How to See DC: Tips from Locals
We’ve polled the locals for travel tips and advice, whether you’re coming to DC to catch an exhibit with your partner, see the sights with your kids or to dive in to the nightlife with your friends.DC for Urban Explorers
If you’re here to visit the neighborhoods, hang out at sidewalk cafes, drink at dive bars, catch a live music set or go dancing, be sure to make time for these insiders picks:
Daytime
A walk around Dupont Circle. Browsing books at Lambda Rising, DC’s oldest GLBT bookstore. Shopping for politically incorrect gifts and hip cards at Chocolate Moose. Farm fresh flavors and cooking demonstrations at the Dupont Fresh Farm Market. Boutique-hopping along 14th and U Streets. A date with the masters at The Phillips Collection.
Play time
Party with the hipsters at TheNewGay.net’s HomoSonic dance party. Drag shows and go-go dancers at the all-new Ziefields and Secrets.”A Different Kind of Ladies Night” at Topaz or Fab Lounge.
Meal time
Authentic Peruvian flavors at gay-owned Las Canteras. Hands-on Ethiopian at Dukem or Etete on U Street. Fresh seafood and tasty sides at Hank’s Oyster Bar. Belgian fare and the Obama mural at Marvin. Chili half-smokes at Ben’s Chili Bowl. Sunday brunch at Tabard Inn.
Nighttime
Check in to a boutique hotel with personality, like the sultry Hotel Rouge near Dupont Circle or the spunky, playful Hotel Helix near 14th Street.
DC for Creatives
If you love the arts, dig music and like to chat up local artists, here are some must-trys from the local creative community.
Daytime
Mix history and arts at Ford’s Theatre. Marvel at the soaring columns at the National Building Museum. View art preservation in progress and see classic and contemporary works at the National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum (open until 7 PM nightly). Watch local artists at work in their own studios along 14th Street and in Dupont Circle.
Playtime
Catch an edgy play at Woolly Mammoth in downtown, Studio Theatre on 14th Street or Signature Theatre in Arlington. Listen in on the Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington or Different Drummers band. Look for late-night programs at the Hirshhorn or Freer and Sackler Galleries. Unwind over a glass of wine at U Street’s Vinoteca or Cork, near Logan Circle.
Meal time
Sample local flavors under twinkly lights in a forest-inspired setting at Firefly near Dupont Circle. Sink into the sumptuous décor of Adour in the St. Regis Hotel. Feast on modern Indian fare at chic and stylish Rasika. Explore the inventive flavors of the nearly 40-course tasting menu at minibar.
Nighttime
Choose a design-forward hotel like the Donovan House on Thomas Circle or the posh Park Hyatt, or indulge in Asian-inspired luxury at the Mandarin Oriental Washington, DC.
DC for Families
Bring along the kids and you’ll see DC’s inspiring sights and powerful symbols from a different perspective—but you’ll also want tips from local GLBT families:
Day time
Family-friendly festivals (including an annual “Gay Day”) at Hillwood, Marjorie Merriweather Post’s lavish estate with eye-popping furnishings. Shopping with teenagers in Georgetown. Must-see classics like the National Air and Space Museum (where “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian” takes place) and National Museum of American History (home to First Ladies’ gowns and Dorothy’s slippers). High-tech tricks at the International Spy Museum and the new National Museum of Crime and Punishment. Entertaining animals and summertime concerts at the National Zoo.
Play Time
Performances just for kids at the Kennedy Center’s Family Theatre. Great baseball seats at Nationals Park. A moonlight tour of the monuments with Old Town Trolley or Bike and Roll. A night at the movies at downtown’s Gallery Place. Ice skating at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.
Meal Time
Decadent Sunday Brunch at Georgetown’s Filomena. Bargain bites at Busboys and Poets. Chic family-friendly cuisine at downtown’s Zola. Tasty local flavors and fascinating décor at Founding Farmers. Delicious pizza at Pizzeria Paradiso.
Nighttime
Look for a kid-pleasing place with a pool, like the Hotel Palomar in Dupont Circle or The Liaison Capitol Hill.
