The nation’s capital is a paradise for bibliophiles. Read on to find whimsical hotels, writerly activities and cozy hangouts for reading and dining – all with a literary lens.
DC is a city full of little-known literary legacies.
It is, in fact, the city where Langston Hughes famously left three poems on the table of the restaurant where he worked as a busboy (the Marriott Wardman Park in Woodley Park, now closed after a 102-year run). Hughes’ customer, the poet Vachel Lindsay, immediately recognized greatness and helped launch Hughes’ poetic career. With Zora Neale Hurston’s legacy at Howard University and Paul Laurence Dunbar’s DC roots predating Hurston’s, one could say that DC was in some important ways the birthplace of the Harlem Renaissance.
We love our literati, and we know you do, too, so read on, reader, for DC’s literary lights.
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Places to Stay
Looking for a stay with a story? These DC hotels pair literary history with bookish style.
Willard InterContinental Washington, DC
The National Press Club was founded here. Abolitionist Julia Ward Howe wrote the Civil War song “The Battle Hymn of the Republic” during a spell at the hotel. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. would write his “I Have a Dream” speech inside the Willard nearly a century later. It would be hard to ask for a more storied institution.
Be sure to stop by Round Robin Bar, a haunt favored by Mark Twain and Walt Whitman.
Eaton
Indulge in a drink or meal at Allegory, Eaton’s literary-themed bar, situated just behind their “Radical Library.”
Take a closer look at the one-of-a-kind artwork spanning the bar. The mural by Erik Thor Sandberg depicts Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass, only through the eyes of Ruby Bridges, the first Black child to desegregate the William Frantz Elementary School in Louisiana in 1960.
The Jefferson
As you soak up the sumptuous luxury of this five-star hotel, make your way to the Book Room. Inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s love of literature, it will surround you with intellectual coziness and create the perfect sanctuary for your stay.
Be sure to check out Quill, the hotel's upscale cocktail bar. Its old library-style architecture pairs with a menu curated by Michelin-starred chef Ralf Schlegel.
Must-Visit Attractions
Ride the escalator to the top of the Dupont Circle Metro stop, where you’ll read America’s great poet Walt Whitman “recall[ing] the experience sweet and sad” of serving as a wound-dresser in the makeshift hospital inside the National Portrait Gallery during the Civil War. And as you exit the station and walk toward Connecticut Avenue, pause to read DC-based E. Ethelbert Miller’s lines from his poem “We Embrace” inscribed into the sidewalk.
Read on for more can't-miss destinations for diving into literature.
Folger Shakespeare Library
The renovated Folger features a new, 12,000-square-foot public wing inserted beneath the historic 1932 building. The new space houses two large modern exhibition halls, a learning lab, expansive lobbies, a new gift shop and full accessibility to all public spaces.
The Shakespeare Exhibition Hall, the Folger’s first permanent Shakespeare exhibition, includes the Folger’s 82 First Folio copies, the world’s largest collection displayed together publicly for the first time in a striking 20-foot-long visible vault. If it weren’t for the First Folios, 18 of Shakespeare’s plays (from Julius Caesar to Macbeth to The Tempest) might have been lost forever.
Don’t miss the chance to sip an inspired beverage alongside a new book at the soaring Quill & Crumb Cafe.
Museum of the Bible
The good book. The Word. THE book – the one that takes first place for best-selling book of all time. Come learn all about the book that gave birth to the entire Judeo-Christian tradition and the ways in which it affects and inspires culture today.
Planet Word
This museum showcases the immense power of language through interactive exhibits. Visitors bring the building to life through engagement with the written word and spoken language. A perfect option for kids, fascinating for all ages. Whether through the wonder of the Word Wall, the prompting of a digital language instructor or displays of your favorite childhood books and comic strips, you’ll leave in renewed awe of the power of language.
Frederick Douglass National Historic Site
Cedar Hill was where abolitionist and activist Frederick Douglass spent the last 17 years of his life, completing his final autobiography and cementing his legacy as one of America’s most powerful voices. Step inside his Anacostia home to explore the life and words that helped define a nation.
Library of Congress
Founded in 1800, the oldest federal cultural institution in the nation includes millions of cataloged books and other print materials in 470 languages. It’s icing on the cake (the cake being the largest library in the world) that the building itself is stunning. The Corinthian columns of the Great Hall, the breathtaking beauty of the Reading Room and its soaring domed ceiling, the art and quotations etched into the very walls make this a feast for the eyes as well as the mind and heart. Don’t miss Thomas Jefferson’s original collection.
Places to Read
In addition to the above destinations (like the Library of Congress and the Folger), DC is packed with scenic spots perfect for getting lost in a good book.
