I believe that Washington DC is one of the best cities in the United States to visit, and not just because I’m a local! I grew up only 15 minutes outside of DC in northern Virginia, but as a kid I naturally wasn’t too impressed with the city. As I got older and traveled a bit, I finally came to appreciate DC and all it has to offer. Even though Washington DC is America’s capital, it isn’t packed with skyscrapers or even high-rises for that matter. The city easily makes up for this with its architecture, diverse neighborhoods, and history. Above is America’s most famous home, the White House, which serves as the home of the President of the United States.
The Capitol Building is another icon of the city and part of Washington DC’s distinctive low-rise skyline. The Height of Buildings Act limits the height of most buildings in the city based primarily on the width of the adjacent street, which is one reason you’ll find very few extremely tall buildings in America’s capital.
DC is also known for having a relatively small population compared with major American cities such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles. When you’re in the heart of the city it can sometimes feel more European because of the smaller historic buildings and neighborhoods. Since I love traveling I’m always flying in and out of DC, and constantly get aerial views where you can see much of the city.
The National Mall & Memorials
There’s an endless amount of things to see and do in DC, but some of the most popular are the city’s memorials and monuments. The Washington Monument stands at just over 555 feet tall. Construction started in 1848, but the monument wasn’t completely finished until 1884. A lack of money, the Civil War, and other issues halted the project for decades. If you notice the two different colors of the monument, you can see where construction stopped and later continued using stone from a different source.
Probably best known around the National Mall are all the free world-class museums, and somehow I lost all my photos of them! Since they’re so close by I’ll make a return one of these weekends and share some photos. There are so many museums I could easily share a thousand photos of them. The most famous museums cover natural history, space and aviation, art, Native American history, and African American history. Aside from all the museums, the National Mall is also a common place for events, protests, festivals, and of course relaxation. On one windy day I visited and there were over a dozen kite flyers.
One of my favorite memorials on the National Mall is the World War II Memorial. It was completed in 2004 and has a large pool and beautiful fountains in the center surrounded by 56 stone pillars representing the U.S. states and territories associated with the country during World War II.
Churches & Architecture
Above is the Washington National Cathedral, officially named the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul. The architecture of the cathedral is impressive with its huge arches, gargoyles, and stained glass windows. Construction started all the way back in 1907 and wasn’t considered completed until 1990. Today it remains one of the largest cathedrals in the United States.
I think the most impressive church in DC is the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. What’s also impressive is that many people in the Washington area have never even heard of it. The basilica is the largest Roman Catholic church in North America and attracts visitors and pilgrims from around the world.
One of the most interesting parts of the church to me was its underground crypt. The lower level feels completely different from the enormous main sanctuary above and contains numerous smaller chapels and religious artwork.
Abraham Lincoln & Ford’s Theatre
Another memorial that I’ve seen more times than I can remember is dedicated to Abraham Lincoln. Despite multiple visits, I somehow lost all my photos of the famous statue of Lincoln himself! This photo I took during a blizzard years ago.
One tragic part of DC’s history is Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865. Lincoln had been watching a performance at Ford’s Theatre and was sitting in the presidential box when he was shot by actor John Wilkes Booth. Ford’s Theatre is still active today but also serves as a historic site and museum. Above is an exhibit about John Wilkes Booth.
Above is the small derringer pistol Booth used to assassinate President Lincoln. Seeing the actual weapon connected to such a major event in American history is one of the most memorable parts of visiting the museum.
The Kennedy Center
Another president who was assassinated was John F. Kennedy. Although Kennedy was killed in Texas, the Kennedy Center in DC serves as both a memorial and a major center for the performing arts. Plays, operas, concerts, and other performances take place here. I’ve only gone to a handful myself, but it’s been over ten years since my last visit.
Above is the end of a Russian opera performance I saw during one of my visits.
Snowmageddon
The Kennedy Center is a perfect place to go on a cold winter or rainy day. Normally no one would venture into DC during a major snowstorm, but I had been away from home on business travel and arrived just before the region was hit by a massive blizzard. Since I had been gone so long, I refused to stay in and do nothing and drove my two-door coupe straight into the city. I had the entire highway to myself!
