'''East End''' is a district of Washington, D.C. comprised of D.C.'s old downtown quarter, east of 15th Street, including the smaller downtown neighborhoods of Chinatown, Penn Quarter, Judiciary Square, and Mount Vernon Square. To the south is the National Mall, while Capitol Hill is to the east, the West End is to the west, and Shaw is to the north.
Understand
The '''East End''' of Washington, D.C. is a name that the real estate industry gave to the area east of 15th Street, the city's orginal downtown. This ares has a number of neighborhoods and precincts within it.
The old Downtown area is dominated by the ceremonial stretch of Pennsylvania Avenue, between the White House and The Capitol; also known as American's Main Street. Ceremonial processions proceed down The Avenue at least once every four years. In more recent years, it has also been used for races and local festivals as well as an occassional parade. In 1972 after two executive branch entities created plans for The Avenue's redevelopment, Congress created the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation (PADC) and endowed it with the authority to prepare and carry out a plan for its revitalization. That plan, The Pennsylvania Avenue Plan, 1974, has governed redevelopment along The Avenue and for several blocks north of The Avenue since 1977 when the Corporation was funded to carry out The Plan.
PADC, redesigned The Aveue and created the parks along it. It also held design and development competitions for a number of key sites, including The Willard Intercontinental Hotel, a national historic landmark, and office building just north of Pershing Park (at 14th Street); National Place (including the Shops, the JW Marriott Hotel, and the National Theatre's renovation) north of Freedom Plaza; the Ronald Reagan Building south of Freedom Plaza (between 14th and 13th streets); Market Square (between 9th and 7th streets), which frames both the Navy Memorial and the historic 8th Street axis between the National Archives and the Old Patent Office Building; and the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, added to The Plan under the guidance of Senator Patrick Daniel Moynihan (D, NY), and the seocnd largest federal office building in the region after the Pentagon.
Unlike most federal buildings, the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center includes private office space, a restaurant that opens on to Woodrow Wilson Plaza, and a large conference center, atrium, and auditorium available for private rentals. Both the Reagan Building and the Old Post Office Building, a block to the east, include food courts.
Under the auspices of PADC, the blocks along and north of Pennsylvania Avenue (to F Street west of 13th, then to E Street) were redeveloped between the early 1980's and 1996 with hotels, office buildings, residences, retail, and arts uses including a theater in The Lansburgh. Two sites (the International Spy Musuem site along F Street between 8th and 9th streets and the Clara Barton/Lafayette site on 7th Street between D and E streets) that PADC had purchased as well as the Hotel Monaco were developed under GSA's guidance after the Gingrich Congress closed PADC in 1996. Since April 1996, Congress vested in in the National Capital Planning Commission the authority to see that develoment conformed to The Plan; Congress also it created the Pennsylvania Avenue National Park from the Pennsylvania Avenue sidewalks and parks and made the National Park Service responsible for it.
Development along Pennsylvania Avenue and in Penn Quarter was to be the bridge connecting the Mall and its museums to the local city. A difficult task considering the historic buildings, mainly federal office buildings, separating the local city from the Mall. The city's seat of government, the John A. Wilson Building (at 14th Street) and other federal buildings along The Avenue's south side are within an area called the Federal Triangle; they include The National Archives between 7th and 9th streets, which houses the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights as well as Magna Carta and other historic documents, the Department of Commerce (between 14th and 15th streets), the Department of Justice (between 10th and 9th streets), and the Federal Trade Commission (between 7th and 6th Streets). Another prominent federal building is on the north side of The Avenue between 9th and 10th streets: the J. Edgar Hoover FBI building, no longer open for tours. Also on the north side in addition to the buildings west of 13th Street previously named are several office buildings with ground floor restaurants and outdoor cafes, the Canadian Embassy, and the Newseum, the embassy and Newseum being at the eastern end of The Avenue between 6th Street and John Marshall Park. At the very eastern end of The Avenue just before reaching The Capitol grounds is the National Gallery on The Avenue's south side.
North of the area under PADC's jurisdiction, the city experienced a surge of new office building development and renovation starting slowly in the 1980's and progressing in the 1990's up to current times. Two theaters benefited from this development. During the earlier years, as part of a mixed-use development, a new office building afforded the opportunity to provide the Warner Theater at 13th and E streets a usable performance stage, it having only a backstage on one side previously. And in 2009, another new office development, this time in Penn Quarter, one of downtown's neighborhoods, provided Ford's Theater (on 10th between E and F streets) where Lincoln was shot, the opportunity to expand its lobby and facilities. Soon Ford's will begin to develop its campus adjacent to Petersen House where Lincoln was taken after being shot and died. Awaiting development is the former Convention Center site between 9th and 11th streets, H Street and New York Avenue. It will be developed with rental apartments and condominiums, small retail shops, office buildings, and two major public spaces. Northeast of this site facing Mount Vernon Square is the new Washington Convention Center, which opened in 2004.
