12 Cool Spots In Washington D.C. Only Locals Know About

From tucked-away food and drink hangouts for first date or happy hour to historical landmarks and live music venues, here are a few spots in Washington, D.C. that tourists (and even some residents) don’t know about.

Blue Duck Tavern

When it comes to D.C. dining, locals can’t get enough of rooftops and patios. Unlike other cities, D.C.’s laws about building heights means there’s little obstruction of views—not to mention the gorgeous spring and fall weather we have. The most enchanting is Blue Duck Tavern, serving New American, locally sourced food among handcrafted furnishings. A few other wistful patio digs are Masseria, Le Diplomate, and Iron Gate.
Blue Duck Tavern, 1201 24th St NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 419 6755

Mansion on O Street

1. National Capitol Columns

National Capitol Columns in Washington, DC

From the must-see National Arboretum, you’ll see the marble columns that once supported the U.S. Capitol as well as Andrew Jackson’s and Abraham Lincoln’s inaugurations, now minimizing the lopsided effect the newly constructed dome gave the Capitol.
National Capitol Columns, 3501 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC, USA,+1 202 245 2726

National Capitol Columns in Washington, DC | © AgnosticPreachersKid / Wikimedia Commons

2. Nellie's Sports Bar

Bar, Pub, American, Pub Grub

Nellie’s Sports Bar provides a rare and charming blend of TVs streaming live sports and a gay pride scene that hosts events such as drag show brunches. In case it’s not what you’re looking for, some trendy new watering holes are Columbia Room by Derek Brown, Mad Rose Tavern, the Twisted Horn, and locally acclaimed rooftop bars include POV, Brixton, and Roofer’s Union.

3. Landmark E Street Cinema

Movie Theater

Discover movies by classic and new directors

Landmark E Street Cinema is the best option for indie, foreign, documentaries, and cult classics like Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Room. As a plus, its in-house bar offers local and exotic brews and nice wines along with upscale concessions. Other amazing theaters to check out include ArcLight Bethesda, Angelika Film Center & Cafe at Mosiac, and Alamo Drafthouse One Loudoun.

Brewmaster’s Castle (Heurich House Museum)

What a grand place to grab a brew. Built in the 1890s by brewer Christian Heurich as a personal palace in D.C., this gothic Victorian home contains an eclipsing tower growing out of the three-story abode and elaborate stone arches. After his death at age 102 (his beer must have been the elixir of life), the two first floors and his brewing business were preserved, hosting beer events like Oktoberfest and tastings.
Heurich House Museum, 1307 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 429 1894

4. 30 Club

Bar

Interpol performing at the 930 Club in Washington, DC

D.C. is becoming known for its cozy and cool music venues. The most talked about among locals is 9:30 Club: its light and sound setups are awesome, bar and food are accessible, and the venue itself is intimate yet spacious—no straining to see performances. Some other must-sees are DC9, U-Street Music Hall, Black Cat, Wolf Trap, and Gypsy Sally’s.
9:30 Club, 815 V St NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 265 0930

Interpol performing at the 9″30 Club in Washington, DC | © fuzzy510 / Wikimedia Commons

Washington National Cathedral

Besides this reverent neogothic structure‘s beautiful corridors, vaulted ceilings, and wondrous architecture, several odd aspects can be admired—specifically, its science fiction décor (including galaxy stained-glass, a souvenir from the first step on the moon, and a Darth Vader carving), much of which passes by tourists’ eyes and remains a humorous constant for the locals.
Washington National Cathedral, 3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 537 6200

Graffiti Cliffs

Make sure to bring your phone because these cliffs are every Instagrammers dream. Not only do they offer a view of the Potomac River and the cityscape, but the hidden cove of cliffs that start to take on words and colors is the ever-changing local secret, as people come to add their own impressions onto other artworks. It’s a quiet place people come to reflect, read, hang out, and take a few selfies.

Dupont Underground

It’s amazing what visionary artists can do with an abandoned trolley station. These tunnels have seen both horse-drawn and electrified streetcars for almost 100 years and were later a failed fallout shelter and food court. But since opening in late 2016, a new promising venture has already seen a massive positive reaction from the community. By transforming the tunnels into a home for graffiti and artistic pieces, Dupont Underground supports local artists among the rubble of others before.
Dupont Underground, 19 Dupont Cir NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 919 265 8925

Riggs Library

Riggs is one of the oldest United States libraries still housing books. It opened its four floors and iron walkways, small alcoves, and two spiral staircases to the public in 1898. Though until the 1970s, it now mainly hosts events.
Riggs Library, Library Walk, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 687 7607

Church of Two Worlds

This different kind of church offers services for healing, meditating, and reciting mantras. Its members all have one commonality—they believe in communicating with the dead, hence their name, referring to having one foot in the spirit world and one in the Earthly realm.
Church of Two Worlds, 3038 Q St NW, Washington, DC, USA, +1 202 333 5114

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.