Maryland and Virginia suburbs. Bus drivers are not equipped to make change, so if you have not purchased a SmarTrip card or a pass, be sure to carry exact change.

If you’ll be in Washington for a while and plan to use the buses a lot, buy a 1-week pass ($17.50), which loads onto a SmarTrip card.

Most buses operate daily around-the-clock. Service is quite frequent on weekdays, especially during peak hours, and less frequent on weekends and late at night. Up to two children 4 and under ride free with a paying passenger on Metrobus, and there are reduced fares for seniors and travelers with disabilities. If you leave something on a bus, on a train, or in a station, call Lost and Found Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm at tel. 202/962-1195.

D.C. Circulator

Meet D.C.’s fantastic supplemental bus system. It’s efficient, inexpensive, and convenient, traveling six routes in the city. These red-and-gray buses travel:

• The Eastern Market to L’Enfant Plaza (EMLP) route connecting the Eastern Market Metro Station, Barracks Row, the Navy Yard Metro station in Capitol Riverfront, the Southwest Waterfront and its Wharf, and L’Enfant Plaza near the National Mall, (Mon–Fri 6am–9pm, Sat–Sun 7am–9pm, with extended service on nights the Nationals have a game).
• The Congress Heights-Union Station (CHUS) route from Union Station to Barracks Row to Anacostia and back. (Mon–Fri 6am–9pm; Sat–Sun 7am–9pm).
• The Union Station to upper Georgetown (GTUS) track via the downtown (Mon–Thurs 6am–midnight; Fri 6am–3am; Sat 7am–3am; Sun 7am–midnight).
• The Rosslyn to Dupont Circle route (RSDP) that travels between the Rosslyn Metro station in Virginia and the Dupont Circle Metro station in the District, via Georgetown (Mon–Thurs 6am–midnight; Fri 6am–3am; Sat 7am–3am; Sun 7am–midnight).
• The Woodley Park–Zoo to McPherson Square (WPAM) route connecting those two Metro stations via Adams Morgan and the U&14th Street Corridors (6am–midnight Mon–Thurs; 6am–3:30am Fri; 7am–3:30am Sat; 7am–midnight Sun).
• The National Mall (NM) route, which loops the National Mall from Union Station and stops at 15 other sites en route (Winter: Mon–Fri 7am–7pm, Sat–Sun 9am–7pm; summer: Mon–Fri 7am–8pm, Sat–Sun 9am–8pm). The National Mall route from Union Station takes you down Louisiana Avenue and around the Mall via the inside roads of Madison, Jefferson, West Basin, East Basin, and Ohio drives, as well as Constitution Avenue. Stops include the National Gallery of Art, the National Museum of American History, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and more-—every place you’d want to go, in other words. 

Buses stop at designated points on their routes (look for the distinctive red-and-gold sign, often topping a regular Metro bus stop sign) every 10 minutes. The fare is $1, and you can order passes online at www.commuterdirect.com, or pay upon boarding with the exact fare or use a SmarTrip Metro card. For easy and fast transportation in the busiest parts of town, you can’t beat it. Go to www.dccirculator.com or call tel. 202/671-2020.

By Car

If you must drive, be aware that traffic is always thick during the week, parking spaces are hard to find, and parking lots are ruinously expensive. You can expect to pay overnight rates of $25 to $60 at hotels, hourly rates starting at $8 at downtown parking lots and garages, and flat rates starting at $20 in the most popular parts of town, such as Georgetown and in the Penn Quarter. If you’re hoping to snag one of the 17,000 metered parking spaces on the street, you can expect to pay a minimum of $2.30 per hour by coin, credit or debit card, or smartphone. To use your smartphone, you must first sign up online at www.parkmobile.com, or download the app, to register your license plate number and credit card or debit card number. Once you arrive in D.C. and park on a street that requires payment for parking, you simply call the phone number marked on the meter or nearby kiosk (or use the app), and follow the prompts to enter the location ID marked on the meter and the amount of time you’re paying for. If your parking space has neither meter nor Parkmobile number to call, pay for parking at the nearby kiosk, print a receipt, and place it against the windshield.

D.C.’s traffic circles can be confusing to navigate. The law states that traffic already in the circle has the right of way, but you can’t always depend on drivers to obey that law. You also need to be aware of rush hour rules: Sections of certain streets in Washington become one-way during rush hour: Rock Creek Parkway, Canal Road, and 17th Street NW are three examples. Other streets change the direction of some of their traffic lanes during rush hour. Connecticut Avenue NW is the main one: In the morning, traffic in four of its six lanes travels south to downtown, and in late afternoon/early evening, downtown traffic in four of its six lanes heads north; between the hours of 9am and 3:30pm, traffic in both directions keeps to the normally correct side of the yellow line. Lit-up traffic signs alert you to what’s going on, but pay attention. Unless a sign is posted prohibiting it, a right-on-red law is in effect.

FYI: If you don’t drive to D.C. but need a car while you’re here, you can rent one at the airport or at Union Station, as noted earlier in this chapter, or you can turn to a car-sharing service. Zipcar (www.zipcar.com), Car2Go (www.car2go.com), or Enterprise CarShare (www.enterprisecarshare.com).

By Taxi, Uber, or Lyft

The D.C. taxicab system charges passengers according to time- and distance-based meters. Fares may increase, but at press time, fares began at $3.50, plus $2.16 per each additional mile, $1 per additional passenger, and 50 cents per piece of luggage that the driver places in the trunk. Other charges might apply (for instance, if you telephone for a cab, rather than hail one in the street, it’ll cost you $2). Download the free DC Taxi app from the website www.dctaxionline.com, and order your transportation using your smartphone, a la Uber. Note: The big news about D.C. taxis is that they accept credit cards.

Try V.I.P. Cab Company (tel. 202/269-9000) or Yellow Cab (www.dcyellowcab.com; tel. 202/544-1212). 

Or download the app for Uber (www.uber.com) or Lyft (www.lyft.com), both of which operate in the District.

By Boat

The Southwest Waterfront Wharf’s many allures include assorted transportation options for getting you there. In addition to public transportation, taxi, and bike-share programs already in place, the Potomac Riverboat Company (www.potomacriverboatco.com; tel. 877/511-2628) operates year-round water taxi service between the Wharf and Georgetown, Old Town Alexandria, and National Harbor; between Old Town Alexandria and the National Mall; and, in baseball season, between Old Town Alexandria and Nationals Park. A water jitney ferries passengers between the Wharf and East Potomac Park, April through November. Check the website for details, www.wharfdc.com.

