Every other year, a new crop of senators, fresh-faced representatives, and hopeful staffers flood the US capital … to fix the system, right? So maybe the reality is a little more complicated. But for all its frustrations, the marbled district is more than a political playground for partisan squabbles, unfettered lobbying, and deep pockets. With more than 60 museums (many of them free!), the nation’s archives, and a history mired in compromise and conspiracy, the city attracts 19 million tourists a year. “Whether you’re conservative or liberal,” says (controversy-courting) former mayor Marion Barry Jr., “whatever your taste is, you can find it in DC.” Plus, now’s the best time to visit. The swampy summer weather is over, and with the midterm elections looming, the politicians are out of town.
SEE | Speed through the National Air and Space Museum to touch the moon (seriously), then head to a tour of the Udvar-Hazy Center, where you’ll find the Discovery space shuttle and the Enola Gay. The National Museum of Health and Medicine is not for the faint of stomach, but it’s a great place to indulge your inner sci-history freak—see the bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln (with bonus pieces of his hair and skull).
DO | Hit Big Planet Comics in the U Street Corridor, stocked with indie zines and rare originals. Then check out espionage tools at the International Spy Museum. If you’re more Snowden than Bond, head instead to the NSA’s National Cryptologic Museum—you’ll find early Cray supercomputers and a German Enigma machine. If it’s too cold or too hot to bike along the C&O Canal Towpath, enjoy the indoor conservatory at the US Botanic Garden.
EAT | Snack on a fried-oyster sandwich at Eastern Market alongside vintage jewels and locally grown veggies. For a more artisanal smorgasbord, head to Union Market to sample Korean-barbecue tacos and locally sourced crab cakes. Tour New Columbia Distillers, where you can bottle, label, and pack your own gin. Just add lime and seltzer to make a rickey, the district’s official drink.
“I live in Southeast Washington across the Anacostia River. We have the Frederick Douglass house—he was a great abolitionist and African American. And at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel on Thursdays and Fridays, they have jazz with views of the Potomac River." — Marion Barry Jr., current DC councilmember, former (four-term) mayor, civil rights activist, and longtime district resident
Justin Mezzell
