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Washington, D.C., United States
Photo: The original uploader was Christoph.kueberl at German Wikipedia., Attribution via Wikimedia Commons
The neighborhoods of Washington, D.C.'s Upper Northwest rank among America's most wealthy and privileged. There are big attractions, including the outstanding National Zoo, the massive National Cathedral, American University, upscale shopping in Friendship Heights, and several nice wining and dining strips that are good alternatives to the hip, trendy scene in Adams Morgan and crowded, pricey and traffic-congested Georgetown.
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Little known even to locals is this private house-museum with an impressive collection of paintings by the impressionist and early modern masters. The house itself is a work of art, designed by modernist architects Philip Johnson and Richard Foster.
A hidden gem of magnificent proportions. Marjorie Merriweather Post, prominent businesswoman and heiress to the Post Cereal fortune, fashioned her estate next to Rock Creek Park to be an extraordinarily stately and luxurious site for entertaining guests, housing her impressive art collections, and with the intention of leaving it behind for the world to enjoy. The mansion is a treasure trove of French and Russian decorative arts, much of which she obtained from the USSR, whose government under Stalin was then auctioning off a good portion of its cultural heritage to finance its war efforts. Second in grandeur only to the art collection itself are the French and Japanese-style gardens—great places to linger long after the tour.
Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The impression of walking up to the world's 6th-largest cathedral, a hulking mass cut over a period of 83 years of 150,000 tons of stone, is alone worth the trip. Tours are a must if you really want to see the cathedral, and the towers and the crypt are off limits without a guide during the busy season. The organ demonstrations are spectacular and loud. Check the website for events, as there is often children's programming as well as major concerts.
A collection of 400 species, including 2,000 animals. Get a map at the entrance, take your time, and be prepared to walk a great deal. Bring water—the concessions here are insultingly expensive. The most crowded exhibits are nearly always the Pandas and the Ape House. The pandas are perhaps the zoo's shyest residents. The Ape House is fun no matter the crowds. Other hits include the Seals & Sea Lions Exhibit, the Reptile House, the remarkable Aviary, and the irresistibly cute prairie dogs.
Fort Reno was one of the bedrocks of the legendary and celebrated D.C. punk/hardcore/straight-edge scene, and evolved to encompass later post-hardcore and other local indie rock. The concert series was founded in 1968 as a sort of government-sponsored hippie fest to try to bring some love, joy, and sense of community back to the district post-1968 riots. Having run annually since, this is one of the truest local traditions, is beloved by the community, and a great way to delve further into that elusive city beyond the federal government and neoclassical memorials. No alcohol, no glass bottles, but plastic bottles are allowed.
A historic water-powered mill in the park and a national historic site built by Isaac Peirce in 1829.
The 18 holes of golf in Rock Creek Park are a bit rough. That's not to say you can't have a good experience here, as it is quite a novelty to play golf deep in the woods, despite being in the city. The back 9 holes are challenging due to extreme hills and narrow fairways. Par 65. Golfers might want to consider the other two major courses in the city: Hains Point in Waterfront and Langston in Near Northeast.
Deep inside the park, the Nature Center offers hands-on exhibits, guided nature walks, an "observation beehive," and a full planetarium. Especially good for kids.
If you wish you had opted for a country vacation instead of a trip to D.C., it's not too hard to make believe in Rock Creek Park. The horse center offers trail rides, horseback riding lessons (group and private), and pony rides throughout the summer months. The trail rides are very popular, and reservations often are booked more than a month in advance. The pony rides and lessons also require reservations, but are much easier to get. For those visiting on a whim, and not interested in paying for a ride, you can just stop by and pet and feed the horses for free. If you traveled to the city on horseback, they offer full-service public stables for $600/month.
Friendship Park
Turtle Park has the coolest playground in town. The centerpiece is an enormous sandbox littered with eminently climbable turtle sculptures and plastic shovels and buckets. In the summer, you can get the sand off your kids away without a trip to the bathrooms at the "sprayground." The park is fenced in and has plenty of shade, as well as four baseball fields, two basketball courts, two tennis courts, and a rec center.
A gourmet Italian restaurant with a big focus on Neapolitan style pizza. With popular food and top-notch service, the waits can be long, but make no mistake, this is D.C.'s most popular pizzeria for a reason. If the noise bothers you, request a table in the upstairs dining room.
Greek and Mediterranean food. Outdoor seating.
Late night "diner" (more of a large cafe) with free WiFi, good tea, booze, and vegan friendly!
The quintessential greasy spoon (which can be hard to find in the D.C. area), serving eggs, steak, hash browns, bacon, and of course the local "delicacy" scrapple to a crowd of locals and AU students 'round the clock in a small diner. Serves by day a peaceful handful of diner patrons, by (late) night a packed, intoxicated crowd. Patio seating.
Voted best BBQ in the city numerous times. Traditional pit BBQ. Offers many traditional southern sides like homemade style mac and cheese and collard greens. Also offered grilled vegetarian options. Wide selection of small production hot sauces and BBQ sauces. The signature dish is the pulled pork.
