10 Most Popular Neighbourhoods in Washington DC

Downtown Washington DC is a hubbub of activity and culture. With the White House and the National Mall just to the south, it's a regular haunt of those who've just been looking for a glimpse of the president of the United States (POTUS). But there's much more on offer than grand 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Art galleries abound in Downtown Washington DC. Check out the National Geographic Museum for immersive science exhibits that include dinosaur bones. There's also Planet Word, one of the world's few voice-activated museums dedicated to everything language. Downtown DC also happens to be happy-hour central, with some of the coolest bars around stringing up 19^th St and Massachusetts Ave.

Georgetown is an all-in-one historic and entertainment area. It clutches the side of the Potomac River to the west of the city centre, spreading from the leafy picnic spots of its much-loved Georgetown Waterfront Park through the campus of prestigious Georgetown University – one of the best law schools in the US, no less.

But you're probably not here to study the statutes. So, head straight for the vibrant streets of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. They are the nerve centres of Georgetown, offering redbrick buildings and cobbled sidewalks filled with bars and boutique shops. This was once the home of John F. Kennedy – you can still see the president's handsome old abode on North Street.

Dupont Circle is known as one of the most important traffic intersections in the whole of DC. But there's also much more to the spot than that. It’s a whole neighbourhood spreading out from the big roundabout on Massachusetts Avenue NW in a medley of important political buildings and museums.

You could start with a trip up the flag-flapping walks of Embassy Row, spying out the offices of everyone from the Colombian envoy to the Japanese trade mission to the US. There are also some great niche exhibits, like the National Museum of American Jewish Military History or The Phillips Collection, which reigns as the first modern art collection in the country.

Capitol Hill is known, simply, as The Hill to DC locals. It's arguably the most iconic district in the whole city, because it hosts very famous landmarks. Look for them straddling the blocks along Pennsylvania Ave to the east of the National Mall. 

The great United States Capitol surely tops the bill. It's a glorious symphony of neo-classical design, sporting a dome that tops out at 288 ft up. Then you get the offices of the US Senate, along with the home of the Supreme Court, the Library of Congress – the list goes on. Expect long days of sightseeing in Capitol Hill.

Chinatown has been a focal point for the Chinese community in Washington DC since way back in the 1880s. Today, it's preserved as part of the National Register of Historic Places, offering a spice-plumed taste of the Far East just a couple of blocks east of Lafayette Square and the White House.

Foodies certainly won't be disappointed in Chinatown. Dim sum houses, sizzling ramen stops, and 5-spice curry joints abound in an area that's grown to encompass Japanese, Korean, Chinese, and Southeast Asian cookhouses. Don't miss the beautiful Friendship Arch on H Street, which marks the official start of the neighbourhood.

Foggy Bottom is named for the clouds of morning mist that gather in this low-lying corner of the city by the Potomac River. Cut-through by the big flyovers of I-66 and dominated by the George Washington University campus, the area is a real hodgepodge of parks, people, and things to see and do.

The Watergate complex is one of the stand-out sights. Home to a luxury hotel where you can sip cocktails above the Potomac, it's best known as the place that started the scandal that brought down Nixon in 1974. Right next door is the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, where you can head for symphonic orchestras, jazz shows, ballets and more.

Clarendon is a charming mix of the creative and the classic. It's a family-friendly neighbourhood that's actually over the state line in Arlington, Virginia. Getting there from Washington DC's heart takes about 10 minutes via the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge by car and even less than that on public transport.

What awaits is a relaxed, small-town sort of place. The main vibes are on Clarendon Boulevard, where you'll spy out enticing eateries like the Fire Works pizza joint and the Courthaus Social brewpub. Staying in Clarendon means staying somewhere way quieter than, say, Downtown Washington DC. However, all the sights of the Arlington National Cemetery are right on your doorstep.

Logan Circle is a gathering point for DC's professionals when work wraps up for the weekend. The area straddles the huge roundabout of the same name on the north-eastern side of Downtown, spreading for about 10 blocks from Massachusetts Ave to S Street NW.

Between those 2 boundaries, you can hop bars and restaurants ad infinitum. There are all sorts here, from seafood buffets serving Chesapeake blue crab to wine bars with imports from California and Niagara. Later on, venues like the Black Cat offer some rumbling nights on the town, with everything from world-class DJs to urban punk acts taking to the stage.

Bloomingdale seems to be everyone's favourite suburb in Washington DC. It's located up on the northeast side of the city, roughly midway between the National Mall and the Maryland state line. There, it draws in a steady stream of families, young professionals, hipsters, and indie types with its array of bars, cafes, and kitchens. 

Fun is to be had just south of Rhode Island Ave. That's where you'll catch pizza joints serving the deep pans of Chicago and Southern-inspired smokeries with BBQ setups worthy of Texas. There are also some charming green spaces, including the cherry blossoms-filled LeDroit Park that's lovely in spring, and the secluded Crispus Attucks Park.

Adams Morgan is an eclectic mashup of hipster drinkeries, LGBTQ+ bars and alt shopping venues that lies on the north-western side of the US capital. It shouldn't be hard to get to – Dupont Circle and the Downtown lie immediately to the south, about a 20-minute ride on the bus and less than 40 minutes by foot.

The connection between 18^th Street and Columbia Road is the place to be. That's riddled with tattoo parlours, CBD outlets, and artisan plant shops. Retail therapy all done? Good. It's time to hit the eateries, which include independent cafes like Tryst, grills like Mintwood Place and quirky craft cocktail joints like Roofers Union.