You'll find people who, thankfully, won't try to sell you a hot dog or point out that the Lincoln Memorial has 36 columns, one for each state at the time of Lincoln's death. Positioned between the financial district to the south and artsy Adams Morgan to the north, this eclectic neighborhood is in many ways the heart of the city. The circle is surrounded by coffee shops, bookstores, restaurants and bars. This Capitol Hill neighborhood is home to a traditional European-style market every day except Monday. It really comes to life on weekends, though, when the central market building is surrounded by an outdoor flea market.
Vendors display everything from gourmet ravioli to watercolors to Polish pottery.
The only problem with taking the Metro is that you'll wish you had a car to carry home all your great finds. Though Washington's Chinatown can't hold a candle to San Francisco's, it does have some great places for dim sum and a few shops where you can buy all the dried squid and canned lychees you could ever want. You'll find hot hip-hop or cool jazz clubs, depending on your taste. It also offers a dizzying array of ethnic restaurants with Ethiopian, French and Indian treats all served in the same block. For a daytime outing, the National Zoo is just a few blocks from the Metro exit.