Union Market - Washington, DC Area Guide

The land where Trinidad now sits was once owned by William W. Corcoran, a wealthy DC resident. He purchased the land from James Barry, who had named it Trinidad after his former home. Corcoran built his country estate here in the mid-1800s and named it "Trinidad Farm." In 1875, Corcoran obtained a deed for a university -- that university later became George Washington University. Corcoran deeded his country estate to the university as an endowment fund -- the land was to be sold off and the proceeds were to be used to support the school. The university sold the land to the Washington Brick Machine Company, and they sold off parts of the land in lots, creating the first development in Trinidad. Many of those houses are still in the western section of the neighborhood.

As one of DC's more artsy neighborhoods, the area is home to the growing Atlas Performing Arts Center. It also features the Trinidad Day festival, a festival that celebrates the history of the community.

For the best sandwiches, look no further than Mother Rucker’s Subs. The Motherload sub, complete with genoa, pepperoni, capicolla, mortadella, ham, and Swiss and provolone cheese, highlights the sub menu.

For more eastern flavors, head to Panda Chinese Restaurant on West Virginia Avenue Northeast – or get the restaurant to deliver when you want tasty Chinese food fast. The unbelievably quick and reliable service is well-known among locals, as are the Chinese staples, such as chicken lo mein, fried rice, and egg rolls.

Bardo perfectly represents the artsy vibe that has filtered into this neighborhood. Grab a few friends and head over to their outdoor patio seating, which accommodates nearly 500 people. Play a few rounds of District-favorite cornhole and visit with the friendly house dog, Bardog. Many patrons bring their dogs along as well as they sip on one of the many microbrews made in-house.

The small area of the neighborhood makes Trinidad/Langston very walkable. Most streets remain quiet and residential, allowing for safe biking. Capital Bikeshare also has pickup and drop-off stations in the neighborhood.

Drivers benefit from the residential streets, which typically have a fair amount of open parking. While street parking in the District requires yearly permits, many of the row homes in the neighborhood have alleys in the back that are ideal for parking. New York Avenue (Highway 50) just to the north of the neighborhood provides quick and easy access out of the District to the east or a quick connection to I-395 to the west.

Public transportation riders rely more on buses, as the closest Metro stations are a little over a mile away. The NoMa-Gallaudet and Union Station stops on Metro are roughly equidistant from the neighborhood. The Red Line runs through both Metro stations. Union Station also serves as a transportation hub, serviced by regional buses and Amtrak trains.

Buses charge a flat rate of $1.75 per ride. Metrorail starts at $1.75 but ranges up to $5.90 per ride depending on the time of day and how far you ride. Pick up a reloadable SmarTrip card to use on buses and subways.

Cabs can also be found quite easily along Florida Avenue and Benning Road to the south of the neighborhood, and even more frequently along the popular H Street Corridor to the southwest. For the best door-to-door transport, however, call ahead of time or request an Uber.

A couple of small local parks complement the large National Arboretum, which creates the northern border of the neighborhood. Wheatley Recreation Center contains a small playground for the kids, but the Arboretum is the real attraction. Free to visitors, you can walk among the trees, shrubs, and plants before enjoying a nice picnic. Make sure to pay a visit to the amazing collection of bonsai trees. Getting lost in this little oasis of nature remains one of the best activities in all of Washington.

The low cost of living in this neighborhood is reflected by the low rental costs. The average monthly rent of $1,048 for a one-bedroom apartment comes in at 13 percent lower than the citywide average of $1,200 per month.

Gas, on the other hand, costs 19 percent more in this neighborhood compared to national averages. Around here, a decent restaurant meal goes for $15 and normal-priced beers are around $5 a pint.

The neighborhood Hechinger Mall features several stores, including Ross and Consignment Cocktails. There are a few small boutiques in the neighborhood such as Rainbow and Fashion Scents.

Most neighborhood residents head to the Safeway in Hechinger Mall for their groceries. Aldi, just around the corner on 17th Street Northeast, also provides a range of grocery items at discount prices.

Residents have easy access to the District's biggest and most popular farmers market, Eastern Market, less than two miles to the south.