'''East End''' is D.C.'s old downtown quarter, east of 15th St, and includes the neighborhoods of Chinatown, Penn Quarter, Judiciary Square, and Mount Vernon Square.
The '''West End''' is the western section of downtown, including the central business district, sometimes known as Golden Triangle or, simply, K St, along with the Foggy Bottom neighborhood. The White House and its grounds function as a barrier between the East End and the West End, with the 1600 block of Pennsylvania Ave closed to motorists. In the daytime, Lafayette Square and the block of Pennsylvania Ave closed to motorists in front of the White House are popular with crowds and street hockey enthusiasts.
==Understand==
==Understand==
[[Image:Chinatown, DC gate.jpg|thumb|340px|The Friendship Archway was designed by local architect Alfred H. Liu in 1986 and includes 7,000 tiles and 272 painted dragons in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.]]
[[File:Andrew Jackson (14130889).jpg|thumb|300px|Andrew Jackson in Lafayette Park]]
The '''East End''', just north of the [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|National Mall]] is home to several museums and event venues, and full of restaurants, bars, and large hotels. Pennsylvania Ave, which runs through the Penn Quarter from the White House to the Capitol Building, serves as a bridge from the city center to the Mall. As you might expect, this road has nice views.
'''K St''' is infamous, best known as the physical location where '''money and power''' in the U.S. collude. The "fourth branch of government": Lobbyists, special interest groups, contractors, and out of work Congressmen all engage in the extremely lucrative business of political influence. This impression isn't totally fair—first of all, some of the lobbying firms are pushing for noble causes, and secondly, many if not most of the professionals are doing business unrelated to politics. But, K St's infamy outside the city is matched by its local infamy as the most boring section of town. Office buildings dominate and everybody leaves after punching out, leaving the neighborhood empty and quiet, save for big business hotels and expense account dinners. There is some truth to this, but the caricature overlooks the fact that there are some incredible restaurants, [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]] is creeping down past M St, and the McPherson Square area now has its own homegrown clubbing scene.
===Neighborhoods===
And then, of course, there is the '''White House'''. Famous around the world as the home and office of the world's most powerful person, it is ''the'' capital icon most associated with the American government. Surrounded by parks, '''Lafayette Square''' and the '''Ellipse''', it's also surprisingly accessible to visitors, and makes a nice backdrop for a casual picnic surrounded by history. And, just west of the White House and grounds are some great art galleries, especially at the '''Corcoran Museum'''.
[[Image:Kogod Courtyard.jpg|thumb|260px|The Kogod Courtyard inside the National Portrait Gallery]]
Like the nearby neighborhood of [[Washington, D.C./Shaw|Shaw]], the East End was decimated during the 1968 riots. Many buildings were destroyed and it became a haven for drug dealers.
To the southwest is '''Foggy Bottom''', an old Washingtonian neighborhood home to '''George Washington University''', and a prestigious stretch of waterfront home to the Watergate Apartments and the '''Kennedy Center'''. Foggy Bottom also houses several big international organizations, like the Pan American Health Organization, World Health Organization, World Bank, International Monetary Fund, and the American Red Cross, as well as several embassies.
In the early 1990s, when Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Abe Pollin arrived for the first time by limousine at the intersection of 7th and F St NW to scout out possible sites for a new arena, he was told not to get out of the vehicle. The site, then a parking lot, had drug dealers doing business, and the neighborhood was crime-ridden and deserted at night. But, he decided that was the place to build his new arena. The ''Capital One Arena''' (formerly the Verizon Center and MCI Center) opened in December 1997, and since then, the neighborhood has experienced a remarkable turnaround with tremendous gentrification.
==Get in==
===By metro===
[[Image:West End map.png|thumb|550px]]
'''Penn Quarter''' is the commercial center of the East End. It includes '''Gallery Place''', the bustling entertainment area between the Capital One Arena and the National Portrait Gallery. The '''Pennsylvania Ave''' stretch, whose sidewalks and parks comprise a National Park, is the city's number two staging ground for races, large festivals, and parades. Penn Quarter is distinguished from the rest of downtown by its nineteenth century buildings and facades. After the opening of the Capital One Arena in 1997, and the resulting development boom, many buildings were redeveloped as the ground-floor facades of private luxury apartments and office buildings, resulting in the creation of an "arts and entertainment" district. The biggest draw for city visitors, however, is Penn Quarter's theater district, and its tremendous quantity of first-rate museums.
Metro's '''Blue''', '''Orange''', and '''Silver''' Lines run through the West End along I St. '''Foggy Bottom''' in the west is the most convenient to the Kennedy Center and to George Washington University; it is also the closest station to the eastern part of [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]]. The walk from Foggy Bottom to [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|the Mall]] is a little far, but it is the closest metro station in D.C. to West Potomac Park. '''Farragut West''' and '''McPherson Square''' are mainly for the business district, but they are also both close to Lafayette Park. The latter is also just a couple blocks from the White House Visitor Center.
'''Chinatown''' is to the north of Penn Quarter. While the neighborhood was majority Asian in the early 20th century, most of the Asian population moved out after the 1968 riots. The neighborhood is lively in the evenings and features many restaurants. Chinatown resembles a miniature Times Square with activity day and night into the wee hours. The city government heavily promotes the original ethnic character—businesses in the neighborhood, including Starbucks, Hooters, and local banks are ''required'' to post signage in Chinese. But those expecting something like New York's Chinatown will be sorely disappointed—area residents have taken to calling it '''Chinablock'''. While several Chinese restaurants remain, these days the best Chinese food in D.C. can be found in the suburbs rather than in Chinatown.
The '''Red Line''' cuts across the northeast part of the area, with one stop at '''Farragut North''' right on K St. '''Metro Center''' is the next stop to the east, in the [[Washington, D.C./East End|East End]], and is the closest Red Line stop to the White House Visitor Center.
'''Judiciary Square''', to the east of Penn Quarter, includes the United States District Court building, along with the D.C. Superior Court building, and various other government buildings. Just north, straddling into the neighborhood of [[Washington, D.C./Shaw|Shaw]], is the massive, 2.3 million square foot (210,000 m²) Convention Center, just north of Mt Vernon Square. The Convention Center was completed in 2003, and has since been the favorite site for presidential inaugural balls.
===By car===
==Get in==
Downtown is not driver friendly. There are no above-ground garages, and underground garages are expensive. Street parking is metered, near impossible to find on weekdays, and has a two hour limit. Weeknights and weekends see some easier to find parking west of the White House and south of Pennsylvania Ave. Meter restrictions end Saturday at 6:30PM and all day Sunday. It's harder to find parking near [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]] on weekends, although you might luck out around K St after 8PM weeknights.
===By Metrorail===
[[Image:East End map.png|thumb|560px]]
Metrorail stops at '''Metro Center''' (on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Silver lines), '''Federal Triangle''' (Blue, Orange, and Silver), and '''Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter''' (Green and Yellow). The '''Gallery Pl-Chinatown''' station is at the Capital One Arena—use the H St exit for Chinatown.
K St is the main road, while M St is the (one way) route to [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]]. Connecticut Ave (17th St below K St) is the main route heading north. I-66 comes in from [[Arlington (Virginia)|Virginia]], but leaving is easier via the Arlington Memorial Bridge south of 23rd St.
For the Convention Center, get off at '''Mount Vernon Square''' on the Green and Yellow lines. For Judiciary Square in the east, take the Red Line to '''Judiciary Square'''.
It is possible to hail a taxi from the street around the clock, but note that M St going to Georgetown has awful traffic during rush hour and weekend nights—it's often quicker to walk.
===By car===
""PRINT
The East End is probably the worst place to drive to in the city. On weekdays and during peak tourist season, street parking is either unavailable, or will take a long time to find. Most parking garages fill up by 9AM. Downtown traffic jams are frequent and awful. Take note of garage hours since you won't be able to get your car after the garages close.
[[Image:West End map.png|West End map.png]]
PRINT-->
The main north-south routes are '''7th St''' (which turns into Georgia further north), as well as '''I-395''' from [[Virginia]], which terminates east of the Convention Center. Major east-west routes include '''H St''', which runs through Chinatown, and '''Pennsylvania Ave'''. Crisscrossing the area on diagonals through Mt Vernon Square are New York Ave and Massachusetts Ave.
===By taxi===
It is possible to hail taxis from the street at almost any hour of the day or night, and they are a convenient way to travel relatively short distances.
===By bus===
===By bus===
The following are the main bus routes operating in the East End, along with links to timetables and route maps. For more information on riding buses in Washington DC, see [[Washington DC#Get around]].
* '''[http://www.dccirculator.com/explore/where-we-go/woodley-park-adams-morgan/ Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Circulator Bus]''' ($1) is a limited-stop/express bus that runs Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-3:30PM. It runs from McPherson Square, at the intersection of 14th St & K St, and goes north through [[Washington, D.C./Columbia_Heights|Columbia Heights]], [[Washington, D.C./Adams_Morgan|Adams Morgan]], and then on to the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Station in [[Washington, D.C./Upper Northwest|Upper Northwest]].
Metrobus routes downtown can be ''confusing'', so it's best to make sure you don't ride past your intended stop, or you could find yourself lost in a strange part of town quickly. The following run daily roughly until midnight:
'''[http://wmata.com/bus/timetables/dc/80.pdf80]''' runs until midnight fromFarragut Square east onKSt to Chinatown, and west down18th St past the Corcoran, throughFoggyBottom, and rightbytheKennedy Center.
* '''[http://www.dccirculator.com/georgetown-union-station/ Georgetown-Union Station Circulator Bus]''' ($1) is a limited-stop/express bus that runs Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-3:30PM. It runs through the south end of Mount Vernon Square, heading east along Massachusetts Ave to Union Station, and west along K St through the [[Washington, D.C./West End|West End]] and on to [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]].
* '''[https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/31-33.pdf #31]''' / '''[https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/32-36.pdf #32 and #36]''' run along Pennsylvania Ave northwest to Georgetown and upper Wisconsin Avenue, as well as southeast to the [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|National Mall]].
'''[http://wmata.com/bus/timetables/va/38b.pdf 38B]''' runs west on K St from Farragut Square, then up Pennsylvania to M St through Georgetown, and then over the Key Bridge into [[Arlington (Virginia)|Arlington]], right along Arlington's main commercial strips.
'''[http://wmata.com/bus/timetables/dc/30-36.pdf 32 and 36]''' followthesameroute as 38B, but turn north on Wisconsin Ave instead of going to Virginia. They also will take you straight east to [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|the Mall]], and then on to [[Washington, D.C./Capitol Hill|Eastern Market]]
* '''[https://www.wmata.com/schedules/timetables/upload/52-54.pdf #52, #53, and #54]''' head up 14th St to [[Washington, D.C./Shaw|Shaw]].
===By foot===
The '''D.C. Circulator's''' [http://www.dccirculator.com/Home/BusRoutesandSchedules/GeorgetownUnionStation.aspx Georgetown-Union Station "Yellow" line] heads east along K St to [[Washington, D.C./East End|Chinatown]] and west, after Washington Circle, up Pennsylvania to M St into [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]].
The Penn Quarter area is an easy walk from the [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|National Mall]] and the museums by walking north through the courtyards of Federal Triangle, past the National Archives. From the White House, walk east on Pennsylvania Avenue to G, F, or E St.
==See==
==See==
[[Image:Whitehousemap.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Map of the White Housegroundsandvicinity]]
[[Image:Verizon center by NCinDC.jpg|thumb|280px|The Capital One Arena]]
===Museums===
* {{see
===White House===
| name=Smithsonian American Art Museum | alt= | url=http://americanart.si.edu/ | email=
{{see| name=White House | url=https://www.whitehouse.gov/participate/tours-and-events | address=1600 Pennsylvania Ave | lat=38.897669 | long=-77.03655 | phone=+1 202 456-7041 | hours=Tours: Tu-Th 7:30AM-11AM, F 7:30AM-noon, sa 7:30AM-1PM | price=Free | wikipedia=White House | image=WhiteHouseSouthFacade.JPG | wikidata=Q35525 | content= }}
| address=8th St & F St NW | lat=38.897 | long=-77.0227 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 633-7970 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=11:30AM-7PM daily | price=Free
| wikipedia=Smithsonian American Art Museum | image=2008-0601-DC-NatlPortGall.jpg | wikidata=Q1192305
| content=The collection here is a walk through encyclopedia of American Art—Gilbert Stuart's stern presidential portraits through Nam June Paik's house-sized America sculpture of neon and televisions.
}}
* {{see
Built starting in 1792, and first residence for the nation's second president, John Adams, the '''White House''' has been the residence and office for each presidency since. The building's chief architect, James Hoban, an Irishman, left a nationalistic mark on the U.S., modeling the President's home after Ireland's National Parliament building in [[Dublin]]. While Hoban's vision has survived the past 200+ years, including the 1814 fire set by invading British forces, the interior has hardly been static. As it is, after all, the president's house, each president has taken the liberty of various redecoratings, expansions, and additions—the entire East Wing, for example, was added only during the Coolidge Administration. The last major renovation occurred under Truman, but much of the antiques, artwork, and decorating styles you'll see today come courtesy of a certain First Lady of renowned taste, Jackie Kennedy.
| name=Ford's Theatre Museum | alt= | url=http://www.fords.org/ | email=
| address=511 10th St NW | lat=38.896667 | long=-77.025833 | directions=between E St & F St
| content=A great museum detailing the life of Abraham Lincoln and the place where he was assassinated.
}}
* {{see
President Jefferson opened the White House to the public, and it has remained so during peacetime (with varying restrictions) ever since. Following the attacks of September 11th, tours have been available only for groups of ten or more, and these must be requested up to six months and at least one month in advance through your congressman if you're a U.S. citizen, or through your country's embassy in Washington, D.C. if you're not. Note that the standard tours focus on the social/residential part of the White House—the East Wing, rather than the working West Wing. Abide by the stated dress code, or you will be refused admission!
| name=Historical Society of Washington D.C. | alt= | url=http://www.dchistory.org/ | email=info@historydc.org
| address=801 K St NW | lat=38.9026 | long=-77.0229 | directions=In Mount Vernon Sq
| phone=+1 202 393-1420 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Library: W 10AM-4PM; Window to Washington Exhibit: M, W: 10AM-4PM, Th: 10AM-6PM | price=Free
| wikipedia=Historical Society of Washington, D.C. | image=Carnegie library in Mt Vernon Square Washington DC.jpg | wikidata=Q3798288
| content=The D.C. historical society occupies the enormous building at the center of Mount Vernon Square and has a research library and exhibit on D.C. history open to the public.
