I love Dupont Circle. Not only the circle, but all the great areas close by. I love to hangout on Mass Ave, P street, 17th Street, and the walk from there to Georgetown is really pleasant. The circle itself is a great place to people watch. In the spring, summer, and fall people lay in the grass, sit on the benches, or play chess. Take a seat on the edge of the fountain to watch the parade of diverse people walking by and feel the fountain's spray. It is a shame the neighborhood has become much more 'normal' in last few years. Yes, it is still a pretty gay neighborhood, and Kramer's is still there, along with some other independent place, but now that Ann Taylor, Blue Mercury, United Colors, Johnny Rockets, etc have moved in the main stream has flooded the area. Looking for an area more authentic and edgy? Go over to the 14th street corridor between P and U. Fun fact, the fountain was designed by the same architect who designed the Lincoln Memorial. read more

The thing about DuPont Circle is that basically everything in DC is here. . The infamous chess games around the circle . Kramer and Books A Million . Embassy Row, don't forget to stand by the Mahatma Gandhi statue across from the Indian embassy or to go to the Afghan embassy . The farmers market on Sunday . A great number of restaurants . A Whole Foods (the other one is in Tenleytown) . The clubs, the Lucky Bar and a Julia's Empanadas . Larry's Ice Creme Also when you're in DuPont be on the lookout for the many weird, forbodingly wealthy cult buildings (I'm looking at you, creepy Eastern Star building) read more

I visit this place on this day of spring. It is simply gorgeous out today. The fresh garden over pass was so beautiful. I capture this moment to share. I hope everyone love it. read more

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Dupont Circle! A beautiful landmark with pleasing visuals around it. I like the "Big City" feel when you stand here and look around. The landmark itself is beautiful, but when I was there, it was not cleaned up or pristine. This area is kind of a gathering hub located on a traffic circle, where I saw a mixture of homeless, teens, tweens and the working class sitting on the many benches and socializing. And then there are the business people who walk rapidly through the park, as if on a mission. Being in Washington D.C., I wouldn't doubt at least one of these people were actually ON a mission!!! The area there is in the middle of everything -- from Coffee Shops to Convenience Shops to Business Offices and more! Also a hub for the walking person, which a lot of people do there! I guess parking is so hard to find, it's easier to walk. I loved that this place is so well known that if you got lost walking, all you have to do is ask someone to point you to Dupont Circle and there you are! Or for the techies, just googlemaps the place and follow the dot! All in all, I've grown fond of this landmark and what it stands for, especially after reading about it and seeing it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupont_Circle If you ever have a chance to visit Washington D.C., don't forget to check this place out along with the other historical buildings, memorials and monument! read more

I dig Dupont Circle. It is a column to the amazing city. A gathering place, a focal point, and fantastic park for people watching. At all times of the year, all times of the week, all times of day and night, it has action. I have had a picnic, done yoga, and been part of an epic snowball fight there! It always looks nice, mostly kept together, and mostly clean. I hope to visit for many more moons to come. I hope they make some upgrades / paint / plant etc, to take it to the level it is for our amazing city! read more

few years ago the perfect Sunday for me would have been home made french toast, chill bike ride from nova into DC, chill at Dupont Circle for a few hours, read a book, the paper, people watch, or just listen to the random girl with a guitar singing. Perfect Sunday. ps - Is it just me and my sometimes juvenile humor that Dupont Circle was named after Navy REAR Admiral Samuel Francis Du Pont. Check out the inscription on the the fountain base(South Side) - true dat read more

Her graceful fountain has been the focus of many an artist. Her inner and outer traffic lanes have been lamented and lambasted in movies. She has been with us in protest and celebration. She's a gentle respite; she's a destination, and she's home. Dupont Circle is arguably America's model neighborhood. Part of Washington, DC's old city, many buildings date to the 1800's. It's truly a neighborhood where you can live, work, and play. In many cities around the country, the gayborhood is just that - completely gay. Not Dupont - it's a neighborhood that embraces and celebrates the differences in others. Str8, gay, black, white, purple with yellow polka dots and pink spiked hair...it really is that melting pot we've been saying we wanted for so many years. So stop by for a bento box, then pick up that impossible to find new import album, hop on a bike and cruise a few miles in Rock Creek Park, stretch out in the park with great book, and meet up with some of the nicest and most interesting people you'll ever meet - all here in Dupont Circle. read more

