District of Columbia

Welcome to the Nation’s Capital The District of Columbia (D.C.) is the capital of the United States of America. Although small in size at 68.3 square miles and only 600,000 residents, it is the heartbeat of the nation’s pulse. It is nestled between Maryland and Virginia on the East Coast’s Mid-Atlantic. The country’s President resides in the heart of the city, with the hubs of all three branches of the government run from the center of Downtown D.C.

Run by a mayor, the District is divided into four geographical sections: Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest. Capitol Hill sits at its center, with a grid of streets running by numbers and letters fanning out in all four directions from the center. It is bordered by the Potomac and Anacostia Rivers.

The District that contains several universities, including Georgetown, Gallaudet, American and George Washington, among others.

Northwest D.C. is probably the most well-known for its high class residences and shopping district, popular among the restaurant and bar crowd. It also hosts embassies of many foreign countries.

The White House is perhaps the most famous structure in Northwest. This is where the President lives. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The original building cornerstone was laid in 1792 after the site was selected by George Washington, the first President of the United States. John and Abigail Adams were the first residents of the home upon its completion in 1800.

Southeast D.C. is commonly known for the Washington Navy Yard. The original plot was purchased in 1798 as a shipbuilding center. Its purpose has evolved through the last two centuries and now serves as headquarters and a mostly administrative compound. This is also the home of the Chief of Naval Operations. Several buildings with naval art and history displays from the Revolutionary War to present day are open to the public.

Northeast is mostly residential and contains several quaint restaurants and commercial businesses as well. 

Southwest is also known as the government district for its high percentage of federal agency buildings. Most of the divisions of the U.S. Cabinet are located in this portion. 

The majority of museums in Washington are part of The Smithsonian Institution and free and open to the public. The most well-known collections include the National Air and Space Museum, the Museum of Natural History, the Hirshhorn Museum, the Museum of American History and the Corcoran Gallery of Art.

Whether visiting for the day or a week, the city subway system winds throughout, with branches running into neighboring Northern Virginia and Suburban Maryland.