Washington DC Travel Guide: Travel and tourist information, things to do and see in Washington DC

Beyond Washington DC's most familiar vistas, the capital city unwinds into a lively urban center. Casual cafes and upscale bistros line the trendy streets of Georgetown, while the downtown district sizzles with a host of new restaurants. Spontaneous Jazz notes tumble out the windows of U Street's nightclubs, while world-class performers take the stage at the highly acclaimed Kennedy Center. Kayakers tackle the Potomac River as it winds past the elegant marble tributes to America's great leaders.

Experience the glory of all four seasons here in Washington, DC. Warm weather usually prevails from April until as late as October. Winters are short here, with more rain than snow.

Washington DC is a sophisticated city, rich in power, attractions including monuments and memorials. It offers great hotels, architecture, art galleries, the White House, a World-Class zoo and numerous theaters.

Some of the trendy and historic neighborhoods include Georgetown and Dupont Circle.

The city is home to some of the most important museums in America in the Smithsonian Institution (14 separate museums and galleries encompassing everything from modern art to pre history) and the Library of Congress , which holds more than 100 million items.

There are many parks, the White House , and the Capitol Building that the public can visit, as well as theatres, restaurants, and thriving weekend nightlife.

Washington is the site where Americans come to have their say in the running of their country, such as in the million-man march that celebrated the civil rights movement, and the various protests about war. It is also the centre for remembering the dead, and there are memorials to every war the country has fought, and the greatest leaders it has known.

Worth a visit in the area is the town of Baltimore home of the National Aquarium and numerous other sites of historic interest.

Also worth a look for history buffs is the 'Historic Triangle'. This comprises the towns of Yorktown, Jamestown and Williamsburg; these three sights give a real insight into colonial life under the British.

For natural beauty there is the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Shenandoah Valley, the Allegheny Mountains and Chesapeake Bay. Richmond, Annapolis, Charlottesville and New Castle are all towns that are worth taking in whilst in the area.

The White House - Standing at the edge of the Mall facing the Washington Monument this has been home to the President since 1800. Each president has added to or altered the building, which was originally designed to mimic grand Georgian houses in Dublin.

The Washington Monument - The top of the monument at 555 feet is the highest point of the city. Made of marble this is the tallest masonry structure in the world.

The Lincoln Memorial -The famous statue of the seated Lincoln is housed in a Greek style temple adorned with 36 columns.

Jefferson and FDR Memorials - The area known as the Tidal Basin is lined with Japanese Cherry trees, these are glorious in the spring. The Basin was designed to prevent he Potomac from flooding the Jefferson and Lincoln Memorials.

Arlington Cemetary - This cemetary is famous for its memorial to JFK and the other Kennedy brothers, all of whom were buried here.

Compared with many other cities in the US, Washington is not a great place for bars and clubs. There are many to choose from but they tend to be busy at evening rush hour and then quiet even at weekends.

There is a wide choice of places to eat but prices tend to be a little higher than elsewhere in the States. Keep an eye out for the 'food courts', these are fun and quite cheap places to eat but they tend to be very busy during the week.

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Population: 295.734.100
Languages: English 82%, Spanish 11% (2000)
Currency: US dollar
Currency code: USD
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U.S.A. - District of Columbia - Washington DC

U.S.A. - Florida - Orlando

U.S.A. - California - San Francisco

U.S.A. - New York - New York

U.S.A. - Nevada - Las Vegas

Country Dialling Code: +1
Voltage: 120V 60Hz
Electrical plugs:
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2 Parallel flat prongs with an earth connector

The USA is home to several of the world's most exciting cities, some truly mind-blowing landscapes, a strong sense of regionalism, a trenchant mythology, more history than the country gives itself credit for and, arguably, some of the most approachable natives in the world.

America was 'discovered' by Columbus in 1492 and for 500 years people have travelled here seeking a better life in the 'land of opportunity'. The land was fought over by colonial powers for centuries and finally won its independence from Britain in 1783. Despite the near annihilation of the Native American population, one of the bloodiest civil wars the world had seen, and racism (Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924 and racial segregation was the norm until as late as the 1950s), the American people have succeeded in forging one of the worlds most united, democratic and tolerant nations, a fascinating melting-pot of cultures, and the undisputed military and economic heavyweight of the world.

The country is made up of 48 contiguous states of the continental USA, plus the huge state of Alaska, northwest of Canada, and the volcanic islands of Hawaii, 2,000 miles (3,219km) out into the Pacific. There are also the US territories, which include Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the Midway Islands and US Virgin Islands. Tourism is focused mainly in the great cities such as New York and Washington, as well as sunshine states such as Florida, California and Hawaii. However the mind-blowing landscapes, found in the wealth of magnificent National Parks like Yosemite, Yellowstone and the Adirondacks, as well as spectacular sights like the Grand Canyon and the Rocky Mountains, are what make the USA so unique. With all this on their doorstep, it's easy to understand why a significant proportion of Americans have never bothered getting a passport.

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