Although it may seem like everything you need lies on Metro’s red line, many other hidden treasures are scattered throughout the city. Here's just a few for you to check out.
RED LINE One-Stop-Shopping Old Post Office Pavilion WHERE: 1100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW STATION: Metro Center (Red Line) COST: Varies by store With an observation deck 270 feet up, the Old Post Office Tower gives you one of the best views of D.C. for free but also provides stores and an international food court. But if you want to keep your head out of the clouds, be sure to check out the stores featuring tours of the city – on foot, Segway, trolley and bike.
Entertainment Politics and Prose WHERE: 5015 Connecticut Ave. NW STATION: Van Ness (Red Line) COST: Events are free This independent bookstore/café not only supplies the literature, but the authors too. Within two miles from AU and even closer to the Tenleytown/AU Metro station, Politics and Prose hosts free events occur regularly, bringing readers together with their favorite writers. A café downstairs seals the deal.
Recreation Rock Creek Park WHERE: 5200 Glover Rd. NW (Nature Center and Planetarium) STATION: Van Ness (Red Line) COST: Free This national park offers many cycling, hiking, rollerblading and running trails. Don’t forget to bring a bag lunch to enjoy nature at one of the many picnic spots.
Museums/Monuments/Memorials National Building Museum, 'Lego Architecture: Towering Ambition' Exhibit WHERE: 401 F St. NW STATION: Judiciary Square (Red Line) COST: $5 Tired of thinking collegiate thoughts? Go back to your childhood with these huge Lego reproductions of famous structures like the Empire State Building and the Sears Tower. The model of the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, took 340 hours to build, is 17 1/2 feet high and uses 450,300 Lego bricks.
Food Amsterdam Falafelshop WHERE: 2425 18th St. NW STATION: Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan (Red Line) COST: $6 for a falafel, $4 for fries This vegetarian eatery offers falafels and fries that won’t break the bank, offered with a choice of 21 different sauces and toppings. This takes fast food to an environmental level, with small packaging to reduce the store’s carbon footprint.
Greek Deli WHERE: 1120 19th St. NW STATION: Dupont Circle (Red Line) COST: Sandwiches cost around $7, entrees cost around $10 A location named a best “Dirt Cheap Eat” by Washingtonian Magazine, Greek Deli’s daily line out the door proves it is one of the city’s best culinary finds. Order the lamb souvlaki sandwich and the chicken lemon soup for a truly fantastic and filling meal. Greek Deli is only open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., so plan an after-class lunch trip. Your taste buds will beg you to return.
BLUE AND ORANGE LINES One-Stop-Shopping The Shops at Georgetown Park WHERE: 3222 M St. NW STATION: Rosslyn (Blue and Orange lines) COST: Varies by store Smaller than the other area malls, the Shops at Georgetown Park offers high-end stores including Anthropologie, J. Crew and Dean and DeLuca.
Entertainment Eastern Market WHERE: 225 7th St. SE STATION: Eastern Market (Blue and Orange Lines) COST: Free Eastern Market is the District’s oldest continually operated fresh food public market. It has been a great place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables and to people-watch for the past 136 years.
Recreation National Arboretum WHERE: 3501 New York Ave. NE STATION: Metrobus B-2 via Stadium Armory Station (Blue and Orange Lines) COST: Free If you grow tired of city blocks, take a trip to the National Arboretum to remember what nature looks like. The Bonsai garden closes early, so be sure to make that one of your first stops.
Museums/Monuments/Memorials Korean War Veterans Memorial WHERE: National Mall STATION: Foggy Bottom (Blue and Orange Lines) COST: Free The haunting faces of the infantrymen coming out of woods make this one of the most stirring monuments in D.C. Visiting this and other memorials on the National Mall at night is something every student should do.
Food We, the Pizza WHERE: 303 Pennsylvania Ave. SE STATION: Capitol South (Blue and Orange Lines) COST: $4-5 for a slice, $16-18 for a pie For all the New Yorkers and New Jerseyans craving a slice of home, try this New York-style pizzeria with its specialty pies.
Georgetown Cupcake WHERE: 3301 M St. NW STATION: Foggy Bottom (Blue and Orange Lines) COST: Cupcakes and drinks cost around $3 Whether you visit after a meal or just for fun, your sweet tooth will fall in love with this famous bakery. Now the star of TLC’s “DC Cupcakes,” they use the finest ingredients to create cupcakes that are well worth the 20-minute wait and $2.75. Though all 90 flavors are fantastic, the red velvet and chocolate ganache cupcakes are a must.
GREEN AND YELLOW LINES One-Stop-Shopping The Fashion Centre at Pentagon City WHERE: 1100 South Hayes St., Arlington, Va. STATION: Pentagon City (Yellow and Blue Lines) COST: Varies by store Commonly known as the Pentagon City mall, this three-floor shopping center is perfect for an indoor shopping spree. With over 170 stores and a food court, it's well worth the long commute.
Entertainment/Food Busboys and Poets WHERE: 14th and V St. NW STATION: U Street/Cardozo-African American Civil War Memorial (Green Line) COST: Events are free Named for poet Langston Hughes, who once worked as a restaurant busboy, Busboys and Poets is a café with a small bookstore and a side room for open-mic nights. With poetry slams, film screenings, talent shows and more, the focus is often discussing social justice and peace.
Recreation Washington Nationals WHERE: 1500 South Capitol St. SE STATION: Navy Yard (Green Line) COST: Tickets start at $10 If you’re OK with sitting in the nosebleeds, consider catching a Washington Nationals game for only $10. It’ll be well worth the ticket to see new pitching phenomenon Stephen Strasburg on the mound.
Museums/Monuments/Memorials African American Civil War Memorial and Museum WHERE: 1200 U St. NW STATION: U Street/Cardozo-African American Civil War Memorial (Green Line) COST: Free The nation’s first and only memorial to the African Americans that served in the Civil War, this museum honors the sacrifice and bravery of these troops.
Food Ben’s Chili Bowl WHERE: 1213 U St. NW STATION: U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo (Green and Yellow Lines) COST: Burgers for $5; fries and milkshakes for $3 Suffering from late-night chili cravings with no place to go? Look no further than Ben’s Chili Bowl, open from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. (4 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays). This D.C. classic has been serving half-smokes, hot dogs and (of course) chili since 1958. Entertain yourself with the pictures of world leaders and pop culture icons who have dined at Ben’s while noshing on your own original chili half-smoke.
Julia’s Empanadas WHERE: 14th St. and Park Rd. NW STATION: Columbia Heights (Green Line) COST: Empanadas cost about $4 Julia’s sells delicious, simple food for even the tightest college budget. Their authentic empanada recipes come from around the world, offering meat varieties from Chile, Spain and Jamaica as well as vegetarian options. Grab some gazpacho and potato salad if an empanada isn’t enough. Try the Healthy Meal Deal – an empanada, salad and soup for only $5.91.
