So if Congress is not in session next week, does that help with crowds at restaurants? Or will the tourist level be so high that it'll be crowded everywhere anyway? Can I expect awful crowds at the usual attractions next week , or will the August heat keep some away? Thank you!

Congress or not, August is a month in which most of the locals leave town if they can. But the tourists take their places (maybe someday someone will explain to me why so many people choose the rank-nastiest month there is in DC to visit), so it can still be crowded. Crowds in restaurants? A number of out-of-town associates were here in DC the past few days, and had a devil of a time getting reservations at the good places.

jazzy

If you feel that South Florida is too hot and humid in August then you might not want to come to D.C. The humidity here is dreadful and for the last week it's been unbearable. I do not spend anymore time than necessary outside.

Otherwise carry water with you and I hope it cools a bit for you.

Just got in from a day of sightseeing on the mall. The crowds aren't bad at all, but the heat is something else. If you can visit another time, I'd recommend it.

DC is so crowded in August is because schools are out and families take their summer vacations at that time.

Schools also are out in June, and the weather stands at least a decent chance of being tolerable then. But the crowds don't descend until July 4 & after, right when the heat and humidity are settling in for a long spell. And they peak in August, the worst time of all.

I haven't had any problems getting seated in restaurants at all. I think the reason is that I don't go to the handful of restaurants that tourists might go to (I'm not sure of those, but I have a few suspicions) nor do I go to very well-known expensive restaurants which might explain the above post about business associates. My sister was visiting me last week and one night I suggested we just walk around Adams Morgan and pick out something that looks good and appeals to us both -- we had our pick of basically any restaurant there, as I recall. Another night I had a few suggestions of places I liked (in the budget ethnic category) in the Dupont Circle area, she wanted Middle Eastern so we went to Levante's near the metro stop and almost the entire dining room was empty (most people were sitting on on the sidewalk which we didn't even want to do in this weather, but even that area wasn't full); my other choices weren't full, either. I don't think Congress being in session or not has that much to do with all the restaurants in DC except maybe a very small handful.

I suppose the typical tourist attractions will be crowded as so many people with kids come here in the summer, as others have said.