A Local’s Guide to Washington, D.C.

The University of the Potomac is based in Washington, D.C., one of the most popular travel destinations in the U.S. and included by Lonely Planet on their list of the top ten Best-In-Travel cities in the world for 2015.

The city is well-known for the White House, the U.S. Capitol, presidential monuments and memorials, and the Smithsonian Institution which includes some of the world’s finest museums open to visitors for no charge. But there is more to the city than the U.S. federal buildings and institutions.

Here are a few places in the District, as locals call it, that many tourists never manage to visit:

• Eastern Market: Located in Capitol Hill just steps from the metro station of the same name, this historic indoor food market is a favorite place for locals and tourists alike. Come here for regional culinary treats, great people watching, and for the cafes and open air flea market that line the blocks around the market.

• Union Market: Part of the revitalization of the North of Massachusetts Avenue neighborhood (known as NOMA), this former public market was reopened in recent years and has quickly become a destination for college students and young families looking for quick, good food and coffee at great prices. Local vendors sell everything from oysters to bagels to Korean tacos and offer D.C.-brewed beer and the city’s best espresso.

• Lincoln’s Cottage: President Abraham Lincoln’s summer home when he was president, this cottage is located just a few miles north of the White House in a residential neighborhood of D.C. called Petworth. This is where Lincoln wrote the Emancipation Proclamation.

• Rock Creek Park: Part of the U.S. National Park System, Rock Creek Park runs the entire length of the District and offers trails for running, walking, biking, hiking, and horseback-riding, and the chance to connect with nature in a beautiful setting without leaving the city.

These are only a few examples of lesser-known places to spend your free time in the D.C. area. To learn more about Washington, D.C. and the benefits of living and studying here, contact us.