Visiting DC and the greater DMV 

Centered around the District of Columbia, the DMV area is made up of DC, Maryland, and Virgina. While DC proper is only ~700,000 people, the Metropolitan Area is one of the biggest in the country with ~6.5M people. 

Beyond people though, the DMV area is arguably the best to visit in the country as the Smithsonian museums and center of American politics offer activities that will fill weeks. Below is a non-exhaustive list of my favorite places during the five years I lived in the area. 

History

The Smithsonians are among the best museums in the world. There’s 19 total in the DMV area and most center around the National Mall. The whole list here is worth exploring, but here’s my top 5 to narrow it down:

1. American Museum 
2. Library of Congress 
3. African American 
4. Air and Space → both the National Air and Space along the maill and Udvar-Hazy near Dulles airport
5. National Archives 

Space Shuttle discovery at Udvar-Hazy

Outside of the Smithsonian museums, DC offers countless beautiful monuments centered around the tidal basin. A favorite local way to explore these is “monuments after dark” where the sun setting causes the crowds to subside and makes for a delightful experience. If you’re not sure where to go, heading between the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial will hit most of the major stops. 

Lincoln Memorial after dark

And finally, out in Virginia there’s arguably no place with more history than the Arlington Cemetery. Housing two US presidents, over 400 medal of honor recipients, and the tomb of the unknown soldier, it’s a testament to many who built our great nation. 

Outdoors 

For those who love the outdoors, the DMV area offers plenty of options

1. Teddy Roosevelt Island is a rare completely forested island in the middle of the Potomac river. It’s accessible from the Virginia side, has deer and foxes living on it, and offers beautiful views of the DC area. 
2. The Botanical Gardens are right along the National Mall and the large greenhouse contains plants from throughout the entire US accessible at any time of year
3. And the Enid A. Haupt Garden is my personal favorite spot anywhere in DC. A beautifully curated garden right behind the Smithsonian castle it offers a lovely respite on a hot summer day. 

Enid A. Haupt (Smithsonian) Gardens

And for those who love running or biking, the DC area has arguably better options than anywhere in the US which is why DC and Arlington, VA keep placing among the fittest cities in the US.

Rock Creek Park is twice the size of Central park. Beach Drive is a central corridor that’s now closed for a 4 mile section allowing bikers and runners to peacefully traverse it.

The Potomac river is another beautiful place to explore. East Potomac park and The Mount Vernon trail in Virginia offers lovely views across the Potomac as well as delightful runs. The Mount Vernon trail itself is also one part of the 16 mile “Arlington loop” which offers paved roads circling Arlington city.

Mount Vernon Trail

 

Politics 

Famous as the nation’s capital, DC offers memorable experiences in each of the three branches of US government. 

1. The US Capitol (Congress) sits at the focal point of the mall. Tours are accessible from the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center or your congressional representative. 
2. The White House might be more famous than the US Capitol, but it’s less impressive architecturally. Similar to the US Capitol, you can book tours 21-90 days in advance from your congressional representative. If you aren’t able to see a representative, you can stop by Lafayette Square for a quick look at it, but it shouldn’t take too much longer than 15 minutes. 
3. The least visited branch of government is the Supreme Court, but if you plan in advance, you can sit in on oral arguments and listen to the highest cases in the land. 

Finally, if you’re lucky enough to be in DC during May you’ll be able to visit “Passport DC”. During this time Embassies open up to the general public and “EU Embassy Day” in particular offers you a way to explore every EU country’s embassy, taste their local food and drinks, and figure out where you want to visit next. 

US Capitol which towers over the National Mall

Old Towns 

For those who prefer to experience history by walking around and looking at architecture, the DC area offers three different beautiful old towns. 

1. Georgetown is a neighborhood in DC so old it predates DC and was originally founded in Maryland in 1751. The bustling streets of Wisconsin and M street offer countless shopping and dining options. 
2. Old Town Alexandria in Virginia was founded at a similar time in 1749 and its streets are named after British Royalty (King, Queen, Prince, Duke). Alexandria itself is the adopted hometown of George Washington and George Washington’s beautiful Mount Vernon plantation is only a few miles away making these two perfect to pair in a visit. 
3. Finally, the Capitol South neighborhood offers many of DC’s famous townhouses predominantly in the Victorian style. While there’s less of a central street to walk down, the neighborhoods offer countless examples of the beautiful style. 

Old Town Alexandria

Culture

Finally for those looking to broaden their horizons beyond history, there’s still plenty to offer. 

For those interested in sports, DC houses the NBA Washington Wizards and the NHL Washington Capitals in the Capital One Arena in Chinatown. The baseball team the Nationals and soccer team DC United both play in Navy yard. Navy Yard is also a lovely area for those looking to get a drink either before or after the game. 

The Kennedy Center offers one of the finest locations for arts throughout the US. It’s often the first stop for plays “off Broadway” and you can find many of the US’s best performances there. 

And for those looking to imbibe the finest local beverages, Dupont Circle, U Street, and Adam’s Morgan have enough nightlife to satisfy any recent college graduate. My personal favorite is the german style Beer garden “Dacha”. There are two locations in Navy Yard and Shaw and it’s consistently ranked one of the best beer gardens in the US.  

Nationals at Navy Yard

Transport

If you’re not driving to DC, there’s 3 “local airports”. If you’re going to DC proper, I’d say the following 

1. Washington Reagan (DCA): Easy. ~15-20 min from DC proper, very easy to get in on the metro or via an Uber.  
2. Dulles (IAD): Medium. On the DC metro, but takes ~60-75 minutes to get into the city. Around 30-45 minutes drive as it’s in the Virginia suburbs. Also next to Udvar-Hazy Smithsonian Air and space museum which counts among its collection the Space Shuttle discovery along with the Enola Gay.
3. Baltimore Washington (BWI): Hard. No access to DC metro though can take a commuter rail train. If driving this can be about as close as Dulles (~45 min) but offers better access to the city of Baltimore than DC proper. 

Additionally when visiting the DMV, most is contained within the “The Beltway” or the 495 freeway circling the area. For those choosing a place to stay, it’s often best to get a hotel nearby a metro stop as the DC metro (WMATA) ranks as one of the best in the country and is fast, clean, and efficient. More importantly when you visit the National Mall area, you don’t need to park, and are easily able to hop to different destinations. 

DC’s iconic metro stations