Planning a DC visit -- where to avoid?

The areas in DC that you would want to see are probably safer than just about any city in the world. There is nothing behind the Capitol building you'd want to see anyway so just use that as a reference. Stay between the Capitol building and the Potomac River and you can just about walk around at 3 am with $100 bills hanging out of your pockets and you'll be safe. Its refered to as the "Mall" where all the monuments and museams are and it is extremely safe.

The nightlife areas like Georgetown are probably just a little less safe than the "Mall" but no worse than other trendy nightlife areas. Just don't for a walk behind the capitol or you will get shot! Crime in DC is really high on the average but its becuase the bad areas are really f-ing bad but the Feds do a great job keeping any place you'd want to go to safe and clean. The Mall area is probably one of the safest places in the world and I don't think twice about taking people to see the monuments at 2AM since it is much easier to get around the city by car at that time and the monuments are lit up and beautiful at night! Feel free to go a few blocks north of the mall as well to check out the rooftop bar at the Hotel Washington etc.

Just look on a map and remember there is absolutly nothing you'd want to see behind the Capitol building. If you have to go to the convention center or Verizon center for an event just take a cab or Metro and don't just think it would be a good idea to walk about the hood!

About 30 years ago a few drunk friends were goofing around on the capitol grounds at 3AM. I had to go back down with my girlfriend at 5AM becuase she lost her keys. We didn't see anyone the whole time we were walking around the Capitol grounds. When we came back I came upon one of the Capitol Police officers. He said "back again"? I told him we lost a set of keys, he knew where I parked, where I pushed her in the bushes, which trashcan we picked her up and put her in. I insisted I was parked about 100 feet away from where he said I did, he went over and found the keys! That was pre 9/11

 

Behind the Capitol building is Eastern Market/Barracks Row. It's a fine area with lots of good restaurants and nightlife. It is not as dangerous as you infer. Neither is the area around the Convention Center (Shaw). In fact, the new hottest 5 star restaurant experience (Rogue 24) is located right there. The Passenger is there for some great cocktails and Kushi is just a few blocks east for fantastic Japanese sushi/grilled fares.

 

Kevin, you are talking way pre-9/11. You are talking pre-Tony Williams, and even pre-Control Board. DC's crime is actually pretty low on the north-side of the Anacostia River. Amazingly life is pretty safe for tourists in the city. Even the most hardened thug has a grandmother or aunt that works in the tourism industry and knows their actions will reflect that.

Tillman, PM me with any questions.

 

watch out for the Native Americans shooting arrows and don't ever travel to Berlin b/c there's a huge wall splitting the city.

KKRace - time to update your facts to the present; go visit downtown DC again and you'll see the huge difference.

 

FWIW - I worked in SE DC for over 8 years - never an issue. With the new baseball stadium, high rent condos, and a high-end Marriott hotel, they've gone a LONG way in cleaning up the crime that gave it the bad reputation. Granted, it's not perfect and you still need to be vigilant (just like any other large city), but it's nothing to be so paranoid about. (and yes, "just because I'm paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get me!")

That said, a couple other sites of interest - at the National Gallery of Art along the Mall, they have the only original DaVinci in North America. Well worth seeing. NASM (across the mall from the Nat'l Gall of Art) has the original Wright Flyer, Spirit of St. Louis, John Glenn's Bell X-1, an X-15, a piece of moon rock you can touch, and much, MUCH more. And if you take the NASM shuttle out to the Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles, they have an SR-71, a Shuttle, and the original Enola Gay (also along with many, MANY others planes and items - loads of aviation engines). Also well worth seeing.

The Hope Diamond is at the Natural History Museum. The flag for which The Star Spangled Banner was written is at the American History Museum. And on and on and on....

Good luck with your trip. Don't fear the crime, just be as careful as you would anywhere else. Ignore the naysayer's.

gp

 

DC is a great city and I wouldn't hesitate to walk around in any of the popular areas mentioned by the other locals.

The four quadrants mentioned here are *NOT* all the same size. NW is by far the largest section of DC due to the boundaries used. So the comment that only 1/4 of the city is safe is not accurate.

Unless you've never been to a metro area before, you will not find any issues and will have a great time.

Penn Quarter, near the Verizon Center is one of the hottest neighborhoods. The restaurants and museums are tops. I work in that area and the number 1 comment I hear from first time visitors is how clean, safe and fun DC is. Over and over...the same comments each day.

Good luck!
LS

 

I think what most people fail to realize is that most of the crime in DC is NOT just random. Its usually drug/gang and stuff like that. Sure you get an innocent bystander shot that just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Now there has been an increase in crime lately on the Metro. So pay attention if you are riding a bus or train. And you also can't just say to stay out of Southeast. Half of the Capitol as well as places like the Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library etc are located in Southeast. Now I would highly recommend staying out of areas east of the Anacostia river.

 

I was just down your way delivering a car in TX. When you get here, PM me and I will be glad to give you some more advice via phone.

I work in SE, and it is fine now. Was bad 10 years ago, but with baseball stadium, NAVY, and hotels and restaraunts coming here now, it is fine.

Just make sure to hit the Smithsonian Air and Space, and do NOT miss the changing of the guard at the tomb of the unkown soldiers at Arlington Cemetary. (Hate to give the Army so much love, but they do a top notch job over there - LOL Go NAVY!)

Tons to do and see. Have fun.

MB

 

I might also recommend the 20 minute drive down the George Washington Parkway to visit Mount Vernon (George Washington's Estate). It's breathtaking.