The blooming of the Cherry Trees, a rite of Spring in Washington DC, has become one of the biggest events for tourist and travelers to come visit in Washington DC. Each year, an estimated 1.5 million people flock to the National Cherry Blossom Festival, which began as a modest affair but has since grown to a three-week-long extravaganza.
Read MoreOne of the most impressive transformations in Washington DC (amidst many transformations over the past 20-25 years) has been 14th St NW between Massachusetts Ave NW and U St NW, mainly over the last 10 years. What was once run-down neighborhood to include a red-light district is now home to one of Washington DC hottest addresses, for restaurants, bars, and living.
14th ST NW, looking north from Q St NW: CC - Ted Eytan
At night, 14th Street becomes one of the hubs of dining and nightlife of Washington DC. Start at Thomas Circle (14th St NW and Massachusetts Ave NW) and head north. Particularly notable locales include:
Churchkey: Considered by many as the premiere beer bar in the Washington DC region, Churchkey and it’s downstairs restaurant Birch and Barley, are at 1337 14th St NW. Website
Barcelona: Barcelona Wine Bar in one of the trendiest spots to see and be seen while one grabs a drink (especially a red wine), and perhaps enjoy one or a few of their tapas. Located at 1622 14th St NW. Website
Pearl Dive Oyster Palace and Blackjack: On warm Spring, Summer, and Fall evenings, there is no more unique a place to inhabit than Pearl Dive Oyster Bar’s outdoor bar, along 14th street. If it get’s too crowded, head inside for excellent seafood - especially oysters - or for drinks, head upstairs to Blackjack. 1612 14th St NW. Website
Garden District: This German-style beer garden is a great place to while away the time, sipping on German and German-style beers out of mugs of various sizes. If you are feeling peckish, there are many sausages and brats to eat. 1801 14th St NW. Website
Franklin Hall: At the north end of the 14th Street Corridor, north of U ST NW is Franklin Hall, a 5,600-square-foot inside the Manhattan Laundry Building. Definitely a busy option with numerous TVs and bar games, the young crowd often has a good selection of beer. 1348 Florida Ave NW. Website
These are but a few of the options for drinks along 14th Street. For late night food, Amsterdam Falafel (1830 14th St NW, website) and Ben’s Chili Bowl (1213 U St NW, website).
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Milk Bar desserts: CC - atl10trader
City Center DC, a downtown neighborhood of high-rises, shopping, and the new Conrad Hotel sits on 5 square blocks that arose from the old Washington Convention Center, has now supplanted Georgetown and Friendship Heights as the premiere shopping destination in Washington DC. Considering its location adjacent to Chinatown, Metro Center, and the new convention center, it’s centrality is an important part of it’s draw.
When DC-native celebrity chef David Chang stood up his first area Washington DC area restaurant in City Center - Momofuku CCDC, he brought along it’s sister bakery/desert shop Milk Bar, created by Christina Tosi.
We suggest you grab a dessert - our suggestions include the Chocolate Malt Cake Shake, the Cornflake Marshmellow Cookie, or their famous Chocolate Malt Cake Truffles. Once you have acquired your dessert, window (or actual) shopping awaits. Notable stores include Burberry, Bulgari, Arc’teryx, Dior, Gucci, Tesla, and many others. Click here for the full list.
Back to the Classic One-Day Itinerary
If you are looking for a fast, cheap, but relatively unique option to fill your belly, HipCityVeg provides a unique opportunity to try some of the better vegetarian stand-ins for classic fast food. HipCityVeg is in the middle of the mix on 7th St NW in Chinatown, and you can get all of your favorite fast food standards, burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, and shakes, just all plant-based. Naturally it’s a great option for vegetarians and vegans, but for the rest of us out there, it’s quite delicious and worth a stop.
Read MoreIf you are looking for the classic Washington DC look and feel while eating an excellent meal, Old Ebbitt Grill remains the champ. It is Washington DC’s oldest bar and restaurant, and works to provide be everything for everyone, opening for breakfast, and the bar doesn’t close until last call. Known for its classic American food as well as seafood, it remains a noted location for it’s oysters and other raw bar food.
Read MoreIf you are looking for a quick, simple, and delicious meal, the Sapporo style ramen at Daikaya has been, and remains, some of Washington DC’s best. Situated in the Chinatown neighborhood, it does not take reservations, instead, put your name on the list and take advantage of your time waiting to explore the neighborhood, to include the National Portrait Gallery and the American Art Museum.
Read MoreIf you decide you want to explore outside, Capitol Hill is home to a ton of interesting landmarks, buildings, and a historic neighborhood feel created by a neighborhood where much of the rowhouses were built in the nineteenth and early 20th century. Along the way, stop by the U.S. Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakesepare Library, Eastern Market and its otudoor and farmers market, Barracks Row, and the Marine Barracks.