}}
* {{see
You can see the front door from Lafayette Square on the north side, and the back (the more famous curved facade) from the Ellipse on the south side. Political demonstrations typically take place at the front, though larger ones have been known to encircle the fence.
| name=International Spy Museum | alt= | url=http://www.spymuseum.org/ | email=
| address=800 F St NW | lat=38.8969 | long=-77.0234 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 393-7798 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=9AM-5PM or 9AM-6PM daily, last admission one hour before close | price=Adults: $21.95; Seniors: $15.95; Youth (7-11): $14.95; Children aged 6 and under: Free
| wikipedia=International Spy Museum | wikidata=Q2668693
| content=Exhibits are interesting to anyone even marginally interested in espionage and Cold War history, and it also has a great exhibit tailored specifically to kids.
}}
* {{see
===The Ellipse===
| name=Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington: Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum | alt= | url=http://www.jhsgw.org/ | email=
The Ellipse is the park to the south of the White House. During the Civil War, the space was used as a cattle and horse corral, the smell of which festered in the summer humidity, making life at the White House unpleasant enough where there was a proposal to abandon it and relocate—possibly to Meridian Hill, in [[Washington, D.C./Adams_Morgan|Adams Morgan]]. President Grant nixed the idea, and had the grounds improved, installing a fountain in 1876, and two gatehouses relocated from the Capitol to the southwest and southeast corners of the Ellipse.
| wikipedia=Lillian & Albert Small Jewish Museum | wikidata=Q6548073
| content=Washington D.C.'s oldest synagogue building, built in 1876 and currently operated as a museum by the Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington.
}}
* {{see
A number of memorials are located on the Ellipse, including the Butt-Millet Fountain, added in 1913 in honor of two prominent Titanic victims—Army Major Archibald Butt and painter Francis Millet. The '''Zero Milestone''' stands at the north end of the park, and is the marker by which all road distances would be measured (this idea was a flop, and only D.C.'s roads use it as a measure). Larger memorials on the Ellipse include a memorial to 5,599 soldiers of the First Division of the American Expeditionary Force killed in World War I, and another memorial in honor of the Second Division in World War I on Constitution Ave. currently, in nice weather, the park serves mostly for the public to enjoy the good views and play frisbee.
| name=Koshland Science Museum | alt= | url=https://www.koshland-science-museum.org/ | email=
| address=525 E St NW | lat=38.8964 | long=-77.0195 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 334-1201 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=10AM-6PM daily except closed Tu, last admission 5PM | price=Adults: $5; Seniors, children, students, active duty military: $3
| wikipedia=Marian Koshland Science Museum | image=Keck Center of the National Academies.JPG | wikidata=Q6761924
| content=Koshland is very much on the small side for D.C. museums, but it's great for kids, and for those happy adults who can let loose and act like kids.
Named for French General Lafayette of American Revolutionary fame (better known to his friends as Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de La Fayette), this park is a national historic landmark seemingly dedicated to the purpose of taking pictures of the White House. The large equestrian statue at its center is of President Andrew Jackson, while the statues on the four corners of the park are dedicated to Revolutionary heroes, all of them foreign: Lafayette, French Major General Rochambeau, Polish General Kosciuszko, and Prussian Major General Friedrich von Steuben.
| hours=Rotunda and exhibit hall, open daily except 25 December; 10AM-5:30PM (day after Labor Day through March 14), 10AM-7PM (March 15 through Labor Day); last admission 30 minutes before closing | price=Free
| wikipedia=National Archives Building | wikidata=Q6970416
| content=For history buffs, a visit is a must, as it has a display containing declassified top secret documents related to the Cold War. And, of course, the original copies of the '''U.S. Constitution''', the '''Declaration of Independence''', and the '''Bill of Rights''' are also on display, though the writing is so faded on the ''Declaration of Independence'' that you will not be able to make it out. No photography of the two documents is allowed.
}}
* {{see
And if you like '''bushy-tailed rodents''', you're in luck—Lafayette Park is home to the densest squirrel population known to science, lured here no doubt by their lust for power. Look especially for those black squirrels, descendants of a group of eighteen Canadians that escaped the National Zoo during Teddy Roosevelt's presidency.
| name=National Building Museum | alt= | url=https://www.nbm.org/ | email=
| address=401 F St NW | lat=38.8975 | long=-77.018056 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 272-2448 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM | price=Free to enter main hall and shop. Exhibits require $8 for adults, $5 for ages 3-17 and those 60+
| wikipedia=National Building Museum | image=National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C..JPG | wikidata=Q624008
| content=Located in the Pension Building, the building itself is highly recommended for its architecture, with an expansive open interior space with massive columns. The space is used on occasion for special events, including Presidential inaugurations. There is a small cafe inside, to the right of the entrance, and places to sit and relax, as well as a gift shop. The National Building Museum features long-term exhibits on the planning and building of Washington, D.C., and on green building and communities, along with various short-term exhibits and special events.
}}
* {{see
====Lafayette Square====
| name=National Museum of Women in the Arts | alt= | url=http://www.nmwa.org/ | email=
[[Image:Blair House daylight.jpg|thumb|250px|Blair House, and the adjoining Lee House]]
| address=1250 New York Ave NW | lat=38.9 | long=-77.029167 | directions=
The blocks immediately surrounding Lafayette Park are part of the National Historic Landmark, and there is much to see here:
| phone=+1 202 783-5000 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM | price=$10 adults; $8 students, ages 65+; free 18 and younger
| wikipedia=National Museum of Women in the Arts | image=National Museum of Women in the Arts.jpg | wikidata=Q861608
| content=This is the world's only museum devoted to art made by women. Its special exhibits can be really interesting, often featuring works from a specific part of the world. The big, beautiful building is a historic former Masonic Temple. The gift shop is extraordinary, with a collection of very unique handmade gifts from around the world.
| content=Its most popular exhibit is the Hall of Presidents. The enclosed courtyard has received universal accolades; Conde Nast Traveler calls it one of the seven modern architectural wonders of the world. Its cafe is certainly one of the most attractive places in the city to break out your laptop and enjoy the WiFi.
| content=The Blair House was built in 1824 for Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Lowell, and sold in 1837 to real estate mogul, Francis Preston Blair and inherited by Montgomery Blair. The adjacent house was owned by the Robert E. Lee family. The U.S. government bought the Blair House in 1942, and has since used it as the official guest house for state visitors, at the insistence of First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt who was tired of running into Winston Churchill and other visitors roaming around the White House in the middle of the night. Today, the Blair house not only consists of the original townhouse, but includes the Lee House and two other adjacent townhouses. The total space of 70,000 sq ft exceeds that of the White House. Blair House is not open to the public.
}}
}}
* {{see
* {{see
| name=Decatur House | alt= | url=http://decaturhouse.org/ | email=
| hours=9AM-5PM (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's) | price=Adults: $24.95+tax; Seniors: $19.95+tax; Minors: $14.95+tax; Children aged 6 or younger: Free
| hours=M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-4PM; guided tours: hourly F-Sa 10:15AM-4:15PM, Su 12:15PM-3:15PM | price=Free; gallery: $5; guided tours: $5
| wikipedia=Decatur House | image=Decatur House north side.jpg | wikidata=Q5248791
| content=Of all the most hyped, overpriced museums in D.C., this one actually deserves the hype and even the admissions fee—it's an incredible, one-of-a-kind museum. With seven floors, it has a lot to see, and the exhibits are an interesting blend of high tech (a "4-D" theater) and low tech historical documents, all about the news, how it shapes American society, and how indeed the first amendment is so central to the nation's history. Check the nation-wide newspaper row in front of the Pennsylvania entrance. For foreigners, while the museum is a testament to the free press, be prepared for some solid pro-US bias in its selected news. The Newseum has dining options available. It has a food section open from 11 AM to 3 PM each day. Wolfgang Puck Catering operates this on the Concourse Level of the building. Sandwiches, snacks, desserts, salads and various hot entrees are available. The Express Bar is adjacent to this with more quick offerings and this is open from 9 AM to 4 PM. The food in both areas is somewhat pricy but it is of good quality.
| content=Benjamin Henry Latrobe designed the house, completed in 1818, for naval hero Stephen Decatur and his wife. Its distinguished neo-classical architecture and prominent location across from the White House made Decatur House one of the capital's most desirable addresses and home of many of the nation's most prominent figures. Later residents included Henry Clay, Martin Van Buren, and Judah P. Benjamin. The Decatur House is now used as a museum, and is open to the public.
}}
}}
===Landmarks and memorials===
[[Image:Canadian embassy in Washington D.C. (2).jpg|thumb|290px|The imposing Canadian Embassy]]
[[Image:Old Post Office Building.jpg|thumb|260px|The Old Post Office Building]]
| wikipedia=Embassy of Canada, Washington, D.C. | image=Embassy of Canada in Washington, D.C..JPG | wikidata=Q137245
| content=The building is a striking, contemporary masterpiece, helping Vancouverite architect Arthur Erickson win some prestigious awards. Look for the small dome and columns incorporated into the exterior (in part designed as a gentle mockery of the neoclassical imperial style prevalent around the Capitol), which serves as an echo chamber of sorts, where you'll have any sounds directed right back at you from the dome.
| content=The Eisenhower Executive Office Building was built in 1871 to house the War and Navy Departments, replacing the obsolete War Office building on the same site. By World War II, the War and Navy Departments outgrew the building, and were spread out in numerous additional temporary structures on the National Mall. After the military relocated to the Pentagon in 1943, the building fell into disrepair and was regarded by President Harry Truman as "the greatest monstrosity in America". The Eisenhower Executive Office Building has since been used for Presidential executive offices. The first televised Presidential news conference took place in the Indian Treaty Room in 1955, and the building now houses the Vice President's office, along with the National Security Council and other executive offices.
| wikipedia=Petersen House | image=Petersen House-Ford's Theatre NHS.jpg | wikidata=Q4799733
| content=1865 was perhaps the most consequential year in presidential history, when, on the 14th of April, a prominent actor at Ford's Theatre and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln in his balcony seat. Attendants carried Lincoln across the street to a small bedroom in the small rowhouse across the street, but the doctors were unable to save the president. He died early morning the next day. This isn't so much a museum—it's just a small room with a few plaques, recreated to look as it did on that day. The house is operated by the National Park Service, and visited via tours from Ford's Theatre.
| content=The building that now houses the Renwick Gallery was originally the home of the Corcoran Gallery of Art. It was designed by James Renwick, Jr., and construction began before the Civil War. Near completion, it was used during the Civil War as a government warehouse, and construction was finally completed in 1874. By 1897, the Corcoran Gallery collection outgrew the space and relocated to a new building on 17th St. The building was transferred in 1965 to the Smithsonian Institution for use as an art gallery. The Renwick focuses on contemporary craft and decorative art.
| wikipedia=J. Edgar Hoover Building | image=Fbi headquarters.jpg | wikidata=Q167479
| content=This brutalist office building is in bad condition and will likely be demolished eventually.
| content=Every President since James Madison has gone to a mass at St John's. The church building was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, and completed in June 1816. The church also occupies the adjacent Ashburton House, on H St NW, built for Lord Alexander Ashburton, the British minister to the U.S., and was used for a period of time as the British Embassy.
| hours=Tours M-F at 9:30AM, 10:30AM & 2:45PM. | price=
| hours= | price=
| wikipedia=DiplomaticReceptionRooms,U.S.Department of State | image=U.S.StateDepartment - TrumanBuilding.JPG | wikidata=Q5279920
| wikipedia=National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial | image=National Building Museum - National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.JPG | wikidata=Q6974030
| content=This monument bears the names of nearly 20,000 officials who lost their lives in the line of duty. A ''big'' law enforcement museum is being built underground across the street, but for the time being you'll have only the memorial to walk around.
| lastedit=2017-03-18
| content=The Department of State offers guided tours of its formal reception rooms, used for official meetings with foreign representatives. The rooms are a trove of antiques and gifts, old and new, given by foreign governments to the U.S. Tours only by appointment, must show valid ID to be admitted.
| hours=M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-5PM | price=Free, special exhibits: $10-35
| hours= | price=
| wikipedia=Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center | image=Ronald Reagan Building.JPG | wikidata=Q983772
| content=Photography and other exhibits on nature, history, and culture. Films, lectures, and concerts take place at the National Geographic Society's Grosvenor Auditorium. The gift shop has numerous books, DVDs, and other items. Good for kids.
| content=It's not clear whether the small-government Republican would enjoy having one of the biggest, most expensive recent federal buildings ($768 million), filled with agencies like USAID and U.S. Customs, named in his honor. But it is an impressive sight inside and out (especially inside). The building itself has several restaurants fast-food and otherwise, public artworks, shops, and enormous conference and party space, popular for political galas, business conferences, and expensive wedding receptions. Free WiFi throughout.
}}
}}
* {{see
{{infobox|The Nixon tapes|The tapes weren't shocking just for implicating the president in federal crimes, they were devastating for what they revealed about him personally. Memorable quotes include:<br>
| name=U.S. Navy Memorial | alt= | url=http://navymemorial.org/ | email=
*''The Mexicans are a different cup of tea. They have a heritage. At the present time they steal, they're dishonest, but they do have some concept of family life. They don't live like a bunch of dogs, which the Negroes do live like.''
*''You know what happened to the Romans? The last six Roman emperors were fags. Neither in a public way. You know what happened to the popes? They were layin' the nuns; that's been goin' on for years, centuries. But the Catholic Church went to hell three or four centuries ago. It was homosexual, and it had to be cleaned out.''
| phone=+1 202 737-2300 | tollfree= | fax=
*''There are times when an abortion is necessary. I know that. When you have a black and a white. Or a rape.''
| hours=9:30AM-5PM daily | price=
*To Kissinger: ''The only place where you and I disagree ... is with regard to the bombing. You're so goddamned concerned about civilians and I don't give a damn. I don't care.''
| wikipedia=United States Navy Memorial | image=US Navy memorial3.jpg | wikidata=Q167697
*''I'm not for women, frankly, in any job. I don't want any of them around. Thank God we don't have any in the Cabinet.''
| content=D.C.'s memorial to the U.S. Navy is not as jolting as the big memorials, but it is nice to walk around. Make sure to see the famous Lone Sailor statue, and who knew that Neil Armstrong was in the Navy!
*On Jews: ''But by God, they're exceptions... you can't trust the bastards. They turn on us.''
}}
}}
===Public squares===
D.C.'s downtown is notable for its grand squares, though they may get more use from homeless people and pigeons than visitors (there are no downtown homeless shelters).
| content=Franklin Square is less known than McPherson Square to the west and Mount Vernon Square to the east. The statue on the west side near McPherson Square Metro is of Commodore John Barry of the Revolutionary War-era Continental Navy and later the U.S. Navy, known today as the ''Father of the American Navy.'' The striking red building at the northeast corner of the square is the Franklin School, from which Alexander Graham Bell sent his first wireless message (to 1325 L St NW). The building is owned by the city and development proposals are being considered by the mayor.
| content=Designed by William C. Thornton, and completed in 1800, the Octagon was owned by Colonel John Tayloe, a Virginia plantation owner. A few years later, the Tayloes offered the house for use as the French Embassy, where the Treaty of Ghent was signed by President James Madison to end the War of 1812 (he was working there temporarily following the 1814 burning of the White House). The house was sold in 1855, and since used as a military hospital during the Civil War, an apartment building, a girl's school, and has been owned by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) since 1902. The house is now used as a museum.
