About Washington, D.C.
Washington is the nation’s capital and is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the United States. It also is among the most popular tourist destinations in the nation and boasts of some of the finest museums, restaurants, and entertainment venues found anywhere, all of which are easily reachable on the local subway system.
The focus of Washington, D.C. is the operation of the federal government. The White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court building are found at the geographical core of the city, surrounded by office buildings that house members of Congress and their staffs, many of the agencies and departments that make up the Executive Branch of government, a number of other federal courts, and many embassies of foreign governments. Business activities in the area also are oriented toward governmental matters, with the office buildings in the area populated in large part by trade associations, lobbying firms, and law firms.
The Mall, which stretches from the footsteps of the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, encompasses the Washington Monument, the National Air and Space Museum, the Smithsonian Institution, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Vietnam War Memorial, the Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of American History. Close by are the Jefferson Memorial, Ford’s Theatre, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the Corcoran Gallery of Art, among many other points of interest.
The cultural life of the Washington, D.C. area is diverse and multi-faceted, with options ranging from performances of the National Symphony Orchestra, to entertainers appearing at the Kennedy Center, to the active nightlife found in neighborhoods in Georgetown area, DuPont Circle, and Adams-Morgan. The area also is home to Georgetown University, George Washington University, and a number of other colleges.
The City also is well represented by a variety of professional sports teams, including the National Football League’s Washington Redskins, the Washington Nationals baseball franchise, the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association, and the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League.