Downtown's cultural life is centered in Penn Quarter with a number of major venues at its borders. This bustling entertainment area, the cultural center of the region, has more musuems and theaters, in addition to the Verizon Center, than any other single neighborhood. Penn Quarter is home to the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and Smithsonian American Art Museum (at 8th and F streets), the International Spy Museum (at 9th and F streets), the National Building Museum (on F between 3rd and 5th streets), the Newseum (on Pennsylvania Avenue and 6th Street), the Koshland Science Museum (at 6th and E streets), the National Crime and Punishment Museum (on 7th Street between E and F streets), the Shakespeare Theatre Company's Harman Center for the Arts (on F Street at 6th street and on 7th Street at E Street), Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company (on D Street at 7th Street), Ford's Theatre (on 10th Street between E and F streets) and Flashpoint (on G Street between 9th and 10th streets). Only a couple of blocks west are the National Museum of Women in the Arts (at New York Avenue and 13th Street), and the Warner and National theatres (east and west of 13th Street on Pennsylvania Avenue). At one time, Penn Quarter also had numerous art galleries and artist studios, a few of which remain along with several art exhibition spaces such as the Edison Place Gallery (8th and G streets), Goethe-Institut (7th and I streets), 505 Ninth Street, 901 E Street, and 1111 Pennsylvania Avenue. The Navy Memorial in Market Square Park, Indiana Plaza, and John Marshall Park, all designed and built by the Pennsylvania Avenue Development Corporation, provide a variety of open spaces for the neighborhood with Freedom Plaza and Pershing Park and, of course, the Mall only a short walk. Penn Quarter is distinguished from the rest of downtown by the number of smaller-scale 19th century buildings and facades that have been restored and integrated into the new developments from 1001 Pennsylvania Avenue, to Gallery Row and the Clara Barton/Lafayette development (at 7th and D streets), to Carroll Square (at F and 10th streets), and the 800 block of F Street. This mixed-use neighborhood also is home to several hotels, numerous office buildings, many upscale condominiums and rental apartment buildings, and a host of fine dining and casual restaurants.
Bridging Penn Quarter and Chinatown is the Verizon Center; the arena takes up the block between F and G, 7th and 6th streets. In the early 1990s, when Washington Capitals and Wizards owner Abe Pollin arrived by limousine to inspect a vacant urban renewal site at 7th and F streets, scouting for a new arena site, he was told not to get out of the vehicle. The site's immediate neighborhood appeared somewhat deserted and dangerous. (Unbeknownst to most, it had a low rate of crime, given few people other than artists who had studios in the neighborhood, went there, especially after dark.) To the south, the nucleus of the Penn Quarter neighborhood had begun to take shape with the opening in 1990-1991 of the Shakespeare Theater, Jaleo (Jose Andres' first restaurant), and several high-end residential buildings in addition to a number of office buildings and art galleries that had earlier existed there.
Nonetheless, Abe Polin saw a future in the neighborhood, had a sense of commitment to the city, and decided that this was the place to build his new arena. The Verizon Center (then the MCI Center) opened in December 1997, and since then, the neighborhood had its second spurt or development, experiencing a remarkable turnaround as developers built a significant number of residential and office buildings, with shops and restaurants continuing to open both in Penn Quarter and Chinatown. The area both north and south of the Verizon Center is quite safe and lively during the day and in the evenings and perceived to be so.
At the northern end of the Verizon Center there once was a thriving Chinatown neighbohood, situated roughly between 5th and 8th streets, NW (from east to west) and between I and G streets, NW (north to south). It was a very compact area that had many Asian-owned shops and restaurants as well as Asian residents. In the past few decades, Chinatown began to decline as Chinese restaurants began to open with some frequency in the suburbs. Some shops and restaurants remained and quite recently more have opened on and just steps away from H Street, again infusing H Street with more of an Asian flavor. More is needed for people to perceive that they are in Washington's Chinatown.
With the transformation of Chinatown following development of the Verizon Center and the Gallery Place mixed-use project (on 7th Street between G and H streets), the neighborhood, which had been losing its ethnic character over the preceding decades, began to attract a few new Asian restaurants on and steps from H Street. A few Asian shops and restaurants remain on 7th Street north of H Street, but 7th Street is dominated by national or international retailers, restaurants, and entertainment venues. However, with the city's assistance, those concerned about maintaining Chinatown as a cultural resource and tourist attraction are developing a strategy for retaining its cultural heritage and identity. This goes beyond the city's requirement that all signage in the neighborhood be in Chinese characters. Aa a first step, the focal point of Chinatown, the large Chinatown Friendship Arch on H Street just east of 7th Street, will be undergoing a major renovation.
Judiciary Square, located to the east of Penn Quarter, is a government precinct that is home to the United States District Court building, the D.C. Superior Court building, and a few government office buildings. The National Building Museum, at the northen end of this government precinct, is housed in the former Pension Building, which was designed by General Montgomery C. Meigs and built in the late 1880s. The Pension Building boasts a huge Great Hall around which are office and exhibit areas off the balconies that look down on this monumental atrium, with its massive columns. The Great Hall is available to rent and has been used over the decades for major special events including Presidential inaugural balls. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial is located across F Street from the National Building Museum.
Get in
By metro
Metro is the best way for getting into Penn Quarter and Chinatown, as well as the National Mall, with the both the Metro Center and Gallery Pl-Chinatown (at the Verizon Center) stations as major transfer stations. Metro's Red Line runs east-west through the Penn Quarter district, with stops at Union Station, Judiciary Square, Gallery Pl-Chinatown, and Metro Center. The Yellow and Green Lines run north-south, with stops at Mount Vernon Square (Washington Convention Center), Gallery Pl-Chinatown, and Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter. The Blue and Orange lines pass through the western section of the Penn Quarter district, serving the McPherson Square station (near the White House), Metro Center, and Federal Triangle (on 12 Street and at the Ronald Reagan Building).
