Washington in United States of America

Washington, D.C. is covered by many law enforcement agencies. The main force is the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which has jurisdiction in most of the city. You will also see many federal officers, usually assigned to a specific institution, among them:

United States Park Police (patrols the Mall, Rock Creek, and other federal park lands) United States Capitol Police (patrols the grounds of the U.S. Capitol and surrounding areas) Metro Transit Police Department (patrols Metro trains and buses) United States Secret Service Uniformed Division (around the White House and embassies) Federal Protective Service (scattered) Individual security teams for most cabinet-level departments (Department of Treasury Police, Department of Agriculture Protection, etc)

You will also likely encounter U.S. Marshals and Military Police, and a countless number of smaller official and private security forces. Over 86 individual police agencies have jurisdiction within the District, although most of them do not extend more than a block or two from their wards.

For major events and protests, the MPD has a central command center where they can monitor actions through a network of cameras. For exceptionally large events (but not protests) such as Fourth of July Fireworks, they are likely to set up security zones where they can screen attendees.

While Washington rivaled New Orleans for the Murder Capital title of America in the early 1980s-1990s, violent crime has since fallen dramatically; what remains is concentrated in the residential areas of outer portions of Northwest east of 16th Street NW, Northeast and Southeast D.C. beyond the Capitol Hill neighborhood (especially those portions south and east of the Anacostia River), and inner areas of Northwest more than two blocks north of Massachusetts Avenue east of 7th Street. While these are general areas of concentrated crime in Washington there is no good way to predict the more random acts of violence within this city. As recently as 2007 there have been murders in Georgetown, one of Washington's most expensive and prestigious areas. With hot areas of violence in such close proximity to historic and otherwise very safe areas it is best to stay in a well lit environment at night and to travel in groups if possible especially as much of the more affordable nightlife exists in areas closer to Southeast and inner northwest. It is also not recommended to drink tap water, as in many parts of the city, the water contains high levels of lead.

Virtually all of DC's tourists flock to the Mall—a long, beautiful stretch of parkland that comprises many of the city's monuments and museums—but the city itself is a vibrant metropolis that often has little to do with monuments, politics, or white, neoclassical buildings. The Smithsonian is a can't miss, but don't trick yourself—you haven't really been to DC until you've seen some of the neighborhoods.

!--Districts are listed roughly in order of geographic centrality and touristy-ness. Please discuss changes to the order, or to the districts themselves on the talk page before altering this structure.--

Downtown

Washington, D.C./Penn Quarter The center of it all: The National Mall, D.C.'s main theater district, Smithsonian and non-Smithsonian museums galore, fine dining, Chinatown, the Verizon Center, the Convention Center, the central business district, the White House, West Potomac Park, the Kennedy Center, George Washington University, the beautiful Tidal Basin, and the new Nationals Stadium.

North Central

Washington, D.C./Dupont Circle D.C.'s trendiest and most diverse neighborhoods and destination #1 for live music and clubbing, as well as loads of restaurants, Howard University, boutique shopping, beautiful embassies, Little Ethiopia, jazz on U Street, and lots of nice hotels.

West

Washington, D.C./Georgetown The prestigious, wealthy side of town, home to the historic village of Georgetown with its energetic nightlife & fine dining, the National Zoo, the National Cathedral, Dumbarton Oaks, the bulk of D.C.'s high-end shopping, more of Embassy Row, American University, and plenty of nice dining strips.

East

Washington, D.C./Capitol Hill Starting at the Capitol Building and Library of Congress, and fanning out past grandiose Union Station and the historic Capitol Hill neighborhood, to the less often visited neighborhoods by Gallaudet and Catholic Universities, historic black Anacostia, D.C.'s Little Vatican around the National Shrine, the huge National Arboretum, the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, bohemian nightlife in the Atlas District, and a handful of eccentric neighborhoods to explore.

