Apart from being the political epicenter of the US, Washington DC has a lot to offer. This destination has historic row houses, legendary museums, and a bustling business neighborhood. You will, of course, find politics dominating the professional energy of the city.
Remaining at the center of attention has its perks. It makes way for a lot of events and trade shows to take place at the capital. The influence of various cultural gatherings has led the Washington ambiance to weigh with its gravity.
This article highlights the various ways to maximize your next Washington trip. It includes ways to combine leisure and work together to make the best of your visit.
Things of Your Interest
The national capital of the US, Washington D.C. is not identified as a state. Some of the most famous landmarks of the US that depict its culture and historical lineage are in Washington. The White House, Lincoln Memorial, and the Washington monument are all here.
The city attracts a lot of businesses to showcase their offering the hundreds of trade shows and events happening regularly. In between the events, you have the option to visit the numerous museums located around the city. Going around the city is easy with an excellent public transportation network in place.
You should explore the various ongoing events in the city, from holiday celebrations and annual festivals to concerts, museum exhibits, and industry-specific trade shows.
If you are a theatre lover, you should visit the John F. Kennedy Performing Center for the Arts during your trip. You will find yourself witnessing a piece of legacy and history along the Potomac. The Potomac river stretching to 405 miles separates Washington from Virginia. The north shore of this river has the nation’s capital.
Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend
As mentioned earlier, Washington DC hosts events specific to various industries. If, for example, you’re from the apparel or leather industry (or an apparel buff like myself), you shouldn’t miss the Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend.
It’s the perfect place to discover or showcase your new offerings to the country in one go. It can be an ideal event for your leisure and work trip if you are a few hours from the city, like Portland, Oregon.
You can choose the package for the weakened that includes:
- Three days exhibit hall access
- All-you-can-eat Sunday brunch
- Priority business showcasing
- Transportation to the parties and venue
- After registration Support
- Closing dance party on Sunday
- Run pin and souvenir wristband
Custom Trade Show Displays
Opting to participate in a trade show requires you to have a custom trade show booth in place. The classic exhibits have come a long way, from creative counters to dazzling office spaces and islands. Having an experienced company to take care of custom trade show exhibits can help you have a cost-effective design solution.
You can share your project ideas with such organizations. They will help you to have the proper retail, tradeshow, corporate environment, or exhibit solutions. You can have product displays, inlines, islands, and counters. Since each design is unique, you can have a specific set of instructions regarding your idea.
You can have the latest trend in your design using wood fabrication, lightboxes, creative walls, and hybrid exhibits. You should emphasize the quality of vinyl graphics, fabric, or direct paint used for the job.
Getting Around
Washington DC has a well-established metro system run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority. Therefore, if you have an extensive travel plan during your Washington trip, which includes Maryland and Virginia, go for the metro.
The metro rail rides cost between $2-6, and there are six lines – red, yellow, green, orange, blue, and silver. Since you are going for a short leisure cum business trip, you can buy the passes too. It has a pass for seven days at $50, three days at $28, and one day at $13.
WMATA runs the bus system in Washington too. If you choose to buy an unlimited metro pass, be it daily or monthly, it is inclusive of the bus fares. The regular bus fares are in the range of two dollars. Similar to the Metrorail service, the bus system also helps to connect to Virginia and Maryland.
Apart from these, you also have an option to commute using the yellow cab or app-based cab service. There are car rental services too which can be handy if you are looking for a premium service.
Therefore, as you can see, Washington can be a great destination for your leisure cum business trip. If you choose to keep the above in mind, you can make the most of your trip. However, it is not an exhaustive list, and you can add things as per your preferences.
Want some more Washington DC tips? Check out these 5 super fun date ideas in Washington DC.
Alex is a computer geek, programmer, who loves traveling. Not the usual mix, but Alex is always with his laptop – no matter how high the mountain he’s hiking on. On every peak he reaches, he writes a story that captures it all.
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Allison was one of our first top writers and Chief Editor but is no longer working with offMetro. Allison is a native New Yorker, who has lived in Rome, Tuscany, Melbourne, Toronto and Los Angeles. She frequently contributed travel pieces to Family Travel Forum, using her own children as guinea pigs as they travel the globe. She never missed a chance to sample local delicacies, as her love for travel goes hand-in-hand with her love for food and wine. 
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Kate E. O’Hara is a New York based freelance writer and photographer who loves all things food—especially the people who make it and market it. Her writing aims to capture the essence of the food experience; the stories that go well beyond a plate of ingredients. In addition to her love of food, Kate is also known to have a hankering for red wine and craft beer. You can also find Kate on Instagram