By Bike

Thanks to the city's robust bike-share program (Capital BikeShare, www.capitalbikeshare.com, tel. 877/430-2453, is the nation’s largest, with more than 4,300 bikes and 500 bike stations), Washington, D.C., is increasingly a city where locals themselves get around by bike. The flat terrain of the National Mall and many neighborhoods make the city conducive to two wheels. Over 100 marked bike lanes throughout D.C., and bike paths through Rock Creek Park, the C&O Canal in Georgetown, along the waterfront via the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, and around the National Mall encourage cyclists. Interested? Visit www.godcgo.com and click on the “Transportation Options” link under “Commuter” to download a map that shows bike lanes and Capital BikeShare stations, which are all over. The Capital BikeShare program might be a better option economically for members who use the bikes for short commutes, but be sure to consider that option, along with traditional bike-rental companies, which are also plentiful.

In addition to Capital Bikeshares, several dockless bike and scooter companies operate in D.C., including Jump Bikes (www.jumpbikes.com) and Mobike (www.mobike.com), so consider those if the thought of ditching your bike where you may appeals (rather than having to return it to a rack.)

When to Go

The city’s peak seasons generally coincide with two activities: the sessions of Congress, and springtime—beginning with the appearance of the cherry blossoms.

Specifically, from about the second week in September until Thanksgiving, and again from about mid-January to June (when Congress is “in”), hotels are full of guests whose business takes them to Capitol Hill or to conferences. Mid-March through June is traditionally the most frenzied season, when families and school groups descend upon the city to see the cherry blossoms and enjoy Washington’s sensational spring. Hotel rooms are at a premium, and airfares tend to be higher. This is also a popular season for protest marches.

If crowds turn you off, consider visiting Washington at the end of August or in early September, when Congress is still “out” and families have returned home to get their children back to school, or between Thanksgiving and mid-January, when Congress leaves again and many people are busy with their own at-home holiday celebrations. Hotel rates are cheapest at this time, too, and many hotels offer attractive packages.

If you’re thinking of visiting in July and August, be forewarned: The weather is very hot and humid. Despite the heat, Independence Day (July 4th) in the capital is a spectacular celebration. Summer is also the season for outdoor concerts, festivals, parades, and other events. If you can deal with the weather, this is a good time to visit: Locals often go elsewhere on vacation, so the streets and attractions are somewhat less crowded. In addition, hotels tend to offer their best rates in July and August.

Weather

Season by season, here’s what you can expect of the weather in Washington:

Fall: This is my favorite season. The weather is often warm during the day—in fact, if you’re here in early fall, it may seem entirely too warm. But it cools off, and even gets a bit crisp, at night. By late October, Washington has traded its famous greenery for the brilliant colors of fall foliage.

Winter: People like to say that Washington winters are mild—and sure, if you’re from Minnesota, you’ll find Washington warmer, no doubt. But D.C. winters can be unpredictable: bitter cold one day, an ice storm the next, followed by a couple of days of sun and higher temperatures. The winter of 2014–2015 was abnormally frigid and icy; the winter of 2015–2016 included a little bit of everything: big snowstorm, lots of heavy rain, fierce winds, and periods of mild temps; in 2016–2017, winter was fairly mild until March, when we had our first (and last) snowfall of the season; and in 2017–2018, snow was minimal but cold temperatures arrived in November and pretty much stayed through April. Who knows what to expect in 2019? Best advice: You should pack with all possibilities in mind.

Spring: Early spring weather tends to be colder than most people expect. Cherry blossom season, late March to early April, can be iffy—and very often rainy and windy. As April slips into May, the weather usually mellows, and people’s moods with it. Late spring is especially lovely, with mild temperatures and intermittent days of sunshine, flowers, and trees colorfully erupting in gardens and parks all over town. Washingtonians sweep outdoors to stroll the National Mall, relax on park benches, or laze away the afternoon at outdoor cafes.

Summer: Anyone who has ever spent July and August in D.C. will tell you how hot and steamy it can be. Though the buildings are air-conditioned, many of Washington’s attractions, like the memorials and organized tours, are outdoors and unshaded, and the heat can quickly get to you. Make sure you stop frequently for drinks (vendors are plentiful), and wear a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen.

Holidays

Banks, government offices, post offices, and many stores, restaurants, and museums are closed on the following legal national holidays: January 1 (New Year’s Day), the third Monday in January (Martin Luther King, Jr., Day), the third Monday in February (Presidents’ Day), the last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), the first Monday in September (Labor Day), the second Monday in October (Columbus Day), November 11 (Veterans Day/Armistice Day), the fourth Thursday in November (Thanksgiving Day), and December 25 (Christmas). In addition to these national holidays, the District of Columbia celebrates Emancipation Day on April 16; D.C. public schools and government offices and courts are closed but most everything else, including federal offices, are open. 

Tips for Families

Field trips during the school year and family vacations during the summer keep Washington, D.C., crawling with kids all year long. More than any other city, perhaps, Washington is crammed with historic buildings, arts and science museums, parks, and recreational sites to interest young and old alike. The fact that so many attractions are free is a boon to the family budget.

Look for Frommer's Washington, D.C., with Kids, which makes an excellent companion piece to this guide, providing in-depth coverage of sightseeing with children in Washington.

Tips for Travelers with Disabilities

Although Washington, D.C., is one of the most accessible cities in the world for travelers with disabilities, it is not perfect, especially when it comes to historic buildings, as well as restaurants and shops. Theaters, museums, and government buildings are all well equipped. Still, rule of thumb for least hassle is to call ahead to places you hope to visit to find out specific accessibility features. In the case of restaurants and bars, I'm afraid you'll have to work to pin them down -- no one wants to discourage a potential customer. The Washington Metropolitan Transit Authority publishes accessibility information on its website, www.wmata.com, or you can call tel. 202/962-1245 (TTY 202/628-8973).

Calendar of Events

The capital’s signature special event takes place every 4 years, when the winner of the presidential election is sworn in on Inauguration Day, January 20. Otherwise, the city’s most popular events are the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in spring, the Fourth of July celebration in summer, and the lighting of the National Christmas Tree in winter. But some sort of special event occurs almost daily. For the latest schedules, check www.washington.org, www.culturaltourismdc.org, www.dc.gov, and www.washingtonpost.com. The phone numbers in this calendar were accurate at press time, but these numbers change often. If the number you try doesn’t get you the details you need, call Destination D.C. at tel 202/789-7000. When you’re in town, grab a copy of the Washington Post (or read it online), especially the Friday “Weekend” section, and/or a free copy of the weekly Washington CityPaper (or read it online).