By plane

Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, http://www.mwaa.com/national/ located in Arlington (Virginia) Arlington, Virginia on the west bank of the Potomac River just south of the city, is the closest and most convenient. Walkways connect the concourse level of the B and C terminals to the Washington Metro rail platform; the walk from the A terminal to the metro takes 5 to 10 minutes. To get downtown (10 minutes), take the Yellow Line toward Mt Vernon Square/UDC. For destinations to the west, take the Blue Line toward Largo Town Center. A taxi trip to downtown costs about $15.

Washington Dulles International Airport, http://www.mwaa.com/dulles/ is located at Dulles (pronounced Dull-ess), Virginia, 26 miles west of downtown DC. To get into the city, the most convenient option may be the Washington Flyer coach http://www.washfly.com/, which operates every half hour to and from the West Falls Church Metro (Orange Line). It takes 20-25 minutes and costs $9 one way or $16 round trip. The Metro rail service from West Falls Church to downtown DC takes another 20-25 minutes. The cheapest option is the 5A Metrobus, an express bus which makes stops at Herndon, Tysons Corner, Rosslyn (Blue and Orange Lines) and downtown L'Enfant Plaza (Green, Yellow, Blue, and Orange Lines). It generally departs every 40 minutes on weekdays and hourly (though not on the hour) on weekends and takes 50-60 minutes to the city; the fare is $3 each way. Ask the people at the information booth in the lower level of the airport terminal, near the baggage claim, which bus will be coming sooner. They also can direct you to the bus stop. (5A timetable and map (pdf): http://www.wmata.com/timetables/dc/5a.pdf) A taxi trip to downtown costs about $50.

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, http://www.bwiairport.com/ is in Maryland and is 30 miles north-east of DC and 10 miles south of downtown Baltimore. Metro operates the hourly B30 express Metrobus to the Greenbelt Metro Station (Green Line). It boards on the lower level outside the International Pier. The fare is $3.10 each way and it takes about 30 minutes. The driver does not provide change. The Metro rail service from Greenbelt to downtown takes another 25 minutes approximately. There are also train services from BWI Rail Station (see next section). A taxi trip to downtown Washington costs about $60.

By train

Amtrak services arrive from all over the country, particularly the Northeast Corridor ( Boston-to-Richmond (Virginia) Richmond ). All stop at downtown Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, on Metro's Red Line--a few blocks from the U.S. Capitol steps. A few lines also stop in adjacent Alexandria (Virginia) Alexandria, VA, very close to King Street Metro, on the Yellow and Blue lines. If you are coming from the south, it might be easier to stop there, depending on your destination.

Virginia Railway Express (VRE) http://www.vre.org also provides rail from the southwest, starting in Virginia suburbs of Manassas and Fredericksburg, for those who do not wish to drive into the metropolitan area.

Maryland Rail Commuter (MARC) http://www.mtamaryland.com/services/marc provides rail from the north on weekdays, all the way past Harpers Ferry and Baltimore. Two lines run to separate parts of Baltimore with limited reverse service from Washington. The MARC Penn line shares trains, tracks and ticketing with Amtrak on the high-speed Northeast Corridor between Washington Union Station and Baltimore Union Station, which also serves New Carrollton and BWI Airport. Only Amtrak runs on weekends.

From BWI Airport, a free Amtrak/MARC shuttle bus runs from the airport terminal to the BWI Rail Station. MARC http://www.mtamaryland.com/ local rail operates weekdays to New Carrollton (Orange Line) for $5 each way, or Washington Union Station (Red Line) for $6. Amtrak http://www.amtrak.com/ provides access to Union Station (from $13; 30-35 minutes) and to nearby Alexandria, Virginia near the King Street Metro station on the Blue and Yellow lines (from $27).

By car

, MD I-395 connects downtown with the I-495/I-95 interchange in Northern Virginia. I-295 connects downtown with I-495/I-95 at the Woodrow Wilson Bridge in Southern Prince George's County, MD. I-66 starts at the western part of downtown and goes 75 miles west, ending near Front Royal, VA. Route 50 traverses the city from east to west, heading east toward Annapolis, MD and Ocean City, MD (the latter by way of the Bay Bridge), and west across the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge into Northern Virginia and parts west. The Baltimore-Washington Parkway (also B-W Parkway ) starts at I-295, crossing central Maryland, passing near Baltimore-Washington International Airport and terminating in Baltimore.

Inside the beltway, I-66 is HOV-2 only eastbound from 7AM to 9AM and westbound from 4PM to 6:30 PM. The HOV-2 restriction applies to the entire highway, not just specific lanes. US-50, US-29, and the George Washington Parkway are the alternatives.

Interestingly enough, while MD/DC 295 (the Baltimore-Washington Parkway) will take you from Maryland right into the city, it doesn't allow you to directly connect to the Southeast-Southwest Freeway westbound. You can exit at Pennsylvania Avenue Eastbound and follow the throngs making illegal u-turns to then be facing westbound (towards downtown) or proceed to Howard Road and then cross the Anacostia River on South Capitol Street, which takes you to the Southeast-Southwest Freeway. I-295 Northbound does connect to the Southeast-Southwest Freeway Westbound. The converse is also true: the Southeast-Southwest Freeway Eastbound does not connect to DC 295 Northbound-it only connects to I-295 southbound. To gain entrance onto DC 295 Northbound, stay left on the Southeast-Southwest Freeway and exit onto Pennsylvania Avenue, which will then let you turn left and enter 295 North.

By bus

Greyhound, http://www.greyhound.com. The stop for Washington, D.C. is at 1005 1st St NE, which is a few blocks north of Union Station (where you can catch the Red Line Metrorail). Current fares are around $20 (or $35 for a return ticket) from New York (city) New York City. Please note that these prices require a 3 day in advance purchase. There are other Greyhound stations located in Silver Spring, Maryland and Arlington (Virginia) Arlington, Virginia.

Apex Bus, http://www.apexbus.com/. The stop for Washington, D.C. is on 610 Eye St. NW. Prices are $20 ( or $35 for a return ticket) from New York (city) New York City. No advance purchase is required.

Megabus http://www.megabus.com provides service from New York (city) New York City ; fares start at $1 when ordered far enough in advance. Buses arrive and depart from the rear of Union Station, at the Gray Line area in front of the parking garage.

BoltBus http://www.boltbus.com provides service from New York (city) New York City ; fares start at $1 when ordered far enough in advance. Buses arrive and depart at 11th St NW and G St NW, near Metro Center.

Goto Bus, http://www.gotobus.com. You can search several carriers through this site. Sometimes discounts are given from this site.

A number of independent bus companies http://www.staticleap.com/chinatownbus run between New York (city) New York City and Washington DC.

City layout

The city is split into four quadrants centered on the Capitol Building: NE, NW, SE and SW. City roads are laid out in a grid, with east-west streets named for letters (to W, then alphabetically two-syllable words, Adams-Webster, then three-syllable words, starting with Allison) and north-south streets named for numbers, all going up as you travel outward. For example, there is an M Street on the north side of town, and another M Street on the south side, both crossing from the east side to the west side. Likewise with 6th Street, running from north to south on both the east and west sides. The boundary lines between the quadrants are as follows: North Capitol Street between NE and NW, East Capitol Street between NE and SE, South Capitol Street between SE and SW, and the National Mall between SW and NW. To identify which side of town and which end of the street, the quadrant is included at the end of any proper street address. Addresses are also usually very specific to the grid, and rarely have custom names. For example, the White House is properly 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW. The Northwest quadrant is the largest and home to most items of interest to visitors, although a few major tourist locations fall into the other three quadrants (e.g. Union Station and the Supreme Court fall in NE, the Tidal Basin and Bureau of Engraving and Printing are in SW and the Library of Congress is in SE)

Speaking of avenues, these are named mostly after the 50 states, and cut at various angles across the grid (several of them lining up on the White House or the Capitol, to draw attention to these democratic symbols). Many major intersections, especially those involving avenues, meet at circles named after historical figures.