The storm became part of what was nicknamed Snowmageddon, and some areas around Washington received more than two feet of snow. These photos show the Potomac River around Georgetown during the storm. I have to emphasize that this is not a normal sight in Washington DC! Most winters bring much smaller snowstorms that disappear relatively quickly.
Cherry Blossom Season
I’d say winter is generally the worst time to visit DC. If you’re lucky and catch some snow that might be an exception, but otherwise expect cold temperatures and bare trees. One of the best times is spring, particularly during cherry blossom season. The National Cherry Blossom Festival is one of the city’s biggest annual events and brings enormous crowds to the Tidal Basin.
Japan famously gifted cherry trees to the United States in 1912 as a gesture of friendship between the two countries. More than a century later, the trees have become one of Washington’s most recognizable sights. My favorite was this massive tree I saw on the outskirts of the Tidal Basin.
Sometimes bad weather hits at exactly the wrong time and the blossoms don’t look their best. One year when the weather was great, I made it during peak bloom. Above is a close-up of some of the blossoms. Thousands of cherry trees grow around the Tidal Basin and surrounding areas, creating one of the best spring scenes in the city.
Each time I’ve come during cherry blossom season I’ve been so focused on the trees that I forget to pay attention to all the people. It’s amazing how many can pack into such a small area. This woman was in the middle of a massive crowd but that didn’t stop her from setting up an easel and painting the scenery.
The Tidal Basin covers a large area, so if you want to avoid the biggest crowds there are a few quieter places. In one of these areas I came across this man playing a traditional type of flute.
Exploring Washington DC
DC is a wonderful place to visit, and being the nation’s capital means you’ll encounter people demonstrating for just about every cause imaginable. This man had one of the more unusual signs I’ve encountered. He seemed happy to have his photograph taken and an opportunity to spread his message.
At all times of the year you’ll find large numbers of tourists in the city. As a local I had never really done a tour until I signed up for a Georgetown chocolate adventure one summer! Even though I’ve been to DC more times than I can remember, I had no idea there were enough chocolate shops here to support an entire tour. We went to almost ten of them, and almost every single one was locally owned.
Georgetown
I’d say that one of DC’s favorite neighborhoods is Georgetown. Georgetown is located along the Potomac River, which forms the border between Washington DC and Virginia. The frozen river photos I posted earlier were from the outskirts of Georgetown where I didn’t see a single other person. During the warmer months you’ll find lots going on in this upscale neighborhood, particularly along the waterfront.
When I used to go out for DC nightlife I almost always went to Adams Morgan, which has a large concentration of bars and clubs and is much more casual than Georgetown. I eventually made the transition to where I found myself enjoying Clarendon, Virginia or Georgetown in DC. Both are much nicer areas than Adams Morgan and I think have a better crowd, although by the time I hit 30 I found myself pretty much never going out at all!
Above is a photo of some of my friends and me during my 27th birthday in Georgetown.
Adams Morgan
I was a bit of a late bloomer and didn’t discover nightlife until I was around 23. At the time I came out to Adams Morgan with my friends almost every other weekend. Of course when you’re going out you rarely take pictures, but there was one night when my friend and I wanted to do something without drinking. We ended up driving around DC at night and stopped by Adams Morgan while I had my camera. Above is a photo of the main strip.
While walking around I met someone holding his red-tailed boa. I used to have a snake growing up, so when I asked if it was a Colombian red tail he seemed impressed.
Adams Morgan has always had a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde personality to me. During the day it’s a great neighborhood to explore, while late at night the combination of crowded bars and lots of drinking can make things rowdier. Out of the many times I came here over roughly a decade I rarely saw anything serious, but by chance the night I brought my camera I did see a fight break out.
When I took the photo of the fight, someone yelled about the flash from my camera, so I quickly got out of the area. Adams Morgan usually has a noticeable police presence when the bars are open, so fights tend to get broken up quickly. This police officer allowed me to take his picture, and afterwards I ran into him several more times over the next few years.
