Photo of The Line DC hotel (center) by Gary Williams. Photos of Bad Saint (left) and Tail Up Goat dish (right) by Scott Suchman.
Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant

Where to eat, shop, and explore in the vibrant Northwest DC neighborhoods.

About Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant

These vibrant Northwest DC neighborhoods—all a short walk from one another—are among the most popular places to live and play in the District, and for very good reason. Between them, you can find pretty much anything you’d ever want: Trendy date-night spots, great ethnic food, locally owned shops, pretty parks, and tree-lined side streets. Below, find the very best Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant have to offer.

Things to Do in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant

All the best things to do and places to see in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant.
Meridian Hill Park. Photograph by Jon Bilous/Alamy.
Meridian Hill Park. Photograph by Jon Bilous/Alamy.

BloomBars. A snug, colorfully painted former print shop now holds a nonprofit center hosting kids’ puppet shows and Bollywood dance lessons, plus Tuesday-evening indie-film screenings. 3222 11th St., NW (Columbia Heights); 202-567-7713.

District of Columbia Arts Center. Climb a narrow staircase to reach this longtime gallery and performance space devoted to local artists. Changing exhibits focus on topics such as tiny “nano” works and protest-oriented art. A small black-box theater in the rear hosts frequent improv-comedy nights and plays. 2438 18th St., NW (Adams Morgan); 202-462-7833.

GALA Hispanic Theatre. This 42-year-old cultural center stages both new and classic works—last spring’s production of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s In the Heights was a hit—in the restored 1924 Tivoli Theatre. Performances are generally in Spanish with English surtitles. Also on the marquee: concerts and dance shows, including an annual flamenco festival. 3333 14th St., NW (Columbia Heights); 202-234-7174.

Meridian Hill Park. Stretching over 12 acres between 15th and 16th streets, this early-20th-century green space—also known as Malcolm X Park—boasts eclectic statues (Dante, President James Buchanan, Joan of Arc), towering shade trees, and a cascading fountain. It attracts picnicking millennials, dog-walkers, and on Sunday afternoons, a lively African drum circle. 16th and W sts., NW (Columbia Heights).

Mexican Cultural InstituteThis spectacular 1910 mansion—onetime home to the Mexican Embassy—hosts concerts, art exhibits, and cultishly popular cooking classes by PBS star Pati Jinich. It all takes place amid Beaux Art flourishes (gilded moldings, a grand staircase) and South of the Border touches (Diego Rivera–esque murals, a room plastered in blue tile). 2829 16th St., NW (Columbia Heights); 202-728-1628.

Past Tense Yoga Studios. A turreted corner storefront holds a soothing, modern space for vinyasa yoga classes, plus specialty offerings such as senior and “baby and me” sessions. The $11 lunchtime classes are a bargain, too. 3253 Mount Pleasant St., NW (Mount Pleasant); 202-462-9642.

Suns CinemaZebra wallpaper behind the bar, local beer, and a roster of vintage movies, lesser-known foreign films, and other quirky picks on the not-too-big screen lure hipsters and movie buffs to this arthouse/cocktail lounge with a couple dozen seats. Patrons sit on vintage dining chairs and old church pews and can munch popcorn or frozen Twix candies during shows. 3107 Mount Pleasant St., NW (Mount Pleasant); no phone.

Real Estate in Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant

By the numbers: How the neighborhoods stack up.

Mount Pleasant

Population: 34,875

Millennials: 39% of the population

Median household income: $75,044

Annual spending on pets: $9,542

Median home price: $599,900

Columbia Heights

Population: 35,932

Millennials: 39% of the population

Median household income: $69,775

Annual spending on pets: $8,529

Median home price: $593,250

Adams Morgan

Population: 25,552

Millennials: 44% of the population

Median household income: $95,849

Annual spending on pets: $10,945

Median home price: $560,000

Crime & Safety

Below, the number of crimes (violent, nonviolent and property) reported in 2017.

Photos of Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mount Pleasant

Click on a photo to view gallery in full-screen.