If your destination is National Gallery of Art or Newseum at the eastern end of Penn Quarter or the National Mall's north side, then Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter is the closest station. If your destination is the U.S. Capitol, the Supreme Court, and other places east of 3rd Street, then getting off at Union Station is a good choice. When you come out of Union Station, you should see the U.S. Capitol Building, and the Russell Senate Building across the open plaza area. Cross at 1st St NE, and continue along Louisiana Ave to Constitution Avenue to get over to the Mall and Capitol Reflecting Pool area, or you can cut through the plaza and by the Russell Building to get over to the Capitol Building or Supreme Court. Judiciary Square is the closest station to the National Building Museum and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial.
The Gallery Pl-Chinatown station has three exits — one exit at 9th and G streets, adjacent to the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art Museum, and two exits on 7th Street, NW, one at H Street and the other at F Street. The Yellow/Green Lines run north-south under 7th Street crossing the Red Line at Gallery Pl-Chinatown. The Red Line level has split platforms: the north, H St side of the platform (towards Shady Grove, including Dupont Circle and Bethesda) and the south, F St side (towards Glenmont, including Union Station and Silver Spring). If you are arriving via the Yellow or Green, you will come up a set of escalators to the Red Line level, and most likely end up coming out one of the 7th St exits. If you arrive on the Red Line, you will see the 9th St exit at one end, and the 7th St exits and Yellow/Green Line transfers at the other end. To get from the Glenmont side to the Shady Grove side (or vice versa), you need to go up another set of escalators, cross over, and come back down on the other side.
The closest Metro stop for the National Gallery of Art is Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter. If you are on the Red line you can transfer at Gallery Pl-Chinatown to the yellow or green line and go one stop to the Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter station. Head south on 7th Street to Constitution Avenue, and the Gallery will be on your left (to the east). The National Gallery of Art's Sculpture Gallery is on the west side of 7th Street. The Gallery Pl-Chinatown station is most convenient for going to the Verizon Center, the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian American Art Museum, the two Shakespeare theaters, or to many of the shops andrestaurants along 7th Street, NW. Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter is the most convenient stop for the Woolly Mammoth Theatre, the National Archives, the Newseum and several restaurants, shops, and art galleries.
If you are heading to the National Museum of Natural History (coming via the Red Line), you can get off at the 9th St exit of the Gallery Place-Chinatown station, then walk south on 9th St to Constitution Avenue, where you turn right and you will see the museum ahead on the left. You can also get off at Metro Center (configured similarly to the Gallery Pl-Chinatown station, with split Red Line platforms), at one of the 12th St exits, and go south on 12th St until you get to Constitution Avenue, and you will see the museum on the left. You can also transfer at Metro Center to the Orange or Blue Line, then get off at the Federal Triangle station, the closest station. If on the yellow or green line, you can exit at Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter. The Federal Triangle station is also convenient to the National Museum of American History, which is located on Constitution Avenue, between 12th and 14th St NW. Metro Center's 13th and G Street exit is closest to the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
If you do decide to take the Metro to downtown D.C., coming from the suburbs, beware of the parking situation at the suburban stations. The parking lots and garages at many suburban Metro stations fill up extremely early in the morning (before 7 AM). If you do find parking at a Metro station, the parking rates can cost up to $4.75 and are payable only if you use a SmartTrip card (available for purchase at Metro stations). Without a SmartTrip card, you cannot exit the Metro parking facility.
By car
Parking around the mall is extremely limited during the day on weekdays. There are parking garages throughout the downtown/Penn Quarter district, though they often fill up with office workers who have monthly parking. Some parking garages may still have space available, but prices are steep ($14 per day). There is a parking available at Union Station, with validation available, allowing you to park for 2 hours for $1. There is a validation machine inside the station, just before heading out to the parking garage. Beware, if you exceed the 2 hours or forget to validate, then the parking rates skyrocket.
There also is metered parking throughout the downtown area of D.C., with payment required and 2 hour time limits enforced. But, metered spaces are also very scarce, and you may find yourself circling around the block for a half-hour or even an hour in search of a parking spot. Along some stretches, including around Freedom Plaza and Judiciary Square, parking is restricted to permit holders only, and other spots, parking is for taxis or other special vehicles only. You may also find emergency no parking signs posted, which make parking off limits. There are parking spots with 3-hour limits and no payment, along Madison Drive on the National Mall, but these spaces fill up quickly and are scarce.
On evenings and weekends on the off season, it is quite easy to find parking spots very near to the mall in places along Independence Avenue. It's also possible to find metered spaces throughout Penn Quarter, or find parking in one of the many parking garages. Meters are in effect on Saturdays, with the two-hour time limit enforced. But, there is no enforcement on Sundays or Federal holidays, so you can stay parked as long as you wish. If you park in a garage, make sure you know what the hours are, so you can exit before the garage closes!
If you do drive into the city, from south of D.C., take I-395 and come up 14th Street, and the Penn Quarter district will be to your right once you pass Constitution Avenue. From the north, you can take Georgia Avenue into the city from Silver Spring or the Beltway. Georgia Avenue turns into 7th St NW., so just keep straight and you will eventually end up in Penn Quarter. If coming down Georgia Avenue from the Beltway or points north, you can also take 16th Street (forks to the right from Georgia Avenue, soon after the Beltway). 16th Street is mostly non-commercial, with Rock Creek Park on the right for much of the way. 16th Street will take you all the way to H St, where you will run into Lafayette Park and see the White House. There, you will be forced to turn left on to H St, and can continue straight into the Chinatown/Penn Quarter area. If coming from the east, take New York Avenue to 6th-9th St NW and turn left. From the northwest, take Massachusetts Ave to 9th St and turn right.
