Product Description

The Rough Guide to Washington DC is the most comprehensive guide to this powerful city. Containing thoroughly researched coverage of all the city’s historic and contemporary sights, it is the must-have item for any trip. The guide includes full write-ups of museums large and small, and breakdowns of neighbourhoods tame, tough and tawdry. Discover a city that is so much more than a political hot-spot, with the essential information on the happening districts of Adams Morgan and Shaw, Dupont Circle and the Penn Quarter, and the emerging nightlife precinct of the H Street Corridor. There is detailed historic background on the major politicians, activists, and cultural figures that have shaped DC for more than 200 years. Full-colour maps guide you through every region of the city, and with all the practical grittiness you’d expect from a Rough Guide, this is the ultimate companion to the "federal metropolis" that is DC.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #36457 in Books
• Published on: 2008-09-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Customer Reviews

Washington traveller
This book really helped with our recent trip to Washington. It's informative, giving background information on Washington as well as about America's history. It doesn't have the pretty pictures you get in some guide books but is much more comprehensive and not overly heavy. If you want to dig deep into Washington and have more than two days to spend there, this is a good book for you.

Clear and well written
Another excellent Rough Guide. Like the previous reviewer I believe it would benefit from better maps - preferably a large scale colour map section. Gives a comprehensive picture of Washington and the immediate area, all the restaurant recommendations that we tried were fair and accurate.

Useful before and during your visit
Just back from two weeks in DC and New York. We bought both Rough Guides from Amazon. Both were helpful for our family holiday.

Chapters follow a Rough framework: Things-not-to-miss, Basics, Areas in (11) and around (4) the Capital, Context/History and substantial Listings on where to stay, eat and shop.

We did DC for seven days. Of 21 Things-not-to-miss, we chose to visit only one. As the guide says "It's not possible to see everything that Washington has to offer in one trip - and we don't suggest you try".

The 'Basics' section is a good place to inform your arriving and surviving. A greater emphasis on purchasing rail tickets early would have ensured we read that section, and saved us some money.
Some hints
- buy the guide, it's good, but plan in time to read and exploit it
- don't get in the cab-driver's door at the airport...

Less useful was the colour maps section. Not enough detail, for example, to get an idea of where our hotels were. Better to rely on maps available from relevant sources when you arrive - hotels, Metro, tour bus.

Guidance on sites to see is generally good. Smithsonian museums, Lincolm Memorial etc. are covered well. Reading background information each day, especially on the Vietnam Memorial, was informative before visiting.

We disagreed with some Rough comments:
- Korean War Vets Memorial made an impression on us and was certainly not 'unsuccessful'
- NASA museum felt out-of-date, with several broken exhibits, rather than USA's number one attraction
- the Newseum gets a cursory superficial review - as edutainment. For us this was a highlight, taking up a full day

Finally, with teenagers with us, coverage on their interests is meager. Lots of room to improve on this front.

Overall, The Rough Guide to Washington DC is a worthwhile read. Buying it is easy. But invest time in reading before you go!