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Voykit pocket guide · 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.
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.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (hot and humid)
- Stay
- 3 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $60–110 excl. bed · Mid $110–200 excl. bed · High $200+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire and ambulance 911 · Non-emergency police 311
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| 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 entry | Free at the Smithsonian; others $15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- 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.
Typical fares
- DCA → downtown, Metro
- about $3, 15–20 min
- IAD → downtown, Metro Silver Line
- about $6, 45–60 min
- Taxi downtown → Georgetown
- $15–25
Get 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 and do
Known for
- National Mall and its monuments
- Smithsonian museums (free entry)
- The Capitol and the White House
- Cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Arlington National Cemetery | Metro Blue line to Arlington Cemetery station | About 30 min |
| Alexandria, Virginia | Metro Yellow line to King Street, then the free trolley | About 45 min |
| Mount Vernon | Metro to Huntington, then Fairfax Connector bus 101 | About 1.5 h |
| Baltimore | MARC train from Union Station, or Amtrak | About 1–1.5 h |
Sleep
- 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.
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- 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.
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.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Washington, D.C. yet. Suggested stay: 3 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- National Mall and its monuments
- Smithsonian museums (free entry)
- The Capitol and the White House
- Cherry blossoms around the Tidal Basin
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Washington, D.C. official tourism site: washington.org/
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA): www.wmata.com/
- Wikivoyage: Washington, D.C., revision 5368906 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5368906
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/washington-d-c). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.