The grid has a few peculiarities which are the legacy of Pierre L'Enfant's 18th century plan for the city. There is no J Street, since at the time L'Enfant considered the letters I and J to be essentially the same letter and not two distinct letters as they are today. (It is a myth that he had it out for statesman John Jay.) In the English language, the use of the letter J began to take its modern form in the 1600s but remained commonly interchangeable with I until the mid 1800s. Addresses on I Street are often written Eye Street to avoid confusion with the number 1. Addresses on the first block of cross-streets crossing North, South or East Capitol Street are referred to as being on the unit block of those streets. Certain of the streets reflect the courses of present-day waterways: rivers (the Anacostia Freeway), creeks or creek valleys (Rock Creek Expressway, Beach Drive), and canals (Clara Barton Expressway [traveling along the C&O Canal], MacArthur Boulevard [running over of the Washington Aqueduct]).

Please also note that a few streets are one-way for specific hours of the day, in order to accommodate rush-hour traffic, and others will repurpose lanes during rush-hour periods for the same purpose.

Public transportation

Washington has one of the best public transportation systems in the country. The hub-and-spoke rail system is integrated with an extensive bus system, with all lines converging in downtown D.C. A car is often a hindrance in the District, particularly for tourists; public transportation is often the fastest way to get around.

New, red DC Circulator buses provide the cheapest way ($1) to travel crosstown along D.C.'s major axes: East-West from Union Station past the Convention Center to Georgetown and North-South from the Convention Center through the National Mall to the Southwest Waterfront.

For more extensive coverage, use the Metro, operated by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority ( WMATA). Its five intersecting Metrorail subway lines stop in most major neighborhoods, with the notable exceptions of Georgetown and Adams-Morgan. Since parking downtown can be scarce and expensive (up to $15/day) and parking violations AGGRESSIVELY enforced, many attractions recommend using the Metro, and WMATA publishes a pocket guide indicating which line and stop to take for various landmarks. In addition, WMATA devotes a section of its website to visitor resources. Most parts of the Metro system are extremely safe, reliable, and amazingly clean, particularly the areas where there are tourist or government activities. Late at night, trains may run only every 20 minutes, but the stations and trains remain quite safe--which may not be the case on the streets around the stations. Interestingly, the locals never refer to it as the subway or underground, as is customary in the cities of New York and London, respectively, instead preferring the term Metro. Calling it anything else is guaranteed to earn you strange looks from any Washingtonian in earshot.

Since the Metrorail system is built either deep below Washington or on elevated tracks outside the city, the average rider must take at least two escalators to reach a train. To allow for the safest and most efficient travel on the escalators, it is an unwritten law that one must stand on the right side of the escalator to allow others to pass on the left side. Those who fail to do so will often draw dirty looks and rude comments from local commuters, who may be in a hurry (or who at least think they are). Standing on the right and allowing others to pass on the left can prevent a potentially dangerous backup of people attempting to leave the platforms. Visitors should be sure to keep walking when leaving a train so that others behind them may also exit safely in the short amount of time that the doors remain open. Note that the doors of Metro trains do not automatically open when they strike something, as do elevator doors. Attempting to hold the doors open can result in significant injury, particularly to children. Holding the doors open can damage them, causing the train to be pulled from service, resulting in extensive delays and inconvenience.

The cleanliness of the Washington Metro is something in which its riders take considerable pride, to the point that rules regarding such are usually self-enforced. If you should happen to board the train with a cup of coffee or a sandwich, don't be surprised if someone asks you to toss it out at the next station. The police will normally simply ask a person to dispose of any food or beverage, although they are empowered to cite those that violate those rules.

