The Vibe of the Capital of the USA

What is Washington D.C. like? Is it worth visiting? Which places you shouldn’t miss? And most importantly how to get the vibe of the Capital of the USA?

Here are a few tips and interesting facts about Washington D.C.:

1. Washington is really small in comparison with huge New York City. Not even the number of inhabitants is monumental, there are around 600 000 people living there. You might appreciate how calm the city is after the visit to NW. This city is also very green, there are parks all over the place.
   
2. Washington and precisely Capitol is the home of the United States Congress. You can visit the session of the House of Representatives and Senate. It is for free, you will need just your passport and your patience while going through proper security checks.
3. We have to mention the White House, the home of the president of the USA. In case you want to visit the lawn in front of the House, you need to book your ticket 6 months in advance. When you don’t do that you can have a walk around the House, but there will be two fences between you and the famous House…
4.  Iconic Washington Monument is placed in the middle of National Mall which is a landscaped park surrounded by the most important buildings in this city. If you have no sense of direction this will be your favourite city.

   

5. It is also the city for museum lovers. There is a Smithsonian Institution around the National Mall. It is a complex of different museums, one better than the other! My favorite is, of course, the National Air and Space Museum in which you can find the Apollo 11 command module.
6. After walking around Washington Monument you get to the part of the city devoted to memorials. These memorials were designed thoughtfully and commemorate everyone the important people and events of American history.
   
   
7. Washington offers great public transport and the subway is one of the best I have experienced.

   

8.  On the other side of Potomac River, in the state of Virginia, in the Arlington city, you shouldn’t miss Arlington National Cemetery.  The soldiers of the nation’s conflicts have been buried there, beginning with the Civil War as well as reinterred dead from earlier wars.
9. Where to eat in Washington? You can find great food in the museums, especially the Museum of American History but also in Arlington.
10. If you are travelling around with more than a backpack, you might have asked yourself: “Can I enter the museums with a bigger luggage?” And the good news is, you can! Míša found out that although there are no lockers, they will let you walk around with a luggage or/and backpack.
11. An extra tip for solo travellers on a budget: This capsule hotel is close to the underground, is in walkable distance to the Zoo and above-mentioned museums and has breakfast included on top! If you’ve never tried a capsule hotel, it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss!

I would surely recommend you to visit Washington. It is great to have the opportunity to compare the lifestyle of people in these cities but also the architecture!

Do you know that there are no skyscrapers in Washington? The buildings in Washington shouldn’t be taller than the Monument! What vibe did you get out of the Capitol of the USA? 🙂