Visitor Information

Before you Leave

Contact Destination D.C., the official tourism and convention corporation for Washington, D.C., 901 7th St. NW, 4th Floor, Washington, DC 20001-3719 (tel. 800/422-8644 or 202/789-7000; www.destinationdc.org), and ask for a free copy of the Washington, D.C. Visitors Guide, which covers hotels, restaurants, sights, shops, and more and is updated twice yearly. At the tel. 202/789-7000 number, you can speak directly to a staff "visitor services specialist" and get answers to your specific questions about the city.

Be sure to consult Destination D.C.'s website, where you can read and download the visitors guide, along with the latest travel information, including upcoming exhibits at the museums and anticipated closings of tourist attractions. The website is also an excellent source for maps, which you can download and print from the site or order for delivery by mail. Once in D.C., you can stop by Destination D.C.'s offices on 7th Street NW (Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown, H St. exit), to pick up the visitors guide and maps, and to talk to visitors services specialists. Office hours are Monday to Friday, 9am to 4:30pm.

Ways to Get Ahead -- Popularity has its price, and in Washington that equals a lengthy wait in a long line for admission to its famous sites. Doesn't have to be that way, though: When you know generally the dates of your trip to Washington, call or e-mail in advance for desired tickets, passes, or reservations, and you might be able to visit places off-limits to the walk-up tourist and waltz through the door of A-list attractions, leaving the queues behind you. Follow this timeline to make sure you obtain tickets and reservations to those venues you most want to visit.

• Washington National Cathedral Tour and Tea: 5 months ahead of the desired date.
• White House Tours: At least 2 months and as much as 6 months in advance.
• Washington Monument: At least 1 day prior, as much as 6 months in advance.
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Two weeks ahead in spring and summer; the day before, otherwise.
• Theater Performances, Concerts, and Special Museum Exhibits: As soon as you can.
• Restaurant Reservations: Two weeks ahead.

At the Airports and Train Station

If you're arriving by plane or train, you can think of your airport or the train station as visitor information centers; all three Washington-area airports and Union Station offer all sorts of visitor services.

Around Town

The D.C. Chamber of Commerce Visitor Information Center (tel. 866/324-7386 or 202/289-8317; www.dcchamber.org; click on "Tourism," then "Visitor Information Center") is a small bureau inside the immense Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Building, at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. To enter the federal building, you need to show a picture ID. The visitor center lies on the ground floor of the building, a little to your right as you enter from the Wilson Plaza, near the Federal Triangle Metro. From March 15 to Labor Day, the center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30am to 5:30pm, and on Saturday from 9am to 4pm; from Labor Day to March 14, the center is open Monday through Friday 9am to 4:30pm.

Also look for business improvement district (BID) offices and their patrolling "ambassadors," who dispense information, directions, and other assistance in their individual neighborhoods. Among the most established are:

Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District (Downtown D.C. BID), 1250 H St. NW (tel. 202/638-3232; www.downtowndc.org), which covers the territory between Union Station and the White House (Constitution to Massachusetts aves., and btw. 16th and 1st sts.). Red-uniformed "SAMS" (for "safety and maintenance") are on hand to help. In spring and summer, the Downtown D.C. BID also has special information kiosks shaded by red-and-white umbrellas, stationed near Metro stops and throughout the downtown.

Golden Triangle Business Improvement District (Golden Triangle BID), 1120 Connecticut Ave. NW (tel. 202/463-3400; www.gtbid.com), encompassing the area between the White House and Dupont Circle (bounded by 16th and 21st sts. NW and Pennsylvania Ave. and Dupont Circle). Hospitality ambassadors are outfitted in black and gold.

Capitol Hill Business Improvement District (Capitol Hill BID), 30 Massachusetts Ave. NE, inside Union Station's garage (tel. 202/842-3333; www.capitolhillbid.org), which covers the streets around the U.S. Capitol and Union Station. Blue-and-gold-attired "STARS" roam Capitol Hill.

National Park Service information kiosks are located inside or near the Jefferson, Lincoln, FDR, Vietnam Veterans, Korean War, and World War II memorials and at the Washington Monument (tel. 202/426-6841 or 619-7222; www.nps.gov/state/dc for all national parklands in D.C. or www.nps.gov/nama for National Mall and Memorials Park sites).

The White House Visitor Center, on the first floor of the Herbert Hoover Building, Department of Commerce, 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. NW (btw. 14th and 15th sts.; tel. 202/208-1631, or 456-7041 for recorded information), is open daily (except for Christmas Day, Thanksgiving, and New Year's Day) from 7:30am to 4pm.

The Smithsonian Information Center, in the "Castle," 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW (tel. 202/633-1000, or TTY 633-5285; www.si.edu), is open every day but Christmas from 8:30am to 5:30pm; knowledgeable staff answer questions and dispense maps and brochures.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has a new office near the White House, at 1405 G St. NW, between 14th and 15th streets, (tel. 202/481-6811). Hours are 9am to 5:30pm Monday through Friday. Maps and travel advice are available to members.

Other Helpful Websites

Take a look at the D.C. government's website, www.dc.gov, and that of the nonprofit organization Cultural Tourism D.C., www.culturaltourismdc.org, for more information about the city. The Cultural Tourism D.C. site, in particular, provides helpful and interesting background knowledge of D.C.'s historic and cultural landmarks, especially in neighborhoods, or in parts of neighborhoods, not usually visited by tourists.

Also helpful is the Washington Post site, www.washingtonpost.com, which gives you up-to-the-minute news, weather, visitor information, restaurant reviews, and nightlife insights; its online City Guide, a must-read for locals and tourists alike, features a "Going Out Gurus" blog, covering daily entertainment happenings, as well as a "For Visitors" section, which you might find of use.

Washington Flyer magazine, which you can obtain free at the airports, or browse online in advance (at www.fly2dc.com) often covers airport and airline news and profiles upcoming events in Washington -- things you might want to know before you travel.

Finally, check out the websites and blogs of dcist.com and ontaponline.com for the latest commentary and information about Washington happenings, especially those geared toward 20- and 30-somethings.