January

Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday. Events include a Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial peace walk, parade, and festival in Anacostia (www.mlkholidaydc.org), ongoing park-ranger talks about the civil rights hero at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial (www.nps.gov/mlkm) and other commemorations of the slain leader’s life at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (www.nmaahc.si.edu), the Kennedy Center (www.kennedy-center.org), and elsewhere around town. The national holiday is marked on the third Monday in January; King’s actual birthday is January 15. Call the National Park Service at tel. 202/426-6841, and check the websites listed above, as well as in the intro to this section.

February

Black History Month. Every month is Black History Month at the National Museum of African American History & Culture (www.nmaahc.si.edu), but the NMAAHC and its fellow Smithsonian museums further highlight the contributions of African Americans to American life with special concerts, talks, films, discussions, and exhibits. Park rangers give black-history-related talks at the Frederick Douglass House, the MLK and Lincoln memorials, and other National Park sites. For details, check the websites listed in the intro to this section and the Smithsonian Institution calendar at www.si.edu/Events.

Chinese New Year Celebration. A Friendship Archway, topped by 300 painted dragons and lighted at night, marks the entrance to Chinatown at 7th and H streets NW. The Chinese New Year celebration begins on the day of the first new moon of the new year, which might fall anywhere from late January to mid-February, and continues for 14 or so days. Festivities center on the Friendship Archway and include a big parade throughout downtown, with traditional firecrackers, dragon dancers, and live musical performances. The Smithsonian’s Asian art museum, the Freer Gallery (www.freersackler.si.edu), often hosts Chinese cooking and art demonstrations and performances on a day close to the official start of the new year. Details at www.washington.org. Late January to early February.

Abraham Lincoln’s Birthday. Expect great fanfare at Ford’s Theatre and its Center for Education and Leadership, an exploration of Lincoln’s legacy in the time since his assassination. The commemoration at the Lincoln Memorial usually includes a wreath-laying and a reading of the Gettysburg Address. For more details, check the websites listed in the intro to this section. February 12.

George Washington’s Birthday/Presidents’ Day. The city celebrates Washington’s birthday in two ways: on the actual day, February 22, with a ceremony that takes place at the Washington Monument; and on the federal holiday, the third Monday in February, when schools and federal offices have the day off. The occasion also brings with it great sales at stores citywide. For information on the bigger celebrations held at Mount Vernon and in Old Town Alexandria on the third Monday in February, see: https://www.frommers.com/destinations/mount-vernon and https://www.frommers.com/destinations/alexandria-va

D.C. Fashion Week. This biannual event features designers from around the world. The weeklong extravaganza stages parties, runway shows, and trunk shows at citywide venues, always culminating in an international couture fashion show at the French Embassy. Most events are open to the public but may require a ticket. Call tel 202/600-9274 or visit www.dcfashionweek.org. Mid-February and mid-September.

March

Women’s History Month. Count on the Smithsonian to cover the subject to a fare-thee-well. For a schedule of Smithsonian events, call tel 202/633-1000 or visit www.si.edu; for other events, check the websites listed in the intro to this section.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade. This big parade on Constitution Avenue NW, from 7th to 17th streets, is complete with floats, bagpipes, marching bands, and the wearin’ o’ the green. For parade information, visit www.dcstpatsparade.com. The Sunday before March 17.

April

National Cherry Blossom Festival. Strike up the band! In 1912, the city of Tokyo gave over 3,000 cherry trees to the city of Washington. This event is celebrated annually; if all goes well, the festival coincides with the blossoming of the cherry trees by the Tidal Basin, on Hains Point, and on the grounds of the Washington Monument. Events take place all over town and include the Blossom Kite Festival on the grounds of the Washington Monument; a Japanese Street Fair on Pennsylvania Avenue; “Petalpalooza,” an outdoor celebration with fireworks, art activities, and live music at the Wharf on the Southwest Waterfront; special art exhibits around town, park-ranger-guided talks and tours past the trees, and sports competitions. A grand parade winds down the festival, complete with floats, marching bands, dancers, celebrity guests, and more. Most events are free; exceptions include the Japanese Street Fair, which costs $10 per ticket, and grandstand seating at the parade, which starts at $20 per person (otherwise the parade is free). For information, go to www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org. March/April.

White House Easter Egg Roll. A biggie for kids 13 and under, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll continues a practice begun in 1878. Entertainment on the White House South Lawn and the Ellipse traditionally includes appearances by costumed cartoon characters, clowns, musical groups (Fergie and singer Ariana Grande are among those who have performed in the past), egg-decorating exhibitions, puppet and magic shows, an Easter egg hunt, and an egg-rolling contest. To get tickets, you must use the online lottery system, www.recreation.gov, up and running about 7 weeks before Easter Monday. For details, visit www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/easter-egg-roll.htm. Easter Monday 8am to 5pm.

Emancipation Day. On April 16, 1862, Pres. Abraham Lincoln signed the D.C. Compensated Emancipation Act, ending slavery in Washington, D.C., freeing 3,100 slaves, reimbursing those who had legally owned them, and offering money to the newly freed women and men to help them emigrate. Lincoln issued this decree 8 months before the Emancipation Proclamation liberated slaves in the South. To mark the occasion, the D.C. government closes its public schools and government offices on the day itself, and throws a parade, concert, and fireworks show downtown either on the day or on the weekend preceding the holiday. (Federal offices and all else stay open.) April 16. For details, visit https://emancipation.dc.gov.

Smithsonian Craft Show. Held in the National Building Museum, 401 F St. NW, this juried show features one-of-a-kind, limited-edition crafts by more than 120 noted artists from all over the country. There’s an entrance fee of $20 (or $17 in advance) per adult each day; it’s free for children 12 and under. No strollers. For details, visit www.smithsoniancraftshow.org. Four days in mid- to late April.

May

Embassy Open Houses. If you’re in D.C. in May, you may have the opportunity to tour embassies that participate in either or both the Around the World Embassy Tour, held on the first Saturday in May, and the EU Open House, held on the second Saturday in May (go to www.culturaltourismdc.org and click on “Passport DC” for more information). On the third Saturday in May, the National Asian Heritage Festival stages its Fiesta Asia Street Fair, on Pennsylvania Avenue in the Penn Quarter, introducing all to Asian culture.

Washington National Cathedral Annual Flower Mart. Established in 1939, the flower mart takes place on cathedral grounds, featuring displays of flowering plants and herbs, decorating demonstrations, ethnic food booths, children’s rides and activities (including an antique carousel), costumed characters, puppet shows, tower climbs, and other entertainment. Free admission. For details, visit www.allhallowsguild.org. First Friday and Saturday in May, rain or shine.

