Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C.: Unofficial Guides

List of Maps

About the Authors

Acknowledgments

Introduction

• Welcome to Washington
• About This Guide
• Why "Unofficial"?
• How Unofficial Guides Are Different
• Comments and Questions from Readers
• How Information Is Organized: By Subject and by Location
• Washington, D.C.: Portrait of a City

PART ONE Planning Your Visit


• When to Go
• Crowds
• Weather
• Gathering Information Before You Leave
• Making Advance Reservations for Monuments, Museums, and Tours
• How to Get to Washington, D.C.
• Where to Go
• What to Pack
• Special Tips for Special People
• A Calendar of Festivals and Events

PART TWO Accommodations


• Deciding Where to Stay
• Washington, D.C.'s Iconic Hotels
• B&Bs
• Vacation Rentals
• The Best Hotels by Neighborhood
• Getting a Good Deal on a Room
• The Internet Advantage
• Travel Agents and/or Vacation Packages
• When Only the Best Will Do

PART THREE Arriving and Getting Around


• Coming into the City
• Arriving by Car
• Arriving by Plane
• Arriving by Train
• Arriving by Bus
• Getting Around Washington
• Taking the Metro: Just Do It
• Metrobus and Other Bus Systems
• Taxis and Car Services
• Things the Natives Already Know

PART FOUR Sightseeing Tips, Tours, and Attractions

• So Much to See, So Little Time
• Happy Hours (The Sightseeing Kind)
• Taking an Orientation Tour
• The Best Tours in Town
• Washington's Attractions
• Washington Attractions by Type
• Washington Locations by Attraction
• Maryland Suburbs
• Virginia Suburbs
• Day-Tripping
• What's New in Washington, D.C.?
• Hidden Gems and Free Things to See and Do

PART FIVE Dining


• The Washington Cuisine Scene
• Prime Dining Neighborhoods
• The Wharf on the Southwest Waterfront
• Restaurants by Cuisine
• Capitol Riverfront and Navy Yard
• Capitol Hill and Barracks Row
• H Street Corridor and NoMa
• National Mall and the White House
• Penn Quarter, Chinatown, and Convention Center
• Foggy Bottom
• Georgetown and West End
• Dupont Circle and Logan Circle
• U Street Corridor
• Adams Morgan and Columbia Heights
• Upper Northwest: Woodley Park, Cleveland Park, and Van Ness
• Maryland Suburbs
• Virginia Suburbs
• Two Dining Destinations Worth a Drive
• The Best . . .

PART SIX Entertainment and Nightlife


• Washington Nightlife: More Than Lit-up Monuments
• The Big-Ticket Venues
• Cutting Curtain Costs
• A Washington Tradition: Live Local Music
• Nightlife Neighborhoods: Clubs, Bars, Live Music, and Dancing

PART SEVEN Shopping


• Mall Shopping
• Museum Shops
• Great Neighborhoods for Window-Shopping
• Specialty Shopping

PART EIGHT Exercise and Recreation


• Working a Workout into Your Visit
• The Basic Drills
• Bicycling
• Fitness Centers and Core-Strengthening
• Yoga Studios
• Recreational Sports
• Tennis and Golf
• Swimming
• Ropes and Rocks
• Boating, Paddleboarding, Floating, and Water Parks
• Segway Tours
• Ice and Snow
• Spectator Sports
• Baseball
• Basketball
• Football and Soccer
• Hockey and Roller Derby
• Horse Shows and Horse Racing
• Tennis

Index

Unofficial Guide Reader Survey