Isn't it weird how your perception of Dupont Circle drastically changes depending on if you are taking the metro here or if you are taking your car here? If you are in your car be prepared for long queues of traffic, screaming expletives trying to get out of this circle of hell, and parking about 3 miles away. On the plus side you can get a nice workout walking back! Taking the metro though, you end up with a leisurely stroll towards the circle watching all the backed up traffic and snickering to yourself 'what chumps!' and then proceed to meet your friends for whatever activity you have planned around the area. Usually this involves eating at the many restaurants around Dupont circle, or lazing around and maybe reading a book in the sun. So what have we learned from this review? Save the environment and your sanity and take the damn train here. read more

One of my favorites places on Earth (that I've had the pleasure of visiting). First off, I love DC. It's the pulse point of the Nation, and you can feel the buzz in the air wherever you go. Dupont Circle is a bit more low key than Capitol Row... which is probably why I like it the best, even over Adams Morgan, although that area is fun, too. Dupont Circle has what you want: from sushi to Greek to unique bookstores, you'll find it here. You'll even find a perfectly shaded spot to chill - throw down your blanket in the grass or grab a seat on a bench. Here is where I could spend hours of an afternoon... just reading, writing, watching people and enjoying being outside. I have many memories of DC and of Dupont Circle. From meeting a friend for coffee to the meet-up point before a club, Dupont Circle holds a special place in my heart. Sounds silly, I know, but I'm okay with that. (insert footnote here: The Metro is close by Dupont from the north and south sides, so finding your way around this area or anywhere in DC is a cinch thanks to this terrifically engineered public transport system. I love it!) read more

Can WMATA executives do something about how freezing cold this station is( years) ! It's always colder than outside...and yet, prices keep increasing and hours are shorter...really! If I could give 0 stars to management I would! The staff however get 10 stars..helpful, friendly and quick to smile.. especially Mr P Elimu at Dupont..thank you! read more

Dupont Circle is famous (maybe the neighborhood more so than the actual circle itself). My non-DC friends might not know about my own neighborhood, Woodley Park; but everyone seems to know about Dupont. I'd give it that final star if it didn't take so long to get around the darn thing in a car! read more

Visiting Washington in January and seeing how cold Dupont Circle looks, makes me want to visit in the spring just to see how it looks then. The fountain is beautiful and as a transportation nerd, it is really cool to see a double-level roundabout in person. Warning: Out-of-towners, be careful of the pedestrian signals. Since there are many turns on and off the roundabout, crossing is not easy or quick. read more

The best place EVA! It has everything you need...a metro stop, restaurants, coffee shops, retail shops, nice people, great people watching, easy access to downtown, Georgetown, Cleveland Park, Logan Circle (walking, bus or metro), convenience stores, parks, dog friendly, etc. It has that cozy small town feel but all the conveniences and culture of a City! I'm in heaven and ecstatic to say, THIS is my new home! read more

Great place to people watch! Dupont Circle is iconic - it feels like the epicenter of the young and vibrant DC community. I like coming here for yoga classes in the summer or going for an evening stroll. read more

Dupont Circle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The hubbs and I ended up walking into this neighborhood after dinner. We didn't walk around very long but from what I did see, I'd definitely go back to check it out again. Coming out of the many Metro stations in DC, we found there were plenty of nice, explorable locales and Dupont Circle was one them. There was lots of ppl on the street and with the all the pretty row houses there, it reminded me of Europe. Also notable was the wickedly steep, long escalator ride down to the Metro platform (ck out the pic posted). read more

Dupont Circle - The wicked descent to the Metro station @ Dupont Circle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Im not sure how to rate this. What am I rating? Living here? Restaurants? Everything? The Good: It's kinda pretty. It's close to other, better neighborhoods. It's better than living in northern VA. It has a pretty fountain. It's cool if you're presently living in the burbs. The Bad: It's very bland. It totally lacks character (unless bitchy neighbors count) The Ugly: Horrible traffic and parking, increasing crime, a horrible Safeway, insane rents, overpriced gyms like Results and Mint, nothing besides apartments and distantly scattered crappy restaurants (i.e. Lauriol Plaza, all of 17th Street and the bulk of Conn. Ave). Hot Tip to any gay dudes looking to move here: If you're an uppity mainstream gay, you will love it. If your dying to live next to Cobalt/JR's, you will love it. If not, try somewhere else. Also, it's no longer the fruit loop. Since Ann Taylor Loft moved here, it's become more of a "safe" neighborhood for females and their boyfriends that visit them from Adams Morgan. "Not that there's anything wrong with that." :) read more