Memorial Day.  Ceremonies take place at Arlington National Cemetery’s Memorial Amphitheater and the Tomb of the Unknowns, at the National World War II and Vietnam Veterans memorials, at the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, and at the U.S. Navy Memorial. A National Memorial Day Parade marches down Constitution Avenue from the Capitol to the White House. On the Sunday before Memorial Day, the National Symphony Orchestra performs a free concert at 8pm on the West Lawn of the Capitol to honor the sacrifices of American servicemen and servicewomen. One other thing: Also on that Sunday, hundreds of thousands of bikers from around the country roll into town in an annual event called “Rolling Thunder” to pay tribute to America’s war veterans, prisoners of war, and those missing in action (www.rollingthunderrun.com). Last Monday in May.

June

DC Jazz Festival. The festival, founded in 2004, presents more than 125 performances in dozens of venues throughout the city over a 6-day period. Some performances are free, some are not. www.dcjazzfest.org. Early to late June.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival. A major event celebrating both national and international traditions in music, crafts, foods, games, concerts, and exhibits, staged along the length of the National Mall. Each Folklife Festival showcases three or four cultures or themes; 2014’s festival explored the culture of Kenya, and “China: Tradition and the Art of Living.” All events are free; most take place outdoors. For details call tel 202/633-6440, visit www.festival.si.edu, or check the listings in the Washington Post. Ten days in late June and early July, always including July 4.

July

Independence Day. There’s no better place to be on the Fourth of July than in Washington, D.C. The all-day festivities include a massive National Independence Day Parade down Constitution Avenue, complete with lavish floats, princesses, marching groups, and military bands. A morning program in front of the National Archives includes military demonstrations, period music, and a reading of the Declaration of Independence. In the evening, the National Symphony Orchestra plays on the west steps of the Capitol with guest artists. And big-name entertainment precedes the fabulous fireworks display behind the Washington Monument. For details call the National Park Service at tel 202/619-7222 or visit www.nps.gov/mall. July 4.

Capital Fringe Festival. This weeks-long event celebrates experimental theater in the tradition of the original fringe festival, held annually in Edinburgh, Scotland. Nearly 100 separate productions take place at multiple venues daily for 3 weeks or more, sometimes throughout the city and sometimes in one locale, as in 2018 when the festival took over the Southwest Waterfront. Local and visiting artists perform in theater, dance, music, and other disciplines. All single tickets are $17, plus a one-time fee of $7 for an admission button; purchase at www.capitalfringe.org. The Capital Fringe organization produces performances and events year-round, including a music festival, all worth checking out; same website as above. Three weeks in mid- to late July.

August

Shakespeare Theatre Free for All. This free theater festival presents a different Shakespeare play every year for a 2-week run at the Sidney Harman Hall, across from the Verizon Center, in the Penn Quarter. Tickets are required, but they’re free. Go to www.shakespearetheatre.org/events/free-for-all. Evenings and some matinees in late August through early September.

September

Labor Day Concert. The National Symphony Orchestra closes its summer season with a free performance at 8pm on the West Lawn of the Capitol. Sunday before Labor Day (rain date: same day and time at Constitution Hall or the Kennedy Center).

Library of Congress National Book Festival. The Library of Congress sponsors this festival, founded in 2001, welcoming nearly 100 established authors and their many fans. Previously held on the National Mall, the festival’s popularity and the toll the turnout took on Mall grounds necessitated the festival’s relocation in 2014 to the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in downtown D.C., between 7th and 9th sts. NW, and N St. and Mt. Vernon Place. The move indoors means weather and nightfall are no longer considerations, so the festival expects to draw even larger crowds. The festival takes place over the course of one long day, from 10am to 10pm in late August, and includes readings, author signings, panel discussions, and general hoopla surrounding the love of books. For details, visit www.loc.gov/bookfest. A Saturday in late August/early September.

October

Marine Corps Marathon. A maximum of 30,000 may compete in this 26.2-mile race (the third-largest marathon in the United States). The 2019 race marks its 44th year. The start line is at a spot located between the Pentagon and Arlington Memorial Cemetery, and the course takes racers through Georgetown, through Rock Creek Park almost to the National Zoo, along the Potomac River, past memorials and museums on the National Mall, and so on, before reaching the finish line at the Marine Corps Memorial (the Iwo Jima statue). For details, go to www.marinemarathon.com. Participants must be 14 or older. Register online for the lottery system that determines entry in the marathon. Third or fourth Sunday in October.

November

Veterans Day. The nation’s tribute to those who fought in wars to defend the United States, and to those who died doing so, takes place with a wreath-laying ceremony at 11am at the Tomb of the Unknowns in Arlington National Cemetery, followed by a memorial service in the Amphitheater. The president of the United States or a stand-in officiates, as a military band performs. Wreath-laying ceremonies also take place at other war memorials in the city. November 11.

December

National Christmas Tree Lighting. At the northern end of the Ellipse, the president lights the National Christmas Tree to the accompaniment of orchestral and choral music, and big-name performers take the stage. The lighting ceremony inaugurates several weeks of holiday concerts performed mostly by local school and church choruses, afternoons and evenings on the Ellipse. (Brrrr!) For details, visit the website, www.thenationaltree.org. The 17,000 tickets (3,000 seated, 14,000 standing) are free but required to attend the tree-lighting ceremony. To enter the lottery to try to score tickets, visit the website www.recreation.gov. The lottery opens in mid-October. (No tickets are required to attend the other holiday concerts.) The tree-lighting ceremony takes place at 5pm on the first Thursday in December.

Entry Requirements & Customs

Passports

Virtually every air traveler entering the U.S. is required to show a passport. All persons, including U.S. citizens, traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to present a valid passport. Note: U.S. and Canadian citizens entering the U. S. at land and sea ports of entry from within the Western Hemisphere must now also present a passport or other documents compliant with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI; visit https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/western-hemisphere-travel-initiative for details). Children 15 and under may continue entering with only a U.S. birth certificate, or other proof of U.S. citizenship.

Australia -- Australian Passport Information Service (tel. 131-232, or visit www.passports.gov.au).

Canada -- Passport Office, Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Ottawa, ON K1A 0G3 (tel. 800/567-6868; https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports.html).

Ireland -- Passport Office, Setanta Centre, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2 (tel. 01/671-1633; http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.ie/passports-citizenship).

New Zealand -- Passports Office, Department of Internal Affairs, 47 Boulcott St., Wellington, 6011 (tel. 0800/225-050 in New Zealand or 04/474-8100; www.passports.govt.nz).

