Travel Guide: Washington D.C.

In the midst of all the inauguration ceremonies in the States last week, I thought it was time for a travel guide on the capitol of the United States: Washington D.C.  

I've been to DC a couple times and both times I really enjoyed the city.  It's a diverse place and one of great history for our nation.  It's definitely a place to see and experience.

How to Get Around

DC covers a pretty large area and we used mostly either car transport or the subway system while there.  The metros aren't great and don't cover a huge area (compared to other major cities) but taxis can also get you anywhere you need if the subway is too far.

Places to Stay

The first time in DC, I stayed with family, but the second time Nick and I stayed right in the heart of Dupont Circle which was a great location for us.

Hotel Palomar: A Kimpton Hotel

I'm almost always a fan of Kimpton hotels and this was a great one.  We really enjoyed our stay here for a reasonable price too.

Places to Eat

Because my time in DC was a couple years ago now, these are only a few of the places I remember having great meals.

Circa

I loved this little restaurant right in the midst of Dupont Circle.  It had great food and was a very cozy, little modern restaurant.

Elephant and Castle

We stopped here on first night in town just to grab a quick "pub style" dinner on our way down to the National Mall and enjoyed the leisurely atmosphere.

Filomena Ristaurante

We had an Italian lunch at Filomena that was lovely and this little restaurant in Georgetown was great Italian food.

Pizzeria Paradiso

This lovely little pizza place right next to our hotel was delicious!  

Places to See

DC is obviously full of things to see, but here are some of my favorites.

National Mall

You have to see this area of DC: the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Capitol Building and so much more.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

This is always a must see and a place of much emotion.

White House

This is always a must to swing by the White House.

Georgetown

My favorite area of DC and one that I've done a {Favorite Places} post on before.  I love the shopping, the food and whole aura.

Washington Cathedral

Such a gorgeous church to see.

Embassy Row

Drive down this strip where all the embassies are located.

Dupont Circle

A hub of downtown DC, this area has great restaurants and attractions.

Monticello

While this is a little drive out of DC, Jefferson's home is well worth the drive it takes to get there.  Plus the surrounding views are stunning.

Mount Vernon

Again, while this is another drive out of DC, to see Washington's home is pretty interesting.  Plus stand out back and admire the views over the Potomac River. 

National Gallery of Art

This is a great Art Museum well worth a few hours of your time.

Newseum

Such a cool, modern take on a museum and definitely worth a visit.  Plus their deck upstairs has great views of the surrounding area.

Arlington Cementary

Don't miss this visit, while emotional, it's truly a breathtaking place.

Where to Shop

I'm a fan of the shopping in Georgetown for the atmosphere, however DC has great shopping all over the city.

Favorite Areas

There are a few areas of DC that I always really enjoy but I'm sure there are so many more I've not been able to visit yet too.

Georgetown

My favorite area of DC is this old but quaint area.  Get off the main strip to avoid the crowds and wander around the old houses.

Dupont Circle

This is a cool hub area of the city.  I especially like the vibe in this area.

Downtown DC

I love the areas downtown with the historic buildings like the Willard Hotel and the National Archives.

I always really enjoy DC and it's a city with as much history as possible in our nation's short lifetime. 

All photos copryight to True Colours Blog and Nick Nieto