How to Attend Inauguration 2025 in Washington, DC
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase something through one of these links, we will make a small commission at no additional cost to you to help run this blog. Thank you for your support!
Inauguration 2025 could be a historic first for our country, and you might be thinking this is the year to travel to DC to see it for yourself! It’s been a minute since we had a big inauguration due to COVID in 2020, but the city is expecting huge crowds for this one. It is likely we won’t have major details until after the election, but I’ve put together a few tips for visiting based on my experience with big events in DC and information from 2016.
This guide will be updated after the election and will include links to more information as it becomes available. It will also focus more on the vibes of being near the National Mall – not the ticketed events.
The Basics
The inauguration occurs at the United States Capitol, followed by a parade to the White House. Generally, the area around the National Mall will be closed to cars. The area directly in front of the Capitol is ticketed, but many people will line up in the non-ticket area behind 4th Street NW or along the parade route. The event will be held on January 20, 2025. In 2025, this day happens to be Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so many locals will already have the day off.
A map with ticketed areas, non-ticketed areas, and a map of closed roads should be released after the election.
Weather
January is usually a slow month in Washington, DC, unless there is an inauguration. January in DC usually means tourists visiting for the holiday season have gone home, and the trees are bare while we wait for the cherry blossoms to mark the return of spring. The weather could be pretty mid-weather (think mid-50s) or bitterly cold, so check the weather before you leave. The National Mall is open to the elements, so prepare with jackets, hats, and gloves to protect against any bitter wind. No matter what the weather is, wear your best walking shoes.
Getting There
Metro will be your best bet for getting into the city on Inauguration Day. There will be too many road closures to easily navigate by car. If your hotel is outside of the city, walk or take an Uber to the nearest Metro station. If you must drive to the Metro, you can find all of the stations with parking here. A few of those stations include
- Virginia: Ashburn, Herndon, Huntington, Wiehle-Reston, East Falls Church, West Falls Church, Innovation Center
- Maryland: Bethesda, College Park, Shady Grove, Silver Spring, Rockville, Wheaton
Many Metro stops near the National Mall will be closed for security reasons – usually, this includes the Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, and Archives stops. An official list will be announced as more details become available. I’d recommend getting off at Farragut North (Red), McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver), L’Enfant Plaza (Blue, Orange, Silver, Yellow, Green), or Capitol South (Blue, Orange, Silver). Capitol South will be closest to the Capitol Building, L’Enfant Plaza will be closest to the National Mall non-ticketed areas, and McPherson Square will be closest to the White House.
Plan to get to the city as early as possible. Metro has opened early and run rush hour service for past inauguration ceremonies and other large events. The ceremony historically begins at 11:30 am so I’d recommend planning to be downtown between 6 and 8 am. There will likely be long security lines to enter the National Mall area. You should be able to bring water and food through security but not coolers.
Everyone ages 5 and older in your party will need their own Metro card. You can purchase physical cards in each station, or you can download the SmarTrip app on your phone. If you choose to use the app, set it up at least 24 hours before you need to use it. It can take some time to enter your information and to load money. For more on the Metro system, check out this blog post.
Where to Stay
It is very likely hotels in the city will be expensive or sold out. That’s okay! Metro will likely be crowded but reliable and the easiest way to get downtown.
When looking at hotels in the area, consider staying as close to a Metro station as you can. Be mindful that areas like Silver Spring and Bethesda cover a lot of ground – only the downtown areas have walkable Metro access.
Areas in Virginia near a Metro Station: Arlington (near Ballston, Rosslyn, and Clarendon), Old Town Alexandria, Falls Chruch, Crystal City, Reston
Areas in Maryland near a Metro Station: Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg, Friendship Heights, downtown Silver Spring, College Park
Areas in Virginia that are farther out but within reasonable driving distance of a Metro stop: Fairfax, Herndon, Chantilly, Centreville, Manassas, Sterling
Where to Eat
Dupont Circle, Farragut Square, Metro Center, Gallery Place, and Eastern Market have many restaurants. For breakfast, grab a to-go option before you head into the city or at a coffee shop on your way to the National Mall. Be mindful that food is not allowed on the Metro, but you should be fine if your food is wrapped and put away during your ride.
After the festivities, you won’t find many options directly on the National Mall and may have to walk farther than usual to get away from the crowds. However, areas to look at include the following. This is by no means an exhaustive list – just a few of my favorites in the areas. It might be hard to make reservations, so the farther you get away from the National Mall, the easier it will likely be to get a table. Famous restaurants near the White House, like Old Ebbitt Grill and The Hamilton, are usually busy on days when a lot of tourists are in town.
Near the White House and Farragut Square: Immigrant Food, Old Ebbitt Grill, The Hamilton, Astro Beer Hall, PJ Clarke’s, District Taco
Near Archives, Metro Center, and Gallery Place: Oyamel, Jaleo, Dirty Habit, Hill Country, Seoul Spice, Luke’s Lobster, Mi Vida, The Smith, Urban Roast
Eastern Market near Capitol Hill: Good Stuff Eatery, We The Pizza, Young Chow Asian Fusion, Mr. Henry’s, Barrel, Ambar, Ted’s Bulletin, Belga Cafe
The Wharf near the Tidal Basin: Mi Vida, Tiki TNT, Bartaco, Hanks Oyster Bar, Gordan Ramsey Fish and Chips