Chinatown, Washington, DC

Much like Penn Quarter directly to the south, Washington, DC’s Chinatown has undergone substantial revitalization since the 1997 completion of the Verizon Center sports and entertainment complex that calls the small neighborhood home.

The area swells with Wizards, Capitals, and Hoyas fans throughout the season, especially at the sports bars and pubs that dot 7th Street, while avid shoppers and movie lovers take advantage of the retail outlets and multi-screen movie theater in the Gallery Place complex just across from the Center.

Besides the obvious sports draw, tourists often head to Chinatown for the food, choosing between about two dozen Chinese restaurants that operate along a short stretch of H Street. A pair of tall Chinese gates called The Friendship Arch rim this “Chinablock,” and every venue within its boundaries must display signs in both English and Chinese – even the arguably out of place Starbucks, Fuddruckers, and Hooters.

Though the quality and authenticity of the cuisine along this stretch is debatable, the popularity of the annual Chinese New Year Parade is not, when Chinese dragon dances, live musical performances, and explosive firecrackers fill Chinatown’s streets for more than two weeks.