News feeds have been flooded with updates from Washington, DC but there’s so much more to the city than politics. In addition to the elections, this is a big year for the capital, and a great time to visit.

Why DC Now?

• 2020 is the 100th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote. In celebration, the National Museum of American History will unveil a women’s suffrage exhibit March 6.
• RiverPoint, a $250 million development on DC’s waterfront, is launching this spring with new shops, restaurants and a food hall by James Beard-award-winner Spike Gjerde.
• It will be easier than ever to get downtown with Dulles airport’s new direct metro link – the Silver Line metro opens this summer.
• On May 8, the Frank Gehry-designed, four-acre Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial will open to commemorate the 75th anniversary of V-E Day (when the allied forces in Europe officially accepted the surrender of Nazi Germany in 1945).
• From New York, the new non-stop New York-DC Amtrak Acela service gets you to the capital in just two hours and 35 minutes.

  

And when it comes to where to stay, The Dupont Circle Hotel is just wrapping up a large renovation with the final touches of its 1,980-square-foot penthouse suite designed by Clodagh with views over Washington. Dupont Circle is just below and the Washington monument is in the distance.

The new restaurant (The Pembroke) and bar (Doyle) are constantly abuzz with after-work drinks, dates, business lunches and fun weekend brunches – everyone comes in to soak up the mid-century-inspired Martin Brudnizki interiors with creative cocktails and classic dishes like a perfect dover sole or a roasted duck magret. The hotel’s Slice of the City guides have insider tips for exploring DC, and the hotel is centrally located within walking distance to U Street, Foggy Bottom and the shops of Georgetown. It’s also a quick metro ride away from trendy new District Wharf, the National Mall and its museums, and the Capitol.