20 January 2021

Joe Biden takes office in DC – but is it a better holiday destination than NYC?

20 January 2021

All eyes are on Washington DC this week, as Joe Biden is sworn in as the 46th President of the United States with a grand inauguration ceremony, taking place in the nation’s capital.

It’s set to be a star-studded affair with Lady Gaga singing the national anthem, and Jennifer Lopez, Justin Timberlake and Jon Bon Jovi performing at the event, which begins around 4pm GMT.

If the inauguration has got you thinking about post-pandemic holiday plans, you may be wondering which east coast city is better when it comes to transatlantic travel destinations, Washington DC, or its more northerly neighbour, New York City?

To help you decide, we take a look at some of the pros and cons of the iconic American cities.

New York

Pros: With five boroughs and hundreds of distinct neighbourhoods, from glitzy Soho to verdant Central Park to the edgy Lower East Side, it’s impossible to get bored in the Big Apple.

You could easily spend a week wandering around different areas soaking up the sights and sounds, fuelled by multiple cups of coiffee (as real New Yorkers say it) ‘everything’ bagels, donuts, cronuts and the myriad other munchables the city has to offer, before rounding it off with a slap-up dinner of the finest pizza you’ll find outside Italy.

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Culture vultures can take their pick from some of the world’s best museums and art galleries by day (the curvaceous Guggenheim building is an artwork in and of itself), and of course the City That Never Sleeps offers a plethora of nocturnal delights, from subterranean comedy clubs and delightfully dirty dive bars, to high-end restaurants and boujie rooftop cocktail joints.

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Cons: The sheer size of NYC can be overwhelming, especially for a first-time visitor. It’s impossible to see it all, and while individual neighbourhoods are lovely to walk around, to get across town, you’ll have to navigate the subway, which can be confusing and pretty scuzzy in parts.

In my experience, Manhattanites aren’t renowned for being the friendliest people on earth, you’ll need plenty of cash to cope with eye-popping NYC prices and you’ll have to pre-book or be prepared to queue for everything.

Washington DC

Pros: Did you know that ‘The Smithsonian’ is not just one but a total of 19 different museums and galleries, 17 of which are located in Washington DC?

Not only that, 11 of the institutions – dedicated to history, science, art, animals and more – are within walking distance of each other, situated along the picturesque National Mall.

Running from the US Capitol building to the iconic Lincoln Memorial, the Mall should be every West Wing fan’s first port of call in DC, but this city isn’t just for politics geeks.

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North of the Mall you’ll find a cluster of colourful neighbourhoods packed with hip cafes and coffee shops, in-demand restaurants and bustling bars where the city’s trendiest inhabitants hang out.

In my experience, Washingtonians are incredibly friendly. When I visited, I got chatting to people wherever I went and even managed to bag a private tour of the Capitol building after a chance encounter in an Uber Pool with a woman who worked in Congress. How nice is that?

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Cons: Washington DC isn’t much cheaper than New York when it comes to eateries and accommodation, and some people argue the well-manicured city lacks the rough-around-the-edges charm of NYC.

Plus, you will still have to be organised and book in advance if you want to visit the capital’s most popular museums and foodie hotspots, because tickets and reservations sell out weeks – or sometimes even months – in advance.

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