How to Navigate Inauguration Weekend in DC

Inauguration Day is a huge event for our nation with loads of fanfare, politicking, and of course security, but for many of us who live in D.C., it can be a major headache. Here’s everything you need to know about getting around town this weekend, from street closures to restaurants to avoid.

Road Closures:

Starting Sunday morning, D.C. will have massive, I mean massive, road closures. Pretty much anything south of K Street down to the Southwest Freeway will be closed until after the inauguration. Some streets around the National Cathedral will be closed as well. On Saturday, the People’s March will also cause several road closures downtown. Long story short, it’s a great weekend to stay home.

Adjusted Metro Schedule & Closures:

Metrorail will open at 4 a.m. on Inauguration Day and close at midnight. However, starting at 8 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 19 until 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21, the following stations will be closed:

• McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Federal Triangle (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Smithsonian (Blue, Orange, Silver lines)
• Mt. Vernon Sq.-Convention Center (Green, Yellow lines)
• Archives-Navy Memorial (Green, Yellow lines)
• Pentagon (Blue, Yellow lines) will be closed just Jan. 20.

Metro will run more frequent trains this weekend but is telling riders to be prepared for long lines and full trains.

Expect Cold Weather:

It’s going to be abnormally cold and windy on Inauguration Day. Temps will be in the 20s with winds near 30 mph, the coldest inauguration since Ronald Reagan’s in 1985. So, make sure to bundle up!

Areas To Avoid:

There will be over 200,000 people visiting D.C. this weekend. If you don’t want to be part of the hubub you’ll obviously want to avoid the National Mall, downtown, and the National Cathedral. But more than that, you’ll want to avoid tourist areas in general, including museums and monuments. I also wouldn’t go out to eat at any steakhouses, which are known to be big Republican hangouts.

Security Response:

Around 4,000 police officers from out of town and 7,800 National Guard troops are working the inauguration, but this is only part of an overarching security effort that includes drones, checkpoints, and more fencing than ever before.