}}
}}
* {{see
* {{see
| name=Ringgold-CarrollHouse | alt=Dacor-Bacon House | url=http://dacorbacon.org/foundation/history-of-1801-f-street/ | email=
| wikipedia=Freedom Plaza | image=Freedom Plaza Washington DC.JPG | wikidata=Q3087329
| content=Named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr, who penned his ''I have a Dream'' speech at the Willard Hotel on this plaza, the stone center has a huge map of Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the City of Washington. At the west end is one of D.C.'s infinite quantity of equestrian statues, this one of Kazimierz Pułaski, an American Revolutionary War general from Poland, who once saved George Washington's life, and who is known as the ''Father of American cavalry''.
| content=The Ringgold-Carroll House was built in 1825 for Tench Ringgold, who was part of a three-member team in charge of restoring public buildings in the District of Columbia, following the War of 1812. From 1832-1833, Chief Justice John Marshall resided with Ringgold in the house. In 1835, the house was sold, and a number of prominent people have since lived in the house, including William Thomas Carroll, a clerk at the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Melville Fuller, Senator Joseph Medill McCormick, and Congressman Robert Low Bacon. The Diplomatic and Consular Officers Retired (DACOR) now occupy the house, which is not open to the public except for special events.
| wikipedia=Mount Vernon Square | image=2008-0601-DC-MountVernonSquare.jpg | wikidata=Q2509617
| content=This mammoth square, which causes all sorts of disastrous navigational problems for motorists unfamiliar with the intricacies of New York and Massachusetts Avenues, is dominated by one beautiful and similarly mammoth Beaux-Arts building at its center. Constructed in 1903 with funding purely from Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy, this was originally the second headquarters of the D.C. Public Library. It currently houses the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. (see above).
| content=The Watergate is and will be best known for its role in the ending of Richard "I am not a crook" Nixon's presidency. On 17 June 1972 five men employed by Nixon's Committee to Re-elect the President were arrested for breaking and entering at the Democratic National Committee's rooms at the Watergate. The ensuing scandal led to revelations of enemies lists, "campaign fraud, political espionage and sabotage, illegal break-ins, improper tax audits, illegal wiretapping on a massive scale, and a secret slush fund laundered in Mexico to pay those who conducted these operations." And those infamous tapes. Conversations in the Oval Office were automatically recorded, and those conversations were subpoenaed in the Congressional investigation. The tapes revealed President Nixon's direct knowledge and involvement in criminal acts under investigation, as well as his deep seated moral corruption and personal bigotries.
}}
}}
==Do==
==Do==
===KennedyCenter===
===Capital One Arena===
[[Image:Kennedy center at night.jpg|thumb|250px|Kennedy Center]]
The 18,277-seat '''[http://verizoncenter.com/ Capital One Arena]''', 601 F St NW, ☎ +1 202 661-5000, is home to both the [http://nba.com/wizards/ Washington Wizards] of the NBA and the National Hockey League's [http://capitals.nhl.com/ Washington Capitals]. The [http://guhoyas.cstv.com/ Georgetown Hoyas] college basketball team also plays games here, as do the WNBA's [http://wnba.com/mystics/ Washington Mystics]. It also hosts major concerts, WWE wrestling, and various other events throughout the year. Tickets are sold through [http://ticketmaster.com/venue/172453 Ticketmaster] or at the box office.
{{do| name=John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | url=http://www.kennedy-center.org | address=2700 F St NW | lat=38.8957 | long=-77.0559 | phone=+1 202 467-4600 | wikipedia=John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts | image=KennedyCtr.jpg | wikidata=Q1631981 | content= }}
===Convention Center===
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is located along the Potomac River, adjacent to the Watergate Complex, in Foggy Bottom. It was built as a private-public partnership, in effort to create a National Cultural Center for the nation's capital. President Kennedy helped move the project forward, and when he was assassinated, the center was named after him as a living memorial. Architect Edward Durrell Stone designed the building, which opened in 1971.
[[Image:Ronald Reagan Building atrium.jpg|thumb|270px|The Reagan Building's main entrance]]
The '''[http://dcconvention.com/ Walter E. Washington Convention Center]''', 801 Mount Vernon Pl NW, ☎ +1 202 249-3000, hosts events throughout the year, including shows geared towards the public, as well as trade shows and conferences. The popular [http://www.washingtonautoshow.com/ Washington Auto Show] and the [https://travelshows.com/shows/washingtondc/ Washington Travel Show] take place annually in late January and the [https://www.loc.gov/bookfest/ National Book Festival] occurs every September.
There are three main theaters in the Kennedy Center: the Concert Hall, Opera House, and Eisenhower Theater. The National Symphony Orchestra performs at the Concert Hall, while the Opera House is home to the Washington National Opera and the annual Kennedy Center Honors. The Eisenhower Theater is a smaller venue that hosts theater, musicals, operas, ballet, and dance performances. The Kennedy Center has a number of smaller venues, with various events geared towards children and other audiences. The Millennium Stage, located at the end of the Grand Foyer, hosts daily, free performances. If you are looking for a really special, classic Washingtonian event, the two big ones are right around Christmas—the National Ballet's yearly performance of '''''The Nutcracker''''', and the '''[http://messiahsing.org Handel's ''Messiah'' Singalong]'''. For the latter, the entire audience, mostly of amateur and professional choirs, join the Master Chorus and Orchestra in singing the full oratorio—it's an amazing experience for singers and non-singers alike.
===Theater and live music===
Docent-led tours are available for walk-ins M-F 10AM-5PM, Sa-Su 10AM-1PM every ten minutes. Just head over to the tour desk to get on one. At any time you can head up to the rooftop terrace for a spectacular view (it's probably best to skip the overpriced restaurant). The building more or less closes 30 minutes after the end of the night's last performance.
There are several theaters around the city, but the '''Theater District''' is in Penn Quarter. The most popular theater company in the area is the Shakespeare Theatre Company, whose performances of Shakespeare and other classical plays rank among the nation's most renowned. Another very popular show is the long-running '''[http://capsteps.com/live/ Capitol Steps]''' show of political satire, where everyone in the political spectrum gets roasted every F-Sa in the Reagan Building.
* {{do
* {{do
| name=MillenniumStageattheKennedy Center | url=http://kennedy-center.org/programs/millennium/schedule.html | email=
| name=DAR Constitution Hall | alt= | url=http://www.dar.org/constitution-hall | email=
| address= | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=1776 D Street NW | lat=38.893056 | long=-77.041667 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 467-4600 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 628-4780 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=6PM daily | price=Free
| hours= | price=
| wikipedia=DAR Constitution Hall | image=DAR Constitution Hall.JPG | wikidata=Q1151716
| content=Free shows every night at the top of the Kennedy Center, with typical fare including concerts, theater, and dance. Arrive 30 minutes early to be assured a seat; standing room is available.
| content=Hosts theatrical and musical performances, although the acoustics are known to be subpar.
The White House hosts a number of special annual events, including the popular White House '''Easter Egg Roll''' on the south lawn. The annual tradition was started in 1878 by President Rutherford B. Hayes, who invited local children to the White House lawn for the event. The event includes various other activities for children, including face painting, music, magicians, egg coloring, and story telling, along with food. The event is open to children ages 7 or younger. Free tickets are distributed a few days before Easter, though people usually begin lining up many hours in advance, in the wee hours of the morning, as demand far exceeds supply.
| address=916 G St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 315-1305 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=Shows $15-25
| content=Flashpoint is a non-profit, city funded "incubator" of local artistic talent and new cultural institutions. The bulk of the performances in their (very small) Theater Lab are theatrical, and of lesser known plays (mostly foreign), but they also do stand up comedy, dance, etc. The art gallery is a great place to see contemporary works by local artists, and is open Tu-Sa noon-6PM.
}}
[[Image:Ford's Theatre.JPG|thumb|220px|The balcony where President Lincoln was assassinated - Ford's Theatre]]
Each year in December, the '''White House Christmas Tree''' is displayed on the Ellipse, along with a huge Menorah for Hanukkah. Tickets are required for the Christmas tree lighting ceremony, which features the President and/or First Lady lighting the tree. People line up to get free tickets for the event when they are handed out—usually a month in advance. Once the tree is lit, it is open to the public who can see it lit up each evening, along with smaller trees for each state.
| content=This is where John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, and he was taken across the street to the Petersen House where he died. Ford's Theatre is not only a historic site, but remains a working theater, with regular performances. Theater here is usually the most traditional of the downtown venues, offering dramatic work that is "as eloquent, intelligent and respectful of humanity as Mr. Lincoln." The truly coveted tickets are for the annual Christmas Eve performance of A Christmas Carol. The daily tours take you through the theater and the onsite museum, and also spill across the street to the Petersen House, where Lincoln died.
}}
* {{do
Twice each year, tours take place of the '''Rose Garden''' and other gardens on the White House grounds. Over the years, the Presidents and First Ladies changed up the gardens to suit their tastes, including a colonial garden planted by Edith Roosevelt in 1902. President Woodrow Wilson's wife, Ellen, replaced the colonial garden with a Rose Garden, which has remained. The East Garden was redesigned by Jacqueline Kennedy, and Lady Bird Johnson created a Children's Garden at the White House. The White House holds the '''Fall Garden''' Tours in October, while the '''Spring Garden''' Tours are held in April. Tickets are distributed on the morning of the tour—first-come, first served.
| content=First opened in 1835, many Presidents have come to see performances, with many famous performers back in is heyday. National Theatre is now the city's most likely host for Broadway shows and musicals, and other big-name visiting acts.
| wikipedia=Shakespeare Theatre Company | wikidata=Q7462820
| content=D.C. can't get enough Shakespeare, to the extent that the Shakespeare Theatre Company had to open a second, enormous performance venue in 2007 at the Sidney Harman Hall. Both venues are great, the Lansburgh being a long-time favorite and a smaller, intimate space, and the Harman Hall being big, flashy, and state-of-the-art. The performances here of Shakespeare, often set in present times, as well as other classics from Aeschylus to Marlowe, are almost always universally-acclaimed and top-notch. If you want to see theater in D.C., this is a great place to start. If you are in D.C. in the early fall, look for the no tickets, first come-first served Free for All performances in the grand D.C. tradition of free cultural activities.
| content=D.A.R. Constitution Hall is a smaller venue for concerts and other events. It is also home to the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, which displays fine arts, ceramics, quilts, and other items, and period rooms. Special events held at Constitution Hall have included filming of the popular game shows, ''Jeopardy!'' and ''Wheel of Fortune''. Architect John Russell Pope designed the building, which was completed in 1929 and is designated a National Historic Site. It was originally built to house the annual D.A.R. convention, and was home to the National Symphony Orchestra, prior to the opening of the Kennedy Center.
| content=The Warner Theatre is a gorgeous old building. A former 1920s movie palace, having long languished in disrepair, was finally reopened in 1992 following extensive restoration. The Warner Theatre hosts Broadway shows, concerts, dance, and stand-up, etc.
| address=1990K St NW, Suite 3 (entrance on 20th St NW, lower level) | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=641 D St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between D St & E St
| phone=+1 202 847-4700 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 289-2443 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Th 9AM-5PM, F 9AM-3PM | price=
| hours= | price=$25-50
| wikipedia=Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company | image=WOOLLYLOBBY.jpg | wikidata=Q8033865
| content=A sponsor of German culture in the U.S. and of intercultural ties with locations in 6 major cities, the Goethe-Institut offers classes in German language and culture. Once a month, it also hosts free events such as lectures, concerts, or movie screenings; check the website for a calendar.
| content=This is the top theater company downtown for seeing new plays. Drama here is edgy, takes ''real'' risks, and is almost always memorable.
}}
===Cinema===
* {{do
| name=Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14 | url=https://www.regmovies.com/theaters/regal-gallery-place-stadium-14/9174 | email=
| address=701 7th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St; next to the Capital One Arena
| phone=+1 202 393-2121 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=Children: $11; Adults: $13
| content=The Regal cinema shows all the popular, current movies. Beware, though, that this movie theater is popular among the teens (especially on weekends and in the evenings) who can get rambunctious.
}}
* {{do
| name=E Street Cinema | url=https://www.landmarktheatres.com/washington-d-c/e-street-cinema | email=
| address=555 11th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between E St & F St
| phone=+1 202 452-7672 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$$12.50, $10 before 6PM weekdays
| content=A Landmark Theaters cinema, showing independent films and serving craft beers. The E Street Cinema is quiet, and does not draw the same youth crowd as the Regal cinema.
| address=701 7th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=Next to the Capital One Arena
| phone=+1 202 347-1021 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Su-Th: 12PM-12AM, F-Sa: 12PM-2AM | price=$55/hour; $20 food and beverage minimum on F-Sa nights
| content=This is a combination bowling alley and lounge. After 9PM, it's 21+ only, and there is a dress code of no sportswear or baggy clothes.
}}
}}
==Buy==
==Buy==
===Souvenirs and gifts===
While this is not at all a shopping destination, there are a few shops and restaurants located at 2000 Pennsylvania Ave, near George Washington University, with original townhouse facades preserved on the exterior of the building. There are a couple of really top notch bookstores as well.
There are plenty of souvenir shops in the East End. There are great gift shops at the museums - be sure to see the gift shop of the National Building Museum if you visit.
[http://freshfarmmarkets.org/farmers_markets/markets/penn_quarter.php The Penn Quarter Fresh Farm Market], spring–fall, is a Thursday farmers market is on 8th St between D and E, 3-7PM. In December, the Downtown Holiday Market is set up on F St between 7th and 9th, with an array of handcrafted items, jewelry, pottery, and food.
Downtown shopping in the West End is rather dispersed, but there are shops at International Square, located near the Farragut West station on the Orange and Blue Lines, and along Connecticut Ave north of K St, and here and there on streets near Connecticut Ave.
===Clothing===
'''Macy's''', 1201 G St NW, +1 202 628-6661 (''on top of Metro Center''), is the most-centrally located department store in D.C.
'''[http://www.galleryplace.com/ Gallery Place]''' is a collection of shops at the intersection of 7th & H St including Ann Taylor LOFT and Urban Outfitters.
