Bikes, Scooters & Getting Around

Capital Bikeshare is DC's official bike-share — 700+ docking stations across DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and Montgomery County. Two kinds of bikes:

• Classic (red & gray): pedal-only, included in passes. • E-bikes (all red): pedal-assist motor up to ~18 mph. A small per-minute fee on top of any pass — worth it for hills.

How to ride: Download the Capital Bikeshare app, buy a Single Trip ($2.50–4), Day Pass (~$8, unlimited 45-min trips on classic bikes), or a monthly/annual membership. Unlock via the app and ride. End your trip by docking the bike at any station — if it doesn't click in, you're still being charged.

DC permits multiple shared e-scooter operators. The two you'll see most are Lime and Lyft, plus Spin and Bird in some areas.

Download the app, scan the QR code on the scooter, and ride. Pricing is roughly $1 to unlock + $0.30–0.45 per minute. Park at a designated zone or out of the pedestrian path on the sidewalk.

Speed cap: 15 mph (some operators throttle lower in dense areas). Sidewalk riding is banned in the downtown Central Business District — use the street or a bike lane.

DC has built out a real bike network in the last decade. Key routes:

• 15th Street NW — protected two-way lane through downtown. • L Street and M Street NW — protected lanes east-west across downtown. • Pennsylvania Ave NW — center-running protected lane between the White House and Capitol (yes, you can bike *that* Pennsylvania Avenue).

For longer rides:

• Mount Vernon Trail — 18 miles paved, Rosslyn to Mount Vernon along the Potomac. • C&O Canal Towpath — 184.5 miles of crushed stone starting in Georgetown. Flat, shaded, beautiful. • Capital Crescent Trail — paved, Georgetown to Bethesda. Old rail line. • Rock Creek Trail — winds through the park north into Maryland.

Driving in central DC is genuinely painful — narrow streets, one-ways, traffic, and parking that often costs more than dinner. Meanwhile, a CaBi e-bike will get you across town in 15 minutes for under $5, and you can park it (well, dock it) anywhere.

For tourists: a Day Pass + a sunny afternoon = the single best way to see the monuments. The whole Mall + Tidal Basin loop on a bike is about an hour and goes everywhere a tour bus can't.

• Helmets aren't required for adults but DC bike shops will give you one with a CaBi day pass on request. • Lights are required after dark — CaBi bikes have built-in lights that turn on automatically. • Don't ride on Metro during rush hour with a full-size bike (~7–10am, 4–7pm weekdays). Folding bikes in cases are always allowed. • Watch for streetcar tracks on H Street NE — narrow tires can get caught. Cross at a 45° angle.