It’s been quite a year in the District. The city saw everything from the opening of the Smithsonian’s 19th museum to the first-ever Metro shutdown (for a non-weather reason). How do we keep up with all of D.C.’s highs and lows? Apps, of course! Whether you’re navigating your route for the evening, wondering about work closures, or needing to report issues to local authorities, here are some apps that will keep you locked in to D.C. living.

DCNIGHTS: Is it your turn to plan a night out on the town? The DCNights app has you covered with countless event options for any given night. It showcases popular venues such as Echostage, the Fillmore, the Howard Theatre, and the Verizon Center so users can purchase tickets for upcoming shows. There’s also a calendar that features parties, as well as “non-party” options like networking and wellness events. For a more relaxed night, the app links to Fandango for show times at nearby theaters. It also lists happy hour specials if you want to start the evening with a reasonably priced cocktail. Finally, the app has a couple of practical tools like a weather forecaster and a tip calculator—basically, all the resources you need for a successful D.C. night.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download DCNights here (iTunes) and here (Google Play).

CHERRY PICKER: Every spring, us wise District residents try to avoid the hoards of tree hugging, selfie stick-wielding tourists at the Tidal Basin. But we want to admire D.C.’s famed cherry blossoms, too! So what to do? Check out D.C. Cherry Picker, an app that helps folks locate cherry trees in neighborhoods outside of the National Mall. It’s perfect to test out during your morning commute to work, afternoon stroll, or date night.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download D.C. Cherry Picker here.

The OPM Alert app does exactly what you need during snow season: tell you the government’s operating status.

OPM: Winter is just a synonym for snow day season. Instead of googling “opm status” at every hint of flurries, download the OPM Alert app. You can set push notifications for any and all manner of changes, ranging from closures and delayed arrivals to shelter-in-place or immediate departures. True to our government town, in addition to Android and Apple versions, there are also those for you souls hanging on to Windows and Blackberry phones. —Rachel Sadon

You can download the OPM app here.

DC 311: Do you want to report a broken meter, missed trash collection, pothole, or other nuisance you face in the city? The DC 311 app provides an easy submission process for dozens of issues that will eventually reach the proper agency. The app also gives an estimate of how many days it will take for the issue to be resolved as well as status updates for the time being.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download DC 311 here.

ASK DC: This isn’t a fun app by any stretch of the imagination, but it can be very useful. The collaboration between the Mayor’s Office of Victim Services and Men Can Stop Rape is designed to help victims of crimes get help, whether it be through different telephone hotlines, online chatrooms, and options for medical aid, including forensic exams. There’s a whole “Get Help in the City” section that lists services available for elders, housing, ASL, and more. ASK DC also has a feature that will send emergency messages to contacts that say things like “Help! I’m in a dangerous situation!” and include your geolocation. I hope you never have to use this app, but it doesn’t hurt to have around.—Rachel Kurzius

You can download ASK DC here.

NATIONAL MALL: Have you ever been showing around a visitor on the National Mall when you see an impressive-looking structure with columns and, alas, have no idea what it is? Well, the National Mall app, developed by the National Park Service, would have come in really handy. The map feature flags all the big sites. You can also see them in list form, including by location, if you just want to give your friend a quick fix of something nearby before hightailing it to a bar. The coolest part is the tour function, which has pre-made options based on how much time you’ve got and what interests you, or you can create your own. The only issue is that this app can slow down your phone sometimes, so make sure to quit some other apps when you use it.—Rachel Kurzius

You can download the National Mall app here.

SMITHSONIAN: Looking for one app that contains every single Smithsonian institution floor plan? Well, then the Smithsonian app is for you! It’s not just the blueprints, either. Each museum listing also includes events, highlights, exhibitions, and more, in case you left your Lonely Planet book at home. And it goes beyond the National Mall—the Anacostia Museum, National Zoo, and even two New York outposts get some love, too. Plus, the Smithsonian churns out a number of cool podcasts and this app gives you one place to find them all. My favorite part is the “Smithsonian that way” function, which makes your phone a compass for the different museums. It reminds me of Pokemon Go, but for catching some dope museum exhibits.—Rachel Kurzius

You can download the Smithsonian app here.