'''[http://citycenterdc.com/visit/ City Center]''' includes many high-end shops around 10th & H St including Tumi, Louis Vuitton, kate spade new york, Hermès, Gucci, Burberry, BOSS, Arc'teryx, and Allen Edmonds.
| address=1735 New York Ave NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=901 New York Ave NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 626-7541 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 347-2787 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F 8:30AM-5PM | price=
| hours=W-F 11AM-6PM, Sa-Su noon-5PM | price=
| content=This artist-cooperative owned gallery survived the neighborhood change throughout the past 30 years, and remains friendly and crammed with local artwork. Prices are reasonable, and events are packed.
| content=Possibly the best museum bookstore around, with a great selection of books on architecture and history, along with some architectural photography books and other items. The AIA also host a gallery in their main building and library of artwork related to architecture, which is free and worth a peruse.
}}
}}
==Eat==
* {{buy
| name=GW University Bookstore | alt= | url=http://www.bkstr.com/georgewashingtonstore | email=
{{infobox|All hail José Andrés!|D.C.'s Spanish transplant, now one of America's most famous celebrity chefs, originally moved here as the head chef of Jaleo, a great tapas restaurant that has grown into a small local chain. He has since come to dominate the area's most trendy restaurants, opening up a host of them in the East End from Greek through Aztec, and is often credited with popularizing the art of the small dish in the U.S.}}
| address=800 21st St NW | lat= | long= | directions=inside the Marvin Center
| phone=+1 202 994-6870 | tollfree= | fax=
The East End has everything from chain restaurants to high-end dining to overpriced tourist traps. If you dine a la Andrés, you'll see D.C. cooking at its best. Nearly all the really nice restaurants here are relatively big, loud, cramped, and impersonal—but they'll serve great food. Chinatown, while small, supplies several budget options, as long as you can appreciate the "special charms" of Chinatown service.
| hours=M-F 9AM-6PM, Sa 11AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM | price=
| content=There's one reason to come here, and that's GW paraphernalia—apparel, mugs, stationery, books, etc.
===Budget===
In addition to the restaurants listed below, there are many local and national fast food and fast casual chains including McDonald's, Chipotle, Nando's Peri-Peri, Vapiano, Five Guys, Potbelly, Cava, Sweetgreen, and Chop'd.
* {{Eat|name=Bakers and Baristas|alt=|url=https://www.bakersandbaristas.com/|email=|address=501 7th Street NW|lat=38.896253|long=-77.021921|directions=|phone=+1 202 347-7895|tollfree=|fax=|hours=Mon-Fri 7AM-10PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-10PM|price=|lastedit=2017-08-27|content=Coffee shop with a wide selection of brews, some savory sandwich items and a wide assortment of baked goods. They have a working relationship with the Red Velvet Cupcakery next door -- bring your treats from Red Velvet here to sit down and enjoy.}}
* {{eat
| name=District of Pi | alt=π | url=http://pi-dc.com | email=
| address=910 F St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 393-5484 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-10PM | price=Pizzas: $12-25
| content=A [[St. Louis]] import, this big pizzeria excels with the cornmeal crust deep dish pies as well as their rotating craft beer list. It's big enough where you can actually get a table after a game at the Capital One Arena, although the service can be slow when they are busy.
}}
}}
* {{buy
* {{eat
| name=IndianCraft & Map Store shops | url=http://indiancraftshop.com/ | email=
| content=A modern and intimate South Asian-American fusion restaurant. Try the naan burger or the delicious curries!
| content=Want to own a piece of America? OK, you can't actually walk in and purchase federal lands, or buy a mining permit. The gift shops, however, are open to the public. In business since 1938, the Indian Craft Shop has numerous American Indian handcrafted items, including pottery and jewelry, as well as books. The map store resides under the name of "Earth Science Information Center."
| content=A dive that serves good waffles, assorted breakfast foods, coffee, and burgers.
| content=The leading scientific, medical and technical bookstore on the East Coast, with a loyal following of visiting scientists and scholars. It also claims the distinction of the city's oldest bookstore, in business since 1936.
| hours=M-F 9AM-11PM, Sa-Su 10AM-11PM | price=$3.25 per cupcake or $36 for a dozen
| content=Washington Law Books, affiliated with Reiters, has a selection of books geared towards law students and professionals, as well as books on international studies, political science, and economics.
|lastedit=2017-08-27| content=For a nice, small treat, you'll find cupcake varieties including mocha/espresso, peanut butter cup, and boutique cupcakery here. This is a counter operation and there's no seating, but they have a working relationship with the next-door coffee shop Bakers and Baristas if you wish to sit down and enjoy your treat.
[[File:White House and the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C., Dec. 16, 2009.jpg|thumb|270px|The National Christmas Tree in President's Park]]
| address=400 8th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between D St & E St
| phone=+1 202 638-6010 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F 7:30AM-10PM, Sa-Su 9:30AM-9PM; brunch weekends until 2:30PM | price=$3-4 for tea, $10-15 for a meal, $20 for afternoon tea
| content=Teaism has a large selection of teas, and an adjacent tea shop where you can get some to take home. In addition to tea, they serve a variety of Asian dishes including Japanese bento boxes, udon noodle soup, ochazuke, Thai and Indian curry, and many vegetarian options. Breakfast is also delicious at Teaism, and their salty oat cookies are a must. 3 locations in DC.
}}
====Chinese====
There are many hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants that serve both food an alcohol on H Street, between 5th and 8th Streets ("Chinatown"). The quality and prices vary; however, the food is generally subpar and the suburbs are known for having better Chinese food than DC proper.
* {{eat
West End dining equals power dining. Whether you are on K St, or sitting opposite Lafayette Square, you'll be joined by lobbyists, lawyers, contractors, and politicos. There are several stand-out restaurants here, but the most famous are undoubtedly the Old Ebbitt Grill and the Lafayette Room.
| address=746 6th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 638-0424 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=10AM-11PM daily | price=$4-12
| content=You'll notice the chef in the window right away preparing Chinese noodles by hand. Express is precisely what a Chinatown restaurant should be (and what D.C.'s Chinatown sometimes seems to lack), a cheap casual place, serving solid, authentic Chinese food. The Singapore-style noodle and dumpling soups are the specialty, but it's also a great place to burn your mouth on some spicy beef entries.
| address=705 6th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 587-6258 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 589-1600 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Th 10AM-11PM, F 10AM-1AM, Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 11AM-9PM | price=$8-14
| hours= | price=
| content=Arguably the best ramen in D.C.
| content=Upscale burgers in a downscale, but cool industrial sort of cafeteria space. The list of craft beers is long, the burgers are fresh ground on site and potentially come with all sorts of wild toppings, and the milkshakes (which come spiked or "virgin") are delicious.
| address=112019th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=509 H St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 296-2111 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 371-2233 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F7AM-4PM | price=$3-9
| hours=11AM-2AM daily | price=$7-22
| content=Arguably the best choice for an actual, authentic, Chinatown meal. Full Kee excels in the fish department, along with some good crispy duck and the noodle soups. Daily specials on the wall are always worth a look as well.
| content=There are a couple ''very'' popular bottom-budget Greek places just north in Dupont Circle (which shall remain nameless), with simply awful food. This place, on the other hand, no one seems to know about, and serves fantastic, authentic Greek food at prices just as low. Carryout only, but you've got nice parks right nearby to turn this into a picnic.
}}
}}
* {{eat
* {{eat
| name=Manouche'sHotDog Stand | url= | email=
| name=New Big Wong | url=http://newbigwong.com/ | email=
| address=85020th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=610 H St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone= | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 628-0491 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Th-Sa10PM-4AM | price=$2.50-3
| hours=11AM-5AM daily | price=$7-22
| content=This basement Cantonese and Sichuan eatery is the place to find the weirdest dishes in Chinatown in the middle of the night.
| content= If it's a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night between August and May you'll find Manouche's Hotdog Stand. Manouche has been serving late-night hotdogs to hungry George Washington University students and passers-by since 1986, becoming something of a local legend in the process. His interesting anecdotes and personality alone make it worth the trip.
}}
}}
===Mid-range===
* {{eat
* {{eat
| name=Teaism | url=http://teaism.com/ | email=
| name=B Burger Bar | url=http://www.burgersbeerbourbon.com/ | email=
| address=800Connecticut Ave NW | lat= | long= | directions=Across from Lafayette Park
| address= | lat= | long= | directions=in the Watergate
| address=931 H St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 342-1777 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 695-7660 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F 8AM-7PM, Sa 8AM-5PM, Su 10AM-2PM | price=$5-8
| hours= | price=
| content=A French bistro with a good beer and wine selection.
| content=This pastry shop is both one of the capital's best and a good reason to wander into the Watergate Hotel. Specialties include their excellent sacher torte, as well as the "Nixon donut."
}}
}}
* {{eat
===Mid-range===
| name=Dirty Habit @ Hotel Monaco | url=http://www.dirtyhabitdc.com/ | email=
| address=555 8th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between E St & F St
| content=Fine Peruvian dining at a very reasonable price, across the street from the World Bank. If you haven't tried Peruvian before, it's a rich mix of Incan, Spanish, and East Asian cuisines (Peru has a large East Asian immigrant population). Look for dishes with potatoes—Peru is the birthplace of the spud, and its cuisine uses some 40 odd varieties. The ''lomo saltado'', a steak dish with heavy Chinese influence, is a local favorite, but if you are up to something more adventurous, the chicken hearts (''anticuchos de corazón'') are out of this world. This is one of the best options for fine dining on a budget anywhere near the White House, and a great place to relax, sip a ''pisco sour'', and enjoy some fresh ''ceviche''. Noisy on busy nights.
| content=Many credit this loud, happy restaurant in the Penn Quarter for the current boom in Spanish tapas bars. Serves tasty tapas and wonderful sangria, as well as a ''fantastic'' selection of ports and sherry. This is Jose Andrés' first restaurant, and one of the best options in the area. Expect to wait on a crowded F-Sa night.
| content=Regulars are fiercely loyal to the pizza, claiming it to be the best in Washington. In the evenings, with its more expensive Italian dishes, it has a nice enough ambiance for a date.
| address=800 F St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 833-2888 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 347-9190 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours=M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F 11:30AM-10:30PM, Sa Noon-10:30PM, Su noon-10PM | price=$12-25
| content=Spanish food, including tapas & paellas. Sangria brunch ($2 each) on weekends from 11AM-4PM.
| content=A highly acclaimed, classy, albeit not entirely authentic Chinese restaurant catering to lawyers, businessmen, and politicians. An excellent option for a business lunch or dinner. Meiwah also offers delivery and carry-out.
| content=The venerable Old Ebbitt Grill. You don't come for the food (which just just fine, American cuisine), you come here for the tradition and the history. This Victorian restaurant and bar a couple blocks from the White House was a personal favorite with steak-eating Presidents Grant, Cleveland, Harding and Theodore Roosevelt back in the nineteenth century. It remains a symbol of the classic Washingtonian experience, and will probably always attract power diners. The one selection on the menu that really is excellent is the rightly famous oyster menu. You will need reservations.
| address=713 H St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 289-4441 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Th 11AM-10:30PM, F 11AM-11:30PM, Sa 10AM-11:30PM, Su 10AM-10:30PM | price=$10-30
| content=Many locations in the D.C.-area, all packed with people all times of the day. Some of the food here is really good such as the charcoaled sliders and wood-fired NYC-style pizza. The rest of the menu, however, would befit a bonafide tourist trap. It's also a good place to go for a drink, especially when the weather is warm and the outdoor seating is open.
}}
* {{eat
| name=nopa Kitchen + Bar | url=http://nopadc.com/ | email=
| address=800 F St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 347-4667 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=Classy restaurant with a wide variety of food options.
}}
}}
===Splurge===
===Splurge===
* {{eat
[[File:Eisenhower Executive Office Building-9.jpg|thumb|270px|The Old Executive Office Building]]
| name=Central Michel Richard | url=http://centralmichelrichard.com/| email=
| content=Central is the showpiece restaurant of the city's great chef, Michel Richard. In this restaurant, he celebrates his love for American cuisine, serving ''haute'' and somewhat Gallicized versions of dishes as simple as burgers and fried chicken. That fried chicken is the best in the city.
| content=The lunch deal at this solid, if not exceptional downtown steakhouse, is fabulous: $15 for a filet mignon! Otherwise, location, unpretentious atmosphere, better prices than at other downtown steakhouses, and good house craft beers are the reasons to come.
| content=Celebrity chef Todd Gray's D.C. restaurant, serving fine seasonal American cuisine. Offers a tasting menu, with pasta, fish, and cheese courses. Vegetarian options also available.
| hours=M-Th 11:30AM-10PM, F 11:30AM-11PM, Sa noon-11PM, Su 10AM-2:30PM,5:30PM-10PM; | price=$27-55
| content=The D.C. location of the upscale Mediterranean cocktail bar that serves dishes with a variety of flavored olive oils.
| content=This restaurant serves some of D.C.'s favorite upscale southern cooking, such as fried catfish, shrimp and grits, or southern fried chicken, along with traditional southern side dishes. Lunch on weekdays sees a $24 prix fixe three-course menu. Book ahead for the very popular Sunday jazz brunch.
| content=One of several D.C. restaurants by chef Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola offers upscale Italian food and great cocktails.
| content=American seafood cooking at its finest, often considered the best in the city. Kinkead's raw bar is also popular. Home to an uncommonly fine crab cake.
| hours=Lunch: M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM; dinner: M-Th 5PM-10PM, F 5PM-10:30PM, Sa 4:30PM-10:30PM, Su 4PM-9:30PM | price=Lunch: $36.95; dinner: $56.95
| content=This international chain serves all-you-can-eat Brazilian meat and sides. Flip your green card up, and the chefs come with meat; flip it to red, and the chefs let you eat. The restaurant also has a really nice salad bar for a considerably lower price than the meat menu.
| content=This restaurant overlooks Lafayette Square and the White House, and is a premier place for power dining. For the price, the food here is underwhelming, but the food, obviously, is not why you come here.
| content=Self described French cuisine with Flemish flair. Quiet, elegant atmosphere. They will wow you with the service, with extra touches everywhere, from occasional free cocktails to the limo service to the Kennedy Center included in the pre-theatre dining. Jacket required.
| content=Outside D.C., Mike Isabella is best known as a Top Chef "all star," but in D.C. he's known for some of the best Italian food in the city, served in small-plate portions, out of this small downtown restaurant with a long waitlist for reservations. The top chef's own favorite dish is the simple hand-cut spaghetti, adorned only with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and thai basil.
| hours=M-F 11:30AM-3PM,5PM-10PM, Sa 11AM-2:30PM,5PM-10PM, Su 11AM-2:30PM,5PM-9PM | price=$50-65
| content=>Famous chef Eric Ziebold runs this restaurant where everything is served ala carte.