United Kingdom -- Visit your nearest passport office, major post office, or travel agency or contact the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), 89 Eccleston Sq., London, SW1V 1PN (tel. 0300/222-0000; https://www.gov.uk/browse/abroad/passports).

United States -- To find your regional passport office, check the U.S. State Department website (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/requirements/where-to-apply/passport-agencies.html) or call the National Passport Information Center (tel. 877/487-2778) for automated information.

Visas

The U.S. State Department has a Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allowing citizens of the following countries to enter the United States without a visa for stays of up to 90 days: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. (Note: This list was accurate at press time; for the most up-to-date list of countries in the VWP, consult https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html.) Even though a visa isn't necessary, in an effort to help U.S. officials check travelers against terror watch lists before they arrive at U.S. borders, visitors from VWP countries must register online through the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before boarding a plane or a boat to the U.S. Travelers must complete an electronic application providing basic personal and travel eligibility information. The Department of Homeland Security recommends filling out the form at least 3 days before traveling. Authorizations will be valid for up to 2 years or until the traveler's passport expires, whichever comes first. Currently, there is one US$14 fee for the online application. Existing ESTA registrations remain valid through their expiration dates. Note: Any passport issued on or after October 26, 2006, by a VWP country must be an e-Passport for VWP travelers to be eligible to enter the U.S. without a visa. Citizens of these nations also need to present a round-trip air or cruise ticket upon arrival. E-Passports contain computer chips capable of storing biometric information, such as the required digital photograph of the holder. If your passport doesn't have this feature, you can still travel without a visa if the valid passport was issued before October 26, 2005, and includes a machine-readable zone; or if the valid passport was issued between October 26, 2005, and October 25, 2006, and includes a digital photograph.

Furthermore, the State Department states that “Under the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015, travelers in the following categories are no longer eligible to travel or be admitted to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP):

Nationals of VWP countries who have traveled to or been present in Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, or Yemen after March 1, 2011 (with limited exceptions for travel for diplomatic or military purposes in the service of a VWP country), and Nationals of VWP countries who are also nationals of Iran, Iraq, Sudan, or Syria.

These individuals will still be able to apply for a visa using the regular appointment process at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.”

For more information, go to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visitor.html. Canadian citizens may enter the United States without visas, but will need to show passports and proof of residence.

Citizens of all other countries must have (1) a valid passport that expires at least 6 months later than the scheduled end of their visit to the U.S.; and (2) a tourist visa.

For more information about U.S. visas, go to https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas.html. Or go to one of the following websites:

Australian citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information from the U.S. Embassy Canberra, Moonah Place, Yarralumla, ACT 2600 (tel. 02/6214-5600) or by checking the U.S. Diplomatic Mission's website at https://au.usembassy.gov/visas.

British subjects can obtain up-to-date visa information by calling the U.S. Embassy Visa Information Line (tel. 09042-450-100 from within the U.K. at £1.20 per minute; or tel. 866-382-3589 from within the U.S. at a flat rate of $16 and is payable by credit card only) or by visiting the "Visas to the U.S." section of the American Embassy London's website at https://uk.usembassy.gov/visas.

Irish citizens can obtain up-to-date visa information through the U.S. Embassy Dublin, 42 Elgin Rd., Ballsbridge, Dublin 4 (tel. 1580-47-VISA [8472] from within the Republic of Ireland at €2.40 per minute; https://ie.usembassy.gov/visas).

Citizens of New Zealand can obtain up-to-date visa information by contacting the U.S. Embassy New Zealand, 29 Fitzherbert Terrace, Thorndon, Wellington (tel. 644/462-6000; https://nz.usembassy.gov).

Customs

For customs information, consult your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or the U.S. Customs website at https://www.cbp.gov. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has an office at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20229, tel. 877/287-8667.

Medical Requirements

Unless you're arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States.

Getting There

By Plane

Three airports serve the Washington, D.C. area. General information follows that should help you determine which airport is your best bet.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) lies 4 miles south of D.C., across the Potomac River in Virginia, about a 10-minute trip by car in non-rush-hour traffic, and 15 to 20 minutes by Metro anytime. Its proximity to the District and its direct access to the Metro rail system are reasons why you might want to fly into National. Another reason: A climate-controlled pedestrian bridge connects the terminal directly to a Metro station; Blue and Yellow Lines stop here and will whisk you inexpensively into the heart of the city. For Metro information, go online at www.wmata.com or call tel. 202/637-7000. Note: In 2019, two construction projects underway may give you reasons to avoid National. (See below.) Visit the website www.flyreagan.com for airport information, or call tel. 703/417-8000.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is 26 miles outside the capital, in Chantilly, Virginia, a 35- to 45-minute ride to downtown in non-rush-hour traffic. Of the three airports, Dulles handles more daily flights, with about 36 airlines flying nonstop to 135 destinations, including 48 foreign cities. The airport is not as convenient to the heart of Washington as National, but it’s more convenient than BWI, thanks to an uncongested airport access road that travels half the distance toward Washington. The airport’s website is www.flydulles.com and its information line is tel. 703/572-2700.

Last but not least is Baltimore–Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), which is located about 45 minutes from downtown, a few miles outside of Baltimore. One factor especially has always recommended BWI to travelers: the major presence of Southwest Airlines. Its service comprises 70% of the airport’s business, and it often offers real bargains. (Southwest also serves Dulles and National airports, but in a much smaller capacity.) BWI offers the greatest number of daily nonstop flights, 567, its 16 airlines flying to 79 domestic destinations and 13 international destinations. (Southwest also serves Dulles and National airports, but in a much smaller capacity.) Call tel. 410/859-7111 for airport information, or point your browser to www.bwiairport.com.

Getting into Town from the Airport

Each of the three airports offers similar options for getting into the city. All three airports could really use better signage, especially because their ground transportation desks always seem to be quite a distance from the gate at which you arrive. Keep trudging, and follow baggage claim signs, because ground transportation operations are always situated near baggage carousels.

Taxi Service -- For a trip to downtown D.C., you can expect a taxi to cost close to $15 for the 10- to 20-minute ride from National Airport, $68 for the 30- to 45-minute ride from Dulles Airport, and about $90 for the 45-minute ride from BWI. Expect taxis to add a $3 airport pickup charge to your fee.

