Traveling to Washington, D.C. during the COVID Pandemic
From United Kingdom on
A quick off-peak trip to the Nation's capital to check out the museums, attractions, and sights of Washington, D.C.
- How did you enter the country?
- Air
- Any difficulties with your vaccination card when entering the destination?
- There were no difficulties arriving at Dulles International.
- Was your COVID test result accepted?
- Yes.
- Did the local government ask for travel or health insurance when you arrived?
- No additional travel or health insurance was needed.
- Did you experience any challenges with customs, immigration, or the health authorities related to COVID?
- No challenges at all, everything went smoothly.
- If needed, were COVID tests easy to find and book at your destination?
- COVID tests were easy to find. A quick Google search brings up several options along with tests being offered at the popular pharmacies.
- Did you have any difficulties with testing or receiving your results on time?
- I received all my results within 24 hours and I used different providers every time.
- Did you have to show proof of vaccination on location? For example, when entering restaurants, shops, events, etc.?
- No proof was needed, however, I did carry my digital certificate around just in case.
- Were you required to wear a mask inside restaurants, event spaces, or public transportation? If you were able to choose, did you feel comfortable wearing or not wearing a mask?
- The only place that required masks was the Smithsonian and everyone over the age of 2 needed to wear one. I wore my mask when walking around all indoor spaces, and the majority of the people around me did, too.
- Did the destination adapt physical distancing in day-to-day situations?
- It was easy to socially distance in DC and the surrounding areas. I'm sure it would've been more challenging if it was peak season and there were more people around.
- Did restaurants, businesses, and public services take COVID-related sanitary precautions that you noticed?
- Every restaurant and business I went into had hand sanitizer and extra precautions like markings on the floor and limiting the number in restrooms. However, it was very rare to see those precautions in bars.
- Were most attractions open? Were you able to visit the ones you wanted to attend?
- Not all the attractions were open (The Capitol Visitor Center was closed), and some places had limited capacity (you needed to reserve a ticket for the National Archives which is normally a "show up and walk in" situation), but I got to check out everything I wanted to go to. I just had to do a little extra planning and stick to a schedule when I got there.
- Were there any surprising or unexpected COVID policies on your trip?
- Nothing surprising or unexpected, but very inconsistent with policies, much like the UK. You're normally unsure if a mask is required or not, so it's just easier to wear one everywhere.
- Anything you found to be noteworthy about your trip related to traveling with additional restrictions and policies?
- Save the government website (for your country and your destination country) in your bookmarks and check frequently! It's constantly changing and always be prepared to make a last minute change!
- Anything else you think fellow travelers should know?
- It's A LOT of COVID tests to take in short period of time, so make sure you stay organized and don't overwhelm yourself. I always take self tests with me (since the US does not require you to take a test after landing at this time) so I can test myself throughout my trip.