METRO/BUS APPS: In a town riddled with SafeTrack, regular Metro delays, and some of the country’s worst traffic, it behooves all Washingtonians to keep track of the situation on the Metro and bus routes they use. But exactly which app is a matter of debate. My personal preference is DC Metro & Bus for its simplicity and organization. The main screen gives options for alerts, next train, next bus, and a map of the system (which is particularly handy when you need to figure out which side of the station to be on when transferring). But I mostly use the remaining two buttons: “favorites,” which gives immediate access to the wait times at the stops I use most frequently, and “nearby,” which does the work of pulling up the closest stations/stops without having to scroll or input the stop number. Others on our staff prefer BusTrackDC, DC Metro Transit, and the very detailed MetroHero.—Rachel Sadon

You can download the DC Metro & Bus app here (Google Play) and here (iTunes)

PARKMOBILE: For drivers, Parkmobile is a must-have in D.C. The District Department of Transportation contracts with the service to let drivers pay for curbside spaces by phone. When you sign up, the app locks in your payment information and license plate number. And after parking, drivers simply enter the zone or space number found on nearby signs and meters into the app to make swift transactions. The alternative option is putting coins or your credit card into the actual meter. If you sync the app with your email, you can get notifications when the clock starts ticking and 15 minutes before your time runs out. If you need more minutes, you can add them from the app where ever you are.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download Parkmobile here.

PARKDC: The parkDC app is a new tool for those who frequently drive to places like the Verizon Center, National Portrait Gallery, National Building Museum, Martin Luther King Library, and surrounding restaurants and venues. As D.C. recently launched a program where meter prices in Penn Quarter and Chinatown fluctuate between $2, $2.30, and $2.75 an hour, drivers may not know how much they’re going to pay. Further, it could be hard to even find a space in the heavily-trafficked part of town. parkDC gives real-time updates on where spaces are available and how much they cost in the two neighborhoods. But you still have to pay via Parkmobile or at the meter.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download the parkDC app here.

SPOTCYCLE: In September, Capital Bikeshare’s 400th public station landed in Ward 7—and the Spotcycle app has grown with the service. The app allows D.C. Bikeshare riders to find the nearest dock to their current locations. It shows how many bikes are at each dock so that if there aren’t any, people can go to another station to start their trip. Conversely, if a dock is full with bikes, cyclists know to go somewhere else to end trips. Another helpful feature is a clock that shows how much time you’ve been cruising because members tend to switch bikes every 30 minutes to avoid additional fees.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download Spotcycle here.

MY CITY BIKES: Whether you’re renting a bike or riding your own, My City Bikes DC offers tons of resources for a smooth ride. It has helpful tips for parents and kids. There’s a section for women featuring bikes based on style and riding preferences. The app even integrates videos like “tips for the bicycle curious” that offers best practices for cycling in the city. Also for commuting, the app encourages riders to use local bike paths such as the Metropolitan Branch Trail and Anacostia Riverwalk Trail and others that stretch farther into D.C.’s suburbs like the Cabin John and Cedarville State Forest trails.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download My City Bikes here.

The Emoji DC app gives you D.C.-centric images to use when communicating with friends (Photo via Destination DC)

EMOJI DC: If you enjoy communicating with your friends using images, this one’s for you. Last year, Destination DC released an app that lets people download D.C.-themed emoji, stickers, and animated GIFs. While we came up with better ideas, the app includes things like the D.C. flag (a cupcake and burger with the D.C. flag on them), lots of monuments, the White House, the Capitol, the Chinatown archway, and a Metrorail car, among other things.—Christina Sturdivant

You can download Emoji DC here.