| Visiting DC - Getting Around DC |
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Washington, D.C., was originally a square area, ten miles to a side, selected by George Washington and split between lands that were part of Maryland and Virginia. In the years leading up to the Civil War, the portion of the original District located on the south side of the Potomac River, originally part of Virginia, was retroceded to the state.
Today, Washington is divided into four quadrants that are labeled by their compass direction and centered under the rotunda of the U.S. Capitol. The streets of present day Washington, D.C., are organized into a grid in the downtown sections with the grid becoming less organized moving away from the National Mall. Streets running north to south are labeled with numbers while east to west streets are given names arranged alphabetically. Both increase, either numerically (i.e., 1st St. NE, 2nd St. NE, etc.) or alphabetically (i.e., A St. SW, B St. SW, etc.), moving away from the Capitol building. The famous state avenues run diagonally across the grid and form traffic circles at major intersections. Remembering this organization will make navigating Washington easier.
Washington also has a very effective public transportation system. METRO provides subway and bus service throughout Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, and Maryland. Fare can be covered on a per-trip basis or through daily and weekly passes. Most visitors find the METRO system sufficient for touring the city and neighboring areas.
The areas surrounding the official District of Columbia are home to a number of memorials and historic sites. In Virginia, the Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax counties lie within the METRO system. There are stops at both Arlington National Cemetery and Ronald Reagan National Airport. Major interstate highways in this area include I-66 and I-95.
More specific information about transportation in and around Washington, D.C., follows.
Regional Airports
Public Transportation in the District
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
DC Circulator
Washington Flyer
Maps of Washington, DC
Official Washington, DC City Map
Google Maps
Yahoo! Maps
MapQuest
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