By taxi
Taxis are plentiful and reasonably priced, with a metered system. It is possible to hail a taxi from the street at almost any hour of the day or night in downtown D.C. A cab is especially useful when coming from Georgetown, Union Station, or National Airport. Taxis are also a good option for getting from point A to B in the downtown area if it is too far for you to walk, or the weather is unpleasant. The Washington Post website has a taxi fare estimator [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/metro/interactives/taxifares/] which can give you an idea of what the fare is supposed to be.
By bus
The Metrobus system is centered on downtown D.C., but is unfortunately very complex and locations of bus lines and routes are not advertised to anyone who is not a regular rider. There is no central terminal or bus mall, for instance. The main exception is the Pennsylvania Avenue (stops between 7th St and 15th St NW.) bus line, which takes you to Georgetown and upper Wisconsin Avenue, which are areas not easily accessible by Metrorail. MetroExtra [http://www.georgiaextra.com/index.htm], is an express bus, running along 7th St north to Silver Spring, Maryland, connecting Gallery Place with uptown areas.
The D.C. Circulator [http://www.dccirculator.com/index.html], a new bus service, provides service for a $1 fare. The Circulator has a bus line running east-west from Union Station, stopping near Mount Vernon Square (two blocks north of Chinatown), and along K St NW., and over to Georgetown. Another Circulator bus route runs north-south along 7th St from Mount Vernon Square, to the Southwest Waterfront. Perhaps most useful to the visitor is the Circulator bus route that loops around the National Mall, along Constitution and Independence Avenues, between 4th St (by the National Gallery of Art) and 17th St NW. (by the National World War II Memorial). However, the Mall loop route operates only on the weekend, from 10 AM to 6 PM.
On foot
The Penn Quarter area is easily walkable from the Smithsonian museums (Mall area) by walking north through the courtyards of Federal Triangle, past the National Archives. The many shops and restaurants in the east end of Downtown are very convenient to tourists visiting the Mall on foot, since there are few actual stores or restaurants in the National Mall. From the White House, walk east on Pennsylvania Avenue to G, E, or F St From the National Mall, walk north on any cross street.
See
Old Post Office Tower. ennsylvania Avenue and 12th St NW. 1 202 606-8694. ttp://www.nps.gov/opot/. Summer (1st weekend in June through Labor Day) M-W & F 9AM-7:45PM, Th 9AM-6:30PM, winter (Labor Day through Memorial Day) 9AM-4:45PM, Sa-Su and holidays 10AM-5:45PM (all year).. ree admission. At 315 feet this is one of the tallest buildings in D.C. Enter through the food court and take the elevators to the 270-foot observation deck for excellent views of D.C. Bell-ringing practice is held on Th from 7PM-8PM Free.
International Spy Museum. 00 F St NW. etro:Gallery Place/Chinatown. 1 202 393-7798. ttp://www.spymuseum.org/index.asp. dmission: Adults: $20, Seniors: $15, Children (5-11): $15, Children (4 & under): Free. smanagers@spymuseum.org.
Marian Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Sciences. orner of 6th & E St NW. ocated near the Judiciary Square Metro station. 1 202 334-1201. ttp://www.koshland-science-museum.org. 0AM - 6PM (except Tu). 5/adult, $3/seniors, children, students, active duty military.
National Building Museum. 01 F St NW. ocated at Judiciary Square. 1 202 272-2448. ttp://www.nbm.org. -Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. ree, suggested donation $5. Located in the Pension Building, the building itself is a highly recommended for its architecture, with an expansive open interior space with massive columns. The space is used on occasion for special events, including Presidential inaugurations. There is a small cafe inside, to the right of the entrance, and places to sit and relax, as well as a gift shop. The National Building Museum features long-term exhibits on the planning and building of Washington, D.C., and on green building and communities, along with various short-term exhibits and special events.
National Postal Museum. Massachusetts Ave NE. etro: Union Station on the Red Line. Just west of Union Station.. 1 202 357-2700. ttp://postalmuseum.si.edu. aily except 25 December 10AM-5:30PM. ree admission.. Exhibitions of how mail has been delivered throughout history, rare stamps, and other ways that the mail shapes culture.
National Museum of Women in the Arts. 250 New York Ave NW.. ocated a couple blocks north of Metro Center. 1 202 783-5000. ttp://www.nmwa.org. 0AM-5PM (M-Sa); Noon-5PM (Su). 8/adult, $6/student, free/children (18 and younger).
Do
The Verizon Center [http://www.verizoncenter.com/] is home to both the Washington Wizards [http://www.nba.com/wizards/] of the NBA and the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals [http://capitals.nhl.com/]. The Georgetown Hoyas [http://guhoyas.cstv.com/] college basketball team also plays games at the Verizon Center, as do the WNBA's Washington Mystics [http://www.wnba.com/mystics/]. As well, the Verizon Center hosts major concerts, WWE wrestling, and various other events throughout the year. Tickets are sold through Ticketmaster [http://www.ticketmaster.com/venue/172453], or at the box office.
The Walter E. Washington Convention Center hosts events throughout the year, including shows geared towards the public, as well as trade shows and conferences. The popular Washington Auto Show takes place annually in late January or early February, the Washington Home and Garden Show is in March, and the Washington Craft Show takes place in November.
