Washington DC Travel Tips: 10 Things to Know Before You Go to DC

Things you NEED to know BEFORE you go to Washington DC. DC is often referred to as "The District." You could easily spend a week in DC, especially if you want to see George Washington’s house in Mount Vernon and Thomas Jefferson’s house in Monticello. The City is laid out in a grid pattern with lettered streets running east-west, numbered streets running north-south. Diagonal streets — usually named after states — often intersect at circles (30 circles)
Dupont Circle is my favorite circle. Comprised of four quadrants (NE, NW, SE, and SW), which spread out from the U.S. Capitol.

Getting in
There are three Airports -- none of them actually in DC
Reagan (DCA) -- right next to DC -- connected by Metro or $20 Cab Ride
Washington Dulles (IAD)
Baltimore-Washington (BWI)
Amtrak to Union Station
Or Drive

Transportation in DC
Walk
One of the 10 of the most walkable cities in the USA
Travel + Leisure rated D.C. as the third rudest city in America,
Metro
Smart Trip Card

Capital Bike Share
175 stations across the city
Sign up for a day, or three
Taxis/Uber plentiful
Driving: Beware -- traffic is miserable and oneway streets abound
Parking is expensive -- Use parking panda

Museums
Smithsonians are free
Most on the national mall
Air and Space has 2 locations -- one by Dulles
Newseum and Spy Museum are expensive
My favorite is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
No reservations required September 5, 2017 through March 2, 2018
Washington Monument elevator is really cool -- but it’s often broken
Best gift shops are in the museums

Government Stuff
Capitol Building or the White House, make sure to book your tickets in advance.
Capitol tour, reservations online or through your Congressional representative or senator.
Capitol Visitor Center provides a limited number of day-passes starting at 9 a.m.
White House, reserve a few months before your trip. Thru congressional representative.

Time to visit
Cherry Blossom Season
Not the summer when all the school kids are there
And the Summer is oppressively hot and humid, especially in August
And maybe not when the govt is in full swing
I like Winter -- no crowds at all

Hotels
Can be really expensive, as can parking
My favorites are the Park Hyatt and the Mayflower
Stay outside of DC in Arlington or Alexandria for cheaper hotels
Just a short metro ride in to the city

Food
The national mall and monument area has almost no food
Union Station and Le’fant plaza good for lunch, or around the white house
Avoid the Chinese food in Chinatown -- it’s all really awful
But George Bush’s favorite Chinese restaurant is just 20 minutes driving outside of DC
Peking Gourmet Inn in Fall Church -- Awesome Peking Duck
My Favorites: Potbelly
My Favorites: Moby Dick House of Kabob
My Favorites: Ben’s Chili Bowl

DC is more than just monuments and the National Mall
Get out and see the real DC
Georgetown
Penn Quarter
Adams Morgan
Smithsonian Zoo
U Street
Walk the red line

Timecodes:
DC General: 00:27
DC City Layout: 01:37
Getting in to DC: 02:35
Transportation in DC: 03:59
DC Museums: 06:02
Government Stuff: 08:51
Best time to visit DC: 10:05
DC Hotels: 11:43
DC Food: 13:51
The Rest of DC: 18:20

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[sirstewart]

I'm a D.C. native and this guy absolutely nailed 99.9 percent of everything about D.C. I agreed with almsot everything he said. Trust him, he's right.

[Gthangz]

Anyone else watching this from the DMV

[michaelschulman]

I am a DC Native. Live in MD. Try downtown Bethesda. Tons of great restaurants. Also Tysons Corner in Virginia has great shopping with two major malls. On Metro's Silver Line.

[DylanAlexander]

One thing I noticed immediately when I went to dc this past weekend for a day was that because most of the buildings are so low compared to nyc(a city that I'm right next to) is that you can see the sky so much more and it makes going on walks more enjoyable to see open sky with landmarks sprinkled in the distance

[TaylorMMontgomery]

If you're watching this in 2019, you MUST go to The Newseum THIS year! It's closing at the end of 2019 because the building was sold, and there are no certain plans to move it to another building. So it might not be back in a while, or ever. Of all the things in DC, it was my absolute favorite. Also, the Crystal City area is great place to stay. Not too far, cheaper, there's even some great places to eat and a Target not too far away. Also, there is a Legal Sea Foods in Crystal City!

[gopherb]

That's the craziest traffic I've ever seen! Paid a tour $90 to cart me & my wife around all day. Worth every penny

[TripHacksDC]

Good tips. Even when the Washington Monument isn't closed, the observation tower at the Old Post Office is one of the best views of the city. Completely free!

[gkiltz]

Worth knowing:
Dulles Airport is closer to the Technology Corridor!
National could fit entirely within Dulles without hanging over
When the weather is bad enough to be total IFR National only has ONE full IFR runway, So it becomes a one-runway wonder under IFR conditions. Dulles has 4 runways there is talk of building a 5th.
The Concorde landed at Dulles It could not fly into National.


No wide bodies at National


Metro is actually under construction to Dulles.


If you are going anywhere in Virginia except right in Arlington Alexandria, Falls Church or Northeastern Fairfax County Even once you get to Ft Belvoir although National is closer, the whole system is so FUBAR that the travel time is a wash! By the time you get to Woodbridge or Burke Dulles is quicker Farther, but quicker!!

[paulstewart]

I’m going to DC in four days and I’m super excited thanks for the great tips

[jennybarnes]

Please make the correction. DC mean DC, it does not mean DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Thank you

[antoinemensah]

You missed the mark on eating in DC. You would do better if you pair with a DC native. There are many restaurants that serve way better food than those national chains you mentioned.

[gkiltz]

The local "subway" system is referred to as Metro because particularly once you get outside DC itself most of it is above ground.


Also while EATING on the Metro is subject to a fine, you CAN vomit your guts out for free!


People used to underground systems have reported motion sickness on the above ground parts of the system.

[daphne]

DC born and raised and never once have I heard anyone call it the district

[charliedurham]

Taking my 10 year old to DC in April. This video is exactly what we needed

[darrellponce]

If you want to eat something else than just “tourists things” go find a place called carry out order chicken wings with fried rice and order the sauce, Mumbo sauce

[jwillisbarrie]

Thanks for having captions for the Deaf. Thinking of going to Washington DC. Lots of great info.

[meismehaha]

BWI is a fine airport to come into DC, I find the flights there are cheaper. $11-15 will get you a 30min Amtrak straight to Union Station.

[LeathurRokk]

I am going to DC for 4 days, for the #WalkAway march.i have a friend who lives near the White House who promised me his couch.i'll be hanging out a lot with the hippies in the park across the street from the White house.Are there any goth clubs from Oct 26-28? would alterna stuff be in the Adams Morgan area?and i want cheap sushi.I can't get it in Chinatown?I am a connoisseur of Chinatowns.i will need to see for myself. I am bringing my laptop with me so i can use the webcam.I also make videos. this adventure should be fun . I previously, was at Trump's Inauguration.Before that i went to a Gathering of Eagles.Before that, I went to George W Bush's 2nd Inauguration. I LOVE

[matx]

New subscribers. Great content for my second trip too DC, wish I had seen this video the first time. Thanks for the info.

[topnotchcoffee]

I think I’ve been to the Hyatt, but I can’t remember. It’s been 6 years since we last went to D.C., and it was a very short trip (I believe at most a school week or 5 days.)