Washington, D.C.

For health emergencies, George Washington University Hospital (http://gwhospital.com/Home) is on Washington Circle in Foggy Bottom, adjacent to the Foggy Bottom Metro station. This is where former Vice President Dick Cheney went in 2004 for his irregular heartbeat, and where the President would go in event of a medical emergency. Other hospitals in the city include Howard University Hospital (http://huhealthcare.com/), Georgetown University Hospital (http://georgetownuniversi...), Washington Hospital Center (http://whcenter.org/), and the Children's National Medical Center (http://childrensnational.org/). If you are looking for a quick walk-in clinic, try Farragut Medical & Travel Care, 815 Connecticut Ave NW, ☎ +1 202 775-8500, (http://farragutmedical.com/). M-F 10AM-5PM.

While Washington rivaled other U.S. cities for the Murder Capital of America title in the early 1980s-1990s, violent crime has since fallen dramatically. Even though Washingtonians regularly warn against forays into parts of the Northeast and almost all of the Southeast sections of the city, the average traveler has little to fear. Certain neighborhoods in these areas especially public housing projects are the main contributors to D.C.'s high murder rate, but as a visitor to the city you are extremely unlikely to be victim of a homicide—the vast majority of homicide victims in the U.S. are acquainted with their murderer long before the crime. Moreover, many if not most of the neighborhoods with an eastern address are simply quiet, residential neighborhoods with very low crime of any sort.

The trickiest aspect of staying safe in D.C. lies in the fact that the most dynamic neighborhoods, sporting great nightlife, dining, and diversity, are home to the majority of the city's muggings. Muggings are a minor problem in the north central neighborhoods of Shaw/U Street and Adams Morgan-Columbia Heights, in stark contrast to the popular belief that "gentrification" has somehow made the area safer. That's not to say that visitors should avoid these areas—on the contrary, it would be a shame to miss out on them—but that visitors should be vigilant. In particular, avoid walking at night on side streets—stick to the well-lit main commercial strips, travel in groups, and maintain a basic level of sobriety, and you won't run into trouble.

An area of particular concern, especially around the Colombia Heights, Gallery Place/Chinatown and U Street areas, and in and around their associated Metro stations, are iPhone and iPod snatchings. Theives work alone and in groups around the Metro stations, and come from behind, typically targeting victims who have their devices in their hands or at their ear. The best bet to avoid becoming victim of a snatching is to keep aware of your surroundings. Avoid displaying devices near Metro doors, and avoid using them while entering and exiting Metro stations.

Smoking is banned within almost all enclosed public spaces, including shops, restaurants, bars, clubs, and so on. Most, but not all, restaurants allow smoking in patio seating if there are no ashtrays, ask for one to double check. There is always a bit of talk of sidewalk laws, which would require smokers to wander a certain distance from the bar door, but that remains just talk. Businesses relying principally on tobacco sales are exempt, so there are still tobacco shops, cigar bars, and hookah bars, but with the exception of the hookah, they're rare in this anti-tobacco town.

Talking on your cell phone while driving carries a $100 fine, and unlike in the rest of the country, that law is strictly enforced within the District. Pull over and put your car in park. Hands free devices are permitted, but if you get pulled over for another violation while using one, expect a hard line from the police, who are sick of dealing with accidents caused by distracted drivers.

contact

As in most of the U.S., Internet cafes are a rare phenomenon. However, the D.C. government operates a network of free, public WiFi hotspots across the entire city (http://dcatlas.dcgis.dc.g...). WiFi is also available at D.C. public libraries and many local coffee shops which are also nice places to relax. The libraries have public terminals for non-wireless Internet access as well. Failing that, you can also just hang around outside a hotel or even inside the lobby and take advantage of the WiFi provided to guests.

The one telephone area code throughout the District is 202, although you will also see a lot of Maryland 301 and 240 and Virginia 703 and 571 area codes. Pay phones are nearly extinct, with one handy exception—all Metro stations have at least one.

security

Note that when visiting federal buildings and museums, you will pass through metal detectors and have your bags inspected. Some buildings such as courts, etc. even ban mobile telephones and recording devices. To tour federal buildings, such as the Capitol Building and the White House, you will usually have to go through the hassle of arranging an appointment or tour in advance at least they're free!. Tours of the Capitol Building and the White House can be arranged by contacting the office of a Congressman or the Capitol Visitor Center (http://visitthecapitol.gov/).

Security here has no sense of humor. If you so much as utter the word "bomb," you will be in for a bad time. You give implied consent for your property and person to be searched when entering a government building or public event sports, music. If you are not comfortable with the searches, you can always elect not to enter.

If all this security and procedure is starting to wear you down, get out of the city center and unwind. You'll find a slower pace on the waterfront, especially on Capitol Hill or Georgetown. As far as parks go, the Dumbarton Oaks gardens in Georgetown as well as Roosevelt Island just east of the Key Bridge in Arlington are both great getaways. Better yet, leave the city altogether and take a leisurely stroll in Old Town Alexandria, followed by a relaxing meal.