Before we came out for our visit last summer, I was told that Dupont Circle was similar to the Castro District of San Francisco. To be honest, I can see the comparison, but Dupont Circle is far less outlandish than the Castro is. But this is a good thing. I really enjoyed the neighborhood and the great selections of restaurants and shops nearby. As far as traffic is concerned, I am just glad the Metro is nearby. I don't think many of the people driving through the circle have the first clue on how to merge. Even walking around the circle can be dangerous. It's easy to get hit by a car trying to merge in or out of traffic. Is it Dupont or DuPont? Thanks Dupont Circle... can't wait until I visit you again. read more

This is a fun part of DC. There is always something going on. Metro is nearby. There is a little park to sit and enjoy the day. Depending on the season, there is a water fountain that is beautiful. Dog walkers frequent the area. It is nice taking a blanket and having a picnic in the area. There are lots of restaurants and shops within a few blocks of any direction you pick. Embassy row is nearby. I always pay attention to traffic whether driving or walking. Not all drivers are careful or courteous. There is interesting architecture, statues and rooftops all over the place. read more

Whether it is watching a newly wed bride's and her bridesmaids' expressions as they come out of their wedding reception at the private club across the street in the midst of the gay pride parade, participating in face book organized snow ball fights during recent past years snowpacalypses, or just a hot summer day of watching a 50 year old plus man in daisy dukes and leg warmers skate to Judy Garland blasting out of his boom box Dupont Circle has a lot going on and holds a lot of memories for me. It is a unique special crossroads of this city. It has a long history of being the best place to hang out and people watch in DC. No matter what season it is you find yourself walking through, you probably will be treated to some unique sights! read more

My mom could not hate this circle more, she grew up in DC and came to hate all traffic circles due to the confusion from one driver to the next. HOWEVER if one takes the time to see IF they could enjoy the circle I think you really can. Best for people watching or just chilling in the spring/summer time read more

Dupont Circle is an interesting area. Basically it's a big roundabout for cars with an area that people can kind of hang out and relax. I don't consider this a park. It's more of a grassy area in the middle of a roundabout with park benches inside. All of the main roads in the area pretty much connect to this roundabout. It connects to Massachusetts Avenue to Connecticut Avenue. I noticed people just sitting on the benches and watching the runners and bikers as they went by. During the day it seemed pretty busy here. At night time it wasn't as busy and not being from the area I chose to go around the circle because I dident know how shady this area was at night. It's also pretty close to the metro station. read more

Not much going on here. You have all theses streets that converge on the circle. There is a park but it is a little seedy. I would not want to have drive through here. We did find the Dupont circle area a little dirty considering the rest of Washington DC we visited was very clean. read more

Cute place! Close to metro, plenty of places to eat and drink, and the people are pretty cool here. Dupont Circle is said to be the "SF Castro District" of DC.. I guess there are some indications of it being truthful.. :) I would probably visit here again.. safe area for travelers! read more

Conditions: Afternoon Report: Crumbly, broken up NW tourist-swell with a few random workable hotties sprinkled in. if you don't mind the lump and bump. This morning's dawn patrol: All broken up and junky crackhead and homeless mulling about. Miday to afternoon seesh looking to yield some stellar people watching if the good weather holds. read more

I love working in this area! It has just about every type of food you can think of to satisfy your taste buds for breakfast and lunch (thai, malaysian, indian, new orleans, italian, mexican, tapas, greek, burgers, chinese etc...). On really nice days, I like to eat my lunch or read on the long benches in the circle. Sometimes my coworkers throw the football around on our lunch break and I come to help cheer lead. Great spot for people watching too! There always seems to be something going on here and a lot of the bars have excellent happy hour specials. My office is considering moving to another location next year..I really hope we stay in this area! read more

Really fun bar/hangout area! Reminds me a bit of the village in NYC. Home to some of my favorite places to hang out (especially Kramerbooks) and has a number of bars, restaurants and bookstores to keep you entertained! There is also a farmer's market on Sundays! The only thing I dislike about Dupont is driving there. It can get congested and there are a lot of turns and loops so it can be confusing. If you can take the metro, do it! I definitely recommend it as a hangout though and I go there pretty frequently! read more

Great place for people-watching and wandering around on a nice day. Also, you will find a lot of great shopping and dining places that are an easy walk from the circle. read more

Great destination area as there's some great restaurants in walking distance (Nora, La Tomate and Ruth's Chris Steak House for example) as well as several museums nearby (e.g., Phillips Collection, Anderson House) but really this circle is worth sitting in for a while and people watching, maybe with your Starbucks coffee and salad from Sweet Greens or some ice cream or yoghurt from a nearby store, or whatever it is you want to munch on.. Traffic is very heavy around this circle so I recommend Not jaywalking and waiting for the walk light. read more

