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If you’re headed to the nation’s capital for a vacation, our guide will provide eco-friendly travel tips to reduce your environmental impact.
Take advantage of DC's trains! DC’s Union Station receives roughly 40 million visitors per year. Its beautiful architecture, variety of shopping and dining options and status as one of the largest transportation hubs in the country make the station a popular transit option. Rail transportation produces up to 83% fewer greenhouse gas emissions than driving and up to 73% fewer emissions than flying.
DC’s Metrorail system, which has a dedicated Union Station stop serviced by the Red Line, is a reliable and efficient way to get around town.
Eaton DC
With an increasing number of LEED-certified hotels in the District, there are plenty of options with environmentally friendly practices and amenities.
The Eaton Hotel is one standout sustainable option. The LEED Gold-certified property features natural and organic mattresses, along with 100 percent natural bathroom amenities. The extensive rooftop houses an herb garden and wind turbine, while the cuisine is mindfully sourced, featuring organic meats and vegetable towers.
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Walking and biking are among the greenest options and allow you to fully immerse yourself in the city. Pass by murals and public art, explore picturesque neighborhoods, catch hidden historic sights and appreciate the beauty of tree-lined streets and scenic gardens.
Washington, DC was the first city in North America to launch a bikeshare system: Capital Bikeshare. With more than 6,000 bikes and 700 stations, it's no wonder it's one of the most popular ways to get around. Pricing starts at 15 cents per minutes, with day passes available for $10.
Washington, DC has an incredible range of tour guide services that value the environment.
- With the largest inventory of rental bikes in DC, Unlimited Biking allows locals and tourists of all ages to explore the city by day or night, including various tours like “Capital Sites” and “Monuments at Night” and seasonal offerings such as “Blossoms by Bike” and “Christmas on Wheels.”
- Or, put on your walking shoes and explore on foot with a self-guided audio tour from Action Tour Guide. With GPS-triggered narration, you can take a paper-free, emissions-free stroll at your own pace, choosing from landmarks like Bartholdi Park, the National Mall and Pennsylvania Avenue.
- Other companies like City Cruises, Old Town Trolley Tours and USA Guided Tours all tout robust offerings and prioritize sustainable practices.
See more eco-friendly tours.
There are plenty of restaurants throughout the District that are good for the planet and good for you as well. Farm-to-table restaurants abound, and neighborhood farmers' markets are a favorite among locals for produce and regional products. DC also touts some top-tier vegan and vegetarian eateries.
U.S. National Arboretum
Another sustainable way to experience Washington, DC is to venture beyond the city’s most popular landmarks and explore alternative attractions with a more relaxed, off-the-beaten-path feel. This approach helps spread the economic impact of tourism to a wider range of neighborhoods and local businesses – and helps visitors to discover local favorites.
Our list makes it easy to get started, featuring top DC sights, each paired with a compelling, lesser-known alternative worth discovering.
© Tony Powell
Shop intentionally and support DC's small businesses. Find inspiration from our lineups of Black-owned, women-owned and LGBTQ+-owned locales. Shops like Steadfast Supply and Shop Made in DC curate the work of DC-area makers.
The city's sustainable state of mind is also visible in its shopping scene, which is dotted with quality vintage and second-hand stores.
There are many ways to decrease your carbon footprint and volunteer with others during your time in the District to help protect our beautiful ecosystems.
- Serve DC is a government agency that is part of the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and offers neighborhood clean-ups and pop-up markets to increase access to fresh, local food.
- Restore and enhance the trees through the nation’s capital with Casey Trees, a non-profit that plants over 3,000 trees across all eight wards annually.
- Get your hands dirty and the rivers clean with Potomac Conservancy. Look out for trash and river cleanups from Fletcher’s Cove to Theodore Roosevelt Island.
- Rock Creek Conservancy offers trash cleanup and invasive plant removal, which is suitable for the whole family.
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