It’s easy to feel lost in the DC area with all of the hustle and bustle and traffic. Luckily, we’re here to help with some of our team’s must-follow Twitter and Instagram for DC and the surrounding area as well as apps to download to help you stay in the loop and make life just a little bit easier.
Must-Download Apps
Open Table
The DC region’s restaurant scene is continuing to boom and with that comes high demand. The Open Table app will allow you to secure reservations at some of DC and Alexandria’s hottest dining destinations. It will also save you the time with being able to check in advance if you can get a table at your favorite spot in short notice. 
Resy
If the hot new restaurant you want to try isn’t on Open Table, chances are it’s on Resy. Resy works similar to Open Table and even has some of the more popular brunch options in the city including Duke’s Grocery. They also have all of the extremely popular Great American Restaurant brand eateries in Fairfax and Montgomery County, which previously did not take reservations. If you’re showing friends or relatives, you definitely want to check out one of these apps before heading out.
NBC Washington
The NBC Washington app provides great real-time alerts as well as access to the top local news stories right at your fingertips. We love their morning alerts that give us a good look at the weather for the day plus any big news stories we may have missed last night. Their small snippets of stories are just enough to prepare us for the day ahead.
Park Mobile
A majority of the street parking in the District, Arlington, and Alexandria are not metered but use machines that allow you to pay by cash and credit card for street parking spaces. While you can use cash and card to pay, the Park Mobile app allows you to pay directly from your phone. Just add your vehicle and credit card info and you can pay for parking instantly. Best of all? The app also saves you the time of having to go back and fill your meter since you can just add more time from your app!
Waze and Google Maps
We all know the DC region is known for its traffic squalls, so make sure you have your preferred traffic app to help you navigate around the gridlock. Just ask anyone who has been stuck on 14th Street the night of the National Christmas Tree Lighting. Both apps work great so we recommend going with whichever you prefer to help you get around town.
Capital Bikeshare
This app shows the location and status of Capital Bikeshare stations throughout the city. The app also allows sends you notifications such as when you lock your bike. You can also unlock and pay for bikes directly through the app.
Dockless Scooters
The scooter app craze has completely taken over the DC, Arlington and Alexandria areas over the last couple of years, so much so that there could be 10,000 scooters on the streets by January 2020. All of the different scooter companies require an app to start. Bird was the original scooter company in our area but since then Bolt, Jump, Lime, and even Lyft among others have jumped into the dockless scooter game. The District however plans to limit the amount of companies operating in the city to four starting in then as well.
Must Follow Twitter Accounts
Capital Weather Gang
https://twitter.com/capitalweather
With over a million followers on Twitter, Capital Weather Gang with the Washington Post has a national following. From snow projections to hurricane forecasts, Capital Weather Gang has your comprehensive breakdown of your local weather. And since they’re local, you get the local perspective instead of the general one like you do from the big weather apps. 
WTOP Traffic
50k followers
https://twitter.com/WTOPtraffic
Even in the world of Waze and Google Maps to get us around, WTOP Traffic is still a great resource to get around accidents and congestion on area roads. WTOP provides real-time updates on accidents so you can help plan your commute better.
Metrorail Info
https://twitter.com/Metrorailinfo
The Metrorail info account is your go-to source for Metro related updates and delays. If you need to know about closures or single tracking, this account is updated in real-time so you can know of any slowdowns before you hit the rails.
Dan Steinberg, DC Sports Bog
https://twitter.com/dcsportsbog
In what initially started out as a small and often random blog with the Washington Post, the D.C Sports Bog has now grown to over 75 thousand followers and now includes a daily newsletter. Now an editor with the Post as well, Steinberg provides his thoughts and analysis on all things D.C sports finding new ways to connect with fans and readers and often breaking important local sports news.
Ghosts of D.C
https://twitter.com/GhostsofDC
If you want to know a little history behind the region we call home, this is a great account to check out. Ghosts of D.C typically tweets out vintage photographs of the District. If you ever wanted to see a mock-up of what DC would’ve looked like if Interstate 95 ran through the District, this feed is the place for you.
Smithsonian
https://twitter.com/smithsonian
If you’re new to the area, chances are you’ll be checking out some of the phenomenal Smithsonian museums soon. If not, it’s a sure bet you’ll be showing out-of-town friends and family around these museums shortly. Stay up-to-date on new exhibits and programs, as well as good factoids and things to know about Smithsonian.
PoPville
118.6k followers
With the original website starting in 2006, the twitter account that covers pretty much everything has gained a huge following. Often considering itself the unofficial ombudsman and advisor for many residents in the District readers are able to write in questions and collectively get answers to a host of topics concerning life and happenings in the District. Their focus is mainly neighborhoods, making it extremely hyperlocal, especially with its photo heavy coverage.
VDOT Northern Virginia
31k followers
Need to know about the Express Lanes or have a question about a road in your neighborhood? The VDOT Northern Virginia Twitter account is your best source. Also known for their humor, the VDOT Nova account often replies in real-time to incidents as well as providing insight and tips for you to know while on the road.
Must follow Instagram Accounts
@DCDogMoms
8.8k followers
https://www.instagram.com/dcdogmoms/
If you’re a dog lover and spend lots of time on Instagram looking at dog pictures then this account is for you. The account’s mission is to bring together pups and people in our fave DC places.” They also host local meet ups at bars around town as well.
@washingtonianmag 
130kk followers
https://www.instagram.com/washingtonianmag
The popular local magazine’s instagram account has a huge following as well. From teasers for upcoming feature stories to food guides’ the Washingtonian Magazine Instagram account often covers angles not showcased by other local news outlets. They also always have a fun way of telling the story and don’t take themselves too seriously.
@Eater_DC
33.3k followers
https://www.instagram.com/eater_dc/
In case you didn’t know this by now, DC prides itself on unique and innovative dining selections. The innovative Instagram account keeps the focus pretty simple photos of amazing meals all across the region. Eater DC also does a great job engaging their followers by asking them to tag them in their food photos. Like their twitter account, they’re also on top of new and cool restaurants opening up as well.
@unionmarketdc
97.6k followers
https://www.instagram.com/unionmarketdc/
From food and events, this account puts on display everything Union Market has to offer. Still the go-to food hall in the District, you can come here to find inspiration on food, shopping, and drinks or your next big social outing. This is also a great spot to look to be the first to know of new food offerings!
@wethepeopledc
50.4k followers
https://www.instagram.com/wethepeopledc/?hl=en
This account is definitely a unique one. The goal is to give followers the perspective of different Washingtonians every day with someone new taking over the handle to give their perspective on the place we call home. On this true lifestyle account, no two days of posts are the same. If you want a true glimpse of the neighborhoods throughout the District, this is a great introspective to check out.
@thegoodhartgroup
3,787 followers
https://www.instagram.com/thegoodhartgroup/
Last but certainly not least, be sure to give our account a follow. We love to highlight local events, restaurants, things we think you should check out, our listings, and really anything around town we think you’d love!