| content=The Old Ebbitt Grill outshines this century-old establishment by the White House "Where Statesmen Dine" in terms of fame and age, but not in terms of quality. Anybody who is anybody in D.C. has dined here going back to its opening in 1906, and their images remain on the famous photo-lined walls. If the endless politicos bore you, keep in mind that the Occidental also hosted the Washington Senators victory banquet when the city won its first and only World Series. This restaurant doesn't rest on its star-studded laurels, though, and practices top-notch cookery, and is looking quite sharp following its centennial anniversary and $2 million renovation.
| hours=Seating times Tu-Sa 6PM and 8:30PM, Su 5PM and 7:30PM | price=$275 + drinks
| content=Mr. Andrés' wild culinary ride through molecular-gastronomy. Reservations are hard to come by at this six-customer, two-chef restaurant, which will serve you a 30-course meal of everything from cotton candy foie gras to lobster injection to beet tumbleweed. Even by its own extreme standards, the Dragon Popcorn caused a local stir last year—caramelized curry popcorn dipped into liquid nitrogen, which causes smoke to come out your nose after eating. Reservations open up one month in advance, and you should call at 10AM if you want to get one (and watch out for the rude reservations lady).
| content=Chef Tony Conte prepares elegant meat, pasta, and seafood dishes, including lobster. Good selection of wine, and delicious desserts. The last few presidents have all dined here; Condoleeza Rice declared it her favorite in the city. Pre-theatre menu available 5:30PM-6:30PM.
| content=This small dining room is a lovely trip back to the Southern traditions of the mid-nineteenth century, and could be reason enough on its own to have dinner here, but the food is absolutely the cream of D.C.'s crop as well. The menu is small, with simple, but fairly exotic and expertly executed Southern dishes. Sunday brunch ($30-35) is popular.
| content=A steakhouse that prides itself on tradition and formality—jackets are a must, and they go well with the beautiful art deco surroundings, tuxedo-clad waiters, and classy Frank Sinatra-esque piano bar atmosphere. The menu can be a little uneven, but the signature prime rib is appropriately excellent, as is the lump crab imperial and the (best in the city) key lime pie.
| content=José Andres's take on Mexican ''antojitos'', the Mexican word for snacks (literally, "little cravings"). The mole here is outstanding and the grasshopper tacos are... interesting. Su-F 4:30PM-6:30PM has great happy hour deals at the bar.
| content=Traditional Spanish cuisine served a la carte and as tapas, served in one very romantic restaurant. The three-course prix fixe is highway robbery. The restaurant also offers a dedicated vegetarian menu. Neither tapas nor prix-fixe menus are available on Saturday nights, so that's not the night to get your money's worth.
| content=The standard menu, while top-notch contemporary American, may not leave a truly lasting impression as would some of the more unique restaurants in this area, but the setting is ''gorgeous''. Set in the historic 1842 neo-classical General Post Office building, modeled after the Roman Temple of Jupiter, Poste has arguably the flashiest and prettiest dining room in the city. The courtyard occupying the center of the block is a favorite Washingtonian spot in the summer for outdoor dining and drinks—craft beers and truffle fries are a happy hour staple of the trendier crowd downtown. There are a couple memorable special-occasion items on (or off) the menu, though: if you have a big group, you can get one of the government-named seafood towers, or even make special reservations for a "Poste Roast," involving private dining and a whole roasted lamb, pig, or goat.
| content=Locally renowned southern cuisine in an elegant setting, a la carte or tasting menu. Offers complimentary wine tastings and light hor'd'oeuvres during happy hour (M-F 4PM-7PM). The sommelier loves chatting about wine, it's a free education, which is pretty rare in D.C.
}}
* {{eat
| name=Proof | url=http://proofdc.com/ | email=
| address=775 G St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| content=The coziest fine dining establishment downtown, Proof is a choice date spot, with a "wine-centric" ethos—hosts want nothing better than to help you discover better and better wines, so be sure to ask recommendations for pairings (and cheeses—the charcuterie platters here are the best in town). Doubling as a dedicated wine bar, Wine comes by the taste, glass, or bottle. The cocktails are also pretty fabulous. Food is contemporary American, with a vague Mediterranean bent. Lunch deals are excellent, including wine, if you don't mind an early start to your drinking!
| content=Asian-focused restaurant. A great place to spot celebrities of the political variety. For a cheaper alternative, head to the lounge, which offers food from the same kitchen at slightly more modest prices.
| content=Tapas, antojitos, and... mezzes! Andrés' alphabetically last restaurant serves a variety of meat, seafood, and vegetarian Greek and Lebanese mezzes, along with large selection of wines from the same region.
}}
}}
==Drink==
==Drink==
Although it isn't the best place to get the true local experience, there are plenty of places to drink in the East End.
[[File:Interior - Corcoran Gallery of Art - DSC01195.JPG|thumb|270px|Inside the Corcoran]]
Several of the restaurants listed above have excellent bars, particularly if you like high-end cocktails surrounded by fashionable clientéle. Try Proof (make reservations), Graffiato, Poste, or any of the José Andrés restaurants' bars. Clyde's, District Chophouse, and District of Pi, double as solid places for beer lovers. If you are looking for a really unpretentious spot, try one of the Chinese places on H St, which stay open late, and serve "low-end" stiff tiki drinks, Chinese beers, and plentiful cheap sake late into the night.
The West End is generally not the best location for nightlife. Downtown empties out after work, and the middling happy hour ends by 8PM. After that the whole area is dead. There are a couple of nice, standard bars by GW, a few British/Irish pubs just west of Farragut Square, and a few clubs near the McPherson Sq and Farragut West Metro Stations. Otherwise, walk a few blocks north to [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]] or catch a cab west to [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]].
| address=707 7th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 349-3700 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-Th 11AM-2AM, F 11AM-3AM, Sa 10AM-3AM, Su 10AM-2AM | price=$15-35
| content=One of 8 locations in the D.C. area, this enormous bar/restaurant is very attractive, wooden and dimly lit in a sort of Victorian grand-old-hotel fashion. It's a great after-dinner or after-theater option, though, to sit at one of its three lovely bars and have a few drinks. Or finagle a table and have those drinks with a little dessert, or something off the fantastic oyster menu
| content=Old=school basement bar with art deco design.
| lastedit=2016-03-21
| content=Serving the community and the university for several years, Froggy Bottom is a good place to hang out with friends and enjoy a beer, with the food and beer fairly inexpensive. There is patio seating when the weather is warm, and some pool and foosball in the back.
}}
}}
* {{drink
* {{drink
| name=Lindy'sBonApetit | url= | email=
| name=Flight Wine Bar | url=http://www.flightdc.com/ | email=
| address=2040I St NW | lat= | long=| directions=
| address=777 6th St NW | lat= | long=| directions=between G St & H St
| content=Wines and wine-based cocktails. Knowledgeable staff and 70 wines available. Four beers on tap.
| content= Lindy's cooks some solid burgers and various combinations of fast food that appear inspired by drunken GW undergrads, and has a friendly dive bar atmosphere. It's practically on the university campus, so expect lots of students and GW decor. Just watch out for the wrought iron steps.
}}
}}
* {{drink
* {{drink
| name=OffTheRecord@ The Hay Adams Hotel | url=http://hayadams.com/washington-dc-bars | email=
| name=Iron Horse Tap Room | url=http://ironhorsedc.com/ | email=
| address=80016th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=intheHay-AdamsHotel
| address=507 7th St NW | lat=38.896407 | long=-77.021814 | directions=between E St & F St
| hours=M-Th 4PM-2AM, F 4PM-3AM, Sa 5PM-3AM, Su 5PM-2AM | price=
| content=A rare creature here: just a bar, with a faux-biker bar theme. Iron Horse is a reliable, unpretentious spot for craft beers, sports on the television and skee ball and Big Buck Hunter. It's very crowded before games at the Capital One Arena, which either makes it a great place to mingle with local sports fans, or an overcrowded noisy experience, but otherwise is pretty low key. It's a particularly good spot if you are feeling overdressed for fancier bars in the area.
| content= Recognized by Forbes.com as one of the world’s best hotel bars, Off the Record is known as Washington’s premiere "power bar" (right across the park from the White House), and a place to be seen and not heard.
}}
}}
* {{drink
* {{drink
| name=Recessions Bar and Grill | url=http://www.recessionsdc.com/ | email=
| content=A great cocktail bar that offers free popcorn (to make you thirsty).
| content=This has got to be the West End's cheapest dive bar, with $3 burgers and $4.50 sandwiches. Weekday happy hours 5PM-8PM see $2.75 "King Kongs"—26oz draft beers, as well as $2 bottles and $2.50 food specials. It's filled with after-work yuppies, of course, but it's still kind of amazing that this place is next to Farragut Square!
| content=The "contemporary pan-Asian" food at the restaurant here is excellent, but the lounge downstairs is an even better reason to come. With its sexy decor and impressive drinks, it is a bonafide after-hours hot spot, and major beautiful person destination.
}}
* {{drink
| name=Rocket Bar | url=http://rocketbardc.com/ | email=
| address=714 7th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 628-7665 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| content=A funky basement bar decorated with a rocket-theme where you can play billiards, darts, shuffleboard & video games.
| address=709 D St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 524-5322 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| content=A hip bar that also serves meat dishes including a whole pig's head or a pig's feast for $50 per person.
}}
}}
==Sleep==
==Sleep==
If you are staying in the East End, you have a good location as you are close to both the [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|National Mall]] and the nightlife-centered districts of [[Washington, D.C./Shaw|Shaw]] and [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]]. Private accommodation rentals are also very popular.
===Budget===
===Budget===
====Hostels====
*{{sleep
* {{sleep
| name=Best Western Georgetown Hotel & Suites | url=http://georgetowndchotel.com | email=
| name=Hostelling International Washington DC | url=http://hiwashingtondc.org/ | email=
| address=1009 11th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between K St & L St
| phone= | tollfree=+1-866-263-7212 | fax=
| phone=+1 202 737-2333 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$150-185
| hours= | price=Dorm bed: $29-49, breakfast included
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=The building is old and somewhat dingy-looking from the outside, but inside it's clean and in good shape. Nice kitchen and a comfy common room. Great service.
| content=An all suite hotel, and a bland chain. It's claim to be in Georgetown is a blatant lie—it's in the business district, and closer to Dupont Circle. The only reason to stay here would be if you find a good deal online.
}}
}}
====Hotels====
*{{sleep
* {{sleep
| name=Melrose Hotel | url=http://melrosehoteldc.com/index.aspx | email=
| address=1100 E St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 628-8140 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$140-250
| hours= | price=From $135
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=Odd to see such a cheap hotel next to the Mall! It's not clear how they've managed to maintain this old clunker here in such a high-value real estate zone for so long, but if you don't mind your hotel looking a little older and shabby, this is a great budget option.
| content=The decor is a bit outdated, but the location and prices are good. It's in the business district, and close enough to Georgetown and the Kennedy Center where you could walk.
}}
}}
===Mid-range===
* {{sleep
* {{sleep
| name=Hampton Inn - Washington DC Convention Center | url=http://hamptoninn3.hilton.com/en/hotels/district-of-columbia/hampton-inn-washington-downtown-convention-center-WASHHHX/index.html | email=
| address=1823L St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=901 6th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between Massachusetts Ave & K St
| phone=+1 202 223-4320 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 842-2500 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$120-180
| hours= | price=From $180
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=Average location of an average hotel chain, with average prices, and slightly above average continental breakfast. Small indoor pool, jacuzzi, fitness center, free coffee in lobby.
| content=The Quincy is a converted Holiday Inn, and the renovation hasn't quite masked that, despite claims to the contrary of sleekness and contemporary decor. It's a fine hotel with some great rates nonetheless, and has extended stay suites and meeting rooms geared towards business travelers.
| address=900 F St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 337-7600 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 638-4600 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$119-$354
| hours= | price=From $169
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=This location caters more to business travelers than the other options in the area. Free lobby coffee, 24 hr fitness center, small pool, & jacuzzi. Rooms are a little small. Make sure you get a good deal, otherwise consider one of the two other more upscale Marriotts also in the neighborhood.
| content=This comfortable apartment hotel is located near Foggy Bottom station and the Kennedy Center and boasts large rooms. Note that the hotel's room rates vary considerably, and range from a starting price of $300 in peak periods to less than half that level at other times. At the lower rates this hotel is a real bargain, but the high rates don't represent good value. Politics and history junkies staying here (or in the other nearby apartment hotels) can get a minor thrill by shopping for groceries at the small supermarket in the nearby Watergate complex.
}}
}}
===Splurge===
[[File:W Hotel - POV Roof Terrace and Lounge.JPG|thumb|270px|POV Lounge on top of the W Hotel (old Hotel Washington)]]
| name=Marriott at Metro Center | url=http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasmc-washington-marriott-at-metro-center/ | email=
| address=80016th St NW | lat=38.900476 | long=-77.036826 | directions=
| address=775 12th St NW | lat= | long= | directions=between G St & H St
| phone=+1 202 638-6600 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 737-2200 | tollfree= | fax=
| checkin= | checkout= | price=$300-800
| hours= | price=From $189
| checkin= | checkout=
| wikipedia=Hay–Adams Hotel | image=Hay Adams Hotel.jpg
| content=Nice lobby, large rooms, a really good gym, and a small pool + jacuzzi.
| content=A prominent historic hotel right on Lafayette Square—if you get a window facing south, you'll have quite the view. As you might expect, you have to pay for this location, but the service and accommodations match those prices in quality even without the view. Also offers corporate suite accommodation.
| content=Built in 1925, with extensive gold trim and elegance, this old hotel is has hosted several Presidents and other famous politicians. The level of service, though, has not kept pace with the other historic hotels in the area—the Hay-Adams and the Willard.
}}
}}
*{{sleep
* {{sleep
| name=ParkHyatt Washington | url=http://parkwashington.hyatt.com | email=
| name=Residence Inn by Marriott Washington, DC Downtown | url=http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasdc-residence-inn-washington-dc-downtown/ | email=
| address=1199 Vermont Ave NW | lat= | long= | directions=At 14th St & L St NW
| phone=+1 202 789-1234 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 898-1100 | tollfree= | fax=
| price=From $179 | checkin= | checkout=
| hours= | price=$400-800
| content=Features suites with pull-out sofas, and desks with ergonomic chairs. Breakfast is included daily and a basic dinner is also included on some nights.
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=This is a modern, classy, and big hotel with the level of service you would expect from the prices. The somewhat odd location makes this a better hotel for business travelers. Although, if you can afford a stay here, you probably won't mind spending money on cabs, and the location ''is'' very quiet.
