Things to Do in Washington, DC

From theater and jazz to majestic monuments, hiking and biking to tremendous shopping, Washington, DC offers adventures for visitors of all ages. Hailed as a world-class cultural capital, Washington has also become a top shopping and dining destination. From casual outdoor dining to bargain hunting in DC's exciting neighborhoods, you are sure to find just what you are looking for in Washington, DC.

www.washington.org
The official Web site for the Washington, DC Convention and Tourism Corporation, you will find valuable information about DC.

Neighborhoods

Washington, DC is a city of neighborhoods, each with fascinating history and attractions. These diverse areas beyond the monuments make DC the true American experience. So plan some extra time to discover the charming neighborhoods where Washingtonians live, shop, and have fun! Walking tour information for the following neighborhoods is located at www.washington.org.

Adams Morgan

Enjoy the bustle of Washington's most diverse neighborhood a multicultural bazaar of one-of-a-kind shopping and dining experiences representing an international array of sights and sounds.

Brookland

Savor the solemn beauty of the Franciscan Monastery and the grandeur of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, and Pope John Paul II Cultural Center as you explore this neighborhood nicknamed Little Rome, home of Catholic University and more than 50 Catholic institutions. From this neighborhood, you can drive to the city's oldest cemetery and the magnificent gardens of the National Arboretum. Information on guided walking tours available at the site.

Capitol Hill

Walk the charming streetscapes of this 19th century neighborhood nestled next to the US Capitol and discover historic sites and museums, the city's vibrant Eastern Market, the restored Union Station, as well as diverse shopping and dining opportunities.

Downtown-Chinatown and MCI Center

This small neighborhood marked by the colorful Friendship Arch, contains many of the city's Asian restaurants and shops and is the site of a very popular Chinese New Year's Day parade. Chinatown is approximately a twenty-minute cab ride from the conference hotel. Around this small neighborhood the Downtown DC area showcases the city's newest arts, dining, sports, and entertainment scenes.

Dupont Circle

In this vibrant, cosmopolitan neighborhood just steps away from the Hilton Washington, you will find some of the city's finest museums and historic homes, as well as an array of ethnic restaurants, unique bookstores, and the city's largest concentration of private art galleries.

Georgetown

Once a thriving colonial port and a strategic point on the Underground Railroad, this charming historic area features specialty stores, nightclubs, and intriguing restaurants. Stroll sidewalks as you explore historic house museums and gardens.

Lafayette Square

The grand park of the Presidents just north of the White House is surrounded by some of the city's most diverse museums.

Southwest

This active waterfront community offers restaurants with river views, a colorful wharf and fish market, and plenty of boating activity. As a historic neighborhood that became a national model for urban renewal in the 1950s, Southwest offers a dramatic example of the vision of post-World War II urban planners and architects.

U Street/Shaw

Experience the renaissance of Duke Ellington's neighborhood, the historic heart of the city's African-American community, where name entertainers, black-owned businesses, and grand movie theaters made U Street the place to be.

Sites and Attractions

The Smithsonian Institution
www.si.edu

Information on current exhibits, maps, and museum times is located on this site. Includes:

Smithsonian Institution Building
Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery
Arts and Industries Building
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
Freer Gallery of Art
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
National Air and Space Museum
National Museum of African Art
National Museum of American History, Behring Center
National Museum of Natural History
National Museum of the American Indian
National Portrait Gallery
National Postal Museum
National Zoological Park
Smithsonian American Art Museum and its Renwick Gallery

The Capitol and the White House

Tour the US towers of power free. Tickets are required for the White House tour and often need to be picked up early on the day you want to go. For information about tours of these two venerable Washington, DC attractions, visit the Washington, DC Web site at www.washington.org or call 202.456.7041.

National Mall Monuments-National Park Service
www.nps.gov/wamo

The National Park Service Web site provides detailed information about all the monuments on the National Mall including: