Living in the D.C. Metro Area
Many USPTO employees like you are also new to the Washington, D.C. metro area. There are so many benefits to living in and around our nation’s capital – from historical highlights such as the monuments, to a rich cultural presence, professional sports teams and an endless supply of activities for you and your family.
The capital of the United States, Washington, D.C. does not resemble most contemporary American cities. Unlike other large cities, skyscrapers do not dominate here. In 1910, Congress passed a height-restriction act to prevent federal monuments from being overshadowed by commercial construction. As a result, the eye can never wander too far from expanses of green.
As the capital, its main industry is naturally, politics. The most famous sites are concentrated along the central mall, including the White House, individual memorials to four of the greatest presidents, and the superb museums of the Smithsonian Institution.
George Washington himself selected the real estate for the site of the capital, a diamond-shape, 100-square-mile plot not far from his property at Mount Vernon. Pierre-Charles L'Enfant, a French engineer who fought in the Revolution, created the classic real estate plan for the city.
Visit the following websites to learn more about the D.C. Metro Area...
The Washington, D.C. Chamber of Commerce has a website where resources have been easily organized – from restaurants to hotels and transportation. You can find out almost anything you need to know about the city on this site.
www.dcchamber.org
The D.C. area is lucky to have a comprehensive and wide-reaching public transportation system, the Washington Metro Area Transit Authority. With their easy to use trip planning feature, you can find out the best way to get wherever you’re going. Metro and bus maps and schedules, service alerts and advisories and more are available at:
www.wmata.com
The D.C. area is also home to three airports. Wherever you need to travel, you can get there from Washington Dulles International, Ronald Reagan National, or Baltimore/Washington International.
Cultural Tourism DC is an organization that brings neighborhoods, events and organizations together at your fingertips. You’ll find out about everything from plays to concerts to walking tours. There are so many ways to take advantage of the robust cultural atmosphere of this city – from the vaunted halls of the Kennedy Center to the intimate stage of the 9:30 Club and Black Cat. World class restaurants, theaters, monuments and more all call this area home, as well as vibrant neighborhood destinations all around Maryland, Virginia and D.C.
www.culturaltourismdc.org
www.dcfoodies.com
Our campus is located in Alexandria, VA, which has a rich history and active culture all its own.
To learn more about the sights and sounds in Alexandria, visit:
www.visitalexandriava.com
CapitalWeather.com is a website dedicated to the analysis of our area’s weather. Easy to use and extremely well done, this site is the first stop for area natives wondering what the weekend’s going to look like.
www.capitalweather.com
The Washington area is home to several National Parks. From the Constitution Gardens to Wolftrap – the nation’s only national park for the performing arts, the National Park Service website will open you up to the natural resources around our nation’s capital.
www.nps.gov
DCist.com is a community blog that covers music, arts, sports, food, theater, transportation and a host of other issues relevant to the district and its residents. A volunteer staff of young Washingtonians brings you recommendations as well as a platform to discuss community issues.
http://dcist.com
The Washington Post is a world-class newspaper that we’re lucky enough to have in our own backyard. The nation’s news is our local news, and this is one of many premium outlets found in and around D.C.
www.washingtonpost.com
The D.C. area is well known for its sports teams – and their dedicated fans. Home to the Washington Redskins, the Washington Wizards, the Washington Nationals and DC United, the Washington Capitals, other professional organizations and a huge number of college teams, there’s never a dull moment. There are also plenty of opportunities for the athletes among us – from great running routes, to kickball and other sports leagues for adults and children, to community centers and other hosts for local classes and activities.
www.geocities.com/madeads/run_dc.html
These resources offer a wide array of options throughout the nation’s capitol and its surrounding areas, but if you’re looking for more region-specific information, you can visit:
Maryland’s official state website, www.maryland.gov or find out about Maryland tourism at
http://www.visitmaryland.org
Virgina's official website at http://www.virginia.gov
Alexandria, VA’s website at www.alexandriava.gov
West Virginia’s official website http://www.wv.gov, or one of these great resources:
http://www.westvirginia.com or http://www.wvtourism.com
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