Stay District of Columbia Rentals, Vacation Rentals in District of Columbia

In 1790, a survey of the land for the District of Columbia was undertaken by Andrew Ellicott with the help of Benjamin Banneker, a free black from Maryland who was a self-taught mathematician and astronomer. Forty boundary stones, laid at one-mile intervals, established the boundaries based on Banneker's celestial calculations. The Potomac River was known to Native Americans as the "Co-hon-ho-roo-ta." The first English explorers called it "Elizabeth." The Residence Bill of July 16, 1790, established a site along the Potomac to be the capital. This federal district was first called the Territory of Columbia and the federal city the City of Washington. The name changed to the District of Columbia in 1793. The most popular museum in DC—and on the planet—is the National Air and Space Museum, which has had 219 million visitors in its first 25 years. DC has 715 libraries—only 118 fewer than New York City. Of adults 25 and older in DC, 42% have at least a bachelor's degree. Washington, DC, is second only to the Silicon Valley, CA region in educational attainment. Compared to the 50 states, DC has the smallest differential between male and female pay in the country.

Being the nation's capital, DC is unique in the United States in its governance and its development. The city has historically had a large African-American population and boasts a vital black history and population. The poet Langston Hughes, the Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, and musician Duke Ellington are prominent black Americans whose time in DC is commemorated throughout the city in business names and heritage trail markers. Many DC residents will tell you that there's no "there"in DC and its suburbs. Outside of Washington's rich black heritage, city life is characterized by the transience of a population coming from all over the United States, and the world, for jobs associated with the federal government, or for an education at one of the region's highly-regarded universities. Overall, residents in the Washington area are more educated and better paid than their counterparts in most regions of the United States, and the unemployment rate is quite low. But poverty is also a real fact of life in DC, where the school system is ranked among the lowest in the nation, and the gap between rich and poor incomes was the second-highest in the nation, as of 2011, behind top-ranked New Jersey.

The best time to visit will be when the average temperatures are at a comfortable level (between 20°C and 30°C on average) which is during months June, July, August and September. Other great months to visit are April, May and October when the average temperatures are a little cooler but still between a pleasant 10°C and 20°C. If you don't mind bringing a coat, you might also enjoy visiting during January, February, March, November and December but average temperatures are fairly cool (between 0°C and 10°C).

Washington, DC: The history, the government, the breathtaking architecture and inspiring monuments—you don't have to be a child to get an amazing education in this city. Our nation's capital is also known for its plenitude of museums—in fact, there are 44, second only to the Big Apple! If your kid enjoys visiting the National Air and Space Museum, imagine fostering his love of airplanes with trips to nearby Gravelly Point Park for front-seat views of the takeoffs and landings at Reagan National Airport. The Capital Crescent Trail, a hard-surface trail from Georgetown to Bethesda, MD, developed on an abandoned rail bed, is a great bike trip that is off the beaten track. Family dinner nights are easy at quirky local favorites like Matchbox restaurants or Busboys and Poets—both provide a place adults and kids can enjoy. And, of course, any child growing up in Washington, DC, will have a special place in his heart for the famous cherry blossoms and festival held each spring.

The little state of Delaware was nicknamed the "Diamond State," by Thomas Jefferson, because he felt it was a real jewel in terms of its strategic location. Although only the second state in terms of its size (Rhode Island is smaller), it still has plenty of things to see. A lot of American history took place on this little state that offers some great tours. Wilmington, the capitol of Delaware, was the last stop on the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves. The stop is now called the Harriet Tubman-Garrett Riverfront Park - named after the Underground Conductor and the stationmaster. The Park is part of the restored Riverwalk, which is a 1.2 mile lighted walkway that has been beautifully landscaped. The largest salt marsh in the eastern United States is in a special reserve in Delaware called the Bombay Hook National Wildlife Reserve. With almost 16,000 acres of mostly unadulterated land and salt marsh, it provides an excellent place to see wildlife in its natural habitat. It is a great place for you and the many thousands of people that come every year to view the many birds and other wildlife that lives here - or passes through.

After seeing everything else, it would be a mistake to leave Delaware and not see some of the historic sights. New Castle is the place where the New Castle Historical Society has preserved three historical homes - the Amstel House, the Dutch House, and the Old Library Museum. Many historical figures of the past visited or lived in these homes - including George Washington and more than one governor. Surrounding these homes are beautiful gardens and inside are finely crafted American and European antiques.

An extensive network of streets, parkways, and arterial avenues forms the core of the District's surface transportation infrastructure. Due to protests by local residents during the freeway revolts of the 1960s, much of the proposed interstate highway system through the middle of Washington was never built. Interstate 95, the nation's major east coast highway, therefore bends around the District to form the eastern portion of the Capital Beltway. The funds that had been dedicated for additional highway construction were instead redirected to the region's public transportation infrastructure. The interstate highways that do continue into Washington, including Interstate 66 and Interstate 395, both terminate shortly upon entering the city. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA) operates the Washington Metro, the city's rapid transit system, as well as Metro bus. Both systems serve the District and its suburbs. Metro opened on March 27, 1976 and presently consists of 86 stations and 171.1 kilometer of track. With an average of about one million trips each weekday, Metro is the second-busiest rapid transit system in the country. Metro bus serves over 400,000 riders each weekday, making it the nation's sixth-largest bus system. The city also operates its own DC Circulator bus system, which connects commercial areas within central Washington.

Union Station is the main train station in Washington, D.C., and handles approximately 70,000 people each day. It is Amtrak's second-busiest station with 4.6 million passengers annually and serves as the southern terminus for the Northeast Corridor and Acela Express routes. Maryland's MARC and Virginia's VRE commuter trains and the Metrorail Red Line also provide service into Union Station. Expansion plans announced in 2011 will make Union Station the city's primary intercity bus transit center. Three major airports serve the District. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is located across from downtown Washington in Arlington, Virginia and has its own Metrorail station. Given its proximity to the city, Reagan National has extra security precautions required by the Washington Air Defense Identification Zone. Major international flights arrive and depart from Washington Dulles International Airport, located 42.3 kilometer west of the District in Fairfax and Loudoun counties in Virginia. Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport is located 51.0 kilometer northeast of the District in Anne Arundel County, Maryland.

An expected 32 percent increase in transit usage within the District by 2030 has spurred construction of a new DC Streetcar system to interconnect the city's neighborhoods. Construction has also started on an additional Metro line that will connect Washington to Dulles airport. The District and adjacent Arlington County launched Capital Bike share in September 2010; it is currently one of the largest bicycle sharing systems in the country with over 1,100 bicycles and 110 stations. Marked bicycle lanes currently exist on 77 kilometer of streets and the city plans to further enlarge the network.