Theater
Ford's Theatre. 11 10th St NW. etween E and F St NW, near both the Metro Center and Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro stations. 1 202 347-4833. ttp://www.fordstheatre.org/. ours are free, but show tickets range from $40 - $55. This is where John Wilkes Booth shot President Abraham Lincoln in 1865, and he was taken across the street to the Petersen House where he died. Ford's Theatre is not only a historic site, but remains a working theater, with regular performances. Note: Ford's Theatre has been closed for renovations, but is scheduled to reopen in February 2009.
National Theatre. 321 Pennsylvania Ave NW. ocated across from Freedom Plaza, near the Metro Center and Federal Triangle Metro stations. 1 202 628-6161. ttp://www.nationaltheatre.org/. First opened in 1835, many Presidents have come to see performances, with many famous performers back in is heydey. National Theatre now hosts broadway shows and musicals, and other events.
Shakespeare Theatre. 50 7th St NW. ear the Gallery Pl-Chinatown and Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter Metro stations. 1 202 546-9606. ttp://www.shakespearedc.org/. Puts on plays by Shakespeare, as well as other playwrights.
Warner Theatre. 299 Pennsylvania Ave NW. 1 202 783-4000. ttp://www.warnertheatre.com/. Reopened in 1992, the Warner Theatre hosts broadway shows, concerns, dance, and other events.
Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. 41 D St NW. ear both Archives-Navy Mem'l-Penn Quarter and Gallery Pl-Chinatown Metro stations. 1 202 289-2443. ttp://www.woollymammoth.net/.
Cinema
Regal Gallery Place Stadium 14. 01 Seventh Street NW. ext to the Verizon Center. 1 202 393-2121. ttp://www.fandango.com/regalgalleryplacestadium14_aatar/theaterpage?wssac=58&wssaffid=11481_REGWebsite. anging from $8 for children to $10.75 for adults. Discounts also for seniors, students, military, and matinees. The Regal cinema shows all the popular, current movies. Though, beware that this movie theater is popular among young adolescents (especially on weekends and in the evenings) who may be rambunctious.
E Street Cinema. 55 11th Street NW. ntrance is on E St, between 10th and 11th, near the Qdoba. 1 202 452-7672. ttp://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/WashingtonDC/EStreetCinema.htm. 10 general, $7.50 before 6PM on weekdays, $7.50 for seniors, children, and $8 for students. A Landmark Theaters cinema, showing independent films. The E Street Cinema is quiet, and does not draw the same youth crowd as the Regal cinema.
Ice skating
Sculpture Garden Ice-Skating Rink. t the National Gallery of Art. onstitution Avenue and 7th St NW. 1 202 289-3360. ttp://www.nga.gov/ginfo/skating.shtm. easonal (November to March), weather permitting; open 10AM - 7PM (M-Th); 10AM - 9PM (F-Sa); 11AM-7PM (Su). 7 adults, $6 children, students, and seniors; $3 for skate rental. Relaxing place to enjoy the fresh air, listen to music, and enjoy the surroundings, including a view of the National Archives building. Take a break from skating to enjoy hot cocoa or a meal at the Pavilion Cafe, next to the skating rink. Note that the sculpture garden itself closes at 5 PM (6 PM on Sundays), and access after that time is restricted to the ice rink only.
Pershing Park Ice Rink. 4th St and Pennsylvania Avenue NW. 1 202 737-6938. ttp://www.pershingparkicerink.com/. Enjoy ice skating in the shadow of the Ronald Reagan Building and the Willard Hotel (specially decorated during the holiday season). '''(Currently closed.'''
Bowling
Lucky Strike Lanes. 01 7th Street NW. ext to the Verizon Center. 1 202 347-1021. ttp://www.bowlluckystrike.com/locations/info/?id=34. 2PM-12AM (M-Th); 12PM-2AM (F); 10AM-2AM (Sa); 10AM-12 PM (Su). Lucky Strikes is a combination bowling alley and lounge. After 9PM, only those age 21+ are permitted, and there is a dress code (no sportswear, baggy clothes, etc.)
Buy
The Penn Quarter was once the capital's premiere shopping district. Macy's is the only remaining department store, with a number of shops nearby on 13th Street and several shops both on F Street between 14th and 9th, and on 7th Street between G and H streets and near D Street. Downtown, especially the Penn Quarter, also has a number of art galleries and exhibit spaces, many museums and entertainment destinations, and a wide variety of restaurants. Shops and offices catering to the daytime business and lobbying crowd are concentrated around Metro Center and the "New Downtown" of Connecticut Ave and K Street (West End).
Downtown shopping west of 15th Street is more dispersed, but there are shops at International Square, located near the Farragut West station on the Orange and Blue Lines, and along Connecticut Avenue norht of K Street, and here and there on streets near Connecticut Avenue. On the eastern edge of Downtown there are many shops and one of the largest food courts at Union Station. There are also shops oriented to tourists and a food court at the Pavilion at the Old Post Office (Pennsylvania Avenue at 12th Street, NW, near the Federal Triangle Metro station).
All Smithsonian museums have gift shops and they are tax-free. The largest and can be found in the National Museum of American History and the National Air and Space Museum. The National Gallery of Art has multiple gift shops. The gift shop in the National Building Museum is one of the best gift shops not run by the Smithsonian Institution, though D.C. sales tax applies.
During the spring, summer, and fall, a farmers market takes on 8th Street, NW, between D and E streets each Thursday afternoon between 3:00 and 7:00pm. During the holiday season in December, the Downtown Holiday Market is setup on F Street NW, between 7th and 9th St, with an array of handcrafted items, jewelry, pottery, and edible goods. And on a Saturday in mid-September Arts on Foot includes an Art Market with some 80 artists and craftsmen selling their art on F Street. NW betweeen 7th and 9th streets.
