14 Things Longtime Washingtonians Wish They Could Tell Newcomers

Washingtonians have a little bit of a negative reputation in the country. We’ve been accused of being rude, elitist and out of touch. But we want you to know that those are just stereotypes and that DC is a great place to live and Washingtonians are fun people. But if you do want to move here, we made a list of 14 things lifelong Washingtonians for newcomers to know.

1. It is expensive to live here.

That will never change. DC has one of the highest cost of living prices in the country. The average monthly rent is between $1,650 and $2,100 for a studio apartment.

2. The drivers are aggressive here.

Washingtonians are known to be aggressive drivers. There’s lots of honking, cars cutting each other off and drivers running red lights. So if you do drive here, be alert.

3. And traffic is bad.

It’s bad, like really, really bad. No matter where you are going or what time of day it is, you will probably hit traffic. Rush hour is the worst but be prepared to sit in traffic.

4. Oh and we don’t drive in the snow or ice.

It’s odd but for some reason, we just can’t deal with snow in the district. We tend to rush grocery stores and lose our minds when there is even the slightest chance of snow. So don’t even try to into the car around snow or ice.

5. The DMV means DC, Maryland and Virginia.

It does not mean the Department of Motor Vehicles.

6. Living in DC is very different than Maryland or Virginia.

The suburbs of DC in Maryland or Virginia may be very close to DC and many of the people who live there work in DC. But living there is not the same as living in DC.

7. There is more to do than the monuments, memorials and the museums.

Every neighborhood is different and have their own unique characteristics and you should definitely explore all of them! Don't just stick to the tried and true tourist destinations.

8. But you should definitely visit the monuments, memorials and museums at least when you first move here.

However, the monuments, memorials and museums will lose their spark pretty quickly. So you might want to visit them and get a taste of that part of DC before they become commonplace.

9. There’s actually something of a dress code.

Business casual is a big thing here so be sure to at least pay a little attention to your outfits here.

10. Don’t be afraid of hole in the wall restaurants.

There are plenty of trendy, popular and expensive restaurants across the district. But some of the best ones are the restaurants that you never would have thought about trying. Take the chance though because DC has some great tiny hole in the wall restaurants.

11. Or Ethiopian food.

DC has one of the biggest Ethiopian populations in the country and some absolutely fantastic Ethiopian restaurants.

12. You never have a reason to be bored here.

We actually have something from everyone to enjoy in DC. From hiking to shopping to water sports to the arts, you have no excuse to sit at home in DC!

13. DC is always changing.

DC will probably always keep surprising you. People come and go, administrations change, restaurants open and close and there is always something new to discover.

14. There’s more to DC than most people realize.

Don’t buy into what you might hear about DC. DC is more than just politicians and lawmakers. It's more than just monuments and museums. It’s a vibrant city with so much to discover!

So if you do move to DC, we want you to know that while it might be hard in the beginning, it really is one of the best cities in the world.