Adams Morgan, Washington D.C.

Adams Morgan is a vibrant, diverse and artistic commercial neighborhood with colorful storefronts, friendly sidewalk cafes, restaurants with diverse cuisine, intimate coffee shops, and some of the trendiest bars in Washington D.C.

Adams Morgan totally changes from day to night, specially during the weekends when hundreds of people fill the streets along Columbia Road and 18^th Street to go bar hopping and partying.

Adams Morgan is without a doubt, a perfect place for young professionals and college students who enjoy nightlife.

People

Adams Morgan's diversity is evident in the menus of its restaurants which range from Asian, Ethiopian, Greek, and Latin American cuisine.

The neighborhood is a gateway community for immigrants and it's one of the few places in Washington DC without a majority ethnic or racial group. A mix of new immigrants, young urban professionals and intellectuals live in this area.

Its reputation for tolerance and harmony was forged during the 1950's after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that school segregation was unconstitutional. The all-black Thomas P. Morgan Elementary School and the all-white John Quincy Adams Elementary School peacefully integrated and set an example for the rest of the nation. As a symbol of peace and hope, the neighborhood was renamed Adams Morgan.

Today, Adams Morgan is what a lot of neighborhoods should be... a little something of everything which makes this eclectic part of Washington DC very different, very alive, and very refreshing.

Housing

Average rent for a studio/efficiency apartment: $1200 - $1400.
Average rent for a 1-bedroom apartment: $1500 and up.

Avoid renting the apartments on 18^th St NW because this area will have sirens blaring at all hours, and the usual drunks singing, screaming and arguing at 3 a.m. It would be a better choice if you found an apartment on Columbia Rd NW going towards Dupont Circle. This area will offer a quieter atmosphere while still being within a walking distance of 18^th St NW.

When searching for housing, Craigslist.com is your best bet for finding an apartment. Also, try the housing section of the Washington City Paper and the Washington Post.

Parking

Parking in the daytime in Adams Morgan is not difficult as there are parking spaces along 18^th St NW. However, parking can be a nightmare on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturday evenings. If you are moving to Adams Morgan and have a car, rent an apartment with parking spots available, or ditch your car and join Zipcar.

Residential Parking: You can only park once a day in a residential parking area (non-metered, 2 hour spaces). If you move your car to another block within the same parking zone, you can get a ticket. You will need to get a residential parking permit from the Department of Motor Vehicles. You can also get a temporary permit from the Third District Police Station.

On-street Parking: Many streets in Adams Morgan have multispace parking meters. So, instead of a having a meter at each space, there is one meter for several spaces. These green meters have a "P" on the side. The driver can pay with cash or credit card, then print a small receipt to place on the dashboard indicating how long they are allowed to park there.

Buses and Metro

Public transportation is the most convenient way to get to Adams Morgan.

Metro

: There are four metro stations near Adams Morgan: 1) Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan, 2) Columbia Heights, 3) Dupont Circle, and 4) U Street/African-American Civil War Memorial/Cardozo.

Although the Woodley-Park Zoo/Adams Morgan station has the name of the neighborhood, it is a 15-minute walk over the Duke Ellington Bridge or a short bus to the heart of Adams Morgan.

DC Circulator

: The green line (Woodley Park - Adams Morgan - McPherson Square Metro) connects both the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan and the Columbia Heights metro stations with the heart of Adams Morgan. The DC Circulator runs every 10 minutes and it costs $1 a ride.

MetroBus: The L2 line connects 18th Street in Adams Morgan to the Woodley-Park Zoo/Adams Morgan metro station.

Nightlife

Without a doubt, it is the nightlife that attracts most people to Adams Morgan. One of the highlights is Madam's Organ which Playboy named one of the country's best bars. This bar provides nightly specials that range from blues, bluegrass, jazz and even a wandering magician.

There are Caribbean and African clubs, such as Felix Lounge with its great martinis, the giant dance club Heaven and Hell with its legendary '80s night on Thursday, "neighborhood bars" like Toledo Lounge, Millie and Al's, and the best salsa dancing and Mojitos are found at Havana Village.

Restaurants

The most popular late night restaurants where people sober up after a night of drinking and partying in Adams Morgan are:

Jumbo Slice Pizza provides the best drunk food ever. It's a tradition to eat here after a night of partying in Adams Morgan. A slice of pizza is $5.50, not bad for the gigantic amount that you get. Like all great hole in the wall destinations, Jumbo Slice Pizza takes cash only.

Amsterdam Falafel Shop satisfies the appetite of partiers with delicious crispy fries and a falafel for $10.49. The portions are generous, so be prepared. The toppings bar includes lots of fresh salads and vegetables to make you feel a little healthier when you're about to eat deep-fried goodness. The quality is pretty top notch.

Julia's Empanada provides an awesome late night snack after a night of drinking for only $3.75. The Chilean empanada is one of the best sellers. The quality of the empanada is pretty good. The dough has a great texture, not overcooked, and a perfect canvas for the fillings. They don't take credit cards, but you can get cash from an ATM inside of the restaurant.

Parks in Adams Morgan

Kalorama Park is a beautiful three-acre playground that the neighborhood works hard to maintain. Every day there are dog walkers, children playing in the playground areas, moms with strollers, older people relaxing with the newspaper, cyclists taking a break in the grass, etc. The park is safe and charming.

Walter Pierce Park is a multi-use park in the heart of Adams Morgan. The park features a large multi-purpose playing field, basketball court, community garden, children's play area, chess tables, a picnic area, and D.C.'s first fenced-in dog exercise area. Local artists have contributed two murals to enhance the basketball court and playing field.

Meridian Hill Park, also known as Malcolm X Park, is an oasis of peace and tranquility during the day, but it has a reputation of becoming the refugee of clandestine people at night. Just be careful, and you'll be fine. The upper area is great for playing bocce, running, doing yoga, etc. The lower area is gorgeous, very European-inspired, and a great place to have a picnic beneath the trees.

Crime Rate

The crime problem in Adams Morgan is not bad in comparison to other large portions of Washington D.C. A large number of these crimes are car break-ins, drug dealing, and robbery. However, these problems are not unusual for a city. If you stick to Columbia Rd and 18^th St (the two main roads where most of the bars and restaurants are), you'll be in a well populated, well police patrolled area. Virtually none of the aforementioned crimes take place on those two streets.

However, avoid the corner of Champlain St NW and Kalorama Rd NW at night. This is a hidden area behind all the bars on 18^th St NW. Violence, drugs consumption and other crimes have been happening in this area for years.

About Adams Morgan

Pros of Adams Morgan Young eclectic neighborhood with a lot of diversity. Close to popular nightlife. Many apartment buildings with lots of studio apartments available.

Cons of Adams Morgan Expensive. Parking can be a nightmare during the weekends. A 15-minute walk to the closest Metro station. Noisy at night.