Read MoreIf you are visiting the U.S. Capitol during the work week, there is a great opportunity to see under the hood of how politics works. Washington DC is the political capital of the United States - it’s where much of national politics occurs. See behind the curtain where the staff that are hard at work making sure your elected representatives are able to represent their constituents.
While you are in the House or Senate office buildings, you can also view Congressional committee hearings on any range of topics. If you are interested in some House of Representatives memorabilia, there is the House Gift Shop that is open to the public located in B-217 of the Longworth House Office Building.
Read MoreThe tour of the U.S. Capitol is can’t miss - however, one major activity that is not part of the tour is viewing the House or Senate chambers. Special passes are required to enter the Galleries. Here, you can experience politics in action if in session, when in session, there is the opportunity to see speeches, debates, votes, and all of the activities that occur inside the House and Senate chambers.
Read MoreJust a 10-12 minute walk from the Jefferson Memorial, and 5-6 minute walk from L’enfant Plaza, The Wharf, is a great place for a walk along the Potomac River while taking in the sights and sounds of Washington DC’s newest neighborhood, which is paradoxically home to the nation’s oldest continually operating fish market. While you are walking through, stop for a sandwich at Grazie Grazie, the reincarnated version of Taylor Gourmet, grab a gourmet donut at District Doughnuts, or grab a waterside seat and a drink at Cantina Bambina.
Read MoreIt's believed that there are more spies in Washington than in any other city in the world, making it a fitting home for this museum, which displays the world's largest collection of spy artifacts. Museum advisers include top cryptologists; masters of disguise; and former CIA, FBI, and KGB operatives. The popular Washington attraction reopens Sunday at 700 L’Enfant Plaza SW — above 10th Street and halfway between the Mall and the Wharf — with a similar ratio of interactive adventures to historical artifacts that made the original Penn Quarter site a favorite since it opened in 2002.
Read MoreWhen people think of the Smithsonian Museums, or see a Smithsonian Museum in the movies (Captain America 2: Winter Soldier), the museum they are thinking about is the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. The most visited Smithsonian Museum with 7.5 million visitors in 2016, this American icon on the south side of the National Mall is full of unique sites that draw in visitors including Apollo 11 module, the Friendship 7 capsule which was flown by John Glenn, the Bell X-1 which broke the sound barrier, and the Wright brothers' plane near the entrance. As it is the most popular Smithsonian, early arrivals are helpful as well as a well planned itinerary.
Read MoreDuring your visit to Washington DC, you might find a good convenient lunch near where to are is tough to find. This is especially true for the museums on the National Mall; lunch options are in the museums are often crowded and not very good and there are few options close. We have previously written about year-round lunch near the National Air and Space Museum and the Smithsonian American History Museum.
A great option during during the warmer months (beginning in April-May and running through November) are farmers markets. Farmers markets in DC often have a great selection of diverse food selections as well as sometimes well regarded Washington DC restaurants. They also have the added benefit of not being overcrowded with school tours which fill up many of the food courts and halls during the Spring and Summer months. Farmers markets are popular with local DC office workers, so our advice is to get there either before noon or after 1-1:30 PM as they will get busy.
Today we are highlighting four farmers markets conveniently near many of the popular museums and monuments.
Read MoreWashington DC has 3 airports that pose varying degrees of difficulty for getting into town for your visit. The easiest airport is also the closest is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. In Washington DC, the airport goes by the nicknames Reagan, National, or DCA (which is the airport's IATA code).
Read MoreWashington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is Washington DC region's least busy major commercial airport with about 21 million passengers per year, but the region's most important international airport, with over 90% of Washington DC area international departures leaving from Dulles. Dulles is about 27 miles from downtown, about 10 miles closer than BWI, but about 20 miles further than Reagan/National. United Airlines has a hub at Washington Dulles, flying over 60% of the passengers arriving and departing the airport.
Read MoreIn the first iteration of Tools for Getting Around, we are looking at how to get to and from Washington DC from Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (quite a mouthful - everyone calls it BWI). Most recently updated February 22, 2020.
Public Transit to Washington DC
BWI Concourse B Check In Hall - CC: Matt H Wade
The Train - MARC Penn Line or Amtrak to Union Station (Washington Metro - Red Line) or New Carrollton (Washington Metro - Orange Line)
B30 Metrobus to Greenbelt Metro Station (Washington Metro - Green Line)
Cabs, Ride-sharing, and other options
Uber, Lyft, and other ride-sharing
Cabs from BWI
BWI Airport is the busiest airport (but not by much) in the greater Washington DC region. Just like the name suggests, BWI is significantly closer to Baltimore (9 miles) than it is Washington (32 miles). However, it is less than 10 miles further from downtown Washington DC than Washington Dulles. If you're flying Southwest Airlines to DC, odds are that you will be flying into BWI, as they serve more than 70% of BWI's traffic.
[Not sure what to do in Washington DC? See our 1 day classic itinerary!]
