Neighborhood Guide
Dupont Circle was a rural backwater until the late 19th Century, when the introduction of lighting, paved streets, and sewers transformed it into the city’s most fashionable address for the very wealthy. Many of the imposing mansions built along Massachusetts Avenue during this period still stand, and serve as embassies, private clubs, cultural institutions, and museums.
While no longer dominated by millionaires and the social elite, Dupont’s unique blend of shops, restaurants, cafes, cinema, live theater, museums, and art galleries make it one of DC’s most cosmopolitan neighborhoods. In addition to being a popular spot for dining, shopping, and nightlife, the neighborhood also plays host to events ranging from a regional farmers’ market held each Sunday to the annual Gay Pride Parade. Dupont has a rich street life and an informal dress code that runs the gamut from business suits to body piercings, sometimes on the same person. At midday and on weekends, locals and visitors congregate around the fountain at the heart of the Circle to play chess, swap stories, and people watch.
Residents of Dupont Circle include young professionals, young families, and a smattering of longtime DC residents who live in high-rise buildings or apartments in the gracious row houses that line the neighborhood’s side streets.
Commute: The neighborhood is served by the Dupont Circle Metrorail station on the Red Line and several different bus lines. Foggy Bottom is approximately a 20 to 30 minute walk away.