Washington, D.C. Today

Classically majestic and stunningly beautiful, the Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court stand at the heart of Washington, D.C., symbols of the enduring stability and strength of the nation. In recent years, D.C. has proven it's more than just a political town, emerging as a cosmopolitan, global city with world-class restaurants, hotels, and cultural events.

Politics

President Trump was never popular in overwhelmingly Democratic D.C. Starting off with the historic Women's March just after his inauguration, his term saw the White House become a fenced-off fortress, with Black Lives Matter Plaza across Jackson Square standing in opposition. Top that off with the ever-present underlying discontent of Washingtonians not having voting representation in Congress—hence the display on their license plates: Taxation without Representation. Let's just say, conversation in the bars around town can be very interesting. President Joseph Biden got a much warmer welcome when he took office in January 2021.

Sports

First and foremost, this is a football town, as the hordes of loyal Washington Football Team (formerly known as the Redskins) fans demonstrate each fall Sunday at the city's many sports bars. Still, the team has struggled under billionaire owner Danny Snyder, who has shelled out big bucks to attract top players but has yet to return the team to the Super Bowl under his watch. Frustrated fans have noticed, and tickets are much easier to come by than they once were (though they still aren't cheap). Filling the void, the Nationals baseball team, headed by all-star talents like Max Scherzer, won the World Series in 2019 after a series of disheartening playoffs through the years. If that's not enough, the Capitals hockey team, led by perennial all-star Alex Ovechkin, finally snatched the long-evasive Stanley Cup in 2018. The DC United soccer team, spearheaded by Wayne Rooney, one of the biggest names to play in the MLS, has a sparkling new stadium. And even the Wizards basketball team has shed its once-lowly reputation, joining the playoff ranks on the wings of scoring sensation John Wall; while the Washington Mystics women's basketball team went all out and won the WNBA finals in 2019.

Cannabis

D.C. has been on the cutting edge of the growing national movement to legalize marijuana, but with some complications. In 2014, D.C. voters overwhelmingly approved a measure permitting those over 21 to possess up to 2 ounces of marijuana, grow a small number of cannabis plants in their homes, and transfer up to an ounce of the drug to another adult—if no money accompanies the exchange. The law means you can smoke pot in private places, but you cannot buy it legally, which doesn't allow the pot tourism seen in states like Colorado. Still, that nuance has not dissuaded faithful users, and visitors should not be surprised if, on occasion, they encounter a whiff of pot smoke in the air.

Demographics

Washington’s prepandemic economic boom accelerated its demographic look, highlighted by several recent population milestones: an increase in residents, and a median age that has fallen below 34—almost four years younger than the country as a whole.

Hardly unrelated, the trends reveal that, after years of fleeing D.C. due to high crime rates and underperforming schools, more and more suburban families are opting to live in the city where they work. These younger professionals—mostly white, mostly drawn by the government and related industries—have helped bolster Washington’s economy, but not without a price. Indeed, the gentrification—heightened by enormous stadium projects like Nationals Park—has reached deep into the traditionally Black areas of Northeast and Southeast, stirring resentment, driving up costs, and pricing many longtime residents out of their childhood homes. Indeed, D.C. has one of the widest income gaps between rich and poor in the country, leaving local officials to seek ways to strengthen commercial interests without sacrificing community and culture.

Food

Washington has made great culinary strides in recent years. No longer known only for stuffy steak houses catering to lobbyists, D.C. now offers options to satisfy the most eclectic tastes. And top-tier chefs from around the country have taken notice, with many descending on D.C. to catch the wave, along with young chefs who love the welcoming, innovative vibe. Most recently, 15 restaurants have been bestowed a coveted Michelin star, with two restaurants receiving two—and one (the venerable Inn at Little Washington) receiving three.

Jeremiah Langhorne aims to put mid-Atlantic cuisine back on the culinary map with The Dabney, with most of its cooking done on a central wood-burning hearth. Marjorie Meek-Bradley, a Top Chef alum, has made her mark with Roofers Union, featuring American fare, in Adams Morgan. It's no surprise that Italian chef Fabio Trabocchi wows with his Italian-flavored Fiola and Fiola Mare, but he has set a whole new course with the impeccable, coastal-Spain-inspired Del Mar at the District Wharf. And Johnny Monis, who won the 2013 James Beard award for the best chef in the mid-Atlantic region, is at the helm of the Michelin-starred Komi and Little Serow.

These relative newcomers join D.C. pioneers like Robert Wiedmaier, whose Belgian roots are on full display at the award-winning Marcel's in Foggy Bottom, and James Beard Foundation Award–winning-chef turned humanitarian José Andrés, the culinary powerhouse behind Zaytinya, Oyamel, Jaleo, and the Michelin-starred minibar, all near Chinatown. He continues to expand his mini-empire with his newest endeavor, America Eats Tavern, which showcases historical takes on American favorites, including 19th-century mac and cheese and 1950s-era steak tartare.

Fitness

The ACSM American Fitness Index recently ranked D.C. as one of the nation's top six fittest cities. Quite aside from the numerous gyms popping up all over the city—and ignoring, for a moment, the countless joggers constantly circling the Mall—residents have adopted a slew of activities to get outside and stay in shape. Like to play kickball? There are teams all over the city. Enjoy Ultimate Frisbee? There’s a league for that, too. Rugby? Got it. Even bocce—the age-old Italian sport of lawn bowling—has inspired a passionate following and launched formal competitions around town. The District’s many parks and green spaces cater perfectly to that game of pickup football (or fútbol), and the city’s wild embrace of bike sharing has been complemented by the creation of bike-only lanes on some of its most traveled thoroughfares. Add a long list of burgeoning indoor crazes to the mix—everything from yoga and Pilates to Zumba and CrossFit—and you’ve got a city intent on shedding its wonks-only reputation.

Traffic

It’s official: the roads around D.C. are among the most poorly planned in the country, snarling traffic at all hours and creating the nation’s longest commute outside New York. Spend an hour in gridlock on the Beltway—or 30 minutes in a cab just to get across town—and you’ll understand why more locals are flocking to the Metro and to bike sharing to get around the city. Visitors to D.C., it is often suggested, can preserve both time and sanity by doing the same.

Gambling

Visitors to Washington's National Harbor—long attracted by the restaurants, nightlife, and simple waterfront ambience—now have a new reason to flock there: gambling. MGM Resorts, the international casino behemoth, opened its MGM National Harbor project at the end of 2016. The colossal $1.4 billion, 23-acre resort features a 24-story hotel, a 27,000-square-foot spa, a 3,000-seat theater, a casino with more than 3,300 video slots, and restaurants galore.