Dupont Circle epitomizes Pierre L'Enfant's vision of a city of grandeur, greenness and grace. Here, three grand avenues named after original states — Massachusetts, Connecticut and New Hampshire — meet at a landscaped circle in the center of which is a large marble fountain. The Dupont Circle neighborhood is now the most cosmopolitan in Washington, filled with ethnic restaurants, art galleries, bookstores, unusual shops, embassies, museums, offices and homes. It is a magnet for residents and visitors attracted by its lively urban lifestyle, diversity, and unique mix of architectural styles.

The U Street corridor became commercially significant when a streetcar line operated there in the early 20th century. As part of the larger Shaw neighborhood, it has long been a center of Washington's music scene with a variety of clubs including many historic jazz venues. In its cultural heyday it was known as "Black Broadway." Today, the neighborhood is undergoing a renaissance with new nightclubs, restaurants, and an eclectic mix of stores.

The intersection of 18th Street and Columbia Road, NW is the center of Washington's liveliest nightlife. Adams Morgan's restaurants feature cuisine from around the world can be found within a few bustling blocks. The scene, with its array of food, clubs, coffee houses, bars, funky shops and live music has an international flavor that attracts people from the city and the metropolitan region, as well as tourists. The colorful street murals of Adams Morgan, first painted in the 1970s, are now emulated throughout the city. Today, the once-suburban neighborhood exemplifies urban life at its most vibrant. The special ambience of Adams Morgan is due in large part to the diverse mix of its residents.

The Logan Circle neighborhood, on and around the circle at the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 13th Street, N.W., is almost a textbook illustration of the beauty of the L’Enfant Plan’s vision for the evolution of the federal city. This neighborhood, very close to downtown, is a delight for the pedestrian. Almost all the townhouses that line the circle and the streets radiating from it were built between for their prosperous owners between 1875 and 1900 in the Late Victorian and Richardsonian architectural styles.