Dupont Circle - corner of P street and 21st streets NW near Dupont Circle one Saturday evening - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Dupont Circle is arguable the epicenter of the Dupont neighborhood. Its thriving on the weekends and at various times during the week, full of people passing through quickly, people playing chess, and others just relaxing on the fountain's edge or surrounding benches for great people watching. The surrounding grounds look a little rough for wear, but considerably in good shape overall. There seems to always be a visible homeless presence here. read more

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I agree with the other views about this being a great place to people watch. It can be relaxing with all the hustle and bustle around. I was happy to see a nice variety of places to eat, and shop. My favorite was the bookstore right on the circle. Glad I went there read more

Things I love about Dupont Circle: - Sitting in it enjoying a sunny afternoon and people-watching. - Fantastic restaurants. - Fun bars. - Very walkable. - The Phillips Collection. - Lots of coffee shops. - High heel race. - Snowball fights! Things I do not love about Dupont Circle: - Sitting in it attempting to enjoy a sunny afternoon and being flashed, TWICE, by two different bums! Seriously?! At 5pm on a busy spring Wednesday?! Ugh. - Trying to find parking. - Sky-high rent. - Driving around it. - Red line metro. Eww. - Knowing that you are sitting on top of like three layers of underground structures and wondering if someday they will all just collapse like pancakes... that would suck. (Don't believe me? http://www.conoperative.com/blog/2009/08/26/dupont-circle-underground/ ) read more

This place makes me want to work in the circle so bad. A nice day, a bag lunch, and the circle seems like the perfect 1 hour get away from work to me. Luckily I got to experience it yesterday. Not only is the sound from the waterfall soothing, but the people watching is amazing. Two motorcycle leather, tatted up old men sat on the side of the fountain, taking of their wife beaters. No where else will you see this. read more

A strange and mysterious land of heavy traffic, some thuggery, and "I'm interning with Senator X" bewilderment in the newly hatched yuppies. I'm glad you enjoyed your ivy league college. Welcome to the inner city! Remember to give up your wallet easy. You'll thank me later. read more

A city park...you know the characters, smells, sights, and sounds. A great place to people watch, but you may see a few interesting characters. I will say it's nice to have a place, a decent place, for all types to be together regardless of differences or shortcomings. read more

Dupont Circle - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Walk to everything like bars, restaurants, gyms, grocery stores, embassies, Philips Collection and close proximity to other neighborhoods like Georgetown or U Street. The actual circle is fun. There are fun festivals, impromptu gatherings like pillow fights from improveverywhere.com (dc chapter), and entertainers looking for just a couple bucks in exchange for wonderful performances. In the summer the water turns on. People play chess. It's a wonderful place to lounge, play frisbee, enjoy the weather or even come out of the office to take a moment to people watch. read more

Bring your lunch to the circle or catch a Yoga in the Park! A bit too commercial (too many chains...) but it's still a classic DC park. I like the street performers and group exercise classes. I like the dog walking, the chess playing, and the dates unfolding. It's really convenient to the metro entrances (except for the tempting wafting smell from the Krispy Kreme!) and it's nice that this little neighborhood is home to a plethora of little do-gooder NGOs. Take a stroll, take your time, and do Dupont sometime soon. read more

My absolute favorite neighborhood in D.C. Things I love about Dupont Circle: - the fountain on a sunny Spring day - the townhouses on the tree-lined streets - the people who play Chess in the circle - the farmer's market - Kramersbooks! - the bars South of the circle - the restaurants North of the circle - the fact that its a short walk to Adams Morgan read more

I grew up in D.C. and then lived there again from '76-'78 & '86-'92, plus I still go there a few times/year to visit my family - so I've witnessed many decades' worth of Dupont Circle's transformation. In the late '60's it was scuzzy and a hippie haven, so my parents warned me away from it. I also remember going up and down the metro escalators on the day the Dupont Circle metro station officially opened. Meanwhile Dupont Circle went downhill even further during the '70's, but then (the surrounding neighborhood) had a resurgence in the '80's. Following that, it became increasingly yuppified and it has remained so. I still feel, however, that Dupont Circle's neighborhood has a very European ambiance - with charming little galleries, shops and cafés. It also has one of my favorite (small) museums - the Phillips Collection (see my separate review). read more

Cool district full of good shopping, dining, drinking, and people-watching. Seems you can tumble into storefront and not be disappointed (unless you're looking for a drink and wind up in a bookstore, but you'll figure it out). read more

This is a cross walk with a roundabout for cars. There are places to sit and a fountain when it is not cold out. I did not consider this much of a park but it is a place to sit when you are out walking. read more