What's New

In this 24/7 capital city, history, tradition, and long-lived establishments retain first place in importance and popularity. But it's D.C.'s big and little newness-es that signal success, and there are plenty of newness-es going on. Consider the Atlas District, a downtrodden neighborhood reinvented as a nightlife center; or the births of excellent restaurants like Central and Beck's; or the debuts of grand, fresh attractions, from the Newseum to Madame Tussaud's. Read on for the details of these and other developments in the capital.

Getting There

Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport's completed expansion includes a great new concourse to accommodate Southwest Airline's (tel. 800/435-9792; www.southwest.com) many flights. At Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, no news is good news. But at Washington Dulles International Airport, the roster of international airlines and destinations keeps on growing. Airlines recently added include AerLingus (tel. 800/474-7424; www.aerlingus.com), with direct flights to and from Dublin; Iberia Airlines (tel. 800/772-4642; www.iberia.com), traveling between Dulles and Madrid; Copa Airlines (tel. 800/FLY-COPA; www.copaairlines.com), flying between Panama City and Dulles; and Qatar Airways (tel. 877/772-2827; www.qatarairways.com), with daily service between Dulles and Dohai, Qatar.

Budget-minded domestic travelers, meanwhile, should check to see whether Virgin America (www.virginamerica.com) has landed at Dulles. Virgin Atlantic (tel. 800/862-8621; www.virgin-atlantic.com) already operates there, and provides affordable service to and from London. Its new sidekick, Virgin America, based in and serving the U.S., is due to launch at Dulles sometime in 2008.

Accomodations

Luxury lovers will not have the option of lodging at the marvelous Jefferson Hotel (1200 16th St. NW, tel. 202/347-2200; www.thejeffersonwashingtondc.com) until the fall of 2008, when it reopens after a massive renovation. Everything will be replaced -- except those original Thomas Jefferson documents. In the meantime you might want to check out another cherished, newly renovated property: The St. Regis Hotel, Washington, D.C. (923 16th and K streets NW, tel. 202/638-2626; www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/washingtondc), is scheduled to come back to brighter life in fall 2007 (alas, too late to be included in this edition). The St. Regis's famously ornate lobby and courtyard garden have been reappointed, but retain their European ambience. Guest rooms are sumptuous and furnished with Wi-Fi, plasma televisions with surround sound, DVD players, fax machines, Pratesi linens, and, in the bathroom, custom-designed fixtures and mosaic tiles.

Dining

Washingtonians have long loved dining out -- as long as they can be sure they're replete, out the door, and headed home no later than 9:30 or 10pm. Not so much anymore, though. While restaurant dining is at an all-time high, the curfew has changed. Stop in at any of the latest, hottest restaurants -- Beck's (Belgian bistro; 1101 K St. NW, tel. 202/408-1717; www.beckdc.com); Central (French/American bistro; 1001 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, tel. 202/626-0015; www.centralmichelrichard.com); Oyamel (Mexican; 401 7th St. NW, tel. 202/628-1005; www.oyamel.com); BLT Steak (steakhouse; 1625 Eye St. NW, tel. 202/689-8999; www.bltsteak.com); and Urbana (Italian/Mediterranean; 2121 P St. NW, tel. 202/956-6650; www.urbanadc.com); as well as other fave, not-so-new sites, like Zaytinya (Greek/Turkish; 701 9th St. NW, tel. 202/638-0800; www.zaytinya.com) -- and you will see the room's still rocking past 11pm. The social scene is a major component: The bar, comfy lounge, and inventive cocktails are de rigueur restaurant features these days, and they go a long way toward making a restaurant both a dining and nightlife destination. But perhaps Washingtonians, younger ones, anyway, are deciding that they deserve to have a great meal and a good time, too. If that's your mood, read the full reviews of the above-mentioned places to find the one that suits you best.

Of course, D.C. has many restaurants that serve up delicious meals in a quieter atmosphere. A new notable in this category is the Willard Intercontinental Hotel's Café du Parc, 1401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (tel. 202/942-7000; www.cafeduparc.com), a two-level courtyard brasserie, whose French chef offers entrecôte (grilled steak with béarnaise sauce), among other authentic French dishes.

Sightseeing

The year 2008 promises to be a banner year in Washington, with the opening of the long-awaited Capitol Visitor Center beneath the U.S. Capitol Building -- no more standing outside in wind-whipping cold or sweltering heat to line up for a tour -- and the re-opening of the greatly expanded Newseum (tel. 888/NEWSEUM) in its grand new location at 6th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, across the street from the National Gallery of Art. In Smithsonian news, the National Museum of Natural History christened a cool walk-through Butterfly Pavilion in November 2007 and is on track to pull back the curtains on its grand new Ocean Hall in September 2008; and the National Museum of American History reopens its doors in summer 2008, ready to show off its Star-Spangled Banner Gallery. A Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum (1025 F St. NW) is up and running in the heart of downtown D.C., and the dedication of the National Mall's newest memorial, the Martin Luther King National Memorial, is scheduled to take place in December 2008.

Nightlife

D.C. has a new nightlife neighborhood springing up in a rather seedy part of town, along H St. NE, between 12th and 14th streets, east of Union Station. Dubbed the "Atlas District," the street is drawing mostly 20- and 30-somethings to its live music venues and funky bars. If you like alternative music and don't mind iffy neighborhoods, you might want to trip over to the Atlas District. First, though, flip to chapter 9 to read my descriptions of two Atlas District clubs, The Red & The Black (1212 H St. NE, tel. 202/399-3201; www.redandblackbar.com), and the Rock and Roll Hotel (1353 H St. NE, tel. 202/388-7625; www.rockandrollhoteldc.com).