SuperShuttle -- SuperShuttle offers assorted car services, but its least expensive option is shared-ride travel in a van providing door-to-door service between the airport and your destination, whether in the District or in a suburban location. Make a reservation by phone or online (www.supershuttle.com; tel. 800/258-3826) and then proceed to the SuperShuttle desk in your airport to check in. The only drawback to this service is the roundabout way the driver must follow, as he or she drops off or picks up other passengers en route. If you arrive after the SuperShuttle desk has closed, you can summon a van by calling customer service at the above number. The 24-hour service bases its fares on zip code, so to reach downtown, expect to pay about $15, plus $10 for each additional person, from National; $30, plus $10 per additional person, from Dulles; and $39, plus $10 per additional person, from BWI. SuperShuttle also tacks on a $1 to $2 fuel charge in certain vicinities, Maryland being one.

Transportation Options by Airport

From Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport -- If you are not too encumbered with luggage, you should take Metrorail into the city. (As mentioned above, first read the warning about 2019 construction alerts at National.) Metro’s Yellow and Blue Lines stop at the airport and connect via an enclosed walkway to level two, the concourse level of the main terminal, adjacent to terminals B and C. If yours is one of the airlines that still uses the “old” terminal A (Southwest, Air Canada, Frontier), you will have a longer walk to reach the Metro. Signs pointing the way can be confusing, so ask an airport employee if you’re headed in the right direction; or, better yet, head out to the curb and hop a shuttle bus to the station, but be sure to ask the driver to let you know when you’ve reached the enclosed bridge that leads to the Metro (it may not be obvious, and drivers don’t always announce the stops). Metrobuses also serve the area, should you be going somewhere off the Metro route. But Metrorail is fastest, a 15- to 20-minute non-rush-hour ride to downtown. It is safe, convenient, and cheap; If you haven’t purchased a SmarTrip fare card online in advance, you can do so at the Metro station. The base fare is $2, and goes up from there depending on when (fares increase during rush hours) and where you’re going.

If you’re renting a car from an on-site car rental agency—Alamo (www.alamo.com), Avis (www.avis.com), Budget (www.budget.com), Enterprise (www.enterprise.com), Hertz (www.hertz.com), or National (www.nationalcar.com)—go to level two, the concourse level, follow the pedestrian walkway to the parking garage, find garage A, and descend one flight. You can also take the complimentary airport shuttle, which stops at doors 1 and 6 on the third floor, the ticketing level of the airport, to reach parking garage A. If you’ve rented from an off-premises agency (such as Advantage), you’ll want to take that same shuttle bus.

To get downtown by car, follow the signs out of the airport for the George Washington Parkway, headed north toward Washington. Stay on the parkway until you see signs for I-395 north to Washington. Take the I-395 north exit, which takes you across the 14th Street Bridge. Stay in the left lane crossing the bridge and follow the signs for Route 1, which will put you on 14th Street NW. (You’ll see the Washington Monument off to your left.) Ask your hotel for directions from 14th Street and Constitution Avenue NW. Or take the more scenic route, always staying to the left on the GW Parkway as you follow the signs for Memorial Bridge. You’ll be driving alongside the Potomac River, with the Capitol and memorials in view across the river; then, as you cross over Memorial Bridge, you’re greeted by the Lincoln Memorial. Stay left coming over the bridge, swoop around to the left of the Memorial, take a left on 23rd Street NW, a right on Constitution Avenue, and then, if you want to be in the heart of downtown, left again on 15th Street NW (the Washington Monument will be to your right).

From Washington Dulles International Airport -- Metrorail trains do not connect directly with Dulles Airport yet (latest word is that this will happen in 2020), so you must first catch the Washington Flyer Silver Line Express Bus (www.flydulles.com/iad/silver-line-express-bus-metrorail-station; tel. 888/927-4359) to reach the closest Metro station, the Silver Line’s Wiehle Ave./Reston East depot. Find the counter at Arrivals Door no. 4 in the main terminal or, if you’re in the baggage claim area, go up the ramp at the sign for Door no. 4, to purchase the $5 ticket for the bus. Buses to the Wiehle Ave./Reston East Metro station run daily, every 15 to 20 minutes; the trip takes about 10 minutes. Once you arrive at the Metro station, you can purchase a Metro SmarTrip fare card to board a Silver Line train bound for Largo Town Center, which heads into D.C.

It may be more convenient to take the Metrobus service (no. 5A) that runs between Dulles (buses depart from curb 2E, outside the Ground Transportation area) and the L’Enfant Plaza Metro station, located across from the National Mall and the Smithsonian museums, and downhill from nearby Capitol Hill. 

The bus departs every 30 to 40 minutes weekdays, hourly on weekends. It costs $7.50 (you must use a SmarTrip card or have exact change) and takes 45 minutes to an hour.

If you’re renting a car at Dulles, head down the ramp near the baggage-claim area and walk outside through doors 2, 4, or 6 to curb 2C or 2F to wait for your rental car’s shuttle bus. The buses come every 5 minutes or so en route to nearby rental lots. Almost all the major companies are represented.

To reach downtown Washington from Dulles by car, exit the airport and stay on the Dulles Access Road, keeping left as the road eventually leads right into I-66 E. Follow I-66 E., which takes you across the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Bridge; be sure to stay in the center lane as you cross the bridge, and this will put you on Constitution Avenue (Rte. 29). Ask your hotel for directions from this point.

From Baltimore–Washington International Airport -- Washington’s Metro service runs an Express Metro Bus (“B30”) between its Metrorail Green Line Greenbelt station and BWI Airport. The airport has a bus stop on its lower level, in Concourse A/B. Look for PUBLIC TRANSIT signs to find the bus, which operates Monday through Friday only, departs every 60 minutes, takes about 30 minutes to reach the station, and costs $7.50. At the Greenbelt Metro station, you purchase a Metro farecard and board a Metro train bound for Branch Avenue, which will take you into the city. Depending on where you want to go, you can either stay on the Green Line or get off at the Fort Totten station to transfer to a Red Line train, whose stops include Union Station and various downtown locations.

You also have the choice of taking either an Amtrak (www.amtrak.com; tel 800/872-7245) or the Penn line of the Maryland Rural Commuter train, or MARC (http://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train; tel 866/743-3682), into the city. Both trains travel between the BWI Railway Station and Washington’s Union Station, about a 30- to 45-minute ride. Both Amtrak  (starting at $16 per person, one-way, depending on time and train type) and MARC ($7 per person, one-way) services run daily. A courtesy shuttle runs every 6 minutes or so (every 25 min. 1–5am) between the airport and the train station; stop at the desk near the baggage-claim area to check for the next departure time of both the shuttle bus and the train. Trains depart about once per hour.

BWI operates a large off-site car rental facility. From the ground transportation area, board a shuttle bus to the lot.