Embassies

embassies
Haiti
2311 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 332-4090
embassies
Yemen
2319 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 965-4760
embassies
Chad
2002 R St NW
+1 202 462-4009
embassies
Portugal
2125 Kalorama Road NW
+1 202 328-8610
embassies
Iceland
1156 15th St NW Ste 1200
+1 202 265-6653
embassies
East Timor
3415 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 965-1515
embassies
Qatar
4200 Wisconsin Ave NW
+1 202 274-1600
embassies
Slovenia
1525 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 667-5363
embassies
Ukraine
3350 M St NW
+1 202 333-0606
embassies
Tunisia
1515 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 862-1850
embassies
Suriname
4301 Connecticut Ave NW Ste 460
+1 202 244-7488
embassies
Bulgaria
1621 22nd St NW
+1 202 387-0174
embassies
Liechtenstein
1300 I St NW Ste 550W
+1 202 216-0460
embassies
Swaziland
1712 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 362-6683
embassies
Uganda
5911 16th St NW
+1 202 726-7100
embassies
Paraguay
2400 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 483-6960
embassies
Venezuela
1099 30th St NW
+1 202 342-2214
embassies
Algeria
2118 Kalorama Rd NW
+1 202 265-2800
embassies
Mauritius
4301 Connecticut Ave NW Ste 441
+1 202 244-1491
embassies
Egypt
3521 International Ct NW
+1 202 895-5400
embassies
Germany
4645 Reservoir Rd NW
+1 202 298-4000
embassies
Latvia
4325 17th St NW
+1 202 726-8213
embassies
Guyana
2490 Tracy Place NW
+1 202 265-6900
embassies
Japan
2520 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 238-6700
embassies
Zimbabwe
1608 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 332-7100
embassies
Italy
3000 Whitehaven St NW
+1 202 612-4400
embassies
Luxembourg
2200 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 265-4171
embassies
France
4101 Reservoir Rd NW
+1 202 944-6000
embassies
Papua New Guinea
1779 Massachusetts Ave NW Ste 805
+1 202 745-3680
embassies
Lesotho
2511 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 797-5532
embassies
United Arab Emirates
3522 International Ct NW
+1 202 243-2400
embassies
Ecuador
2535 15th St NW
+1 202 234-7200
embassies
Hungary
3910 Shoemaker St NW
+1 202 362-6730
embassies
Guinea-Bissau
15929 Yukon Lane
+1 301 947-3958
embassies
Colombia
2118 Leroy Pl NW
+1 202 387-8338
embassies
Brazil
3006 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 238-2700
embassies
Guinea
2112 Leroy Pl NW
+1 202 483-9420
embassies
Malawi
2408 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 797-1007
embassies
Bangladesh
3510 International Dr NW
+1 202 342-8372
embassies
Sri Lanka
2148 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 483-4025
embassies
Montenegro
1610 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 234-6108
embassies
Palau
1700 Pennsylvania Ave NW
+1 202 452-6814
embassies
Oman
2535 Belmont Rd NW
+1 202 387-1980
embassies
Nepal
2131 Leroy Pl NW
+1 202 667-4550
embassies
Senegal
2112 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 234-0540
embassies
Botswana
1531-1533 New Hampshire NW
+1 202 244-4990
embassies
Trinidad and Tobago
1708 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 467-6490
embassies
Cote D'Ivoire
3421 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 797-0300
embassies
Togo
2208 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 234-4212
embassies
Uruguay
1913 I St NW
+1 202 331-1313
embassies
Canada
501 Pennsylvania Ave NW
+1 202 682-1740
embassies
Russian Federation
2650 Wisconsin Ave NW
+1 202 298-5700
embassies
Nicaragua
1627 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 939-6570
embassies
Sudan
2210 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 338-8565
embassies
Micronesia
1725 N St NW
+1 202 223-4383
embassies
Israel
3514 International Dr NW
+1 202 364-5500
embassies
Denmark
3200 Whitehaven St NW
+1 202 234-4300
embassies
Kazakhstan
1401 16th St NW
+1 202 232-5488
embassies
Kosovo
900 19th St NW
+1 202 265-8000
embassies
Niger
2204 R St NW
+1 202 483-4224
embassies
Mauritania
2129 Leroy Pl NW
+1 202 232-5700
embassies
Cambodia
4530 16th St NW
+1 202 726-7742
embassies
Romania
1607 23rd St NW
+1 202 332-4848
embassies
Serbia
2134 Kalorama Rd NW
+1 202 332-4686
embassies
Lithuania
2622 16th St NW
+1 202 234-5860
embassies
Syria
2215 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 232-6313
embassies
Dominican Republic
1715 22nd St NW
+1 202 332-6280
embassies
Bolivia
3014 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 483-4410
embassies
Republic of Korea
2450 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 939-5600
embassies
New Zealand
37 Observatory Cir
+1 202 328-4800
embassies
Mozambique
1990 M St NW Ste 570
+1 202 293-7146
embassies
Indonesia
2020 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 775-5200
embassies
Slovakia
3523 International Ct NW
+1 202 237-1054
embassies
Switzerland
2900 Cathedral Ave NW
+1 202 745-7900
embassies
Pakistan
3517 International Court NW
+1 202 243-6500
embassies
Kyrgyzstan
1001 Pennsylvania Ave NW
+1 202 338 5141
embassies
Madagascar
2374 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 265-5525
embassies
European Union
2300 M St NW
+1 202 862-9500
embassies
Congo (Democratic Rep)
1800 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 234-7690
embassies
Costa Rica
2114 S St NW
+1 202 234-2945
embassies
Morocco
1601 21st St NW
+1 202 462-7979
embassies
Kuwait
2940 Tilden St NW
+1 202 966-0702
embassies
Australia
1601 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 797-3000
embassies
Singapore
3501 International Pl NW
+1 202 537-3100
embassies
Burundi
2233 Wisconsin Ave NW Ste 212
+1 202 342-2574
embassies
Sweden
2900 K St NW
+1 202 467-2600
embassies
Nigeria
3519 International Ct NW
+1 202 986-8400
embassies
 

