Every January, The New York Times
releases its "52 Places to Go,"
a robust list of places
worth visiting in the new year.
And this year, the United States capital
landed the No. 1 spot on the list.
Depending on where you are,
DC is a pretty accessible place.
You can even do a day trip from New York City.
So, what makes Washington, DC, such a hot spot,
and why now?
I spoke with The New York Times' travel editor,
Amy Virshup,
and as it turns out,
there are plenty of good reasons to visit DC,
and not for just one day only.
Because 2020 is an election year,
the capital city is in the public eye
more than ever.
But DC is also home
to some of America's richest history.
Amy Virshup: It's the 100th anniversary
of women achieving suffrage in the United States.
Two themes kind of emerged this year very strongly,
and one of them was history.
We felt that marking that historic occasion
was really important.
And it's certainly possible to choose
other places to do that,
but we thought really Washington,
where, you know, finally the legislation was passed
and the amendment ratified,
that that was the key place to go.
Clip: Saw parades like this
in Washington in 1917.
Narrator: The American women's suffrage unit
kicked off in 1848
with a convention in Seneca Falls, New York.
In 1920, Congress ratified the 19th Amendment,
declaring that states could not
discriminate in voting based on sex.
But Washington, DC, isn't only a political center;
it's a vibrant city with a fusion of cultures.
Virshup: Obviously, the monuments
and the government institutions
are incredible to go visit,
but the other thing that people should keep in mind
is that Washington as a city
has a tremendously strong immigrant population.
Washington is a majority-minority city.
It has a large African American population.
It's just a place that, on the culture scale,
on the history scale, on the food scale,
you know, ranks really high up there.
Narrator: For those who wish to experience
this vibrant city,
here's a fun travel guide
on some of the best ways to explore Washington, DC,
this year and every year after that.
In 2020, Washington, DC, is commemorating
the 100th anniversary of women's right to vote
with exhibitions at museums across the city.
The Library of Congress has an exhibition called
"Shall Not Be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote,"
which covers the narrative of the movement.
You can visit it through September 2020.
However, 175 years after the Seneca Falls Convention,
American women of all backgrounds
are still striving to have their voices heard.
Thousands of people descend to the National Mall
each year for the Women's March
in support of a wide variety of principles.
The third march hits DC on January 18.
You'll never run out of things to do in DC
thanks to the free museums.
Head to the National Mall,
nicknamed "America's front yard,"
where you'll find monuments, memorials,
and museums for every type of person.
There are 19 Smithsonian museums,
including the National Museum
of African American History and Culture,
which opened in 2016
and still requires advance registration
for most visit times.
The National Air and Space Museum
and the National Museum of Natural History
are the most popular.
You might be familiar with Washington's
annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
The festival goes from mid-March to mid-April
and celebrates when, in 1912,
the mayor of Tokyo gifted
3,000 cherry blossom trees to Washington, DC.
More than 1.5 million visitors
attend the festival each year.
The Tidal Basin is a great spot to admire the blooms.
If you're looking to step away
to a more relaxed, perhaps less crowded setting,
take a stroll through Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens,
a national park on the city's east side.
This wetland is filled with lilies,
lotuses, and wildlife.
It's free to visit,
and every July it hosts a two-day
water lily and lotus festival.
As you would expect in a diverse city,
there are plenty of food adaptations
from all over the country and world to try.
But if you want a true DC culinary experience,
you must try a half-smoke,
which is considered the city's signature dish.
It's basically a spicy sausage
that's more coarsely ground than a hotdog
and that's smoked before it's grilled.
Ben's Chili Bowl is a classic spot to try one.
If you're all about the hype,
visit Call Your Mother Deli
to try what some say is the best bagel in the city.
You might have to wait in a line
that goes out the door,
but while you're outside,
take a moment to admire the building's
pastel mural, painted by a local artist.
The city is always buzzing,
with museums open year-round,
but the high season is definitely springtime.
For fewer crowds but no cherry blossoms,
it's best to visit during the fall,
when hotel rates are cheaper.
According to Destination DC, tourism is growing.
In 2018, 23.8 million people
visited the nation's capital,
the ninth year in a row of record visitation.
It's worth noting that 92% of the visitors
were domestic travelers.
International visits decreased from 2017 to 2018.
Virshup: Washington, DC, really does not belong
to any political party.
It doesn't belong to any person or any group.
It belongs to all of us.
Narrator: Would you consider visiting or revisiting
America's capital city this year?
What do you want to add to your Washington, DC, bucket list?
Let us know in the comments below.