Is Washington D.C. Safe for Solo Female Travelers?

Washington D.C. is generally safe for solo female travelers. However, like any other city, there are areas that are safer than others. It is advisable to stay in the well-traveled areas and to avoid walking alone at night. There's a substantial police presence especially around the national monuments, museums, and other tourist attractions. Public transportation is widely available and considered fairly safe. As always, common sense precautions like being aware of your surroundings, not displaying valuable items and keeping your possessions secure should always be taken.

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How safe is Washington D.C.?

Safety at night:

Safety at night:Moderate

Like any urban area, Washington D.C. has its safe and potentially unsafe areas. Walking alone at night can be safe in bustling, well-lit neighborhoods like Dupont Circle, Northwest DC, and touristy spots. However, it is always recommended to stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings as you move around the city at night. Utilize public transportation when possible and avoid deserted or less frequented areas after dark.
Public transportation:

Public transportation:Safe

Public transportation in Washington D.C. offers a generally safe and efficient way to travel around the city. This includes the Metro subway system, Metrobus, and DC Circulator. Metro subway stations have decent lighting and are typically monitored with CCTV cameras, contributing to traveler safety. Often stations are crowded, especially during peak hours, which can add to the sense of security. However, like in any city, it's important to stay vigilant and aware of your belongings, as incidents can still occur.
Street harassment:

Street harassment:Moderate

The experience differs across neighborhoods and times of day in Washington D.C. During high activity hours, especially in bustling, touristy areas with a lot of security such as Capitol Hill or the National Mall, it's generally safer. However, there can potentially be instances of street harassment, particularly in less populated areas and during late hours. Aware of this, many locals and visitors take caution particularly at nights. The authorities in the D.C. area are actively working to reduce this issue.
Petty crimes:

Petty crimes:Moderate

As a solo female traveler, while Washington D.C is generally safe, petty crimes like pickpocketing, snatch theft, and scamming are known to occur, especially in crowded areas and public transport. It's always advisable to adopt standard precautionary measures such as keeping your belongings close to you, not flashing expensive items, and staying alert to your surroundings.

Is Washington D.C. worth visiting?

Is Washington D.C. safe for women?

Adina

Adina

I feel very safe in Washington, D.C. however, I stick to places that are well-lit with people around and usually explore the city during the day, not at night. I feel super safe in the city during the day - both alone and with friends/family.

Posted: July 14, 2024
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Marina

Marina

Washington DC is pretty safe but depends on the areas. As in every large city please stay alert. Georgetown is generally a great and safe area with good shopping and cafe choices. There may be some suspect individual walking around but overall very populated and active area. Downtown by the museums and the main mall monuments is also generally safe during the day as there are many tourists and people around. Towards the end of the day I would not walk around downtown alone without being pretty cautious. There are very little people around and depending on the street it can be somewhat unsafe. Just take an Uber if you're heading back to hotel or home. Adams Morgan area is similar to the east village in nyc. Lots of interesting shops, restaurants and locals but also has some shady characters around so just a mixture. Kalorama is definitely one of the safest and prettiest areas. It's a residential area mostly that borders Dupont and Adams Morgan. If you wish to walk around and stop at Embassies or just get sense of history definitely recommend Kalorama for easy and beautiful walks. The Wharf and the Navy Yard areas also have lots of attractions, restaurants and ferries. Pretty safe and a lot of tourists and people. Just keep an eye out but otherwise great areas to hang out. For anyone venturing a bit outside DC proper I'd recommend taking a water taxi from the Wharf or Georgetown to Alexandria. It's an extremely beautiful and historic part of the DMV and very safe. Great for a day trip.

Posted: May 20, 2024
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Meet locals in Washington D.C.

Anadelia

Anadelia

About Me

Love to explore, meet new people, try new food, drink coffee, and dance!

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Bella

Bella

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Hi! I love to travel and meet new people — let’s meet up on our travels!!

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Stay with locals in Washington D.C.

Bella

Bella

Washington D.C.

Can host for:

3 days

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Hi! I love to travel and meet new people — let’s meet up on our travels!!

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Komariah

Komariah

Washington D.C.

Can host for:

3 days

About me

Hi everyone! As many people who got burned out from a mundane office work, i left mine in July 2024 and I have been traveling ever since. My upcoming trips are Italy-France-Germany-Austria (Sept/Oct 2024) and Argentina-Antarctica-France (Oct/Nov 2024). Let me know if we can meet up!

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Safety in United States