Washington DC Safety

SP Cook wrote:
"Tony Fletcher" wrote in message

Rosslyn and Arlington are fine. Almost any place in Virgina or
Maryland is fine.

All of the things you want to see (government stuff, Smithsonian) is
in a very small area along the Potomac across from Reagan National
Airport and Arlington Cemetary. All of this is fine. The upper-class
area of Georgetown and the area where the embassies are are also fine.

Avoid the entire rest of the city. Anyplace with a DC address that is
not in line of sight with the Capitol, etc, is most assuredly
dangerous.

This is total bull. YOu just ruled out the National Cathedral and
National Shrine, Adams MOrgan and DuPont Circle, the Waterfront, the U-STreet
area, the National Zoo and ARboretum, and tons more.

Most of DC, and pretty much any place there are sights are fine. It is no
worse than any city in the world. The years of us being a crime capital are
over.

And very little crime is perpetrated against tourists.

--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

In article , Juliana L Holm
wrote:
Tony Fletcher wrote:
Hi, we are planning to visit DC around Christmas. We prefer to stay in
suite type hotels and have found one in Rosslyn, arlington Va. Can
anyone tell me what type of area this is since we've been warned that
some areas of Washington are quite dangerous. Also can anyone tell us
which areas of the city to avoid?

You've been warned inappropriately. Tourist areas of DC are as safe or
more safe than tourist areas in any metropolitan area in the world. You
are as safe in downtown DC as you are in Picadilly Circus in London, or
on the Left Bank in Paris, or walking down Kurfurstendamm in Berlin, or
Grenich Village in New York, or Chinatown in Sand Francisco.

Avoid areas of the city where there are just run down apartment
buildings, and no sights, restaurants or other tourist attractions.

It used to be easier to say where, upper Northeast and Souteast, blah
blah, but

Having been a resident of DC at one point, and seeing firsthand the effects
of extremely violent crime in a particular area... I would still generally
advise tourists against unnecessary travel through the southeast area,
unless they know what exactly they're doing.

With that said, I don't recall much in way of tourist attractions in that
particular area, so it's unlikely they'll be there.

Most of DC is reasonably safe and I felt no danger as long as I kept my
head to not make for an easy 'mark' (e.g. for pickpockets), just as I do in
other major cities worldwide. Don't be flashy with valuables or
expensive/popular looking cars, don't act drunk, travel in groups (of at
least two) if possible, etc. Ordinary common sense precautions generally
suffice.

The original poster mentioned Rosslyn, VA, if I recall? If lucky, will be
near the Rosslyn Metro stop which is a particularly easy gateway into DC.
I enjoyed that particular stop over the years although I can't remember
what for now. Rosslyn serves the orange and blue Metro lines and about 10
minutes from most any major point in DC via subway.

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

-Dan

Dan Foster wrote:

With that said, I don't recall much in way of tourist attractions in that
particular area, so it's unlikely they'll be there.

The only one I can think of is the Anacostia Museum, which is interesting
to those interested in African American History and life.

It's only open during the day.


--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Juliana L Holm wrote:

Dan Foster wrote:

With that said, I don't recall much in way of tourist attractions in
that
particular area, so it's unlikely they'll be there.

The only one I can think of is the Anacostia Museum, which is interesting
to those interested in African American History and life.

It's only open during the day.


The Congressional Cemetery is also pretty neat....

--
Best
Greg

Gregory Morrow wrote:

The Congressional Cemetery is also pretty neat....

Really, I have never been there! Where is it, and what is neat about it.

Julie
-Who might do this some Saturday coming up.



--
Julie
**********
Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
http://www.dragonsholm.org/travel.htm

Dan Foster wrote:
The original poster mentioned Rosslyn, VA, if I recall? If lucky, will be
near the Rosslyn Metro stop which is a particularly easy gateway into DC.
I enjoyed that particular stop over the years although I can't remember
what for now.

Used to be the Newseum was right there. Nowadays there are no redeeming
aspects to Rosslyn except, as you say, that it's quite convenient for
entering DC, as places in Virginia go.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.