BWI has a number of public transit options that will get you to Washington DC. However, the variety of options that are running or the fastest one depends on the time of day. I suggest you use Google Maps, or the timetables below, to determine which lines up best.
MARC Train at BWI Airport Station - CC: Ryan Stavely
The MARC Train is a commuter rail serving numerous locations in Maryland and Washington DC. The MARC Penn line runs between Union Station in Washington DC, Baltimore, and points north, to include a stop near BWI.
To get to the MARC train, you need to catch a shuttle to the BWI Amtrak Station. These shuttles are located outside baggage claim and run approximately every six minutes (theoretically - I've definitely waited longer) except between the hours of 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. when they operate every 25 minutes. The shuttle drops you off right at the station. Be aware, for the trains to Washington DC, you will need to use the elevator (or stairs) to cross the tracks.
Once you have arrived at the train station, but before you cross the tracks, be sure to buy a ticket - a one-way ticket to Union Station costs $7, but if you buy the ticket onboard, it will cost an additional $5. You can either go to the counter or use one of the machines, if you use a machine, make sure to select MARC tickets - Amtrak tickets are often much more expensive.
Once at Union Station, it is an easy transfer to Metro, if necessary. A trip between BWI and the Farragut North Metro Station downtown taking the MARC train takes about 80 minutes, and costs between $9 and $9.25.
For the Amtrak, follow the same directions, but but a ticket and board an Amtrak Train. It also takes you to Washington Union Station. It will save you about 15-20 minutes on the train, but will likely cost you starting from $14, but can often cost more than $30. For prices and availability, please go to www.amtrak.com.
B30 bus stop sign at BWI Airport - CC: M01229
WMATA, the regional transportation agency that runs the Metro as well as a large number of Bus lines, runs a bus from BWI airport to Greenbelt Metro Station, on the Green Line.
The B30 has two stops at BWI, both outside on the arrivals level, one at the A/B terminal, and one at the E terminal. Follow the signs that say "Public Transit." The bus runs Monday to Friday between 7AM and 10 PM and generally departs hourly, give or take a few minutes.
Once at Greenbelt, you can take the Green Line downtown to connect to wherever you need to go. A trip between BWI and the Farragut North Metro Station downtown taking the B30 takes about 80 minutes. If you have a SmartTrip card, the trip will cost between $10.85 and $11.95 - it will be more expensive if you have to pay cash for the Bus.
Lyft, Uber, or other app-based ride services pick up and drop off passengers at the terminal curbs on the Departures/Ticketing Level between doors 9 and 11. The base fare for Uber or Lyft is about $60, before tipping; as always, beware of surge pricing.
The taxi stands are located just outside of the baggage claim area on the Lower Level of the BWI Marshall Airport terminal near doors 5 and 13. A taxi will likely cost you $90 to downtown Washington DC.
Because of the distance and the less frequent public transportation, taking mass transit, cabs, or ride sharing into Washington DC from BWI will likely take longer and be more expensive than either Washington Dulles or Reagan/National. However, it is pretty easy and a generally comfortable ride. All things being equal, BWI would be my last choice, but when you get a good price on airline tickets and want to come visit Washington DC, there is no reason to shy away from flying into BWI.
(Headline Photo: Check-In Area of A/B Terminal at BWI - CC: UpstateNYer)
[Not sure what to do in Washington DC? PostJet creates personalized Washington DC itineraries.]
Those looking for good food while visiting the Smithsonian on the mall, no need to despair.
The National Mall is America’s front yard - it is at once a park and a home to some of the most iconic American museums. What it does not have is great or many local food options. The only restaurants on the mall are the overcrowded and at-best average Museum restaurants and cafes. From the Smithsonian National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian National History of Natural History, and the National Archives, one of the best lunch options is the food hall at National Place.
Read MoreJust a quick walk from the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Southwest Washington DC is the L’Enfant Plaza Food Court, which is by far the best option for lunch in this part of town. Urban Atlas recommends it for a quick and easy lunch (or snack) this is convenient, affordable, and friendly to all diets. It’s also convenient for travelers visiting the Hirshhorn Museum and the Museum of the American Indian.
Read MoreTwo recent trips to the Fancy Radish have convinced the Urban Atlas team that this is the go-to best option for Vegans and Vegetarians in and visiting Washington DC, and honestly a great option for everybody else. It is in fact a plant-based restaurant everybody should be happy with.
Read MoreTo make your Washington DC travels easier, we here at Urban Atlas are tackling food and restaurants. Any traveler knows that finding good food options near where you are or are going to be has been getting easier, but it’s not still not easy to figure out the best options. This is doubly true for those with dietary restrictions. I know this acutely, as my significant other is vegan, and we spend a fair amount of time trudging to out of the way vegan friendly restaurants to eat.
So this new series will be presenting great vegan and vegetarian options (and honestly, these are good options for everybody).
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