Tacos, burritos, and margaritas. Ingredients are mixed in fun, interesting ways. Has a roof-top deck, absolutely perfect for watching the sunset.
Another contender for D.C.'s best pizza is this hole in the wall Italian deli. The pizza is 100% authentic New York-style, cheap and done well (the subs are great too). No tables or delivery—carry out only. Whole pizza or by the slice. There is another location in Bethesda.
Comet is another great pizza place in D.C. However, this is not your average restaurant. There are ping-pong tables in the back, clam pizzas, and concerts on Saturday nights. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives Guy Fieri called it some of the best pizza he'd ever eaten. A local favorite! Try the wings! Also serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Definitely kid-friendly.
Indique specializes in southern Indian cuisine, usually crafted into something just a little unique, and serves its customers in a really cool, attractive space.
Texas-style brisket and bourbon.
One roll of sushi costs $1.25-3, but it's actually good! There really isn't anything else you need to know, but the atmosphere, particularly for lunch, could well trick you into thinking you were in a little local dive in Osaka.
A well priced steakhouse.
A traditional German restaurant not far from the Embassy, serving the best German food you will find in the D.C. metro area. Schnitzel is the specialty!
A French-American bistro in a city short on bistro cuisine is a nice find. The service is incredibly friendly, and the familiar bistro favorites are quite good, from the french onion soup to Boeuf Bourguignon, braised veal, pastas, and salads. In a pretty old townhouse, it's equally amenable to a romantic dinner or a casual lunch.
Arguably the best Vietnamese food within the city limits.
This is the one restaurant in the Palisades neighborhood that is famous throughout the city. Cuisine is New American seafood, although there are some great non-seafood entries as well. The seafood is incredibly fresh, and the dishes are inventive, such as an arctic char with green mole, plantains and "citrus braised pork belly." The adjoining seafood market has some of the highest quality fish in the city.
Washingtonians like their Belgian mussels and pomme frite, and this particular restaurant serves them well, particularly those fries.
New Heights is a great place for a night of complex, inventive American cuisine. Don't skip dessert. The bar has an excellent selection of gins, which is refreshing, given the number of establishments around the city with great menus of cocktails or whiskies.
Cleveland Park's pool hall has weird futuristic decor, a few good microbrews on tap, and pool, shuffleboard, and darts. The pool tables are a bit expensive, and there is no kitchen if you are hungry, but it's a good option for a fun night nonetheless.
It has all you could want of a basement-level dive bar: pool, ping pong, good sandwiches, relaxed and friendly atmosphere—except it's clean and attractive. Happy hour: 4-7PM daily.
A great rooftop deck and beer selection.
Laid back with excellent beers on tap. Monday night Irish jam sessions.
A standard chain hotel with what you would expect. This is a pretty ideal, if boring, low-budget option for D.C. visitors.
One of Washington D.C.'s loveliest B&Bs set in a peaceful, safe & historic neighborhood. An excellent value steps to the Metrorail, neighborhood restaurants, Adams Morgan, Dupont circle, the National Zoo and National Cathedral. Hospitable owners and staff are an invaluable source for experiencing DC from an insider's point of view. A fresh, delicious buffet breakfast is provided every day.
An upscale extended stay hotel in the middle of D.C.'s most upscale shopping strip, and a block away from the Friendship Heights Metro stop.
This is an all-suites local boutique hotel, albeit a big one in a perfectly lovely and very safe neighborhood. Since it's up the hill, the top floor rooms facing south and east have spectacular views.
A grand old hotel in leafy Rock Creek Park, near the National Zoo, that once was a premier destination for visiting dignitaries and celebrities, from the Beatles to Emperor Selassie. Free Wi-Fi, resort-style outdoor heated pool, and fitness center. The hotel was built in 1930 and has hosted several Presidential Inaugural Balls.
A toy store with a selection of unique items, and quite the wild name.
This is quite possibly the city's favorite independent bookstore, with a non-exclusive focus on politics, a coffee shop downstairs, and frequent, excellent lectures. It is far off the beaten path, about a mile north of the Van Ness-UDC Metro Station, but it's a rewarding destination.
This is a bookstore wholly dedicated to language resources: language learning books, software, linguistics texts, teaching tools, etc. A great place for philology nerds.
This is where you get your hats! From fedoras to baseball caps, they have hats and accessories for women, men, and children, and all of them are stylish.
By car
Driving is another option, though competition for parking spots can be fierce.
By bus
Metrobus operates in these neighborhoods. For more information on riding buses in Washington DC, see Washington DC#Get_around.
By foot
The Woodley Park/Zoo Metro stop is the closest stop to Adams Morgan. It's a half-mile (800-m) walk over the Calvert St Bridge from the station to Adams Morgan.
By bicycle
The upper northwest is a hilly region, which can pose challenges for cyclists, especially those traveling northwest (which is generally uphill).
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