Capitol Hill is a venerable neighborhood just east of the Capitol building, best known as the main residence in the city for the legislative and judicial branches of the U.S. government, and for the staffers who run the place. Time permitting, you should make an effort to see not just the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court steps, and the Library of Congress, but head further east to see this beautiful neighborhood, and to have a nice meal on Barracks Row while listening to the politicos chatter away. The Hill extends several miles east of the Capitol to RFK Stadium and the Anacostia River.
Capitol Hill, just east of theNational Mall, plays a central role in the country's political life, as two of the three branches of the federal government—the legislative and the judicial—are located here. The government spills far over into the neighborhood, as this is the favorite residential section of town for congressional staffers, and any other type of politico you can imagine. Streets are abuzz with intense political debate, and you'll encounter this head on when visiting a neighborhood bar or restaurant.
Capitol Hill is worth exploring regardless of your interest in politics, though. It is a beautiful historic neighborhood of 18th- and 19th-century rowhouses in a wide range of architectural styles, and a wandering stroll from the Capitol to Barracks Row along residential side streets is a nice way to take in this quintessentially Washingtonian neighborhood. The upscale dining scene is one of the best in D.C., particularly alongBarracks Row (centered on 17th century U.S. Marines barracks at 8th and I St) and along Pennsylvania Ave. North of the Capitol Grounds is grandioseUnion Station, which is both a major point of entry into the city, and also a historical landmark in its own right, with a beautiful, gilt main hall. The other big historical attraction is the hugeEastern Market, which is a fine place to browse, admire, or grab something good to eat.
For more information on riding the Metrorail in Washington DC, seeWashington DC#Get_around.
TheBlue,Orange, andSilver lines have stations just south of the Capitol Grounds atFederal Center SW andCapitol South. Further from the city centerEastern Market and thenStadium-Armory can be reached on the same line. Eastern Market is the most convenient stop for exploring the Capitol Hillneighborhood, as well as the eponymous market and Barracks Row. Stadium-Armory is closest to the DC Armory and Congressional Cemetery.
The most prominent stop is certainly atUnion Station, on theRed Line, which is an easy walk from the Capitol, and is right by the Amtrak/MARC/VRE train station.
(updated May 2019)Union Station is also the end point for theMARC Trains heading north through theCapital Region ofMaryland toBaltimore. Since the MARC serves primarily commuters, train departures and arrivals are concentrated at the beginning and end of the work day.
Metrobus operates in Capitol Hill. For more information on riding buses in Washington DC, seeWashington DC#Get_around.
Street parking is not too hard to find on side streets once you get far enough east of the Capitol Building, and away from Eastern Market and Barracks Row. The traffic patterns are disastrously convoluted, though—even by D.C. standards. Main east-west routes run along Constitution and Independence, as well as Pennsylvania and Maryland Ave. Coming fromAnacostia, the main bridges are at Pennsylvania Ave and E Capitol St. There are no main roads heading north-south throughout the area, only the complex diagonals.
The main attractions on Capitol Hill are all concentrated in theU.S. Capitol Complex, grounds managed by the Architect of the Capitol, covering roughly the three blocks east of theNational Mall. These include the Capitol Building and its grounds, as well as the U.S. Supreme Court, Library of Congress, and congressional office buildings.
(updated Sep 2025) 
(updated Sep 2019) (updated Sep 2019)(updated Dec 2018)(updated Jan 2022) Union Station andEastern Market are big shopping destinations in the city. Union Station includes a big shopping mall with plenty of high end and mid-range stores, while Eastern Market is much more offbeat, and geared to a lazy day of browsing. Outside these two heavyweights, Capitol Hill is an unorthodox shopping destination, but it does have a relatively small collection of unique and offbeat shops dispersed throughout the neighborhood, especially on Pennsylvania Ave near the Library of Congress and by Barracks Row.
Barracks Row, on 8th St SE, has classy restaurants that cater to repeat diners and to a sophisticated crowd.
Union Station[dead link] has much cheaper options. The cafeteria food on the bottom level is best for the cheapest and quickest meals. The main level includes many popular national chains such as Chipotle, McDonald's, Chop't, Potbelly Sandwich Works, Pizzeria Uno, Pret A Manger, Roti Mediterranean Grill, Shake Shack, and Subway.
The high-end restaurant scene in Capitol Hill is one of the city's best. Reservations are a must at most high-end restaurants.
There are plenty of bars in the Capitol Hill neighborhood, most of which are concentrated around the West side of the Capitol, and on the Eastern Market/Barracks Row strips. Catering to a diverse crowd of overworked hill staffers, lobbyists, lawyers, lawmakers, Marines from the nearby Barracks and neighborhood locals, there's something for everyone.
(updated Sep 2025)(updated Jul 2019)Most cafes and restaurants offer free Wi-Fi. Otherwise, the two public libraries in the neighborhood offer public terminals and free WiFi, or you could just enjoy the public WiFi on the steps of the Capitol Building!
(updated Dec 2021) | Routes through Capitol Hill |
| East End←Waterfront← | W   E | →Anacostia→Largo |
| East End←Waterfront← | W  E | →Anacostia→New Carrollton |
| Gaithersburg←East End← | W  N | →Near Northeast→Wheaton |
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