Here’s how you reach Washington: Look for signs for I-195 and follow the highway west until you see signs for Washington and the Baltimore–Washington Parkway (I-295); head south on I-295. Get off when you see the signs for Rte. 50/New York Avenue, which leads into the District, via New York Avenue NE. Your hotel can provide specific directions from there.

BWI operates a large off-site car rental facility. From the ground transportation area, board a shuttle bus to the lot.

Here’s how you reach Washington: Look for signs for I-195 and follow the highway west until you see signs for Washington and the Baltimore–Washington Parkway (I-295); head south on I-295. Get off when you see the signs for Rte. 50/New York Avenue, which leads into the District, via New York Avenue NE. Ask your hotel for specific directions from New York Avenue NE.

By Car

More than one third of visitors to Washington arrive by plane, and if that’s you, don’t worry about renting a car. In fact, it’s better if you don’t, because the traffic in the city and throughout the region is absolutely abysmal, parking spaces are hard to find, garage and lot charges are exorbitant, and hotel overnight rates are even worse. Furthermore, Washington is amazingly easy to traverse on foot—so easy, in fact, that assorted sources, from Prevention magazine to the Brookings Institution, name D.C. among the most walkable cities in the country. Our public transportation and taxi systems are accessible and comprehensive, as well.

But if you are like most visitors, you’re planning on driving here. No matter which road you take, there’s a good chance you will have to navigate some portion of the Capital Beltway (I-495 and I-95) to gain entry to D.C. The Beltway girds the city, its approximately 64-mile route passing through Maryland and Virginia, with some 50 interchanges or exits leading off from it. The Beltway is nearly always congested, but especially during weekday morning and evening rush hours (roughly 5:30–9:30am and 3–7pm). Drivers can get a little crazy, weaving in and out of traffic.

The District is 240 miles from New York City, 40 miles from Baltimore, 700 miles from Chicago, 500 miles from Boston, and about 630 miles from Atlanta.

National Airport and Metro Construction Alerts!

Reagan National Airport is in the throes of a transformative improvement project, which does not affect flights into and out of the airport but may well affect your roadway and Metro travel between the airport and the city. In 2019, construction at the airport means you can expect heavy traffic and delays, so allow extra time to get to and from National. Normally, Metro transit would offer the obvious solution, but Metro is shutting down all rail service south of National Airport in summer 2019 to rebuild station platforms. If you are staying in or visiting Northern Virginia south of the airport, you will have to use transportation other than Metro. Rail service north of the airport, that is, into Washington, D.C., continues without interruption, even in the second half of 2019, when National Airport will stay open through the rebuilding of its own station. For the latest details, visit National Airport’s construction advisories webpage, www.flyreagan.com/dca/construction-advisories?, and Metro’s status and alerts webpage, www.wmata.com/service/status/index.cfm.

By Train

Amtrak (www.amtrak.com; tel. 800/USA-RAIL [872-7245]) offers daily service to Washington from New York, Boston, and Chicago. Amtrak also travels daily between Washington and points south, including Raleigh, Charlotte, Atlanta, cities in Florida, and New Orleans. Amtrak’s Acela Express trains offer the quickest service along the “Northeast Corridor,” linking Boston, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. The trains travel as fast as 150 mph, making the trip between New York and Washington in times that range from less than 3 hours to 3 hours and 45 minutes, depending on the number of stops in the schedule. Likewise, Acela Express’s Boston–Washington trip takes anywhere from 6 1/2 hours to more than 8 hours, depending on station stops.

Amtrak runs fewer Acela trains on weekends and honors passenger discounts, such as those for seniors and AAA members, only on weekend Acela travel.

Amtrak offers a smorgasbord of good-deal rail passes and discounted fares; although not all are based on advance purchase, you may have more discount options by reserving early. Tickets for up to two children ages 2 to 12 cost half the price of the lowest available adult fare when the children are accompanied by a fare-paying adult. For more information, go to www.amtrak.com. Note: Most Amtrak travel requires a reservation, which means that every traveler is guaranteed, but not assigned, a seat.

Amtrak trains arrive at historic Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave. NE (www.unionstationdc.com; tel 202/371-9441), a short walk from the Capitol, near several hotels, and a short cab or Metro ride from downtown. Union Station is D.C.’s transportation hub, with its own Metrorail station, Metrobus and DC Circulator bus stops, taxi stands, bikeshare and bike rental locations, rental car facilities, tour bus centers, intra-city bus travel operations, and connection to D.C. Streetcar service.

By Bus

Bus travel is now in vogue, thanks to the rise of fabulously priced, comfortable, clean, and fast bus services. Quite a number of buses travel between Washington, D.C. and New York City, and a growing number travel between D.C. and cities scattered up and down the East Coast.

Check out one of these fleets: BoltBus (www.boltbus.com; tel 877/265-8287) travels multiple times a day between D.C.’s Union Station and NYC for $1 to $36 each way, and between D.C. and at least three other cities (Richmond, Philadelphia, and Newark) for similarly low fares.  Ditto Megabus (www.megabus.com; tel 877/462-6342) which travels between Union Station and NYC several times a day for as little as $1 and as much as $46, one-way (most fares run in the $13–$25 range); and offers cheap travel between D.C. and 26 other locations, including Boston, Toronto, and Charlotte, North Carolina. Vamoose Bus (www.vamoosebus.com; tel 212/695-6766) travels between Rosslyn, Virginia’s stop near the Rosslyn Metro station and Bethesda, Maryland’s stop near the Bethesda Metro station, and locations near NYC’s Penn Station, for $20 to $60 each way, accruing one point for every dollar you’ve paid for your ticket. Collect 120 points and you ride one-way for free.

Greyhound (www.greyhound.com; tel 800/231-2222) is actually the company behind BoltBus, but oddly, it’s often more expensive and slower on its routes (many of which are doubled by BoltBus). The D.C. Greyhound bus depot is at Union Station.

Fast Facts

Business Hours -- Most museums are open daily 10am to 5:30pm; some, including several Smithsonians, stay open later in spring and summer. Most banks are open from 9am to 5pm weekdays, with some open Saturdays as well, for abbreviated hours. Stores typically open between 9 and 10am and close between 8 and 9pm, Monday to Saturday.

Customs -- For customs information, consult your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, or the U.S. Customs website, https://www.cbp.gov. In Washington, D.C., the U.S. Customs and Border Protection agency has an office at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. 20229 (tel. 877/227-5511).