}}
}}
===Splurge===
* {{sleep
* {{sleep
| name=RitzCarlton Washington | url=http://ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/WashingtonDC/Default.htm | email=
| name=Grand Hyatt Washington | url=http://grandwashington.hyatt.com/en/hotel/home.html | email=
| address=115022nd St NW | lat=38.904744 | long=-77.049074 | directions=
| address=1000 H St NW | lat=38.899439 | long=-77.026293 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 835-0500 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 582-1234 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$250-550
| hours= | price=From $290
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=Full-service business center, 32 meeting rooms, in-lobby Metro Center access, and a nice fitness center are the pluses. A rather absurd downside, though, is that they make you pay to use their gym. Another hotel that you should only use if you get a good deal.
| content=Modern, extravagant hotel located near the Foggy Bottom Metro station, with the deluxe SportsClub/LA located in the hotel.
| content=Number one reason to stay here (or at almost any W Hotel) is aesthetic—the rooms, lobby, everything, are gorgeous. Fantastic views from the rooftop bar/restaurant. Huge gym.
| name=Hotel Monaco by Kimpton | url=http://www.monaco-dc.com/ | email=
| address=2350M St NW | lat=38.904950 | long=-77.050971 | directions=
| address=700 F St NW | lat=38.896957 | long=-77.022516 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 429-0100 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 628-7177 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$250-500
| hours= | price=From $279
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=Kimpton hotels are almost always lovely, and this one benefits from its location in a grand old nineteenth century building (though this means the halls are a bit old), weirdly mixed with very modern decor. Huge pool and jacuzzi. Free wine-cocktails hour. And don't forget to request your free in-room goldfish!
| content=An unexceptional, but comfortable modern hotel geared towards business travelers, with a quiet location in the business district, and just a few blocks from Georgetown.
| address=1015 L St NW | lat=38.904307 | long=-77.026740 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 628-9100 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 989-1200 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=$360-1,000
| hours= | price=From $210
| checkin= | checkout=
| checkin= | checkout=
| content=An independent hotel with a little Southern flair in a Civil War-era mansion. As you would expect, the amenities cannot quite compete with the Hotel Monaco, but this is a charming, unique place to stay, and a good spot to sip a mint julep on the porch.
| content=D.C.'s [[Grand old hotels|grand old hotel]] two blocks from the White House. The hotel has ''tons'' of history. Every president since Franklin Pierce has stayed here, the first Japanese diplomats to ever stay at a foreign country stayed here, Martin Luther King penned his ''I Have a Dream'' speech here—you get the idea. The hotel isn't gliding on previous successes either; the service here is top-notch. It's on the east side of the White House, so it's not as convenient to the business district, but is very convenient to the [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|Mall]] and the [[Washington, D.C./East End|East End]].
}}
}}
* {{sleep
| name=Trump International Hotel Washington DC | url=https://www.trumphotels.com/washington-dc | email=
| address=1401HStNW, 1776 G St NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=8th and F Sts NW | lat= | long= | directions=
| phone=+1 202 408-4900 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 633-1000 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours=M-F7AM-4PM | price=
| hours=11:30AM-6:30PM daily | price=
| content=Free WiFi is available in the Kogod Courtyard at the Reynold Center Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. There is a small cafe in the courtyard where you get coffee and sandwiches. The courtyard is a peaceful, quiet place to escape for a break. Note that your bag will be inspected when you come into the museum.
| content=Sandwich place near McPherson Square with free WiFi.
| name=Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library | alt= | url=http://dclibrary.org/mlk/ | email=
| address=17th St NW, between I and K St | lat= | long= | directions=
| address=901 G St NW | lat=38.8986 | long=-77.0247 | directions=
| phone=+1 202 463-7062 | tollfree= | fax=
| phone=+1 202 727-0321 | tollfree= | fax=
| hours= | price=
| hours=M-Th 9:30AM-9PM, F-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 1PM-5PM | price=
| wikipedia=Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library | image=MLK Library.jpg | wikidata=Q2211847
| content=The Golden Triangle BID provides free WiFi coverage for Farragut Park.
| content=D.C.'s central public library is enormous, and, designed by modern legend Mies van der Rohe, is one of the best examples of modern architecture in the city. Sadly, it has seen better days, and isn't as lovely a place to hang out as it should be (the homeless folks, kicked out of shelters during the daytime, make the public terminals their home). It's still quite the landmark, though, and it has a really nice bookstore inside. As with all libraries, free WiFi & public terminals.
}}
}}
==Go next==
==Go next==
* The [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|National Mall]], is just to the south to the East End and is where you will find many of the city's museums and main attractions.
* The obvious next stops are [[Washington, D.C./Georgetown|Georgetown]] to the west or the [[Washington, D.C./East End|East End]] to the east for dining, shopping, and nightlife (a ten–fifteen minute walk or a $1 Circulator bus ride from Foggy Bottom), and south to [[Washington, D.C./National Mall|Potomac Park, the Tidal Basin, and the Mall]].
* Slightly less obvious is to head north to [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]], where the nightlife and dining is a bit more local, and a bit more fashionable.
* The nightlife here is plentiful and very visitor-friendly, but it is very much divorced from real Washingtonian culture. Head up to [[Washington, D.C./Shaw|Shaw]], [[Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle|Dupont Circle]], and [[Washington, D.C./Adams_Morgan|Adams Morgan]] to see how the locals like to wine, dine, and party.
* [[Arlington (Virginia)|Arlington]], home to the famous cemetery, National Airport, and more downtown dining and business, is just across the bridge, and is easy to reach via the Blue/Orange lines or by bus (or taxi).
East End is D.C.'s old downtown quarter, east of 15th St, and includes the neighborhoods of Chinatown, Penn Quarter, Judiciary Square, and Mount Vernon Square.
The Friendship Archway was designed by local architect Alfred H. Liu in 1986 and includes 7,000 tiles and 272 painted dragons in the style of the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
The East End, just north of the National Mall is home to several museums and event venues, and full of restaurants, bars, and large hotels. Pennsylvania Ave, which runs through the Penn Quarter from the White House to the Capitol Building, serves as a bridge from the city center to the Mall. As you might expect, this road has nice views.
Neighborhoods
The Kogod Courtyard inside the National Portrait Gallery
Like the nearby neighborhood of Shaw, the East End was decimated during the 1968 riots. Many buildings were destroyed and it became a haven for drug dealers.
In the early 1990s, when Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Abe Pollin arrived for the first time by limousine at the intersection of 7th and F St NW to scout out possible sites for a new arena, he was told not to get out of the vehicle. The site, then a parking lot, had drug dealers doing business, and the neighborhood was crime-ridden and deserted at night. But, he decided that was the place to build his new arena. The Capital One Arena' (formerly the Verizon Center and MCI Center) opened in December 1997, and since then, the neighborhood has experienced a remarkable turnaround with tremendous gentrification.
Penn Quarter is the commercial center of the East End. It includes Gallery Place, the bustling entertainment area between the Capital One Arena and the National Portrait Gallery. The Pennsylvania Ave stretch, whose sidewalks and parks comprise a National Park, is the city's number two staging ground for races, large festivals, and parades. Penn Quarter is distinguished from the rest of downtown by its nineteenth century buildings and facades. After the opening of the Capital One Arena in 1997, and the resulting development boom, many buildings were redeveloped as the ground-floor facades of private luxury apartments and office buildings, resulting in the creation of an "arts and entertainment" district. The biggest draw for city visitors, however, is Penn Quarter's theater district, and its tremendous quantity of first-rate museums.
Chinatown is to the north of Penn Quarter. While the neighborhood was majority Asian in the early 20th century, most of the Asian population moved out after the 1968 riots. The neighborhood is lively in the evenings and features many restaurants. Chinatown resembles a miniature Times Square with activity day and night into the wee hours. The city government heavily promotes the original ethnic character—businesses in the neighborhood, including Starbucks, Hooters, and local banks are required to post signage in Chinese. But those expecting something like New York's Chinatown will be sorely disappointed—area residents have taken to calling it Chinablock. While several Chinese restaurants remain, these days the best Chinese food in D.C. can be found in the suburbs rather than in Chinatown.
Judiciary Square, to the east of Penn Quarter, includes the United States District Court building, along with the D.C. Superior Court building, and various other government buildings. Just north, straddling into the neighborhood of Shaw, is the massive, 2.3 million square foot (210,000 m²) Convention Center, just north of Mt Vernon Square. The Convention Center was completed in 2003, and has since been the favorite site for presidential inaugural balls.
Get in
By Metrorail
Metrorail stops at Metro Center (on the Red, Orange, Blue, and Silver lines), Federal Triangle (Blue, Orange, and Silver), and Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter (Green and Yellow). The Gallery Pl-Chinatown station is at the Capital One Arena—use the H St exit for Chinatown.
For the Convention Center, get off at Mount Vernon Square on the Green and Yellow lines. For Judiciary Square in the east, take the Red Line to Judiciary Square.
By car
The East End is probably the worst place to drive to in the city. On weekdays and during peak tourist season, street parking is either unavailable, or will take a long time to find. Most parking garages fill up by 9AM. Downtown traffic jams are frequent and awful. Take note of garage hours since you won't be able to get your car after the garages close.
The main north-south routes are 7th St (which turns into Georgia further north), as well as I-395 from Virginia, which terminates east of the Convention Center. Major east-west routes include H St, which runs through Chinatown, and Pennsylvania Ave. Crisscrossing the area on diagonals through Mt Vernon Square are New York Ave and Massachusetts Ave.
By taxi
It is possible to hail taxis from the street at almost any hour of the day or night, and they are a convenient way to travel relatively short distances.
By bus
The following are the main bus routes operating in the East End, along with links to timetables and route maps. For more information on riding buses in Washington DC, see Washington DC#Get around.
Georgetown-Union Station Circulator Bus ($1) is a limited-stop/express bus that runs Su-Th 7AM-midnight, F-Sa 7AM-3:30PM. It runs through the south end of Mount Vernon Square, heading east along Massachusetts Ave to Union Station, and west along K St through the West End and on to Georgetown.
#31 / #32 and #36 run along Pennsylvania Ave northwest to Georgetown and upper Wisconsin Avenue, as well as southeast to the National Mall.
The Penn Quarter area is an easy walk from the National Mall and the museums by walking north through the courtyards of Federal Triangle, past the National Archives. From the White House, walk east on Pennsylvania Avenue to G, F, or E St.
See
The Capital One Arena
Museums
38.897-77.02271Smithsonian American Art Museum, 8th St & F St NW, ☏ +1 202 633-7970. 11:30AM-7PM daily. The collection here is a walk through encyclopedia of American Art—Gilbert Stuart's stern presidential portraits through Nam June Paik's house-sized America sculpture of neon and televisions. Free.
38.896667-77.0258332Ford's Theatre Museum, 511 10th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 347-4833. A great museum detailing the life of Abraham Lincoln and the place where he was assassinated. Free.
38.9026-77.02293Historical Society of Washington D.C., 801 K St NW (In Mount Vernon Sq), ☏ +1 202 393-1420, info@historydc.org. Library: W 10AM-4PM; Window to Washington Exhibit: M, W: 10AM-4PM, Th: 10AM-6PM. The D.C. historical society occupies the enormous building at the center of Mount Vernon Square and has a research library and exhibit on D.C. history open to the public. Free.
38.8969-77.02344International Spy Museum, 800 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 393-7798. 9AM-5PM or 9AM-6PM daily, last admission one hour before close. Exhibits are interesting to anyone even marginally interested in espionage and Cold War history, and it also has a great exhibit tailored specifically to kids. Adults: $21.95; Seniors: $15.95; Youth (7-11): $14.95; Children aged 6 and under: Free.
38.8964-77.01956Koshland Science Museum, 525 E St NW, ☏ +1 202 334-1201. 10AM-6PM daily except closed Tu, last admission 5PM. Koshland is very much on the small side for D.C. museums, but it's great for kids, and for those happy adults who can let loose and act like kids. Adults: $5; Seniors, children, students, active duty military: $3.
38.892778-77.0230567National Archives, 700 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Rotunda and exhibit hall, open daily except 25 December; 10AM-5:30PM (day after Labor Day through March 14), 10AM-7PM (March 15 through Labor Day); last admission 30 minutes before closing. For history buffs, a visit is a must, as it has a display containing declassified top secret documents related to the Cold War. And, of course, the original copies of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, and the Bill of Rights are also on display, though the writing is so faded on the Declaration of Independence that you will not be able to make it out. No photography of the two documents is allowed. Free.
38.8975-77.0180568National Building Museum, 401 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 272-2448. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Located in the Pension Building, the building itself is highly recommended for its architecture, with an expansive open interior space with massive columns. The space is used on occasion for special events, including Presidential inaugurations. There is a small cafe inside, to the right of the entrance, and places to sit and relax, as well as a gift shop. The National Building Museum features long-term exhibits on the planning and building of Washington, D.C., and on green building and communities, along with various short-term exhibits and special events. Free to enter main hall and shop. Exhibits require $8 for adults, $5 for ages 3-17 and those 60+.
38.9-77.0291679National Museum of Women in the Arts, 1250 New York Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 783-5000. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM. This is the world's only museum devoted to art made by women. Its special exhibits can be really interesting, often featuring works from a specific part of the world. The big, beautiful building is a historic former Masonic Temple. The gift shop is extraordinary, with a collection of very unique handmade gifts from around the world. $10 adults; $8 students, ages 65+; free 18 and younger.
38.89783-77.0229510National Portrait Gallery, 850 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 633-8300. 11:30AM-7PM daily. Its most popular exhibit is the Hall of Presidents. The enclosed courtyard has received universal accolades; Conde Nast Traveler calls it one of the seven modern architectural wonders of the world. Its cafe is certainly one of the most attractive places in the city to break out your laptop and enjoy the WiFi. Free.
38.8932-77.019211Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave NW, toll-free: +1-888-639-7386. 9AM-5PM (closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's). Of all the most hyped, overpriced museums in D.C., this one actually deserves the hype and even the admissions fee—it's an incredible, one-of-a-kind museum. With seven floors, it has a lot to see, and the exhibits are an interesting blend of high tech (a "4-D" theater) and low tech historical documents, all about the news, how it shapes American society, and how indeed the first amendment is so central to the nation's history. Check the nation-wide newspaper row in front of the Pennsylvania entrance. For foreigners, while the museum is a testament to the free press, be prepared for some solid pro-US bias in its selected news. The Newseum has dining options available. It has a food section open from 11 AM to 3 PM each day. Wolfgang Puck Catering operates this on the Concourse Level of the building. Sandwiches, snacks, desserts, salads and various hot entrees are available. The Express Bar is adjacent to this with more quick offerings and this is open from 9 AM to 4 PM. The food in both areas is somewhat pricy but it is of good quality. Adults: $24.95+tax; Seniors: $19.95+tax; Minors: $14.95+tax; Children aged 6 or younger: Free.
