Washington DC essentials

The practical answers a first Washington DC trip actually needs — getting in from the three airports or Union Station, getting around on Metro and on foot, when to visit around the seasons and cherry blossoms, money and costs, and staying safe and oriented across the monumental core.

Arrival

Arrival Getting to Washington DC Washington DC has three airports at very different distances, plus a downtown Amtrak hub at Union Station. Reagan National sits closest and is on Metro, Dulles handles most international flights and is now on the Silver Line, and BWI pairs cheaper fares with a train ride into the city.

Getting around

Getting around Getting around Washington DC Most of monumental Washington is walkable, and Metrorail covers the rest of the city and the airports cleanly. A SmarTrip card or phone tap pays for Metro and bus, and Capital Bikeshare fills the short hops the train skips.

Planning

Planning When to visit Washington DC Spring and fall are the comfortable, popular windows; the cherry blossoms draw the biggest crowds of the year in late March and early April. Summer is hot, humid, and busy with school groups, while winter is quiet and cold but easy on museums and hotel rates. Planning Money and costs in Washington DC Washington's headline attractions are unusually cheap: the Smithsonian museums and the monuments are free. Lodging and dining are the real costs, sales and hotel taxes add up, and US tipping norms apply.

On the ground

On the ground Staying safe in Washington DC The tourist core around the Mall and museums is heavily policed and straightforward to navigate. The everyday cautions are ordinary city sense, summer heat, and knowing that road closures and security perimeters around federal buildings are routine.