Most people know Washington from the postcard: the Mall, the monuments, the Capitol. What surprises visitors is how much of it is free, since the Smithsonian museums cost nothing to enter and you could spend a week just on those. Cherry blossom season in late March and April is the famous moment, though the Wharf, Georgetown and the C&O Canal make good slower days.
About 690,000 people live in the District itself, inside a metro area of more than six million. Living here is expensive, among the priciest places in the country, and the housing market has cooled only a little. Neighborhoods vary a lot, from the rowhouses of Capitol Hill to the nightlife of Adams Morgan and U Street. Violent crime has dropped sharply lately, but phone snatching is common, and areas east of the Anacostia River still see more serious crime. Summers are hot and sticky, so plan for spring or fall.
Cities with a similar character, anywhere on the site.
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
- Known as
- The District; D.C.; The Nation's Capital; Chocolate City; DMV (with Maryland and Virginia)
- Founded
- 1790 established by Residence Act; 1791 laid out; 1802 city incorporated
- Languages
- English; Spanish; Amharic; French; Chinese
- Airports
- Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA), about 5 miles from downtown, Metro Yellow/Blue line; Washington Dulles (IAD), about 26 miles; Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall (BWI), about 32 miles
- Tipping
- Restaurants 18-20% for table service; bars $1-2 per drink; taxis and rideshare 15-20%; hotel housekeeping $3-5 per night; bellhops $2-3 per bag; tour guides $5-10 or 15-20%