D.C. is home to more embassies than any other city in the world, and any country without one will have consular representation one way or another. Most are housed in beautiful old buildings or impressive modern ones, especially those most prominently located along Embassy Row on Massachusetts Ave through Dupont Circle and Woodley Park. If you just want to visit one for the heck of it, try ringing the buzzer of one from a small, lesser-known country—they may well let you in and give a little tour! Each May, dozens of embassies open their doors to the public for the Passport D.C. festival (http://culturaltourismdc....), which showcases the buildings themselves, as well as exhibits, talks, and performances.

embassies
Mongolia
2833 M St NW
+1 202 333-7117
embassies
Dominica
3216 New Mexico Ave NW
+1 202 364-6781
embassies
Saint Lucia
3216 New Mexico Ave NW
+1 202 364-6792
embassies
Sierra Leone
1701 19th St NW
+1 202 939-9261
embassies
Myanmar
2300 S St NW
+1 202 332-9044
embassies
Georgia
1615 New Hampshire Ave NW Ste 300
+1 202 387-2390
embassies
Ireland
2234 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 462-3939
embassies
China
2300 Connecticut Ave NW
+1 202 328-2500
embassies
Equatorial Guinea
2020 16th St NW
+1 202 518-5700
embassies
Burkina Faso
2340 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 332-5577
embassies
Austria
3524 International Ct NW
+1 202 895-6700
embassies
Netherlands
4200 Linnean Ave NW
+1 202 244-5300
embassies
Thailand
1024 Wisconsin Ave NW
+1 202 944-3600
embassies
Peru
1700 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 833-9860
embassies
Afghanistan
2341 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 234-3770
embassies
Gabon
2034 20th St NW Ste 200
+1 202 797-1000
embassies
Estonia
2131 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 588-0101
embassies
Armenia
2225 R St
+1 202 319-1976
embassies
Czech Republic
3900 Spring of Freedom St NW
+1 202 274-9100
embassies
Malta
2017 Connecticut Ave NW
+1 202 462-3611
embassies
Fiji
2233 Wisconsin Ave NW Ste 240
+1 202 337-8320
embassies
India
2107 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 939-7000
embassies
Turkey
2525 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 612-6700
embassies
Malaysia
3516 International Ct NW
+1 202 572-9700
embassies
Mexico
1911 Pennsylvania Ave NW
+1 202 728-1600
embassies
South Africa
3051 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 232-4400
embassies
Spain
2375 Pennsylvania Ave NW
+1 202 452-0100
embassies
Namibia
1605 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 986-0540
embassies
Moldova
2101 S St NW
+1 202 667-1130
embassies
Gambia (The)
1156 15th St NW Ste 1000
+1 202 785-1399
embassies
Djibouti
1156 15th St NW Ste 515
+1 202 331-0270
embassies
Philippines
1600 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 467-9300
embassies
Norway
2720 34th St NW
+1 202 333-6000
embassies
Panama
2862 McGill Terr NW
+1 202 483-1407
embassies
Vietnam
1233 20th St NW Ste 400
+1 202 861-0737
embassies
Kenya
2249 R St NW
+1 202 387-6101
embassies
Marshall Islands
2433 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 234-5414
embassies
Barbados
2144 Wyoming Ave NW
+1 202 939-9200
embassies
Bahamas
2220 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 319-2660
embassies
Angola
2100 16th St NW
+1 202 785-1156
embassies
Poland
2640 16th St NW
+1 202 234-3800
embassies
Cyprus
2211 R St NW
+1 202 462-5772
embassies
United Kingdom
3100 Massachusetts Ave NW
+1 202 588-6500
embassies
Belgium
3330 Garfield St NW
+1 202 333-6900
embassies
Ghana
3512 International Dr NW
+1 202 686-4520
embassies
Eritrea
1708 New Hampshire Ave NW
+1 202 319-1991
embassies
Honduras
3007 Tilden St NW Ste 4-M
+1 202 966-7702
embassies
St. Kitts and Nevis
3216 New Mexico Ave NW
+1 202 686-2636
embassies
El Salvador
2308 California St NW
+1 202 265-9671