Washington DC
Washington DC is located near the middle of the
eastern coast of the USA. It is 230 miles south of New York City, less
than an hour drive to Baltimore and slightly more than two hours to
Philadelphia. The city is near the vast Chesepeake Bay about 100 miles
inland from the Atlantic Ocean. The surrounding landscape is nearly flat
with some gently rolling hills and shallow valleys. Summers can get
quite warm with temperatures often exceeding 80 degrees F during June
through August. Winters can be quite cold with temperatures
intermittently falling below freezing from December through March. They
get a modest amount of precipitation evenly distributed throughout the
year. Occasional Atlantic storms can bring deluges or can dump large
amounts of snow on the area in the winter.
Washington DC is more than a city but not quite
a state. It is a "district" created by the Congress of the United
States in 1790 as a place to meet and transact their affairs of
government. It was originally a ten-mile, square of land straddling the
Potomac River between Virginia and Maryland. They called it the District
of Columbia and named the new capital city, to be constructed within,
Washington in honor of our founding father and first president.
A city planned by a French engineer
Washington DC is one of the few cities in the
USA that was built according to a plan. In 1790, President Washington
hired a French engineer from Lafayette's army named Pierre L'Enfant to
design a glorious capital city similar to Paris. The complete name of
the city is Washington, District of Columbia. Most people call it
Washington DC or just DC.
Today Washington DC is a city of variety and
contrast. The central area is beautifully designed with broad avenues
lined with magnificent buildings and monuments set in spacious green
parks. The surrounding neighborhoods vary from modern commercial
districts and upscale residential neighborhoods to ethnic enclaves and
working class neighborhoods. The city houses a myriad of workers,
diplomats, politicians and immigrants from many lands. It is one of the
most cosmopolitan cities in the US with numerous ethnic neighborhoods
and restaurants featuring a wide variety of exotic cuisines. Suburban
communities in nearby Virginia and Maryland house an army of government
workers and businesses supporting the operation of our huge federal
bureaucracy.
Most of it is free
There is a lot to see in Washington DC and most
of it is free. You can tour the US Capitol Building, the White House,
the Supreme Court and many federal government agencies like the Bureau
of Engraving and Printing (where they print the money) and the Federal
Bureau of Investigations (FBI) (where they shoot a machine gun). You can
visit the Washington Memorial, the Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt
Memorials. You can see Arlington National Cemetery, the Vietnam
memorial, the Korean War memorial and the Battle of Iwo Jima memorial.
You can even spend several days touring the many parts of the
Smithsonian Institute, one of the largest and finest collection of
museums in the world. None of it will cost anything!
Washington DC offers many historical and
educational attractions, a variety of cultural and entertainment
activities, plenty of multi-ethnic dining experiences and an array of
shopping opportunities. Outside of the city, there are many civil war
battlefields within a short drive; and President Washington's home at
Mount Vernon is just south of DC. The port city of Baltimore and
Anapolis, home of the US Naval Acadamy, are within an hour drive. Even
Piladelphia and New York City are within a half-day drive.
Accommodations
Washington, DC has numerous hotel options for all your travel needs.
Book one of the Washington DC hotels at EasyToBook.com.
Three major airports
DC is served by three major airports.
Washington National Airport, now called Reagan International, is just
across the Potomac river from the district. It offers many domestic
flights to cities throughout the USA. Dulles Airport is located in
suburban Virginia 30 miles west of the city. It offers many
international flights and a variety of domestic connections. Baltimore
Washington International Airport (BWI) is about 30 miles north of DC
near the outskirts of Baltimore. It offers both domestic and
international travel options.
The DC Metro, or subway system is quite good.
It offers easy access from Washington International Airport and from
numerous "Park and Ride" locations around the city to most of the major
attractions. On weekdays, the parking situation in the city can be quite
difficult. I recommend parking outside of the downtown area and using
the Metro. On weekends and holidays when the government beaurocrats
desert their offices, downtown parking is readily available.
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Mike's Washington DC Tip:
The Georgetown district of DC is renown for its selection of fine restaurants. Just north of Dupont Circle is a lesser-known multicultural neighborhood called Adams-Morgan with a great assortment of inexpensive ethnic restaurants and take out establishments. Here you can find African, European, South American and Asian cuisine or American soul food at affordable prices.
The Georgetown district of DC is renown for its selection of fine restaurants. Just north of Dupont Circle is a lesser-known multicultural neighborhood called Adams-Morgan with a great assortment of inexpensive ethnic restaurants and take out establishments. Here you can find African, European, South American and Asian cuisine or American soul food at affordable prices.
Navigating the baffling street system
© Mike Leco / USATourist.comThere is a lot to see in Washington DC and most of it is free. You can tour the US Capitol Building, the White House, the Supreme Court and many federal government agencies.
Driving in DC can be frustrating. The beltway
system around the city is quite good, but access to and from the central
area is not so easy. All major roads often become congested during the
busy hours of early morning and late afternoon.
The well-planned street system is an easy to
comprehend grid that is often difficult to maneuver. The north-south
streets are numbered and the east-west streets are lettered beginning at
the Capitol and extending in both direction. You can have two 3rd
streets (one to the east of the Capitol and one to the west), and you
can have two "D" streets (one to the north of the capitol and one to the
south). That is why the city is divided into quadrants. The
intersections of 7th street and "C street" can occur in the NE, SE, NW
and SW sectors. You must specify the quadrant to find an address. There
is a series of broad avenues that radiate out from the Capitol like the
spokes of a wheel. They produce some complex angular intersections that
can baffle even the most experienced drivers.
Visit our for information about the best sights in and around DC!