Eat
Budget
California Tortilla. 28 7th St NW. 1 202 638-2233. ttp://www.californiatortilla.com/locations-washingtonDC.html?d. 1AM-10PM (M-Th); 11AM-11PM (Fr-Sat); 11AM-9PM (Sun). 5-10. Burritos, tacos, quesadillas, salads, and other tex-mex food served in funky setting.
Capital Q. 07 H St NW. 1 202 347-8396. ttp://www.capitalqbbq.com/. 1AM-9PM (M-Th); 11AM-10PM (Fr-Sat); Noon - 8PM (Sun). Texas-style barbecue joint serving pulled pork and chicken, variety of sandwiches , ribs, and other options.
Chop't Creative Salad. 30 7th St NW. 1 202 374-3225. 0:30AM-10PM (M-Sat); 11AM-7PM (Sun). 5-10. A variety of salads, made-to-order.
Nando's Peri-Peri. 19 7th St NW. 1 202 898-1225. ttp://www.nandosperiperi.com/index.cfm. Nando's is a South African chain, which recently opened in D.C. They serve spicy chicken and sandwiches, as well as chicken livers, and vegetarian options including salads and veggie burgers.
Old Post Office Pavilion food court. ennsylvania Avenue and 12th St NW. lose to the National Mall.
Qdoba. 55 11th St NW. ocated on E St, between 10th and 11th St. 1 202 347-8477. ttp://qdoba.com/Locations.aspx. 5-10. Burritos, quesadillas, tacos, nachos, and other options made to order.
Red Velvet Cupcakery. 75 E St NW. orner of 7th and E St, near Gallery Place-Chinatown and Archives/Penn Quarter stations. 1 202 347-7895. ttp://redvelvetcupcakery.com/. 3.25 per cupcake or $36 for a dozen.. For a nice treat, enjoy cupcake varieties including mocha/espresso, peanut butter cup, and other options.
Smartkart. th and F St NW. utside the National Portrait Gallery. ttp://www.dconthefly.com/. 1AM-4PM. 5. Chicken Estofado, Tacos, and Julias Empanadas, along with organic snacks, served from an eco-friendly electric vehicle.
Teaism. 00 8th St NW. y the Navy Memorial. 1 202 638-6010. :30AM-10PM (M-F); 9:30AM-9PM (Sat-Sun); Brunch served on weekends until 2:30PM. 3-4 for tea, $10-15 for a meal, $20 for afternoon tea. Teaism has a large selection of teas, and an adjacent tea shop where you can get some to take home. In addition to tea, they serve a variety of Asian dishes including Japanese bento boxes, udon noodle soup, ochazuke, Thai and Indian curry, and many vegetarian options. Breakfast is also delicious at Teaism, and their salty oat cookies are a must.
Mid-range
Jaleo. 80 7th Street NW. 1 202 628-7949. Many credit this loud, happy restaurant in the Penn Quarter (a local chain) for the current boom in Spanish tapas bars. Serves tasty tapas and wonderful sangria, as well as a great selection of ports and sherry.
Marrakesh. 17 New York Ave NW. 1 202 393-9393. ttp://marrakesh.us. Moroccan Cuisine, belly dancers, eat with your hands. The food is excellent, the serving staff to be good, and the atmosphere to be wonderful. The seven course meal is the only food served. There are some minor choices for main dishes, or if you want a vegetarian meal. The website lists the current meal choices. Be sure to check out the back hallway with pictures of all the famous visitors.
Matchbox. 13 H St NW. 1 202 289-4441. ttp://www.matchboxdc.com/. 1AM-10:30PM (M-Th); 11AM-1AM (Fr-Sat); 11AM-10PM (Sun). Pizza and bistro place, also serving sandwiches, burgers, salads, and entree, and a good place to go for a drink. Matchbox has outdoor seating when the weather is warm.
Splurge
Minibar by Jose Andres. afe Atlantico. 05 8th Street NW. 1 202 393-0812. ttp://www.cafeatlantico.com. Mr. Andres' wild culinary ride. This six seat restaurant within a restaurant dishes up everything from cotton candy foie gras to lobster injection to beet tumbleweed. Expensive.
TenPenh. 001 Pennsylvania Ave NW . 1 202 393-4500. ttp://www.tenpenh.com. Tastes and textures of the Far East influence the cooking here. Refreshingly eclectic dishes and startlingly new sauces. Expensive.
Zaytinya. 01 9th St NW. 1 202 638-0800. 1:30AM-10PM (Sun-M); 11:30AM-11:30PM (Tu-Th); 11:30AM-Midnight (Fr-Sat). Serves a variety of meat, seafood and vegetarian Greek and Lebanese mezze, along with large selection of wines.
Drink
ESPN Zone. 55 12th St NW. t 12th St and E St NW, near Metro Center station. 1 202 783-3776. ttp://www.espnzone.com/washingtondc/. Not a place to take a date, but a fun place that is a little expensive, but with over 200 TVs and 13 foot tall TV all tuned to sports, it is worth it.
Indebleu. 07 G Street NW. ff of 7th St, near the Verizon Center and Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. 1 202 333-2538. ttp://www.bleu.com/indebleu/. Stunning decor, $15 drinks, and young D.C. types rubbing elbows with each other make Indebleu a hot spot not to be missed. Also a full service restaurant upstairs.
