With a new resident moving into the White House, all eyes will be on Washington DC later this month.  The city has never been under the international spotlight as much as it will be on January 20th, and you won’t be able to escape the images of the city no matter where you are — it will be found on every news report and topic of conversation. Perhaps what you see will end up making you curious enough to check it out in person, and what you’ll find is a conservative and even stuffy city finally loosening up its ties and starting to enjoy the finer things in life.

Drop your luggage at the Donovan House or Hotel Rouge where you’ll sleep in style after a day and night out around the city.
After you’ve taken a look at the city’s numerous neoclassical landmarks, visit the Newseum, an interactive museum opened in 2008 presenting the history and influence of the news and media around the world.  From there it’s easy to reach the National Gallery, with its enormous East Building housing modern and contemporary art by Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Picasso, Matisse, Pollock, among other artists.

When it’s time for a break, head to Georgetown for some trendy shopping and a stop at Leopold’s Kafe.  If it’s closer to dinner time, you now have some serious decisions to make.  Renowned chefs have opened restaurants in the American capital, with Wolfgang Puck’s The Source and Michel Richard’s Citronelle being two of the best destinations.

Once you’re done sampling the city’s creative menus, get further proof that it’s time to rethink Washington’s image as a city that doesn’t know how to have fun.  It has high-profile lounges and clubs matching those in New York or L.A., as proven by Lotus, Eighteenth Street Lounge, and Lima Lounge.  Have some drinks or dance the night away before returning to the sleek hotel that you checked into earlier, and sleep with the satisfaction of having found a hipper side of Washington that most tourists don’t experience.

All of the attractions mentioned above, together with numerous other suggestions, are covered in UCityGuides’ complete Washington DC City Guide.