Landmarks and memorials
The imposing Canadian EmbassyThe Old Post Office Building
38.8931-77.018312Embassy of Canada in Washington, 501 Pennsylvania Ave NW. The building is a striking, contemporary masterpiece, helping Vancouverite architect Arthur Erickson win some prestigious awards. Look for the small dome and columns incorporated into the exterior (in part designed as a gentle mockery of the neoclassical imperial style prevalent around the Capitol), which serves as an echo chamber of sorts, where you'll have any sounds directed right back at you from the dome.
38.896667-77.02583313House Where Lincoln Died (Petersen House), 516 10th St NW (across the street from Ford's Theatre). 9AM-5PM daily. 1865 was perhaps the most consequential year in presidential history, when, on the 14th of April, a prominent actor at Ford's Theatre and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln in his balcony seat. Attendants carried Lincoln across the street to a small bedroom in the small rowhouse across the street, but the doctors were unable to save the president. He died early morning the next day. This isn't so much a museum—it's just a small room with a few plaques, recreated to look as it did on that day. The house is operated by the National Park Service, and visited via tours from Ford's Theatre. Free.
38.8952-77.02514J. Edgar Hoover FBI building, 935 Pennsylvania Ave NW. This brutalist office building is in bad condition and will likely be demolished eventually.
38.896744-77.01755315National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, 605 E St NW, ☏ +1 202 737-3213. This monument bears the names of nearly 20,000 officials who lost their lives in the line of duty. A big law enforcement museum is being built underground across the street, but for the time being you'll have only the memorial to walk around.
38.893978-77.02797516Old Post Office Tower, 1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW. 9AM-5PM. At the top of the Trump International Hotel Washington DC. One of the best views of the city.
38.893889-77.03083317Ronald Reagan Building & International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 312-1300, fax: +1 202 312-1310. It's not clear whether the small-government Republican would enjoy having one of the biggest, most expensive recent federal buildings ($768 million), filled with agencies like USAID and U.S. Customs, named in his honor. But it is an impressive sight inside and out (especially inside). The building itself has several restaurants fast-food and otherwise, public artworks, shops, and enormous conference and party space, popular for political galas, business conferences, and expensive wedding receptions. Free WiFi throughout.
38.89389-77.0227818U.S. Navy Memorial, 701 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 737-2300. 9:30AM-5PM daily. D.C.'s memorial to the U.S. Navy is not as jolting as the big memorials, but it is nice to walk around. Make sure to see the famous Lone Sailor statue, and who knew that Neil Armstrong was in the Navy!
Public squares
D.C.'s downtown is notable for its grand squares, though they may get more use from homeless people and pigeons than visitors (there are no downtown homeless shelters).
38.9019-77.030819Franklin Square, 1350 K St NW. Franklin Square is less known than McPherson Square to the west and Mount Vernon Square to the east. The statue on the west side near McPherson Square Metro is of Commodore John Barry of the Revolutionary War-era Continental Navy and later the U.S. Navy, known today as the Father of the American Navy. The striking red building at the northeast corner of the square is the Franklin School, from which Alexander Graham Bell sent his first wireless message (to 1325 L St NW). The building is owned by the city and development proposals are being considered by the mayor.
38.8958-77.030720Freedom Plaza, 1355 Pennsylvania Ave NW. Named in honor of Martin Luther King Jr, who penned his I have a Dream speech at the Willard Hotel on this plaza, the stone center has a huge map of Pierre L'Enfant's original plan for the City of Washington. At the west end is one of D.C.'s infinite quantity of equestrian statues, this one of Kazimierz Pułaski, an American Revolutionary War general from Poland, who once saved George Washington's life, and who is known as the Father of American cavalry.
38.902331-77.02296921Mount Vernon Square, 801 K St NW. This mammoth square, which causes all sorts of disastrous navigational problems for motorists unfamiliar with the intricacies of New York and Massachusetts Avenues, is dominated by one beautiful and similarly mammoth Beaux-Arts building at its center. Constructed in 1903 with funding purely from Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy, this was originally the second headquarters of the D.C. Public Library. It currently houses the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. (see above).
Do
Capital One Arena
The 18,277-seat Capital One Arena, 601 F St NW, ☎ +1 202 661-5000, is home to both the Washington Wizards of the NBA and the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals. The Georgetown Hoyas college basketball team also plays games here, as do the WNBA's Washington Mystics. It also hosts major concerts, WWE wrestling, and various other events throughout the year. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster or at the box office.
There are several theaters around the city, but the Theater District is in Penn Quarter. The most popular theater company in the area is the Shakespeare Theatre Company, whose performances of Shakespeare and other classical plays rank among the nation's most renowned. Another very popular show is the long-running Capitol Steps show of political satire, where everyone in the political spectrum gets roasted every F-Sa in the Reagan Building.
38.893056-77.0416671DAR Constitution Hall, 1776 D Street NW, ☏ +1 202 628-4780. Hosts theatrical and musical performances, although the acoustics are known to be subpar.
Flashpoint Gallery, 916 G St NW, ☏ +1 202 315-1305. Flashpoint is a non-profit, city funded "incubator" of local artistic talent and new cultural institutions. The bulk of the performances in their (very small) Theater Lab are theatrical, and of lesser known plays (mostly foreign), but they also do stand up comedy, dance, etc. The art gallery is a great place to see contemporary works by local artists, and is open Tu-Sa noon-6PM. Shows $15-25.
The balcony where President Lincoln was assassinated - Ford's Theatre
Ford's Theatre, 511 10th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 347-4833. Tours: 9AM-5PM daily. This is where John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, and he was taken across the street to the Petersen House where he died. Ford's Theatre is not only a historic site, but remains a working theater, with regular performances. Theater here is usually the most traditional of the downtown venues, offering dramatic work that is "as eloquent, intelligent and respectful of humanity as Mr. Lincoln." The truly coveted tickets are for the annual Christmas Eve performance of A Christmas Carol. The daily tours take you through the theater and the onsite museum, and also spill across the street to the Petersen House, where Lincoln died. Shows: $40-55, tours: Free.
38.8963-77.03052National Theatre, 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 628-6161. First opened in 1835, many Presidents have come to see performances, with many famous performers back in is heyday. National Theatre is now the city's most likely host for Broadway shows and musicals, and other big-name visiting acts. $50-200.
Shakespeare Theatre Company, Lansburgh Theatre: 450 7th St NW, Harman Hall: 610 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 546-9606. D.C. can't get enough Shakespeare, to the extent that the Shakespeare Theatre Company had to open a second, enormous performance venue in 2007 at the Sidney Harman Hall. Both venues are great, the Lansburgh being a long-time favorite and a smaller, intimate space, and the Harman Hall being big, flashy, and state-of-the-art. The performances here of Shakespeare, often set in present times, as well as other classics from Aeschylus to Marlowe, are almost always universally-acclaimed and top-notch. If you want to see theater in D.C., this is a great place to start. If you are in D.C. in the early fall, look for the no tickets, first come-first served Free for All performances in the grand D.C. tradition of free cultural activities. $45-100; $10 tickets usually available for the 35-and-under crowd, standing room only, on the day of the performance.
38.8963-77.02924Warner Theatre, 513 13th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 783-4000. The Warner Theatre is a gorgeous old building. A former 1920s movie palace, having long languished in disrepair, was finally reopened in 1992 following extensive restoration. The Warner Theatre hosts Broadway shows, concerts, dance, and stand-up, etc. $35-75.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company, 641 D St NW (between D St & E St), ☏ +1 202 289-2443. This is the top theater company downtown for seeing new plays. Drama here is edgy, takes real risks, and is almost always memorable. $25-50.
Cinema
Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14, 701 7th St NW (between G St & H St; next to the Capital One Arena), ☏ +1 202 393-2121. The Regal cinema shows all the popular, current movies. Beware, though, that this movie theater is popular among the teens (especially on weekends and in the evenings) who can get rambunctious. Children: $11; Adults: $13.
E Street Cinema, 555 11th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 452-7672. A Landmark Theaters cinema, showing independent films and serving craft beers. The E Street Cinema is quiet, and does not draw the same youth crowd as the Regal cinema. $$12.50, $10 before 6PM weekdays.
Bowling
Lucky Strike Lanes, 701 7th St NW (Next to the Capital One Arena), ☏ +1 202 347-1021. Su-Th: 12PM-12AM, F-Sa: 12PM-2AM. This is a combination bowling alley and lounge. After 9PM, it's 21+ only, and there is a dress code of no sportswear or baggy clothes. $55/hour; $20 food and beverage minimum on F-Sa nights.
Buy
Souvenirs and gifts
There are plenty of souvenir shops in the East End. There are great gift shops at the museums - be sure to see the gift shop of the National Building Museum if you visit.
The Penn Quarter Fresh Farm Market, spring–fall, is a Thursday farmers market is on 8th St between D and E, 3-7PM. In December, the Downtown Holiday Market is set up on F St between 7th and 9th, with an array of handcrafted items, jewelry, pottery, and food.
Clothing
Macy's, 1201 G St NW, +1 202 628-6661 (on top of Metro Center), is the most-centrally located department store in D.C.
Gallery Place is a collection of shops at the intersection of 7th & H St including Ann Taylor LOFT and Urban Outfitters.
City Center includes many high-end shops around 10th & H St including Tumi, Louis Vuitton, kate spade new york, Hermès, Gucci, Burberry, BOSS, Arc'teryx, and Allen Edmonds.
Artwork
Touchstone Gallery, 901 New York Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 347-2787. W-F 11AM-6PM, Sa-Su noon-5PM. This artist-cooperative owned gallery survived the neighborhood change throughout the past 30 years, and remains friendly and crammed with local artwork. Prices are reasonable, and events are packed.
Eat
All hail José Andrés!
D.C.'s Spanish transplant, now one of America's most famous celebrity chefs, originally moved here as the head chef of Jaleo, a great tapas restaurant that has grown into a small local chain. He has since come to dominate the area's most trendy restaurants, opening up a host of them in the East End from Greek through Aztec, and is often credited with popularizing the art of the small dish in the U.S.
The East End has everything from chain restaurants to high-end dining to overpriced tourist traps. If you dine a la Andrés, you'll see D.C. cooking at its best. Nearly all the really nice restaurants here are relatively big, loud, cramped, and impersonal—but they'll serve great food. Chinatown, while small, supplies several budget options, as long as you can appreciate the "special charms" of Chinatown service.
Budget
In addition to the restaurants listed below, there are many local and national fast food and fast casual chains including McDonald's, Chipotle, Nando's Peri-Peri, Vapiano, Five Guys, Potbelly, Cava, Sweetgreen, and Chop'd.
38.896253-77.0219211Bakers and Baristas, 501 7th Street NW, ☏ +1 202 347-7895. Mon-Fri 7AM-10PM, Sat-Sun 8AM-10PM. Coffee shop with a wide selection of brews, some savory sandwich items and a wide assortment of baked goods. They have a working relationship with the Red Velvet Cupcakery next door -- bring your treats from Red Velvet here to sit down and enjoy. (updated Aug 2017)
District of Pi (π), 910 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 393-5484. M-Th 11AM-11PM, F-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 11AM-10PM. A St. Louis import, this big pizzeria excels with the cornmeal crust deep dish pies as well as their rotating craft beer list. It's big enough where you can actually get a table after a game at the Capital One Arena, although the service can be slow when they are busy. Pizzas: $12-25.
Grand Trunk, 641 Indiana Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 347-3293. A modern and intimate South Asian-American fusion restaurant. Try the naan burger or the delicious curries!
Lincoln's Waffle Shop, 504 10th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 638-4008. M-F 5:30AM-7PM, Sa-Su 5:30AM-3PM. A dive that serves good waffles, assorted breakfast foods, coffee, and burgers. $4-12.
Red Velvet Cupcakery, 501 7th St NW, ☏ +1 202 347-7895. M-F 9AM-11PM, Sa-Su 10AM-11PM. For a nice, small treat, you'll find cupcake varieties including mocha/espresso, peanut butter cup, and boutique cupcakery here. This is a counter operation and there's no seating, but they have a working relationship with the next-door coffee shop Bakers and Baristas if you wish to sit down and enjoy your treat. $3.25 per cupcake or $36 for a dozen. (updated Aug 2017)
Teaism, 400 8th St NW (between D St & E St), ☏ +1 202 638-6010. M-F 7:30AM-10PM, Sa-Su 9:30AM-9PM; brunch weekends until 2:30PM. Teaism has a large selection of teas, and an adjacent tea shop where you can get some to take home. In addition to tea, they serve a variety of Asian dishes including Japanese bento boxes, udon noodle soup, ochazuke, Thai and Indian curry, and many vegetarian options. Breakfast is also delicious at Teaism, and their salty oat cookies are a must. 3 locations in DC. $3-4 for tea, $10-15 for a meal, $20 for afternoon tea.
Chinese
There are many hole-in-the-wall Chinese restaurants that serve both food an alcohol on H Street, between 5th and 8th Streets ("Chinatown"). The quality and prices vary; however, the food is generally subpar and the suburbs are known for having better Chinese food than DC proper.
Chinatown Express, 746 6th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 638-0424. 10AM-11PM daily. You'll notice the chef in the window right away preparing Chinese noodles by hand. Express is precisely what a Chinatown restaurant should be (and what D.C.'s Chinatown sometimes seems to lack), a cheap casual place, serving solid, authentic Chinese food. The Singapore-style noodle and dumpling soups are the specialty, but it's also a great place to burn your mouth on some spicy beef entries. $4-12.
Full Kee, 509 H St NW, ☏ +1 202 371-2233. 11AM-2AM daily. Arguably the best choice for an actual, authentic, Chinatown meal. Full Kee excels in the fish department, along with some good crispy duck and the noodle soups. Daily specials on the wall are always worth a look as well. $7-22.
New Big Wong, 610 H St NW, ☏ +1 202 628-0491. 11AM-5AM daily. This basement Cantonese and Sichuan eatery is the place to find the weirdest dishes in Chinatown in the middle of the night. $7-22.
Jaleo, 480 7th St NW (between D St & E St), ☏ +1 202 628-7949. Su-M 11:30AM-10PM, Tu-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-midnight; brunch Sa-Su until 3PM. Many credit this loud, happy restaurant in the Penn Quarter for the current boom in Spanish tapas bars. Serves tasty tapas and wonderful sangria, as well as a fantastic selection of ports and sherry. This is Jose Andrés' first restaurant, and one of the best options in the area. Expect to wait on a crowded F-Sa night. $20-40.
La Tasca - DC, 800 F St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 347-9190. Spanish food, including tapas & paellas. Sangria brunch ($2 each) on weekends from 11AM-4PM.