R.F.D. Washington. 10 7th St NW. 1 202 289-2030. ttp://www.lovethebeer.com/rfd.html. 1AM - 1:30AM (M-Th); 11AM - 2:30AM (F-Sa); Noon - 12:30AM (Su). R.F.D. is a shoot-off of the Brickskeller, a Dupont Circle landmark. There are 30 varieties of beer on tap, and nearly 300 choices of bottled beer. R.F.D. serves standard American food, along with a selection of seafood and other regional dishes. Despite serving beer, it's also suitable for families eating there before Washington Capitals or Washington Wizards games at the nearby Verizon Center or when sightseeing downtown. There is outdoor seating when the weather is warm.
Zola. 00 F St NW. t the International Spy Museum, a block from the Verizon Center. 1 202 654-0999. ttp://www.zoladc.com/. 1:30AM - Midnight (M-F); 5 PM - Midnight (Sa); 5 PM - 10 PM (Su). Place for a nice lunch or dinner, or for drinks. Reservations recommended.
Sleep
Budget
Hotel Harrington. 100 E St NW. orner of 11th & E Streets NW. 1 202 628-8140. ttp://www.hotel-harrington.com. PM. oon. ooms from $99 per night.
Red Roof Inn. 00 H St NW. ear the Judiciary Square Metro. 1 202 289-5959. ttp://www.redroof-washington-dc-downtown.com/. PM. oon. ooms from $130 per night.
Washington International AYH Hostel. 009 11th St NW. ff of Massachusetts Ave, near the Washington Convention Center. 1 202 737-2333. ttp://www.hiwashingtondc.org/. PM. 1AM. 25 - $40.
Mid-range
Hampton Inn. 01 6th St NW. n Massachusetts Avenue. 1 202 842-2500. ttp://www.hamptoninn.com/en/hp/hotels/index.jhtml?ctyhocn=WASHHHX. PM. oon. ooms from $249 per night.
Holiday Inn on the Hill. 15 New Jersey Ave NW. 1 202 638-1616, Toll free 1-800-638-1116. ttp://www.hionthehilldc.com. This hotel is conveniently located close to many D.C. attractions such as the US Capitol, Union Station, and the Smithsonian museums. This hotel offers business and leisure accommodations with a number of children_fs activities for fun family vacations.
Hotel George. 5 E St NW. 1 202 347-4200. 202) 347-4213. ttp://www.hotelgeorge.com/. PM. oon. ooms from $229 per night.
Marriott Courtyard. 00 F St NW. ear the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro. 1 202 638-4600. 202) 638-4601 . ttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wascn-courtyard-washington-convention-center/. PM. oon. ooms from $169 per night.
Washington Marriott at Metro Center. 75 12th St NW. 1 202 737-2200. ttp://www.marriottmetrocenter.com. PM. oon. ooms from $189 per night. The Marriott at Metro Center Hotel is centrally located in downtown Washington D.C. Its location near the Metro rail system provides business, family, and leisure travelers easy access to the hotel.
Wyndham Downtown Washington Hotel. 400 M St NW. 1 202 429-1700. ttp://washington.wyndham-hotels.com.
Splurge
Embassy Suites. 00 10th St NW. ff of Massachusetts Avenue, near the Washington Convention Center. 1 202 739-2001. ttp://embassysuites1.hilton.com/en_US/es/hotel/WASCCES-Embassy-Suites-Washington-D-C-Convention-Center-District-of-Columbia/index.do. PM. 1AM. uites from $339 per night.
Grand Hyatt Washington. 000 H Street NW. ttp://www.grandwashington.hyatt.com. Luxurious hotel, centrally located in Penn Quarter. In-lobby Metro Center access. Walking distance to US capital, Verizon Center, historic monuments or the Smithsonian Museums. 888 Elegant Guestrooms, with City and Lagoon Views. Full-service business center and 32 meeting rooms.
Hotel Monaco. 00 F St NW. onvenient to the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station. 1 202 628-7177. ttp://www.monaco-dc.com/. PM. oon. ooms from $279 per night.
JW Marriott Hotel Washington. 331 Pennsylvania Ave NW. ear Freedom Plaza. 1 202 393-2000. ttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasjw-jw-marriott-hotel-washington-dc/. PM. oon. ooms from $259 per night.
Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel. 99 Ninth Street NW. 1 202 898-9000. ttp://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/wasrb-renaissance-washington-dc-hotel/. A distinctive luxury hotel in D.C.'s Chinatown, and convenient to the Washington Convention Center.
Willard Inter-Continental. 401 Pennsylvania Ave NW. ttp://www.ichotelsgroup.com/h/d/ic/1/en/hd/washa. Luxurious, historic hotel near the White House and the Old Post Office.
