A Solo Sejourn in Washington, DC, Washington D.C., USA

Partway through my two-month Amtrak odyssey from New York to San Francisco (you can read the whole route here), I hopped off the night train in DC—sandwiched perfectly between Philadelphia and Colonial Williamsburg (my deep dive into Williamsburg is over here). Travelling alone, I treated myself to a leisurely four-day discovery of the capital. Here’s my low-down—from dawn museum marathons to jazz-soaked evenings in Georgetown.

I rolled into Washington Union Station in style aboard Amtrak’s Capitol Limited from Philadelphia. If you’re flying, Reagan National Airport (DCA) is the closest, with a direct Metro link (Yellow and Blue lines) into downtown; Dulles (IAD) and Baltimore–Washington (BWI) both offer shuttle or rail connections. For sheer nostalgia, though, nothing beats arriving by train—no security queues, your luggage stowed safely beneath the carriage, and the city skyline unfolding as you pull in.

Once you’re here, DC is wonderfully walkable—especially the National Mall and adjacent neighbourhoods. For longer hops, the Metro (six colour-coded lines) covers everything from Arlington to Silver Spring. Day-pass options make hopping on and off a breeze. The DC Circulator buses (just US$1 per ride) loop through major tourist corridors, and rideshare scooters and bikes can whisk you across the Tidal Basin in minutes. Taxis and Uber/Lyft are plentiful after dark when the Metro’s quieter. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).