Chinatown
Another popular neighborhood in DC is Chinatown. The most famous structure here is the Friendship Archway, which was built in 1986. The colorful arch decorated with traditional Chinese designs has become one of the neighborhood’s most recognizable landmarks.
Despite the name, modern Chinatown has relatively few traditional Chinese businesses compared with its past. Many Chinese residents and businesses gradually relocated to surrounding communities in Virginia and Maryland. Today the neighborhood contains a mixture of restaurants, shops, entertainment venues, and national chains, many of which display signs with Chinese characters alongside English.
One of the best times to visit Chinatown is during the annual Lunar New Year celebration. I wasn’t even aware that DC had such an event until I overheard someone talking about it while I was shipping some parts at Kinkos. If it wasn’t for that conversation I probably would have missed it completely. One of the highlights was the parade, including colorful dragons like the one photographed above.
The celebration included local organizations, cultural demonstrations, calligraphy, and plenty of people wearing traditional Chinese clothing. It was one of those events that reminded me how many things were happening practically in my backyard that I had never known about.
The Wharf & Seafood Market
An unexpected place for some visitors is Washington’s historic seafood market, which dates back to the early 1800s. I’ve never been a fan of seafood myself, but I have memories of coming here as a little kid and attempting to hold my nose while my father shopped around for crabs.
For anyone who actually enjoys seafood, the market is an interesting place to walk around and see the enormous variety being sold right along Washington’s waterfront.
Meridian Hill Park
Throughout DC are plenty of city parks, with statues and memorials dedicated to just about anyone you can think of. Back in my days of going out, it seemed that 16th Street always had guaranteed parking at night. I walked along a massive stone wall there more times than I can remember and always assumed it surrounded a cemetery. One day I finally took a peek inside and was surprised to discover what would become my favorite city park in DC. Meridian Hill Park has statues, memorials, a massive cascading fountain, and often people doing yoga, playing music, and enjoying other activities.
National Zoo & Rock Creek Park
In the middle of Rock Creek Park is the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. Best of all, admission is free! The zoo has a huge range of animals from large mammals to insects and reptiles. I’ve gone here at least a dozen times since I was a kid and always had a great time. I could easily add 50 photos from the zoo alone, but I had to select only a couple.
The monkey above wasn’t as impressive to me as the environment it was in. My favorite exhibit has always been Amazonia. You enter through two sets of doors that keep the warm, humid environment inside. Birds and other small animals move around the exhibit while fish swim in large pools below.
Of course lions and tigers will always be impressive, but since I’ve seen them so many times I found this Andean bear to be a real treat. Also known as the spectacled bear, it’s the only living bear species native to South America and the only time I’ve personally seen one.
Despite DC being a relatively compact city, there’s still enough room for nature. Rock Creek Park covers a huge wooded area through northwest Washington and provides a refuge for wildlife. Deer, foxes, raccoons, snakes, and other animals are well established here. Above is a photo of the forest and Rock Creek itself.
When you’re actually in Rock Creek you’ll probably feel like you’re far from any city rather than just a few miles from the White House. Even though the park is surrounded by millions of people in the Washington metropolitan area, parts of it can feel surprisingly quiet. There’s a good amount of outdoor recreation available here, including jogging, biking, hiking, and horseback riding.
Horseback riding is another activity that you probably wouldn’t expect to find inside Washington DC, but Rock Creek Park is large enough that there are trails running through miles of forest.
I’ve seen deer, squirrels, and plenty of birds in Rock Creek, but I’m fairly proud to have this photo of a fox. It’s not a great photo, but considering there was very little light and spotting a fox requires a bit of luck in DC, I can’t complain!
In the rest of the city, one thing you can’t miss is all the squirrels. They’re pretty used to people, and some may even come close enough to take food directly from your hand. This squirrel took up some prime real estate in the heart of the city.
Some of the residential neighborhoods around Rock Creek Park are among the most expensive in the city. Northwest DC has beautiful areas filled with detached houses, duplexes, tree-lined streets, and larger yards that can feel surprisingly suburban considering how close they are to the center of Washington.