Contact
Internet
<listing name="Cosi" alt="" directions="601 Pennsylvania Ave NW" address="" phone="+1 202 347-0307" email="" fax="" url="http://www.getcosi.com/" hours="7AM-5PM (M-F)" price="">This coffee and sandwich shop offers free wi-fi, though not all Cosi locations offer wi-fi.</listing>
<listing name="Kogod Courtyard" alt="Reynolds Center, National Portrait Gallery" directions="" address="8th and F Streets NW" phone="+1 202 633-1000" email="" fax="" url="http://americanart2.si.edu/reynolds_center/index.cfm" hours="11:30AM-6:30PM" price="">Free wi-fi is available in the Kogod Courtyard at the Reynold Center Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. There is a small cafe in the courtyard where you get coffee and sandwiches. The courtyard is a peaceful, quiet place to escape for a break. Note that your bag will be inspected when you come into the museum.</listing>
<listing name="Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library" alt="" directions="Near the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station" address="901 G Street NW" phone="+1 202 727-0321" email="" fax="" url="http://www.dclibrary.org/dcpl/cwp/view.asp?a=1266&q=565330" hours="9:30AM-9PM (M-Th); 9:30AM-5:30PM (F-Sa); 1PM-5PM (Su)" price="">Provides free wi-fi access, along with computers available for use.</listing>
<listing name="Freedom Plaza and Pershing Park" alt="" directions="" address="Pennsylvania Avenue, between 13th and 15th St NW" phone="(703) 842-4851" email="" fax="" url="http://www.openpark.net/access.html" hours="" price="">The Open Park Project provides free wi-fi for both Freedom Plaza and Pershing Park outdoor areas.</listing>
Postal
There is no longer a post office in the Old Post Office Pavilion building, but there are several post offices within the Penn Quarter and downtown D.C. area. If you need to call the USPS, the number is (800) ASK-USPS.
<listing name="Techworld Post Office" alt="" directions="enter from 7th St, between I and K St, go down the escalator, and the post office is straight ahead" address="800 K St NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="8:30AM-5PM (M-F)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Benjamin Franklin Post Office" alt="" directions="at the EPA headquarters building" address="1200 Pennsylvania Ave NW" phone="(800) ASK-USPS" email="" fax="" url="" hours="7:30AM-5:30PM (M-F); 8AM-12:30PM (Sa)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Frances Perkins Station" alt="" directions="" address="200 Constitution Avenue NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="8:30AM-4:30PM (M-F)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="Martin Luther King Jr. Post Office" alt="" directions="" address="1400 L St NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="8AM-5:30PM (M-F); 8AM-2PM (Sa)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="National Capitol" alt="" directions="in the National Postal Museum Building, entrance on North Capitol St, adjacent to Union Station" address="2 Massachusetts Ave NE" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="7AM-Midnight (M-F); 7AM-8PM (Sa-Su)" price="">This is the main post office for Washington, D.C., thus it has extended hours during the week and on the weekends.</listing>
<listing name="Russell Station" alt="Russell Senate Office Building" directions="" address="Constitution Ave and 1st St NE" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="8:30AM-5:30PM (M-F)" price="">You are welcome to go into the Russell Senate Office Building and use the post office on the basement level. Of course, you will need to pass through a security checkpoint when entering. Cameras are okay.</listing>
<listing name="Union Station" alt="" directions="located inside, on the main level, near the Metro entrance, next to the beer/wine/lottery shop and across from the bookstore" address="50 Massachuesetts Ave NE" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="7AM-5:45PM (M-F); 7AM-3:30PM (Sa)" price=""></listing>
Shipping
<listing name="FedEx Kinko's Office & Print Center" alt="" directions="" address="325 7th St NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="24 hours" price=""></listing>
<listing name="FedEx Kinko's Office & Print Center " alt="" directions="Enter from 7th Street" address="800 K St NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="6AM-11PM" price=""></listing>
<listing name="FedEx Kinko's Ship Center" alt="" directions="" address="419 11th St NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="9AM-8:30PM (M-F)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="FedEx Kinko's Ship Center" alt="" directions="" address="1350 New York Ave NW" phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="12PM-8:30PM (M-F); 1PM-5:45PM (Sa)" price=""></listing>
<listing name="UPS Store" alt="" directions="" address="455 Massachusetts Ave NW " phone="" email="" fax="" url="" hours="9AM-7PM (M-Th); 9AM-5PM (F)" price=""></listing>
Get out
'''The Smithsonian''' [http://www.si.edu] is not a single museum; there are 18 Smithsonian museums, many of which are located on the Mall. Museums run by the Smithsonian Institution are free of charge and their gift shops do not have the 6.5% D.C. tax levied on items sold.
'''From east to west along Constitution Avenue (the north side of the Mall):'''
National Gallery of Art. ttp://www.nga.gov. -Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-6PM. ree admission. The east building of this museum focuses on modern art, while the west building showcases more traditional, mostly European, paintings and sculptures. The two buildings are connected by an underground walkway which has a store and a restaurant. Unlike most art museums, flash photography is allowed. The sculpture garden's foot pool is an excellent way to cool off during the day.
National Archives. etro: Archives-Navy Memorial via the Green and Yellow Lines. ttp://www.archives.gov/facilities/dc/archives_1.html. otunda and exhibit hall, Open Daily except 25 December; 10AM-5:30PM (day after Labor Day through March 31), 10AM-7PM (April 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day weekend), 10AM-9PM (Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day). ree admission. In summer you can go in the evening and avoid the long queue (everything else in town is closed then anyway). See the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other displays. Gift shop.
National Museum of Natural History. ttp://www.mnh.si.edu. 0AM-5:30PM, summer (May 26 to September 4) 10AM-7:30PM. ree admission. This Smithsonian museum presents a variety of displays including world cultures, meteorites and mineral samples. It traces the evolution of life from its beginnings through fossil plants, dinosaurs and mammals. Be sure to see the Hope Diamond, the most famous blue diamond in the world.
National Museum of American History. ttp://americanhistory.si.edu. 0AM-5:30PM, summer 10AM-6:30PM. ree admission. A Smithsonian museum, it covers topics ranging from technology to social and political history. Newly re-opened after renovation.