Red Line-forms a long U from suburban Montgomery County, Maryland through downtown. Attractions on the Red Line include the Union Station, the Verizon Center, the National Zoo, the National Basilica and Cathedral of St. Matthew Our Apostle. The Red Line's Wheaton station boasts the longest escalator in the Western Hemisphere. Yellow Line-links the Washington Convention Center to Alexandria via the Verizon Center, the 14th Street Bridge and Reagan National Airport. On weekdays between the hours of 9:30AM-3PM and 7PM-close, as well as all day on weekends, the Yellow Line will go as far north as the Fort Totten station. Green Line-forms a C which swings through Prince Georges County from Greenbelt (and its BWI Airport shuttle) past the University of Maryland, the gentrifying U Street and Columbia Heights districts, the Southwest Waterfront, and historic Anacostia. Blue Line-an S that meanders from Largo Town Center near FedEx Field (home of the Washington Redskins) to RFK Stadium (home of the Washington Nationals and the D.C. United), under the Potomac to Arlington National Cemetery, and south to Reagan National Airport and Alexandria. Orange Line-Runs from Fairfax County suburbs (and the Washington Flyer Dulles Airport shuttles at West Falls Church) along the Wilson Boulevard entertainment corridor, through downtown, and out again past RFK Stadium to New Carrollton (with onward connections to MARC and Amtrak).

Metrorail's Hours of Operation are as follows: Monday-Thursday: 5AM to Midnight Friday: 5AM to 3AM Saturday: 7AM to 3AM Sunday: 7AM to Midnight

When riding late at night, it is advisable to be aware of when the last train leaves each particular station (this will be clearly stated at each station and is also given on WMATA's website), and make sure you do not miss that train (you must also take into consideration any transfers you will need to make). However, unlike in some other systems, all trains continue to the end of their respective lines (usually until well after Metro's stated closing time), so you need not worry about a train stopping before it reaches your destination.

Parking is available at many suburban stations, particularly at the terminus stations, and costs a flat rate of $3.50 (as of January 3, 2006) at most lots, though a few cost slightly more. It is important to note that weekday parking at a Metro lot requires a SmarTrip card, which is a special rechargeable debit card. Cash, credit cards and checks are not accepted for parking. One must purchase a SmarTrip card for $10 at a vending machine (SmarTrip machines are located at all stations with parking). The card itself costs $5 and it is dispensed pre-loaded with $5 in value (hence the $10 cost). The SmarTrip can also be used to pay Metrorail and Metrobus fares, and to make paperless transfers from one to the other. If you park at a Metro lot on a weekday, make sure you purchase a SmarTrip card and not a regular farecard. Only the SmarTrip cards with microchips will be accepted by the parking gate. Parking on weekends and holidays is free.

As stated above, for ease of use, one can use the same SmarTrip card to pay for both the Metro trip and parking. In fact, at a few stations (though certainly not the majority), you can only get the reduced Metro customer parking rate if you use the same card (specifically New Carrollton, White Flint, and Twinbrook). Unfortunately, use of a SmarTrip card currently precludes customers from taking advantage of unlimited ride passes (which are mentioned below), though Metro has plans to eventually enable unlimited ride capabilities via SmarTrip.

If you plan on doing a lot of sightseeing throughout the city, the Metrorail One Day Pass is a great deal-for a flat $7.80, you are afforded unlimited rides throughout the Metrorail system (the pass is valid after 9:30AM on weekdays or all day on Saturdays and Sundays until closing (on Fridays and Saturdays, this means 3AM of the following day). A short-trip 7-day pass is $26.40, but restricted to $2.65 rides during peak hours. An unrestricted and unlimited 7-day pass is $39.00. Note that you can only buy unlimited ride passes at the blue Passes/Farecards machines in each station, and not from the standard brown Farecards machines. Likewise, the blue machines are the only ones that accept credit and debit cards, but you can buy any farecard or pass type from these machines (including adding value to SmarTrip cards), so there is no real reason to use the standard brown machine unless you need to skip a long line. Furthermore, unlike in most other transit agencies, Metrorail passes are not valid for travel on Metrobus (nor is the fare structure identical).

