DC Washington Books

.... to my shelf of baseball books. For baseball fans and DC residents (I'm both) not fully versed on the long, colorful and sometimes maddening history of the national pasttime in the nation's capital, this is a terrific and concise primer.

I spend a LOT of time in DC - five weeks between March and June 2008 alone. I have seen every map brand known to mankind, and believe me, this is THE best DC map out there, bar NONE.

[The same is true of their other maps as well. I've purchased (8) Borch city maps, plus their US Interstate map so far and am completely impressed! I have several colleagues who agree their Manhattan and NY maps are also the best available. It's pretty much unanimous.]

Note also that these are "soft laminated" maps - VERY easy to handle, and unlike the typical "hard" products, you can fold and "press" the Borch maps.

Great book at fraction of original price. Really helped me out on my trip. Very informative.

This is an excellent guide to DC. The pictures are beautiful and the descriptions are on the mark. I really appreciated the contact information and hours of operation for the various sites that were posted on each of the venues sections. It is also very up to date and even includes the new World War II memorial and the New Smithsonian Native American Museum. I would highly recommend this book to any who are going to DC.

The StreetSmart DC map by vanDam is a near-perfect tool for visitors to Washington, DC. For starters, it is laminated and proved to be durable despite heavy use. It fits nicely in a pants pocket so it is easy to carry. It is large enough to allow for a map with street-level detail with lettering large enough to be clear. In addition to the city map, there is an expanded section of the Mall area that is extremely easy to read and use. There are also sections showing the Adams-Morgan area as well as Old Town Alexandria. Indexes are provided not only for streets but all the attractions you could possibly be interested in including parks, museums, government buildings, museums, etc. Metro stops are clearly shown on these maps, but there is also a separate map that shows the individual Metro lines and all of the stops for each one.

I carried this in my pocket every day I was in the city and it was truly worth its weight in gold.

If I could find my 1996 copy, I wouldn't be at Amazon looking for the 1998 update! Everything you wanted to know about DC dining and honest, realistic reviews which really help make decisions easier.

This book is great for anyone planning to go to Washington DC. It includes information on just about everything in the city and also includes attractions in nearby areas. I strongly suggest that you purchase this book!

I have read so many guidebooks to Washington, DC and this is simply the best. It is excellent. The descriptions are very thorough. He explains everything in detail including which airport to land at, which restaurants to see White House Staff at, what exhibits not to miss in museums, and how to get tickets to monuments.
The book is laid out in parts with chapters inside the parts. Parts include Planning, Settling into DC(hotels, transportation, dining, and airports) Exploring (attractions, monuments, memorials, museums, shopping, day trips) and Top Ten (top ten views, top ten roadside attractions, etc).

The book will teach you everything you need to know about DC, Tom Price is a long time DC resident. He'll also tell you the best time to go since DC doesn't have an off-season( yes even in January tourists crowd the mall with their winter coats). I have visited DC for a long time and this is the only gidebook you will ever need.

If you liked this book or this review you might want to check out:
Boston For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
New York City For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
San Francisco For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
Los Angeles & Disneyland For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
Walt Disney World & Orlando For Dummies 2007 (Walt Disney World and Orlando for Dummies)
Chicago For Dummies (Dummies Travel)
Seattle & Portland for Dummies

As someone who moved to the DC area within the last ten months, I wanted a travel guide that would allow me to learn things about the city in which I now live that goes beyond the usual touristy haunts. This book really fits the bill...it's interesting, quirky, and well-explained, not to mention entertaining! I try to take it with me whenever I do a little sightseeing in the city or decide to hit the National Mall for the afternoon. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to see and enjoy DC.

This is a fascinating book. Page after page of "before-and-after" photos comparing old time "Washington" to modern-day "DC." The book covers the four quadrants of the city (NW, NE, SW and SE), as well as many suburban areas (once self-contained communities which have been swallowed up by the metropolis that modern-day Washington has become). As a native, I was surprised at how many of the "before" shots were familiar -- and the flood of bittersweet memories those "before" pictures brought back in terms of how dramatically Washington has changed in just the past 30 to 40 years -- not to mention the past 130 years, which is how long ago some of the "before" pictures were taken. As this book proves, in many cases the changes have been for the better: poor neighborhoods rehabilitated; ghettos replaced by substantial housing; cowpaths paved; a much-improved Potomac riverside; etc. In other cases the changes are simply heartbreaking: the once highly livable Southwest area of the city demolished and replaced by, frankly, some of the most hideous architecture and freeway systems imaginable; the once inhabitable downtown area of Rockville replaced by concrete "bunkers" of remarkable ugliness; streets once full of people and shops giving way to block after block of monotonous office buildings. It's almost impossible to remember that Tysons Corner, Rosslyn, College Park, Upper Northwest, Chevy Chase, and many other bustling metro areas were once charming (dare I say "sleepy?") little bergs. It's also sort of humorous to note that such highly congested areas as the "intersection" of Lee Highway and Route 66 (in East Falls Church, Virginia) were equally "congested" way back in 1898 (albeit with horses and buggys instead of cars, vans and 4-wheel drive vehicles)! In any event -- and whether or not one feels the changes have been for the better or the worse -- all of the photos are top-notch, and Mr. Penczer has painstakingly based the "after" pictures on the originals. A million dollars worth of memories for a mere $19.95 -- go get it!!