DC is also packed with quality coffee shops and hotel cafés (like the gorgeous LINE or Riggs), where you can pair your book with beverages and bites.
Museum Galleries
Bury your nose in a book in the atrium of the National Gallery of Art, for example, and beyond a suitably glorious space in which to lose yourself in a few chapters, you’ll also soak in some sculpture and prime people-watching.
Kogod Courtyard
Let this soaring space (bridging the Smithsonian American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery) help you read your way to peace on your lunch break. You can’t help but breathe deeply here, absorb the light and the comfortable quiet and delight in a perfect backdrop for narrative escape.
Parks and Gardens
There are truly too many green spaces to choose from in Washington, DC. Some of our favorites for an afternoon read include: the gardens at the Basilica, the Franciscan Monastery or the National Cathedral, the NGA's Sculpture Garden, Meridian Hill Park, Enid E. Haupt gardens (behind the Smithsonian Castle) and of course any one of the benches along the National Mall.
DC’s Libraries
The District contains 26 public libraries, which are open to exploration by all (even without a library card!). The MLK Memorial Library rooftop is a gem in the middle of Downtown. With a grand view of the Portrait Gallery, Capital One and all the stunning hotels and restaurants of Chinatown, this free refuge gives you the whole scene without the hustle and bustle. Sit back and take in the sun and your story. The DAR Library is another scenic space worth visiting.
DC's Bookstore Scene
As one of the most well-read cities in the U.S., Washington, DC is a haven for lovers of bookstores and touts everything from a three-story Barnes and Noble in Georgetown to curated, local spots where each title is chosen with care.
Capitol Hill Books is a quaint two-story shop established in 1991 carries used books that are locally sourced. Check out the niche rooms, including the "Mystery Room" and "Weird Section.”
USA Today has cited Second Story Books as one of the 10 best bookstores in the country. They work with many public and private institutions, colleges and universities to curate collections. It even inspired a poem written by former U.S. Secretary of Defense William S. Cohen, titled Second-Story Book Store.
Read our comprehensive list.
Pro tip: DC’s gift shops tout incredible lineups of books catered to each museum.
Book-Inspired Places to Eat & Drink
In a worldly city like DC, food tells a story. The capital’s restaurants draw inspiration from every continent and culture. Some go a step further, taking cues from literature itself in their menus and décor.
DC's bookstores bring it when it comes to restaurant alter-egos. Busboys and Poets (named after Langston Hughes) is a social justice-oriented local chain that’s a restaurant, bar and bookstore all in one. It’s a cultural hub for artists, activists and writers.
Politics & Prose is one of the most famous in the District. Its original location in Upper Northwest DC conceals a beloved coffee house (The Den) with wine and small bites – not to mention the big-name author talks almost every night. Outposts can be found at The Wharf and in Union Market.
Kramers is better known as a local institution than a mere bookstore, serving as a meeting place for Dupont Circle locals, authors and politicians since its founding in 1976. Don't skip the All Day Cafe, where the menu is as "eclectic as [its] collections" and includes a low-key afternoon tea.
"Enjoy a daily chapter in the literature of life" at L’Annexe, a French-style corner cocktail bar in Georgetown. Take a seat among the bookshelves and listen to music, indulge in fabulous food and drink and lose yourself in good conversation.
Inspired by Ernest Hemingway and his globe-trotting lifestyle, Bar Pilar serves Spanish and Caribbean-inspired fare alongside a rum-forward drink list worthy of the author’s namesake boat.
Many Georgetown institutions have stories to tell, but Martin’s Tavern has 90 years' worth. Senator Harry Truman frequently dined in Booth No. 6 with his wife, Bess, and daughter, Margaret, who went on to write 14 mystery novels set in DC, some of which mention the tavern, including “Murder in Foggy Bottom” and “Murder in Georgetown.” Years later, John F. Kennedy, a Sunday regular in Booth No. 1, was spotted drafting parts of his inaugural address – and even proposed to Jackie there.
Events for Book Lovers
DC's literary calendar brims with activity all year long, from neighborhood markets and author talks at beloved local spots to a citywide celebration of storytelling. Be sure to check on bookstore websites and social media – you'll find something happening nearly every day of the week.
The National Book Festival is an annual literary festival held each August at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center hosted by the Library of Congress (which puts on a host of other events routinely, including Live! at the Library). The event brings together bestselling authors and thousands of book fans for author talks, panels, book signings and more.
Other favorites include the Inner Loop Literary Reading Series and Capitol Hill’s Halloween-centric Literary Feast (where all proceeds support local schools).
