Anyone who has visited the East Coast will have encountered a being native only to this region of the world- a being endlessly studied and imitated. I am referring to the East Coaster.

Growing up in the West, I was fascinated by my first encounters with these in-habitants, who seem to compare how worthy a city is of being called a “city,” like my high school friends are prone to comparing camping gear. At first, I considered this argument petty and a hilarious result of being raised so far away from big mountains. But I found myself pulled into the debates as if I had an actual claim to stake. Those from New York think there is only one true city in the U.S. People from Suburbia would never claim they live outside of cities. Philadelphia residents define themselves through an accent so distinct, hundreds of pages of research have been collected on the matter.

I happen to be a resident of Washington D.C., which is an amalgam of many different cultures. And one thing any DC resident will tell you, DC is not New York. Some say this with disdain, being taught from a young age that anything outside of New York City is rural. I have come to this statement with a sense of pride to be a resident of a hospitable and young city. It is through this lens that I write my weekend guide to DC: whether you are on vacation and looking for some excitement through city life, or need some R&R from the bustling craziness of life, here are some of my suggestions for a summer weekend in DC.

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