Washington D.C. Neighborhoods: Dupont & Logan Circles
As I mentioned in my living of a life of travel with a sensitive body post, I have a penchant for soft tissue injuries. These can be a real pain when traveling alone and on my recent trip to Washington D.C. I found myself unable to walk the distances I'm accustomed to due to an injury. Instead of wallowing in sorrow in my beautiful hotel room, I made it a point to get out and explore the Dupont and Logan Circle neighborhoods - both within an accessible walking distance for my injury.
So today I offer a few fun sights and recommendations for where to stay, where to eat, and what to do while in these two D.C. neighborhoods.
Where To Stay
I've been a fan of Kimpton hotels since way back in 2004, when my husband and I started a tradition of staying at one for our anniversary. It's entirely possible I was sold by the animal print robes and pet friendly nature alone. I've stayed at two in the D.C. area; the Helix which is closer to Logan Circle and on this most recent trip, the Topaz which is closer to DuPont Circle. I completely fell for the Topaz - the view from my room was city-fabulous and the staff were incredibly kind. The extra pluses of a good sized mini fridge and an in-room yoga mat make the stay even better.
Make sure to ask for a goldfish companion for your stay. I worried incessantly about my fish, Frances, and propped up a book with a great two page spread view on one side of her tank. In case you wondering about keeping a feeding schedule (or maybe that's just me...), the housekeeping staff will feed the fish in the morning when they come to clean your room.
Where To Eat
There are a number of gluten free friendly spots to eat around Dupont and Logan circles including some of my long time favorites like; Birch & Barley, Firefly, Scion, and Pitango Gelato (you simply must try the rhubarb sorbet). My two new favorites after this trip are Crios Modern Mexican and JRINK Juicery. The staff at Crios had a great understanding of my gluten free needs and knew enough to immediately mention that their chips are fried in a contaminated fryer. I went for a simple order of veggie tacos with rice and beans - turned out to be fresh, delicious, and the cheapest dinner I've ever had in D.C. My other favorite new find is JRINK Juicery, just off Dupont Circle. Each juice I tried I loved, but I kept coming back to the simple and delicious "Charge Me Up". From now on, JRINK is going to be a regular stop whenever I'm in town.
What To Do
First and foremost, spend some time walking the streets of Dupont and Logan Circles. You'll run across all sorts of interesting architectural and style choices, beautiful flora, and plenty of embassies.
Second, visit some inspirational institutions like the Human Rights Campaign and the National Geographic Museum - both are within a very short walking distance of Dupont Circle. I've previously written about visiting the later, but the newest exhibit, Peruvian Gold, is worth the visit alone! I was most taken by the amazing hand crafts (oh the textiles!) and El Tocado, the largest and most ornate pre-Columbian headdress ever discovered, at the very end of the exhibit.