The best D.C. travel guides
The nation’s capital is a dynamic destination for tourists and an enriching place to live. To make sense of it all, a travel guide can offer insight into off-beat local favorites as well as major attractions.
The Lonely Planet guides are casual and humorous; appealing to readers who want a fresh slant on the city’s most popular destinations. The guides poke fun at the politics that shape the community while showcasing the city with attractive pictures. Lonely Planet Washington DC: City Guide is downloadable online by chapter. Also online, Lonely Planet Washington DC: Encounter, sticks to the essentials and is small and easy to carry in book form.
More traditional guides include Frommer’s Washington D.C. and Fodor’s Washington, D.C. Both guides are geared toward mainstream travelers and are backed up by substantial websites. The Fodor’s guide is written by city residents. It lists the pros and cons of all accommodations thus giving readers helpful data for decision making.
Locally produced by Destination DC, Washington DC’s Official Visitors Guide is updated every six months and is viewable in its entirety on their website. This tourism bureau publication focuses on historical and cultural highlights and special events that appeal to locals and tourists alike.