How to Pack for a Trip to Washington, D.C.

Take in a tour of the monuments in comfy clothes. Washington, D.C., can be surprisingly informal, so pack accordingly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Carry-on Bags
• Garment Bags
• Luggage Sets
• Travel Clothes
• Backpacks
• Duffel Bags

1. Check the weather for your intended dates of travel. D.C. winters are cold, and can get blustery. The summers are hot and humid.

2. Pack business attire appropriate for your line of work. Choose lightweight materials for the summer months. Women wear hose with suits despite the summer heat, and tights for warmth in the winter.

3. Pack comfortable casual clothes for leisure activities. Jeans and tennies are widely accepted, as are shorts in the summer.

4. Take a heavy winter coat, long underwear, sweaters, boots, socks, gloves, a scarf and a hat if you plan to be in Washington between November and March. Wear rubber-soled shoes to avoid slipping on ice or snow.

5. Bring lightweight fabrics such as cotton and linen for summer visits, as these natural fibers will breathe in the heat. Pair summer attire with comfortable walking shoes or sandals.

6. Take a light sweater to wear in air-conditioned buildings during the summer months.

7. Men should bring a sport coat and slacks for dinner parties or shows. Women should pack a nice dress for the same occasions. For formal events, dress conservatively to avoid any hint of scandal.

8. Remember that black will hide dirt and absorb heat, while white and ivory will betray dirt but keep you cool.

Tips & Warnings

• Bring a carry-on bag that includes everything you might need in case your luggage goes astray: a change of clothes, all medications, spare contact lenses or glasses, all forms of money and any important documents.
• Pack to accommodate your needs. Leave superfluous items at home.

on 2/16/2006 Be sure not to eat or drink anything on the metro-- you can get arrested for this.

on 1/25/2006 Please don't bring a fanny pack, unless you want everyone to know that you're a middle-aged tourist from the Midwest. Most people are semi-conservative with their dress, very clean cut classic Gap-like styles. Wear comfortable shoes if you're a tourist, there's a lot of walking to be done.

The metro is clean and pretty safe, just be as wary as you normally would with your possessions - security is tight, make sure you don't bring food into the metro or leave your things unattended.

on 11/22/2005 Lived in DC for a year, and the humidity kicked my butt. The summers are extremely hot, humid, and rainy. Expect a lot of sweat.

on 11/22/2005 The Smithsonian is now using metal detectors and searching all bags and has mostly closed their locker facilities. No knives, sharp implements, etc. The air and space museum is also x-raying bags. Leave the backpack in the hotel or with someone outside, only take in a small purse of fanny pack.

on 11/22/2005 be ready for long car rides, there are no hotels in DC, but outside of it, so be ready for longer bus/car rides. And for tourist groups, be ready for walking