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Major city · United States

Washington, D.C.

Give D.C. 3 nights: the Smithsonian museums and monuments are free, so the city is cheap to see and easy to pair with New York by train.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Mar–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid)
Airports
DCA · IAD · BWI
Nights
3
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Washington, D.C. is the US capital and the seat of all three branches of government, built around the two-mile National Mall. Almost every headline sight — the Smithsonian museums, the monuments, the Capitol and the White House grounds — is free to enter, which makes it one of the cheapest big-city stops in the country. Three nights covers the Mall, one museum day and one neighbourhood; add a night for Arlington or a day trip. Spring (March–May) and autumn (September–October) are the best months; July and August are hot and humid.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Washington, D.C., one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, main course$20–40
  • Street or quick mealCasual lunch (sandwich or bowl)$12–20
  • Beerdraught in a bar / can at a shop$7–10$2–4
  • Metro or bus rideMetro ride$2–6
  • Museum or sight ticketMuseum entryFree at the Smithsonian; others $15–25
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personUS$45
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per roomUS$220
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per roomUS$450

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$150 · High US$260

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

National Mall and its monumentsSmithsonian museums (free entry)The Capitol and the White HouseCherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin
Airports
DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National (Closest to the centre; Metro Blue/Yellow line to downtown.) · IAD Washington Dulles International (About 26 miles west; Silver Line Metro or bus to the centre.) · BWI Baltimore/Washington International (About 30 miles northeast; MARC or Amtrak train plus Metro.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Washington, D.C.: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

7°C

−1°C

10 rd

Feb

9°C

0°C

9 rd

Mar

14°C

4°C

10 rd

Apr

20°C

9°C

10 rd

May

25°C

14°C

11 rd

Jun

29°C

20°C

10 rd

Jul

32°C

22°C

11 rd

Aug

31°C

22°C

9 rd

Sep

27°C

18°C

8 rd

Oct

21°C

11°C

8 rd

Nov

14°C

6°C

8 rd

Dec

9°C

2°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The Metrorail subway covers the Mall, downtown and most neighbourhoods; a SmarTrip card or contactless tap works on Metro and buses. The Mall itself is walkable end to end (about 2 miles), and Capital Bikeshare docks are everywhere. Taxis and rideshare fill the gaps after the last trains, which run around midnight (check).

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Arlington National Cemetery

go

Door to door: About 30 min

Metro Blue line to Arlington Cemetery station

Across the Potomac in Virginia; free entry, allow half a day.

Alexandria, Virginia

go

Door to door: About 45 min

Metro Yellow line to King Street, then the free trolley

Historic Old Town waterfront; good for an afternoon and dinner.

Mount Vernon

caution

Door to door: About 1.5 h

Metro to Huntington, then Fairfax Connector bus 101

George Washington's estate; check the bus timetable before you go.

Baltimore

go

Door to door: About 1–1.5 h

MARC train from Union Station, or Amtrak

Inner Harbor and the waterfront; a full day or an overnight.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Downtown and Southwest

The National Mall, East End, West End and Waterfront: closest to the sights and the main theatre district.

North Central

Dupont Circle, Shaw and Adams Morgan-Columbia Heights: densest, most diverse neighbourhoods, live music and restaurants.

Northwest

Georgetown and Upper Northwest: historic streets, high-end shopping, the National Zoo and the National Cathedral.

Northeast and Southeast

Capitol Hill, Near Northeast, Brookland-Petworth-Takoma and Anacostia: quieter, with Union Station and the National Arboretum.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$60–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–200 excl. bed
High
$200+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 3 nights × US$220US$660
Food, local transport, entries2 × 3 days × US$150US$900
Metro from DCA to downtown, one way2 × US$3US$6
Metro one-day pass2 × US$13US$26
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$162
Trip total≈ US$297 per person per day, bed includedUS$1,784

2026 estimate in US dollars; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Casual lunch (sandwich or bowl)$12–20
Sit-down dinner, main course$20–40
Beer: draught in a bar / can at a shop$7–10 / $2–4
Metro ride$2–6
Museum entryFree at the Smithsonian; others $15–25

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

D.C. is generally safe for tourists around the Mall and downtown, but some neighbourhoods east of the Anacostia River and pockets of Southeast have higher crime: check current advice and stay in well-lit, busy areas at night.
  • Summer heat and humidity: carry water and plan museum time for the middle of the day.
  • Some Smithsonian museums and the Washington Monument need free timed-entry passes in peak season: check the official sites.
  • The White House and Capitol tours must be booked in advance through official channels: check.
  • Metro closes overnight; check the last train before a late dinner.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire and ambulance
911
Non-emergency police
311

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C.

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Emergency

  • Police, fire and ambulance911
  • Non-emergency police311

Embassy

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • DCA → downtown, Metro: about $3, 15–20 min
  • IAD → downtown, Metro Silver Line: about $6, 45–60 min
  • Taxi downtown → Georgetown: $15–25

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Washington, D.C.. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Jul–Aug (hot and humid) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 4 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for DCA, IAD and BWI: last Metro and train departures field-checked, taxi fallback.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: the National Mall, Downtown and Southwest, North Central, and Northwest.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Smithsonian museums, the Capitol, the Washington Monument, Arlington) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Cherry-blossom and hostile-weather fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources