One of the great things about D.C. is that everyone ends up here for different reasons. Some are born here. Some grow up — or still live — nearby in Maryland or Virginia. Some move here for college and never leave. Some stay for a little while and then move on. Some come here because of politics. Some don’t want anything to do with politics. That’s part of what makes our annual Best of D.C. issue so fascinating: Much like D.C. itself, it’s always changing, even as certain things stay the same. This year, like last year, we split up the coverage into two sections. One features our staff picks — the places and activities we love the most at the moment. The other is full of your picks — dozens of places to go and things to do as voted on by you, our readers.

See who made the list >>