Washington D.C.: The Best Tips for Your Trip

Planning a trip to Washington D.C., or as Americans affectionately call their capital – DC, and still unsure what to expect?
No worries! With the following tips, you'll be perfectly prepared for your visit.

1. THE BEST TIME TO VISIT WASHINGTON D.C.

You can visit Washington, D.C. year-round, so the best time depends on your personal preferences.
The city experiences all four seasons and has a humid subtropical climate with continental influences, meaning its summers are hot and humid, while winters can be quite cold.

We recommend visiting between April and June or late September to early November. During these months, you’ll usually find ideal weather conditions for exploring the city.
A special highlight is the Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place from late March to mid-April.

In spring and fall, temperatures are a pleasant 20°C. In summer, it climbs to around 27°C, while in winter, it drops to an average of 1°C.
During our visit in late April, we enjoyed sunny days and the breathtaking cherry blossoms.

2. IDEAL LENGTH OF STAY FOR WASHINGTON D.C.

Like the best time to visit, the ideal length of stay in Washington D.C. depends on your interests. We recommend planning for 2 to 3 full days.
This gives you enough time to explore the main attractions at your own pace and soak in the expansive atmosphere of the city.

It’s technically possible to see the city in just one day, but that could mean rushing from one sight to another, leaving you little time to truly enjoy the experience.
Skipping an authentic taste of America’s capital would truly be a shame!

GOOD TO KNOW

For your trip to the USA, you’ll need a power adapter, as plug types A and B are used. These are different from the plug types commonly used in many countries around the world.
You can find a suitable adapter here: Travel Adapter USA.

3. TIME DIFFERENCE

The time difference between Central Europe and Washington D.C. is 6 hours.
This means that when it’s 12:00 pm in Central Europe, it’s only 6:00 am in Washington D.C.

4. GETTING THERE

ARRIVING BY PLANE

If you’re flying to Washington D.C., you’ll have several international airports to choose from.
Flight times vary depending on your departure location, typically taking about 9 to 10 hours from Europe, and less from nearby parts of North America.
Websites like skyscanner.com or other flight comparison platforms can help you find the perfect flight for your trip.

To enter the USA, you’ll need a valid passport.
Citizens from countries participating in the Visa Waiver Program must also apply for an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorization) for tourist stays.
The application costs $21 and should be completed online at least 72 hours before departure. The ESTA is valid for two years and allows multiple entries of up to 90 days each.

For longer stays or additional requirements, check with your local government’s travel advisory or the official U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.

ARRIVING BY CAR

If Washington D.C. is part of a U.S. Road trip, arriving with a rental car is naturally an option. However, parking can be a real challenge in the city.
Therefore, we recommend checking if your accommodation has parking included or if it’s part of the room rate when booking.

Within the capital, you don’t really need a car to get around. So, it’s worth budgeting for parking fees if you plan to keep the car for the duration of your stay.

If you’re starting a U.S. rental car road trip in D.C., pick up your car just before you leave to save on parking fees.
We booked our rental car quickly and easily through rentalcars.com.

ARRIVING BY BUS OR TRAIN

If you’re coming from another city in the U.S. via long-distance buses like Greyhound, BoltBus, or Megabus, or with Amtrak trains, you’ll typically arrive at Union Station, Washington D.C.'s main train station. From there, you can easily continue to your destination or accommodation by metro, bus, taxi, or Uber.

5. GETTING AROUND WASHINGTON D.C.

Washington D.C. is very pedestrian- and bike-friendly, so it’s a great idea to explore mostly on foot or by bike.

For tired feet, the city has a well-developed public transport system. To ride the metro or bus, you can buy a ticket (fare card) at any metro station.
A ticket costs between $2 and $2.25 per ride, depending on the time of day.

If you’re planning a longer stay or frequent use of public transportation, the SmarTrip-Card is worth it.
This rechargeable card is available online, at every Metro Center station, or in CVS stores.
The basic SmarTrip-Card costs $10—$2 for the card, with the remaining $8 as a balance for travel. With the SmarTrip Card, there’s no extra charge for peak hours.

Another option is the 1-Day Pass for $13, which allows unlimited travel on buses and metro for a day. You can also buy this ticket at any Metro Center station or in CVS stores.

Detailed information about the bus and metro system is available on the Live Train Map.

6. HOTELS & ACCOMMODATIONS

Washington D.C. has a wide variety of hotels and accommodations.
If you expect a certain level of comfort, you’ll need a higher budget, as hotels in D.C., like in New York, are among the most expensive in the country.
You’ll likely find the right accommodation for you on popular platforms like booking.com or Airbnb.

We were completely satisfied with our accommodation at the Residence Inn by Marriott Washington D.C. Downtown, which we booked through booking.com.
Although the hotel wasn’t exactly cheap, its prime location in Downtown made the higher price somewhat justifiable.

7. TRAVEL INSURANCE

HEALTH INSURANCE

Medical expenses in the USA aren’t covered by most national health insurance plans. So, private travel health insurance is a must-have.
Some credit cards include private travel health insurance, so check if yours does.
If not, consider using Check24 or other comparison sites to find the best travel health insurance for you.
Travel insurance is typically inexpensive per year and worth every penny in an emergency.

Tip: Be sure your insurance includes full coverage with no cap on limits and that it covers repatriation in the event of a serious illness.
Also, save all receipts for medical treatments and any medications you pay for upfront, so you can file a claim with your insurance company.

TRAVEL LUGGAGE INSURANCE

Unfortunately, it can happen that luggage or individual valuables get lost during a trip.
For this reason, especially with our expensive tech gear like a camera or drone, we took out additional travel insurance for the trip’s duration.
These insurances usually cost a small amount per trip or year and are well worth it in an emergency.
Find and compare the best travel insurance options for you on Check24.

Our tip: Especially for expensive equipment, make sure to get full coverage without a limit!

Are you planning a road trip through the USA? Then you might find our following posts interesting:

• Washington D.C.: 12 Must-See Sights in the U.S. Capital
• New York City: 15 Sights You Must See
• New York City: The Best Tips for Your Trip
• Chicago: 13 Highlights & Tips for the Windy City

Enjoy exploring and planning your trip!

‍

USEFUL LINKS & RECOMMENDED TRAVEL GUIDES FOR YOU

• The Right Travel Adapter for the USA
• Find affordable rental cars at rentalcars.com
• Find affordable flights at skyscanner.com
• Discover the best accommodations
• The Bus & Metro Line Network
• The best Travel Guides for Washington D.C.
• Unique Excursions to Experience in USA

Note: This blog post contains our personal recommendations in the form of so-called affiliate links. If you book or purchase something through these links, we earn a small commission. There is absolutely no change to the price for you.