Naturally, with the Inaguration comes the flurry of travel articles from a variety of publications giving potential visitors an overview of their capital city and a flavor of what there is to see and do while they’re here. We particularly enjoyed National Journal‘s map of Texas superimposed on the District of Columbia. Clever, clever, National Journal (but you put Route 29 on 16th Street, and if you’ve read DCist you know not to fall victim to D.C. transportation trickery). Pick up a copy, as National Journal’s subscription barrier prevents us from linking to it.

Meanwhile, the Sunday NYTimes had a sizable travel feature on our city, on what to see, do, where to stay and how get around. And then Jennifer 8. Lee, who we hear has left our fair city for the NYT’s Metro Desk, answers the all important question, why to go in the first place:

Why go? Because the reasons not to have gently receded in recent years, spurred by Mayor Anthony A. Williams’s focus on revitalizing downtown Washington. Prostitutes and crack houses have given way to professional couples, quirky boutiques and ethnic fusion restaurants.

And we thought the prostitutes and crack houses were part of our city’s charm.

For a brief synopsis, here are the places Lee suggests visitors put on their agenda: Smith Point, Dukem, Ben’s Chili Bowl, Politics and Prose, Kramer Books, Stetson’s, Local 16, Hawk ‘n’ Dove, and the I Street location of Cafe Asia, among other places. And another interesting note that Lee brings up: Washington’s lack of a W hotel.