I just moved to Washington DC but I already went for a walk to explore my new home a bit. I was curious to know all the things this city has to offer! Keep reading to learn about my first impressions of the US capital!

Whenever I want to go out exploring the city, I use my trusted Washington DC guidebook by Lonely Planet to make the most out of the experience. I hope you’ll find it helpful too!

I believe I have survived the (much feared) jet lag.

I was certainly out of place when I landed in DC yesterday after so many hours of flying and changing time zones. But there is nothing like a good night sleep and waking up in your new apartment! I got a big smile on my face as soon as I opened my eyes and realized all the new adventures that were awaiting!

Understanding how to get around Washington DC

First things first. How to get around this town? Well, it’s pretty simple actually. Think of Washington DC as a grid and consider the Capitol as the epicenter of it all. This town is divided into four sectors (Northwest – NW-, Northeast -NE-, Southwest – SW- and Southeast -SE-). The horizontal streets are named after letters (A St, B St, etc.), starting from the Capitol and looking northwards. The vertical streets are numbered from left to right (1st St, 2nd St, etc.), and the diagonal avenues are called after States (I live on Virginia Ave. for example).

Think of Washington DC as a grid and consider the Capitol as the epicenter of it all.

Having said that, orientating yourself in Washington DC is quite easy. However, it has nothing to do with the much more complicated layout of European cities.

I also like that the city is easily accessible on foot. To be honest, I walked the whole day yesterday so I haven’t used public transportation yet. In any case, I prefer strolling around when I’ve just arrived somewhere new. There’s nothing like it to start locating all the important spots in town.

The weather is on my side too: it’s been sunny but freezing cold. Luckily, I brought a warm coat with me along with my winter kit (a hat, a king size scarf and gloves) so I explored DC as if that didn’t bother me at all.

Apart from running a few newbie admin errands , I took the opportunity to sightsee the city a bit. And of course, DC didn’t disappoint.

Obama’s second Inauguration is coming up soon

My first stop was the White House and I will let you know about more touristy spots in upcoming posts. However, being in front of one of the world’s most famous locations was priceless. Can you picture the Obamas inside having a soup to warm up? Lol. In any case, the preparations for Obama’s inauguration on January 21 are already underway, which meant there were quite a few stands and United States Secret Service cars around the area.

Stay tuned for more adventures in Washington DC, the capital of the USA!

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✈️ Curious to know where I’ll be traveling next? ✈️

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In the meantime, safe travels around the world!

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