Neighborhoods / Residential Areas, Washington D.C.

Dance Place offers youth and adult dance classes in hip-hop, tap, modern, jazz, ballet, african, and other styles as well as master classes with visiting artists.

Thier studio is just a couple of blocks from the Brookland Metro stop on the red line.

They have ongoing classes and encourage adult students to drop in for one class or several. Youth classes are by semester. See their website for details.

Joy of Motion offers youth and adult dance classes in hip-hop, tap, modern, jazz, ballet, flamenco, and other styles as well as pilates and yoga.

There are studios near metro stops in Dupont Circle, Friendship Heights and Bethesda.

They have ongoing classes and encourage students to drop in for one class or several. See their website for details.

I grew up in DC and one of the rights of passage in high school was to go to Georgetown and find the stairs that were used in the filming of The Excorcist movie. The house that was used is at the top of the stairs.
This excursion is best done early in the evening.. dark enough to be scary, early enough to be safe. Go in a group.. it adds to the thrill.
In Georgetown follow the sidewalk down M street all the way past the Rossalyn bridge. There is a gas station on the right hand side of the street. If I remember correctly, the sidewalk ends. Tucked in the corner of teh parking lot of the gas station are the stairs. They are hidden next to a building. Climb up all the flights and look to the left and you will see the creepy house too!
AARGH!!!

The Old Town Visitors Center, has nice people who will give you info on a walking tour. When we got to the end of the tour at Christs church we sat in George Washington's Pew, there was a wonderful lady there who told us all about the church, it is beautiful. Also the visitors center gave us coupons for the river boat cruise to Mount Vernon, and free parking for the day.

Just two metro stops north of downtown is a great place to catch a glimpse of the real DC. Woodley Park is home to the National Zoo as well as several nice hotels & guest houses. The side streets are tree lined and the row house are some of DC's finest.

Woodley park is a great place to stop for a bite to eat. Street Cafes line Connecticut Avenue and cater to every taste. Like Lebanese Food? Try the Lebanese Taverna, Vietnamese? Siagon Gourment! Thia, French and a nice little Irish Pub round out the mix. You can always eat at McDonalds or Chipotle if you're watching the $.

Politics is good theater, and if Congress is out or its a rainy day, take time out to head up to Cleveland Park to catch a movie at the Uptown Theater. The Uptown is one of the largest movie theaters on the East Coast and harkens back to the day when going to see a movie was an event.

This art deco theater seats 840 people and there is no bad seat in the house. Movies are projected onto a large three story tall screen that curves around the audience. Occasionally in the summer, they show old classics.

3426 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20008

After spending a day or two seeing the sites in DC, take a cab to Georetown to see the University and the town. It is a nice break from the tourist feel in downtown and will help break up the whirlwind type mentality you have experienced in trying to visit all of the sites. Plus, there are great restaurants and shops

Wonderful 1800's houses line the streets behind the Capitol. Some are connected to one another as "row houses". Others are free standing. A lot of this area has been improving in recent years as property values rise. The restored houses stretch further out from the Capitol every time I visit.

I'm always fascinated by the view out the back window of the homes in cities like Washington. People do all sorts of things with their little postage stamp garden space..and then beyond it is the utility of living. Here is where the cars are parked...the trash man comes through...and REAL LIFE sort of shows through.

U Street (Subway : U Street - Cardozo) - Between 13th & 16th there is the Jazz Area from 1920 to 1960 (nickname of the street : Black Broadway).

Duke Ellington lived his childwood here (he lived 1212 T Street). Mile Davis said : 'each musician must postrate before God to thank Him to have created Duke Ellington'.