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Georgetown and the Potomac River from above — Key Bridge, the waterfront, and boats on the river
Northwest Washington, DC

Discover Northwest DC — the city's front yard.

Your neighborhood guide to Georgetown's shops, Dupont's fountain, Adams Morgan's 18th Street, the National Zoo, Rock Creek Park, local restaurants, events, and deals — from the Potomac to the Maryland line.

1889National Zoo founded — free ever since
1,754acres of Rock Creek Park forest
Freeadmission at the National Zoo, every day

Explore the Northwest map

Start here: the places that define the quadrant, pinned. Tap a number or a card to find it on the map.

The interactive map isn't available right now — the full list of places is beside it.

    What's happening in Northwest

    The standing rhythms of the quadrant — Sunday markets, drum circles, free zoo days, and nights on U Street, every week of the year.

    See events →
    Sundays

    Dupont Circle Farmers Market

    The year-round Sunday market on 20th Street — farm stands, flowers, and coffee around the fountain before the chess games start.

    20th St NW, at the Circle →
     Sunday afternoons

    The Meridian Hill drum circle

    Drummers and dancers gather by the cascading fountain at Meridian Hill Park — a Northwest Sunday tradition for decades.

    16th & W St NW →
     Every day

    A free morning at the Zoo

    Giant pandas, elephants, and 300 species along Connecticut Avenue — the Smithsonian's zoo never charges admission.

    3001 Connecticut Ave NW →
     On stage now

    Nights at the Lincoln Theatre

    Concerts and comedy in the 1922 U Street landmark where Ellington once played — the heart of Black Broadway's old strip.

    1215 U St NW →

    Things to do in Northwest

    Evergreen guides for residents and visitors — parks and gardens first, because that's how Northwest breathes.

    Boulder Bridge over Rock Creek, surrounded by green forest in Rock Creek Park

    A walk in Rock Creek Park

    1,754 acres of forest, creek, and trail running through the middle of the city — Boulder Bridge to Peirce Mill and beyond.

    Museum-hop around Dupont

    The Phillips Collection and the embassy row mansions make Dupont an afternoon of art within a few blocks.

    Garden afternoons

    Dumbarton Oaks in Georgetown and Hillwood in Forest Hills — two of the great house-and-garden visits in America.

    Sunset on the Georgetown waterfront

    River steps, the labyrinth, and dinner on K Street as the boats come in under Key Bridge.

    Free things to do

    The Zoo, the drum circle, Rock Creek's trails, and the Cathedral grounds — Northwest's best hours cost nothing.

     Colorful rowhouses and sidewalk cafés on 18th Street in Adams Morgan

    18th Street, Adams Morgan

    Bookshops, record stores, and kitchens from everywhere — the quadrant's most international half-mile.

    Hidden Northwest

    The Spanish Steps in Kalorama, Exorcist steps in Georgetown, and the Bishop's Garden behind the Cathedral.

    Events & community calendar

    The recurring calendar Northwest runs on — plus a standing invitation: if you're hosting it here, list it here.

    Sundays

    Dupont Circle Farmers Market

    Year-round Sunday-morning market on 20th Street NW — regional farms, bakers, and flower growers.

     Dupont Circle     Sundays

    Meridian Hill Park drum circle

    An open, all-afternoon drum circle and dance gathering at the top of the park's terraced gardens.

     Meridian Hill Park     Weekly

    Performances at the Lincoln Theatre

    Concerts, comedy, and talks in the historic 1922 theatre on U Street.

     Lincoln Theatre · U St NW     Monthly

    ANC & community meetings

    Advisory Neighborhood Commission meetings across Northwest — Dupont, Adams Morgan, Logan Circle, Georgetown, and more — where quadrant decisions get discussed.

     Across Northwest DC     Seasonal

    Rock Creek Park ranger programs

    Guided hikes, planetarium shows, and nature programs at the park's nature center and Peirce Mill.

     Rock Creek Park

    Neighborhood deals

    Where Northwest businesses post their offers — Georgetown shopping, Adams Morgan happy hours, and local services across the quadrant.

    Shopping

    Georgetown shopping offers

    M Street and Wisconsin Avenue stores post seasonal sales and neighborhood-appreciation offers here — national brands and independent boutiques side by side.

    Eat & Drink

    Happy hours on 18th Street

    Adams Morgan and Dupont restaurants and bars run weekday happy hours — the best tables in the quadrant at the best hour of the day.

    Local Services

    Neighborhood offers

    Northwest shops and services post resident offers here, from fitness and wellness to home services across the quadrant's ZIP codes.

    Northwest directory

    The start of the quadrant's business and places database — growing listing by listing. Own a Northwest business? Add it free.

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    Explore the neighborhood

    Browse Northwest the way residents actually look for things.

    Restaurants & FoodGeorgetown dining, 18th Street, everyday spots Coffee & BakeriesMorning stops from Cleveland Park to Logan Circle Arts & CultureThe Phillips, the Lincoln Theatre, galleries Parks & RecreationRock Creek, Meridian Hill, rec centers, trails Retail & ShoppingGeorgetown, Chevy Chase, independent shops Health & WellnessClinics, fitness, and personal care Home & Professional ServicesContractors, real estate, legal, financial Nonprofits & CommunityCivic groups, houses of worship, local organizations
    Georgetown Dupont Circle Adams Morgan Logan Circle U Street Columbia Heights Woodley Park Cleveland Park Foggy Bottom Tenleytown Glover Park Chevy Chase

    Local stories & development

    Hyperlocal by design — openings, projects, and the history that explains how Northwest got its shape. Every story is reviewed by a person before it runs.

    Parks

    The park that runs through everything

    Set aside in 1890, Rock Creek Park is the green spine of Northwest — 1,754 acres that separate and connect a dozen neighborhoods. How the valley was saved, and how residents use it now.

     History

    Georgetown's second act on the water

    The working port became a park: Georgetown Waterfront Park turned ten acres of riverfront into lawns, river steps, and a labyrinth. What it changed for the city's oldest neighborhood.

     Neighborhood

    Sunday at Meridian Hill

    The drum circle starts when it starts. For decades, Sunday afternoons on the upper terrace have been Northwest's most democratic gathering — here's how the tradition holds.

    Built with the neighborhood

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    What's Happening in Northwest DC This Week

    One email, every week: five things happening, a featured restaurant, the best local deal, new openings, and the weekend pick.

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