I moved to DC a little over two years ago in the middle of winter–we actually moved in the middle of a snowstorm but that’s a different story–and I’m still exploring this city. Last year I helped write a blog post for my friend’s travel blog on what to do if you’re visiting DC for a few days (you can find it here) but obviously the strategy is different for a city you’ve just moved to. My favorite way to explore a new city, especially a city like DC, is to pick a new neighborhood each weekend and just walk around!
Step one is obviously picking a neighborhood. I started with my immediate neighborhood and then moved on from there. Sometimes the starting point will be a shop or restaurant that I want to visit and then explore from there. Other times I’ll go on Instagram and see what geotagged pictures look like something I’d like to see in person. DC is full of murals and beautiful rowhouses so Instagram is an ideal place to start when deciding where to go. (Following local bloggers is also a helpful way to find new places–I’ve explored so many new areas and restaurants I wouldn’t have known about thanks to DC bloggers!) Depending on what neighborhood I’m exploring and how humid or cold it is outside, I’ll either walk to the neighborhood from my place or I’ll use public transportation. Note: public transportation can be annoying but it’s cost-effective and it’s an excellent way to get to know a new city.
When I get to the neighborhood my first move is usually to grab a drink from a coffeeshop. Mostly because in DC the odds of it being stupid hot and humid or very cold are pretty high so I either want an iced drink to keep me cool or a hot drink to warm me up. Then I’ll find the starting shop or restaurant that brought me to the neighborhood and go from there. Some of my favorite neighborhoods to explore though are the residential ones. We don’t really have rowhouses in California, so I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of walking down a street that has brick sidewalks and rowhouses lined up next to each other. These brick sidewalks are gorgeous in any season: covered in snow, colorful leaves, or falling cherry blossoms. This is what makes dealing with the cold and humidity worth it (most of the time).
I’ve found some of my favorite little spots in DC this way–and walked many more miles than I would have liked, especially considering how compact this city is. I’ve found my favorite juice spot, cute coffee shops that turn into bars in the evenings, a rum distillery (inside the District!), and many of my favorite local brands and shops this way.
Hope you can spend some of your weekend finding a new spot in your own city to explore!
xoxo,
J
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