Drinking Laws -- The legal age for purchase and consumption of alcoholic beverages is 21; proof of age is required and often requested at bars, nightclubs, and restaurants, so it’s always a good idea to bring ID when you go out. Do not carry open containers of alcohol in your car or any public area that isn’t zoned for alcohol consumption. The police can fine you on the spot. Don’t even think about driving while intoxicated. Grocery stores, convenience stores, and  other retailers can sell beer and wine 7 days a week. D.C. liquor stores are now open on Sunday. Bars and nightclubs serve liquor until 2am Sunday through Thursday and until 3am Friday and Saturday.

Electricity -- Like Canada, the United States uses 110–120 volts AC (60 cycles), compared to 220–240 volts AC (50 cycles) in most of Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Downward converters that change 220–240 volts to 110–120 volts are difficult to find in the United States, so bring one with you.

Embassies & Consulates -- All embassies are located here in the nation’s capital. To find yours, you can call directory information at tel. 202/555-1212 or check www.embassy.org/embassies.

Family Travel -- Field trips during the school year and family vacations during the summer keep Washington, D.C. crawling with kids all year long. More than any other city, perhaps, Washington is crammed with historic buildings, arts and science museums, parks, and recreational sites to interest young and old alike. The fact that so many attractions are free is a boon to the family budget. Look for boxes on family-friendly hotels, restaurants, and attractions in their appropriate sections.

Legal Aid -- While driving, if you are pulled over for a minor infraction (such as speeding), never attempt to pay the fine directly to a police officer; this could be construed as attempted bribery, a much more serious crime. Pay fines by mail or directly into the hands of the clerk of the court. If accused of a more serious offense, say and do nothing before consulting a lawyer. In the U.S., the burden is on the state to prove a person’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt, and everyone has the right to remain silent, whether he or she is suspected of a crime or is actually arrested. Once arrested, a person can make one telephone call to a party of his or her choice. The international visitor should call his or her embassy or consulate.

Mail -- At press time, domestic postage rates were 35¢ for a postcard and 50¢ for a letter. For international mail, a first-class letter of up to 1 ounce costs $1.15; a first-class postcard costs the same as a letter. For more information, go to www.usps.com.

Medical Requirements -- Unless you’re arriving from an area known to be suffering from an epidemic (particularly cholera or yellow fever), inoculations or vaccinations are not required for entry into the United States.

Newspapers & Magazines -- Washington’s preeminent newspaper is the Washington Post, available online and sold in bookstores, train and subway stations, drugstores, and sidewalk kiosks all over town. These are also the places to buy other newspapers, such as the New York Times, and Washingtonian magazine, the city’s popular monthly full of penetrating features, restaurant reviews, and nightlife calendars. The websites of these publications are: www.washingtonpost.com, www.nytimes.com, and www.washingtonian.com.

Also be sure to pick up a copy of Washington City Paper, a weekly publication available free all over the city, at CVS drugstores, movie theaters, you name it, but also online at www.washingtoncitypaper.com.

Passports -- See Entry Requirements & Customs.

Smoking -- The District is smoke free, meaning that the city bans smoking in restaurants, bars, and other public buildings. Smoking is permitted outdoors, unless otherwise noted.

Taxes -- The United States has no value-added tax (VAT) or other indirect tax at the national level. Every state, county, and city may levy its own local tax on all purchases, including hotel and restaurant checks and airline tickets. These taxes will not appear on price tags. The sales tax on merchandise is 5.75% in the District, 6% in Maryland, and 6% in Northern Virginia. Restaurant tax is 10% in the District, 6% in Maryland, and varied in Virginia, depending on the city and county. Hotel tax is 14.8% in the District and averages 6% in Maryland and 6.3% in Virginia.

Time -- The continental United States is divided into four time zones: Eastern Standard Time (EST)—this is Washington, D.C.’s time zone—Central Standard Time (CST), Mountain Standard Time (MST), and Pacific Standard Time (PST). Alaska and Hawaii have their own zones. For example, when it’s 9am in Los Angeles (PST), it’s 7am in Honolulu (HST), 10am in Denver (MST), 11am in Chicago (CST), noon in Washington, D.C. (EST), 5pm in London (GMT), and 2am the next day in Sydney.

Daylight saving time (summer time) is in effect from 2am on the second Sunday in March to 2am on the first Sunday in November, except in Arizona, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico. Daylight saving time moves the clock 1 hour ahead of standard time, so come that first Sunday in November, the clock is turned back 1 hour.

Tipping -- In hotels, tip bellhops at least $1 per bag ($2–$3 if you have a lot of luggage) and tip the chamber staff $1 to $2 per day (more if you’ve left a big mess for her to clean up). Tip the doorman or concierge only if he or she has provided you with some specific service (for example, calling a cab for you or obtaining difficult-to-get theater tickets). Tip the valet-parking attendant $1 every time you get your car.

In restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, tip service staff and bartenders 15% to 20% of the check, tip checkroom attendants $1 per garment, and tip valet-parking attendants $1 per vehicle.

As for other service personnel, tip cab drivers 15% of the fare; tip skycaps at airports at least $1 per bag ($2–$3 if you have a lot of luggage); and tip hairdressers and barbers 15% to 20%.

Toilets -- You won’t find public toilets or “restrooms” on the streets of D.C., but they can be found in hotel lobbies, bars, restaurants, museums, and service stations, and at many sightseeing attractions. Starbucks and fast-food restaurants abound in D.C., and these might be your most reliable option. Restaurants and bars in resorts or heavily visited areas may reserve their restrooms for patrons.

Visas -- See Entry Requirements & Customs.

Tips for Senior Travelers

Members of AARP, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049 (tel. 888/687-2277; www.aarp.org), get discounts on hotels, airfares, and car rentals. AARP offers members a wide range of benefits, including AARP The Magazine and a monthly newsletter. Anyone over 50 can join.

With or without AARP membership, seniors often find that discounts are available to them at hotels, especially chain hotels such as the Hilton, so be sure to inquire when you book your reservation.

Venues in Washington that grant discounts to seniors include the Metro; certain theaters, such as the Shakespeare Theatre; and those few museums, like the Phillips Collection, that charge for entry. Each place has its own eligibility rules, including designated "senior" ages: The Shakespeare Theatre's is 60 and older, the Phillips Collection's is 62 and older, and the Metro discounts seniors 65 and older.

Tips for Gay and Lesbian Travelers

The nation’s capital is most welcoming to the gay and lesbian community. D.C.’s LGBTQ population is one of the largest in the country, with 10% of residents identifying themselves as such. The capital’s annual, week-long Capital Pride celebration is held in June, complete with a street fair and a parade.

Dupont Circle is the unofficial headquarters for gay life, site of the annual 17th St. High Heel Drag race on the Tuesday preceding Halloween, and home to long established gay bars and dance clubs, but the whole city is pretty much LGBT-friendly.