Metrorail fares are based on distance, starting from $1.35. Peak fares are in effect on weekdays from 5:10AM to 9:30AM and 3PM to 7PM, during which time the maximum fare is $3.90. At all other times, lower fares are in effect, with a maximum of $2.35. Because the fare is based on distance, each passenger must have his or her own farecard (whether paper or SmarTrip) and use it both when entering and exiting the system. If the value on the card is insufficient to exit, it can be recharged using Exitfare vending machines.

If you have rented a bicycle, you can also take your bicycle on Metrorail outside of peak hours (weekdays from 7AM to 10AM and from 4PM to 7PM), but you must use one of the end doors of each car (the center doors have stickers with a reminder for bicyclists to use other doors). All buses in the Metrobus system are also equipped with bicycle racks on the front.

The Metrobus system has a flat fare system of $1.25 for most routes, or $3 for express routes. Certain routes feature discounted fares. An all-day pass for Metrobus is $3 and valid until 3:00 a.m. on regular routes or for $1.25 on express routes. Metrobus accepts SmarTrip for payments and transfers, but does not accept Metrorail paper farecards or passes. To save money on your metrobus trips, you can also get transfer slips from other Metrobuses or from Metrorail (at your station of ENTRY) that allow you to take another bus within a two hour period at a discounted rate.

Taxi

As of May 1st, 2008, taxicabs of Washington DC have shifted from a zoned fare system to standard taximeters. Base rates start at $3.00 for the first 1/6th of a mile and 25 cents for each additional 1/6th of a mile.

There is no longer any rush hour surcharge, although an additional $1.50 is charged for each additional passenger.

During declared snow emergencies, D.C. taxis are permitted to charge 25% additional fares.

For taxis to/from D.C. suburbs, it is often better to call a suburban taxi service from where you're going to be picked in D.C. (if time permits) than to use a city cab. This is because D.C. taxi drivers are not always familiar with suburban directions or how much to charge to locations outside of the city. (See local phone books for suburban options.)

There are a few taxis still without meters; they have until July 1st to install meters or face fines from the City.

By car

Downtown Washington's roads are well-signed and organized on a relatively predictable grid, but driving in the District is somewhat of a challenge even for native Washingtonians. The streets were laid out by Pierre L'Enfant as multiple-sourced diagonals on a grid with interspersed circles for good measure. This layout was initially conceived not only for aesthetic reasons, but also as a defensive measure to confuse invading armies. Many major intersections are formed into circles. The larger circles can be harrowing for inexperienced drivers—Dupont Circle links five roads running in ten directions with two traffic rings (with Massachusetts Avenue NW running in the inner circle) and an underground bypass for Connecticut Avenue NW. The situation is compounded by some of the nation's consistently worst traffic. Roads are often closed depending on time of day, level of security, threat level, parades, etc. Some roads change direction partially or completely based on the time of day, and may only indicate with a simple sign, rather than the signal lights that accompany many direction-change lanes in the U.S. The Metro system is an acclaimed public transport system that serves the majority of popular sites within and around the city and can be a much more rewarding experience. At triple intersections of streets, there is usually a traffic circle or roundabout. (Note: traffic may or may not flow through these circles like in a roundabout, depending on the particular circle in question, so don't try to drive them that way. Dupont Circle is notoriously confusing, with inner and outer rings, and Connecticut Ave underneath.)

Additionally, the city is the capital of the United States. Motorcades wisk through traffic at their own whim, every hour of the day-from short ambassadorial motorcades to the 12+ car Presidential Motorcade. Any time between 6:45AM until usually around 9PM or 10PM, expect to see a fleet of motorcycle police and limousines attempting to usher everyone off the roadway. Travel on the historic Pennsylvania Avenue in the morning hours-any time between 6:30 am and 9:00 am is notoriously bad, as that is usually the route taken to bring the Vice President and others in to the White House and other downtown office buildings in the morning.

