Washington, D.C.

 

The center of the United States government, Washington, DC, is a vibrant, unique city with a dynamic culture and artistic flair. This capital city is boarded by Maryland, Virginia, and the Potomac River and boasts an incredible variety of museums, galleries, theaters, national monuments, restaurants, and shopping. Named, of course, for George Washington, America’s first president and a founding father of the nation, DC is one of the most visited cities in the country.

 

Architecture is varied and impressive here, with a mix of high-end new construction apartments, luxury condos, stylish single-family homes, ultra-modern glass structures, and high concept designs with indoor-outdoor spaces as well as historic buildings flush with character.

 

DC’s individual neighborhoods are as varied as the city’s residents, and half the fun of living in this thriving metropolis is exploring each one. From the cosmopolitan Dupont Circle, with its eclectic eateries, coffee shops, bookstores, dive bars, and dance clubs to the multicultural, boho vibe of Adams Morgan, DC has something, and somewhere, for everyone.

 

Residents of this cultural city are varied and dynamic, with most being highly educated and working in the political field. With the top-tier universities in the area, DC is home to both students and professors. This is a political hot spot, for obvious reasons, so be prepared to discuss the latest bill or House legislation. Besides that one famous resident, DC is home to lobbyists, senators, high-level executives, speechwriters, reporters, and various professionals from the arts and culture scene.

 

With some of the best boutiques and restaurants in the country, DC emerges as a major player for retail and culinary experiences. One of the best shopping streets in the country, M Street in Georgetown offers shops like Alice + Olivia, Rag & Bone, and Intermix, to name just a few, while Dupont Circle offers a sophisticated selection of bookstores, galleries, and bistros. Another Dupont hotspot is Michelin-starred restaurant Plume, which offers a sumptuous dining room and a menu inspired by Thomas Jefferson’s kitchen gardens at Monticello.

 

One of the District’s best Japanese restaurants, Sushi Taro, offers fresh fish and Chef Nobu Yamazaki’s kaiseki, or tasting menu. The Greenhouse is a tranquil, refined bistro in downtown DC and offers seasonal menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or brunch, while Parisian brasserie, Le Diplomate, offers an extensive menu of French classics, including onion soup gratinée, steak frites, and escargots, bouillabaisse, and cassoulet.

 

Ask a DC resident what there is to do in the nation’s capital, and you may get a bewildered response because, well... there is simply everything to do. The Smithsonian Institution, affectionately known as the Smithsonian, is the world’s largest group of museums of its kind and includes the Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, the National Museum of Natural History and the National Zoo, to name but a few. This stunning collection is always free to the public, making this a truly unique and highly regarded institution.

 

Of course, a town this historical and monumental includes countless memorials and impressive architectural feats. One of the most recognizable, the Lincoln Memorial is a national memorial built to honor Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. Designed by architect Henry Bacon, the monument takes the form of a neoclassical temple. Perhaps the only structure to rival the fame of the Lincoln Memorial is the Washington Monument, which was built to commemorate George Washington.

The culturally minded will fall in love with the Kennedy Center. A creative and artistic memorial to John F. Kennedy, this elegant structure is the stage for classical and contemporary music, opera, drama, dance, theater, and other performing arts from around the world, as well as celebrations from every culture.