Matchbox, 713 H St NW, ☏ +1 202 289-4441. M-Th 11AM-10:30PM, F 11AM-11:30PM, Sa 10AM-11:30PM, Su 10AM-10:30PM. Many locations in the D.C.-area, all packed with people all times of the day. Some of the food here is really good such as the charcoaled sliders and wood-fired NYC-style pizza. The rest of the menu, however, would befit a bonafide tourist trap. It's also a good place to go for a drink, especially when the weather is warm and the outdoor seating is open. $10-30.
38.895094-77.0268652Central Michel Richard, 1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 626-0015. Lunch: M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM; dinner: M-Th 5PM-10:30PM, F-Sa 5PM-11PM. Central is the showpiece restaurant of the city's great chef, Michel Richard. In this restaurant, he celebrates his love for American cuisine, serving haute and somewhat Gallicized versions of dishes as simple as burgers and fried chicken. That fried chicken is the best in the city. $30-60.
District Chophouse & Brewery, 509 7th St NW, ☏ +1 202 347-3434. Su-M 11AM-10PM, Tu-Sa 11AM-11PM. The lunch deal at this solid, if not exceptional downtown steakhouse, is fabulous: $15 for a filet mignon! Otherwise, location, unpretentious atmosphere, better prices than at other downtown steakhouses, and good house craft beers are the reasons to come. $18-50.
Fig & Olive, 934 Palmer Alley NW (between H St & I St), ☏ +1 202 559-5004. The D.C. location of the upscale Mediterranean cocktail bar that serves dishes with a variety of flavored olive oils. Dinner mains $20-40; Cocktails: $10-14; Glass of wine: $9-28.
Fiola, 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 628-2888. One of several D.C. restaurants by chef Fabio Trabocchi, Fiola offers upscale Italian food and great cocktails.
Fogo de Chao, 1101 Pennsylvania Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 347-4668. Lunch: M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM; dinner: M-Th 5PM-10PM, F 5PM-10:30PM, Sa 4:30PM-10:30PM, Su 4PM-9:30PM. This international chain serves all-you-can-eat Brazilian meat and sides. Flip your green card up, and the chefs come with meat; flip it to red, and the chefs let you eat. The restaurant also has a really nice salad bar for a considerably lower price than the meat menu. Lunch: $36.95; dinner: $56.95.
38.898674-77.0196133Graffiato, 707 6th St NW, ☏ +1 202 289-3600. Su-Tu 11:30AM-11PM, W-Sa 11:30AM-midnight. Outside D.C., Mike Isabella is best known as a Top Chef "all star," but in D.C. he's known for some of the best Italian food in the city, served in small-plate portions, out of this small downtown restaurant with a long waitlist for reservations. The top chef's own favorite dish is the simple hand-cut spaghetti, adorned only with garlic, cherry tomatoes, and thai basil. $20-50, tasting menu: $55. (updated Mar 2016)
Kinship, 1015 7th St NW (between K St & L St), ☏ +1 202 737-7700. >Famous chef Eric Ziebold runs this restaurant where everything is served ala carte. Items: $12-25; Mains: $55-60; Caviar: $80; Foie gras: 150.
Minibar by José Andrés, 855 E St NW, ☏ +1 202 393-0812. Seating times Tu-Sa 6PM and 8:30PM, Su 5PM and 7:30PM. Mr. Andrés' wild culinary ride through molecular-gastronomy. Reservations are hard to come by at this six-customer, two-chef restaurant, which will serve you a 30-course meal of everything from cotton candy foie gras to lobster injection to beet tumbleweed. Even by its own extreme standards, the Dragon Popcorn caused a local stir last year—caramelized curry popcorn dipped into liquid nitrogen, which causes smoke to come out your nose after eating. Reservations open up one month in advance, and you should call at 10AM if you want to get one (and watch out for the rude reservations lady). $275 + drinks.
Morrison-Clark Restaurant (inside the Morrison-Clark Inn), ☏ +1 202 989-1200. M-Sa 7AM-10AM, 11:30AM-2PM, 6PM-9:30PM, Su 11AM-2PM. This small dining room is a lovely trip back to the Southern traditions of the mid-nineteenth century, and could be reason enough on its own to have dinner here, but the food is absolutely the cream of D.C.'s crop as well. The menu is small, with simple, but fairly exotic and expertly executed Southern dishes. Sunday brunch ($30-35) is popular. Dinner: $30-40, lunch: $15-25, breakfast: $10-25.
Oyamel Cocina Mexicana, 401 7th St NW (between D St & E St), ☏ +1 202 628-1005. Su-M 11:30AM-10PM, Tu-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-midnight. José Andres's take on Mexican antojitos, the Mexican word for snacks (literally, "little cravings"). The mole here is outstanding and the grasshopper tacos are... interesting. Su-F 4:30PM-6:30PM has great happy hour deals at the bar. $30-60.
Poste, 555 8th St NW, ☏ +1 202 783-6060. Breakfast: M-F 7AM-10AM; brunch: Sa-Su 8AM-3PM; lunch: M-F 11:30AM-3:30PM; dinner: M-Th 5PM-10PM, F-Sa 5PM-10:30PM, Su 5PM-9PM. The standard menu, while top-notch contemporary American, may not leave a truly lasting impression as would some of the more unique restaurants in this area, but the setting is gorgeous. Set in the historic 1842 neo-classical General Post Office building, modeled after the Roman Temple of Jupiter, Poste has arguably the flashiest and prettiest dining room in the city. The courtyard occupying the center of the block is a favorite Washingtonian spot in the summer for outdoor dining and drinks—craft beers and truffle fries are a happy hour staple of the trendier crowd downtown. There are a couple memorable special-occasion items on (or off) the menu, though: if you have a big group, you can get one of the government-named seafood towers, or even make special reservations for a "Poste Roast," involving private dining and a whole roasted lamb, pig, or goat. $30-70.
Proof, 775 G St NW, ☏ +1 202 737-7663. Lunch: Tu-F 11:30AM-2PM; dinner: M-Th 5:30PM-10PM, F-Sa 5:30PM-11PM, Su 5PM-9:30PM. The coziest fine dining establishment downtown, Proof is a choice date spot, with a "wine-centric" ethos—hosts want nothing better than to help you discover better and better wines, so be sure to ask recommendations for pairings (and cheeses—the charcuterie platters here are the best in town). Doubling as a dedicated wine bar, Wine comes by the taste, glass, or bottle. The cocktails are also pretty fabulous. Food is contemporary American, with a vague Mediterranean bent. Lunch deals are excellent, including wine, if you don't mind an early start to your drinking! $35-60.
Rasika, 633 D St NW, ☏ +1 202 637-1222. Possibly the best Indian restaurant in D.C., with great ambiance! Try the palak chaat - crispy fried spinach!
The Source by Wolfgang Puck, 575 Pennsylvania Ave NW (in the Newseum), ☏ +1 202 637-6100. Lunch: M-F 11:30AM-2PM; dinner: M-Th 5:30PM-10PM, F-Sa 5:30PM-11PM. Asian-focused restaurant. A great place to spot celebrities of the political variety. For a cheaper alternative, head to the lounge, which offers food from the same kitchen at slightly more modest prices. $50-90; pri-fixe seven course: $125, w/ wine/sake pairing $200.
Zaytinya, 701 9th St NW, ☏ +1 202 638-0800. Su-M 11:30AM-10PM, Tu-Th 11:30AM-11PM, F-Sa 11:30AM-midnight. Tapas, antojitos, and... mezzes! Andrés' alphabetically last restaurant serves a variety of meat, seafood, and vegetarian Greek and Lebanese mezzes, along with large selection of wines from the same region. $20-45.
Drink
Although it isn't the best place to get the true local experience, there are plenty of places to drink in the East End.
Several of the restaurants listed above have excellent bars, particularly if you like high-end cocktails surrounded by fashionable clientéle. Try Proof (make reservations), Graffiato, Poste, or any of the José Andrés restaurants' bars. Clyde's, District Chophouse, and District of Pi, double as solid places for beer lovers. If you are looking for a really unpretentious spot, try one of the Chinese places on H St, which stay open late, and serve "low-end" stiff tiki drinks, Chinese beers, and plentiful cheap sake late into the night.
Clyde's, 707 7th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 349-3700. M-Th 11AM-2AM, F 11AM-3AM, Sa 10AM-3AM, Su 10AM-2AM. One of 8 locations in the D.C. area, this enormous bar/restaurant is very attractive, wooden and dimly lit in a sort of Victorian grand-old-hotel fashion. It's a great after-dinner or after-theater option, though, to sit at one of its three lovely bars and have a few drinks. Or finagle a table and have those drinks with a little dessert, or something off the fantastic oyster menu $15-35.
Flight Wine Bar, 777 6th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 864-6445. Wines and wine-based cocktails. Knowledgeable staff and 70 wines available. Four beers on tap. Beer: $8.
38.896407-77.0218141Iron Horse Tap Room, 507 7th St NW (between E St & F St), ☏ +1 202 347-7665. M-Th 4PM-2AM, F 4PM-3AM, Sa 5PM-3AM, Su 5PM-2AM. A rare creature here: just a bar, with a faux-biker bar theme. Iron Horse is a reliable, unpretentious spot for craft beers, sports on the television and skee ball and Big Buck Hunter. It's very crowded before games at the Capital One Arena, which either makes it a great place to mingle with local sports fans, or an overcrowded noisy experience, but otherwise is pretty low key. It's a particularly good spot if you are feeling overdressed for fancier bars in the area.
Jackpot, 726 7th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 628-5225. A great cocktail bar that offers free popcorn (to make you thirsty). Beer: $7-16; Wine: $8-12; Cocktails: $8-12.
Redline, 707 G St NW (inside Indebleu), ☏ +1 202 333-2538. Lounge: M-Th 5PM-1:30AM, F-Sa 5PM-2:30AM. The "contemporary pan-Asian" food at the restaurant here is excellent, but the lounge downstairs is an even better reason to come. With its sexy decor and impressive drinks, it is a bonafide after-hours hot spot, and major beautiful person destination. Beer: $6-10; Cocktails: $10-12.
Rocket Bar, 714 7th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 628-7665. A funky basement bar decorated with a rocket-theme where you can play billiards, darts, shuffleboard & video games.
The Partisan, 709 D St NW, ☏ +1 202 524-5322. A hip bar that also serves meat dishes including a whole pig's head or a pig's feast for $50 per person.
Sleep
If you are staying in the East End, you have a good location as you are close to both the National Mall and the nightlife-centered districts of Shaw and Dupont Circle. Private accommodation rentals are also very popular.
Budget
Hostels
Hostelling International Washington DC, 1009 11th St NW (between K St & L St), ☏ +1 202 737-2333. The building is old and somewhat dingy-looking from the outside, but inside it's clean and in good shape. Nice kitchen and a comfy common room. Great service. Dorm bed: $29-49, breakfast included.
Hotels
Hotel Harrington, 1100 E St NW, ☏ +1 202 628-8140. Odd to see such a cheap hotel next to the Mall! It's not clear how they've managed to maintain this old clunker here in such a high-value real estate zone for so long, but if you don't mind your hotel looking a little older and shabby, this is a great budget option. From $135.
Mid-range
Hampton Inn - Washington DC Convention Center, 901 6th St NW (between Massachusetts Ave & K St), ☏ +1 202 842-2500. Average location of an average hotel chain, with average prices, and slightly above average continental breakfast. Small indoor pool, jacuzzi, fitness center, free coffee in lobby. From $180.
Henley Park Hotel, 926 Massachusetts Ave NW, ☏ +1 202 638-5200. A nice, small, historic, non-chain hotel amidst the big chain monsters. Its amenities are fewer, but its charm obviously greater. Free WiFi. From $160.
Marriott Courtyard Washington Convention Center, 900 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 638-4600. This location caters more to business travelers than the other options in the area. Free lobby coffee, 24 hr fitness center, small pool, & jacuzzi. Rooms are a little small. Make sure you get a good deal, otherwise consider one of the two other more upscale Marriotts also in the neighborhood. From $169.
Marriott at Metro Center, 775 12th St NW (between G St & H St), ☏ +1 202 737-2200. Nice lobby, large rooms, a really good gym, and a small pool + jacuzzi. From $189.
Residence Inn by Marriott Washington, DC Downtown, 1199 Vermont Ave NW (At 14th St & L St NW), ☏ +1 202 898-1100. Features suites with pull-out sofas, and desks with ergonomic chairs. Breakfast is included daily and a basic dinner is also included on some nights. From $179.
Splurge
38.899439-77.0262931Grand Hyatt Washington, 1000 H St NW, ☏ +1 202 582-1234. Full-service business center, 32 meeting rooms, in-lobby Metro Center access, and a nice fitness center are the pluses. A rather absurd downside, though, is that they make you pay to use their gym. Another hotel that you should only use if you get a good deal. From $290.
38.896957-77.0225163Hotel Monaco by Kimpton, 700 F St NW, ☏ +1 202 628-7177. Kimpton hotels are almost always lovely, and this one benefits from its location in a grand old nineteenth century building (though this means the halls are a bit old), weirdly mixed with very modern decor. Huge pool and jacuzzi. Free wine-cocktails hour. And don't forget to request your free in-room goldfish! From $279.
38.904307-77.026744The Morrison-Clark Inn, 1015 L St NW, ☏ +1 202 989-1200. An independent hotel with a little Southern flair in a Civil War-era mansion. As you would expect, the amenities cannot quite compete with the Hotel Monaco, but this is a charming, unique place to stay, and a good spot to sip a mint julep on the porch. From $210.
There are many cafes and restaurants in the East End that offer free WiFi. If you need to use a computer terminal, head to the library.
Kogod Courtyard @ National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Sts NW, ☏ +1 202 633-1000. 11:30AM-6:30PM daily. Free WiFi is available in the Kogod Courtyard at the Reynold Center Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. There is a small cafe in the courtyard where you get coffee and sandwiches. The courtyard is a peaceful, quiet place to escape for a break. Note that your bag will be inspected when you come into the museum.
38.8986-77.02471Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library, 901 G St NW, ☏ +1 202 727-0321. M-Th 9:30AM-9PM, F-Sa 9:30AM-5:30PM, Su 1PM-5PM. D.C.'s central public library is enormous, and, designed by modern legend Mies van der Rohe, is one of the best examples of modern architecture in the city. Sadly, it has seen better days, and isn't as lovely a place to hang out as it should be (the homeless folks, kicked out of shelters during the daytime, make the public terminals their home). It's still quite the landmark, though, and it has a really nice bookstore inside. As with all libraries, free WiFi & public terminals.
Go next
The National Mall, is just to the south to the East End and is where you will find many of the city's museums and main attractions.
The nightlife here is plentiful and very visitor-friendly, but it is very much divorced from real Washingtonian culture. Head up to Shaw, Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan to see how the locals like to wine, dine, and party.
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