Washington, D.C.: Behind The Pristine Facade

Washington, D.C. is designed to be as magnificent as the country it represents. The National Mall, The White House, and other landmarks stand proud as the hallmark of a nation that's now ruled as the world's hegemony for over a century.

National Museum of Natural History

The D.C. most visitors experience is just one small snippet of what this dynamic city has to offer. In fact, the tourism industry blatantly shelters out-of-towners from the less pristine neighborhoods by giving out maps at information centers that only include the northwest quarter of the city as though the other three-fourths doesn't exist.

Eastern Market Farmers Market in Northeast, D.C. 

It's in these rarely recommended nooks that we discover the rich communities that give our capital life and vibrancy beyond the well-curated facade. Ironically, it's this exact diversity that makes the United States such a unique and incredible place to live.

Adams Morgan

D.C. has the largest Ethiopian population in the country and is home to a high number of Salvadoran immigrants.

In the early 1900s, it was a hub for the inception of the gay rights movement. There's still a strong sense of pride around the Dupont Circle area including a high heel drag race and parade both of which attract thousands of spectators each year.

Capital Pride Parade

D.C. was also home to some of the most influential Jazz cats of all time. It was the birthplace of Duke Ellington, Shirley Horn, Billy Taylor, and Frank Wess. You can still catch live music any day of the week around town. There's also some mean soul food; particularly if you're willing to venture into some of the neighborhoods off your map.

While the free museums, grand architecture, and American history are all worth seeing, there's so much more to Washington, D.C. than the glossy tourism pamphlets advertise. This week Backpacktress will take you on to the metro and into some of the most underappreciated secrets of a city many have visited, but few really know.