Foggy Bottom, Washington, DC

Primarily an industrial area during the nineteenth century – its name derives from the caustic blasts of coal plants that once mixed with low fog off the Potomac River – present day Foggy Bottom is home to a large collegiate population thanks to George Washington University’s campus, not to mention the ever-present federal workers from the headquarters of the United States Department of State.

Although largely residential, a diverse mix of raucous college bars and taverns give GW students a place to let loose, while laid-back pubs, fine eateries, and mixology spots keep Washington, DC Department workers happy.

Most of these venues, which include a sprinkling of nightclubs, thrive along the main drag of Pennsylvania Avenue, but in terms of overall nightlife Foggy Bottom doesn’t exactly float to the top, and much of the younger crowd heads to nearby Georgetown on the weekends.

During the day, the Rock Creek Park Trail that runs all the way from the Tidal Basin up through Georgetown is a haven for joggers, bikers, and anyone looking for a scenic stroll along the Potomac, weaving directly past the famous John F. Kennedy Center, which entices thousands of visitors every year with free concerts, national stage shows, art classes, and major award ceremonies.

Although the The Kennedy Center is an internationally renowned venue for its ongoing productions, the adjacent Watergate complex, despite its luxury apartments and hotel suites, is still best known for the wiretapping scandal that led to President Nixon’s resignation in 1974.

It might be said that Nixon had his bottom served to him in Foggy Bottom.