(Miguel Cruz) staggered to the nearest keyboard and
wrote:

Everything west of 16th St NW (about 1/3 of the city) is indisputably
perfectly safe. It includes interesting neighborhoods such as Dupont Circle,
Adams Morgan (okay, you can get your car broken into around here), Cleveland
Park, and Woodley Park. Also, gentrification has been proceeding north and
east from Scott Circle (16th & N), and there are many nice, safe (though
dull) residential neighborhoods in the NNE extremes towards Takoma.

I'll take your word for it, since you live there. But I occasionally
visit Silver Spring (not far from Takoma Park) and nighttime strolls
in that area are not for the faint of heart. Daytime of course is
fine.


--

Charles Hawtrey wrote:
(Miguel Cruz) wrote:
Everything west of 16th St NW (about 1/3 of the city) is indisputably
perfectly safe. It includes interesting neighborhoods such as Dupont
Circle, Adams Morgan (okay, you can get your car broken into around
here), Cleveland Park, and Woodley Park. Also, gentrification has been
proceeding north and east from Scott Circle (16th & N), and there are
many nice, safe (though dull) residential neighborhoods in the NNE
extremes towards Takoma.

I'll take your word for it, since you live there. But I occasionally
visit Silver Spring (not far from Takoma Park) and nighttime strolls
in that area are not for the faint of heart. Daytime of course is
fine.

Sure, but Silver Spring is in Maryland. Even up there, 16th Street is kind
of a dividing line, though it's not nearly as pronounced. Colonial Village,
the little residential wedge of DC up there between 16th and Rock Creek
Park, is fine, though there's no reason for tourists to visit there.

I overheard an amusing conversation at the supermarket the other day where
a cashier was trying to persuade a skeptical colleague that Silver Spring
is "the next Houston". Not sure what to make of that.

miguel (who just a few minutes ago biked back down Piney Branch and 14th St
from Takoma Park)
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu
Site remodeled 10-Sept-2003: Hundreds of new photos, easier navigation.

Miguel Cruz wrote:

I overheard an amusing conversation at the supermarket the other day where
a cashier was trying to persuade a skeptical colleague that Silver Spring
is "the next Houston". Not sure what to make of that.


Pray! Pray *very* hard that *no*place becomes "the next Houston"....lol.

--
Best
Greg

Juliana L Holm wrote:

Gregory Morrow wrote:

The Congressional Cemetery is also pretty neat....

Really, I have never been there! Where is it, and what is neat about it.

Julie
-Who might do this some Saturday coming up.


I like visiting cemeteries on October days. Here ya go:

http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/index.html

"Planning a Visit to Congressional Cemetery

Like many cemeteries in the nineteenth Century, Congressional Cemetery
served as a park for city dwellers. Visitors are encouraged to stroll and
enjoy a quiet hour or two - as others have done since 1807. You will find:


"[a] burying ground beautifully situated on the banks of the Eastern
Branch . with the noble range of forest-clad hills on the opposite side of
the beautiful expanse of water" (Morrison's Strangers Guide and Etiquette
for Washington City and its Vicinity, 1862).


Congressional Cemetery provides one of the few landscapes in the Nation's
Capitol that, by a kindness of fate, corresponds to those described by
Victorian travelers. You will find, as a Philadelphian found in 1884, that
the cemetery is:


"singularly attractive. A truly lovely spot for that long, long sleep which
awaits each mortal, and also a beautiful calm retreat. away from the noise,
bustle and weariness of the city". (Mrs. Jane Gemmill, Notes on Washington).


An historic place.an evocative place.a place to trace the growth of the
nation's Federal and local institutions in the lives and actions of
individual men and woman.

Hours: Office/Library: 10:00 - 3:00 Mon-Wed & Fri

Grounds: Gates Close at Dusk

If the office is closed when you arrive, there are copies of the suggested
walking tour in the mail box just inside the main gate. Please take one."


/