8 tips for planning a trip to Washington DC - from a local

Many of the most significant landmarks in DC are free, making this a wonderful city for tourists. The National Mall is the main attraction as it is lined with important monuments, famous buildings like the Capitol and White House, and the Smithsonian museums.

All Smithsonian properties are free, so you can spend a day touring without spending a dime. Also, DC hosts plenty of free events for the city, like Jazz in the Gardens in the summer.

The cost of living in DC is very high, which means when you visit you can expect steep price tags. Coffee costs around $5.50 at most shops and nice restaurants will run your bill up. Luckily, DC was also the city that started a lot of casual restaurants, so you can find some delicious food for less.

Most people don’t realize that DC was built on a swamp. Because of this, the summer humidity is overwhelming. During the summer, temperatures are usually in the high 80s or 90s with humidity hovering around 50 percent. Spring and Fall are much better seasons to visit with lower temperatures and nicer weather.

Spring is also the best time to visit if you want to see the cherry blossoms in bloom. The Cherry Blossom Festival also runs in late March or early April each year - it's a free event and is well worth attending if you're in the city when it's on.

While Spring is a beautiful time to visit, hundreds of tourists come to Washington DC each year o see the cherry trees in bloom. You’ll have to walk through hordes of other tourists to see them and good luck getting a picture without others in them. Although, the cherry blossoms are beautiful and definitely worth seeing, be aware that cherry blossom season is the busiest time of the year in DC.

Unfortunately, DC is often rated as one of the worst cities in the US for traffic. If you go anywhere during rush hour times, add more time to your travel plans. And if you have a car make sure that you know how to drive around traffic circles or you’ll frustrate all the other drivers around you.

If you’re coming from out of town, you may want to use the Metro to get around. However, the Metro constantly has construction or delays. If you’re going on a weekend, you can expect really long wait times. Build extra time into your schedule to get around using the Metro.

One of the best things about DC is that it’s one of the most diverse places in the entire country. As they say DC is a “mixing pot” so you can expect to meet people from all over the world. This means you can also find amazing restaurants that feature these worldly cuisines (make sure to get some Ethiopian when you’re here!).

Despite what people say, there are plenty of DC residents that are not connected to politics. DC is a thriving city with so much to offer like wonderful food, a vibrant arts scene, and beautiful parks. Make sure to explore areas other than the Mall, so that you can get to know this city better and see why so many people love calling it home.