Weekday parking can be scarce and expensive, up to $25 for the day. The city RUTHLESSLY enforces parking regulations to a near-comical degree. Don't think you can ignore tickets if you're a tourist from far away; the city has hired collection agencies in the past to go after unpaid tickets and threaten the credit records of folks who ignore citations. Fines double or increase by a $100 late fee if not paid by the stated due date (usually 15 days). Park in a garage, for street parking often expires at rush hour. Parking in a rush-hour lane is a $100 fine, if you are lucky, or you may be towed. Neighborhood parking is often available as well, although D.C. has parking zones, and parking in a zone for more than the alloted time (2-3 hours), will also result in a ticket. Parking patrols either chalk the tires, or will record license plates to enforce this.

Partly as a means to combat heavy rush hour traffic, a significant number of intersections and other locations are monitored by traffic cameras--either for red-light violations or for speeding. Drivers may wish to make note that some tickets around federal buildings, embassies, and parks, if issued by police other than the Washington Metropolitan Police Department, are federal violations. In addition to the Metropolitan Police Department, Washington DC also has Secret Service Police, FBI Police, Park Police, Capitol Police and DC Protective Services that can stop and issue citations.

Driving in D.C. can be summed up in one word: Don't. Parking tickets, direction changing streets, congestion, backups, delays, red-light and speeding cameras, parades, protests, etc, are all good reasons to take Metro. Saturday and Sunday are a bit better. The memorials are open until late at night and on weekends; museums are usually open on weekends too; however, Metro does run fewer trains on the weekends, so expect to spend a little more time with a few more people.

Local opposition prevented the construction of interstate highways through Washington; the two freeways that feed into the city from Virginia, I-66 and I-395, both terminate quickly. Washington and its innermost suburbs are encircled by the Capital Beltway, I-495, which gave rise to the expression Inside the Beltway.

Also, be aware that several of the Washington DC area roadways have one-way restrictions during certian times of the day.

Rock Creek Parkway has one-way restrictions during: Traveling Southbound from Connecticut Avenue is one way from 6:45AM to 9:30AM on weekdays. Traveling Northbound up to Connecticut Avenue is one way from 3:45PM to 6:30PM on weekdays.

Canal Road has one-way restrictions during: Traveling Southbound from Maryland from M street is one way from 6:45AM to 9:30AM on weekdays. Traveling Northbound up to M street from Maryland is one way from 3:45PM to 6:30PM on weekdays.

Washington boasts several scenic drives: Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street NW toward the Capitol Rock Creek Parkway, which follows Rock Creek, then the Potomac to the Lincoln Memorial Reservoir Road from Georgetown to the Clara Barton Parkway, continuing to the Capitol Beltway Embassy Row, Massachusetts Avenue from Scott Circle to Wisconsin Avenue the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which follows the Potomac on the Virginia side

Please note: cellphone use while driving inside the District of Columbia (without hands-free equipment) is subject to a $100 fine for the first offense.

Sightseeing Companies

Washington D.C. has a number of sightseeing tour companies. Taking a tour is a good alternative to taking on city traffic and parking hassles. These companies are:

Old Town Trolley Tourmobile http://www.tourmobile.com/ DC Ducks http://www.dcducks.com Monuments by Moonlight http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Washington-DC-C6.aspxhttp://www.trustedtours.com/store/Washington-DC-C6.aspx Bike the Sites City Segway Tours http://www.citysegwaytours.com/washington/ Washington Walks http://www.washingtonwalks.com/ Washington DC Party Shuttle http://www.washingtondcpartyshuttle.com/ http://www.trustedtours.com/store/Washington-DC-C6.aspxhttp://www.trustedtours.com/store/Washington-DC-C6.aspx