Access Washington, DC

Once again a jewel of a guide. Comprehensive, lively, logical and coherent. Like so many other city guides by Richard Saul Wurman, this book combines an architectural overview with historical, anecdotal and practical aspects of the city in such a way that makes it a great companion to have before during and after the visit. As a matter of fact even if you don't go, you get the pleasure of intimate knowledge of the place.

When some friends mentioned they had never visited DC, I decided that I'd use some of the gazillion frequent flyer miles I have and fly them and the family up for a week and serve as a tour guide.

I lived and worked in DC earlier in my career and have visited probably another 25-times as well on business, so I wasn't sure a printed tour guide would be particularly useful. But, just to be thorough, I picked up a copy of this guide "Access Washington DC" along with another, titled "The Unofficial Guide to Washington, DC."

I liked the handiness of the Access guide, it's lighter, thinner and easier to carry around; the Unofficial Guide is heftier and every extra ounce that you're carrying around all day does get a bit annoying.

The Access guide is also easier to read -- pages are divided by section of town, it is profusely illustrated with easy-to-read maps, has multicolored headings to separate text and has an excellent index. I also liked its...Read more

The ACCESS guides are so smartly organized by neighborhoods that you'll be lurking like a local in no time. The color coding for attractions, restaurants, hotels and shopping make skimming for your favorites a breeze. More often than not, their sly 'insider' comments are right on the money. I used ACCESS Washington, DC to acclimate myself to my new home, and I still use it whenever company comes to town. Like any travel guide, the latest edition is a must (but even that won't compensate for fickle diners and undercapitalized restauranteurs) and it's certainly time for a newer version than the 2000 edition. But having said that, I still purchase an ACCESS guide if I'm going to spend any time in a city I haven't fully explored.