The Downtown DC Holiday Market: A Visitor Guide to Shopping on F Street

For a few weeks each year, the stretch of F Street NW between 7th and 9th Streets becomes one of the most festive blocks in Washington. The Downtown DC Holiday Market sets up rows of vendor booths in front of the grand Greek Revival building that houses the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, with local artists and makers, food stalls and live music. It is a favorite of DC residents doing their holiday shopping and of visitors looking for a gift that wasn't made in a factory. Here is how to plan a visit and fit it into a day in Penn Quarter.

What the Market Is

The Downtown DC Holiday Market is an outdoor seasonal market produced with the DowntownDC Business Improvement District. Vendors rotate over the season, so the mix of crafts, art, jewelry, clothing, home goods and food changes from week to week, and many shoppers come more than once. Admission is free, and the market is designed to be browsed on foot along the closed-off block.

The market traditionally opens around the week before Thanksgiving and runs until shortly before Christmas, with daily hours that start late morning and run into the evening. Exact dates, hours and any weather closures are set each year, so check the market's official website before you go, especially if you're traveling in from out of town to see it.

When to Go

Timing makes a big difference to how the market feels:

• Weekday afternoons are the most relaxed time to browse. You can talk with makers and see the booths without shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.
• Weekday lunchtimes bring office workers from the surrounding blocks, so expect a short rush around midday.
• Weekend afternoons and evenings are the busiest, especially in December. If you go then, arrive close to opening.
• After dark, the lights and music make the market especially pretty, but temperatures drop quickly. Dress for standing outdoors.

Watch Out for Arena Nights

The market sits a block from Capital One Arena, home of the Washington Capitals and Wizards and a major concert venue. On event nights, the streets around 7th and F fill with arriving crowds in the hour or two before start time and again when the event lets out, and traffic on 7th Street, F Street and H Street slows to a crawl. Rideshare pickups in the area get chaotic at the same time.

Before you plan an evening visit, check the arena's event calendar. If there's a game or concert, either visit earlier in the afternoon or plan your pickup for well before the event ends. Our chauffeurs watch event schedules and can suggest a pickup spot a block or two away from the busiest corners so you're not stuck in arena traffic.

Getting There

The market is directly outside the Gallery Place-Chinatown Metro station, which serves the Red, Green and Yellow lines, and a short walk from the Metro Center and Archives stations. For visitors staying downtown, it's an easy walk from most Penn Quarter hotels.

Driving is harder. Street parking around Penn Quarter is metered and scarce, and garages fill on event nights and December weekends. If you are coming from Arlington, Alexandria, the Maryland suburbs or straight from Reagan National with luggage, a drop-off on a nearby cross street saves the hunt for a garage. Your chauffeur drops you as close to the market as traffic and security allow and picks you up at a time you set, or waits nearby with an hourly booking so your shopping bags have somewhere to go.

Making an Afternoon of It in Penn Quarter

The market's location makes it easy to combine with some of downtown's best sights:

• The Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery, right behind the booths, share a building with a glass-roofed courtyard that's a welcome place to warm up. Both are free; check current hours before you go.
• Ford's Theatre, a few blocks south on 10th Street, has traditionally staged a holiday production each season. Our guide to an evening at Ford's Theatre covers the area.
• Chinatown and the Penn Quarter restaurant scene are steps away for dinner, and many restaurants book up on December weekends, so reserve ahead.
• The National Christmas Tree on the Ellipse is a short ride away. Our DC holiday lights guide covers the tree and other seasonal displays.

Shopping Tips

• Bring a reusable bag or two. Many purchases are small, but they add up over an afternoon.
• Carry a card and some cash. Most vendors take cards, but a little cash is useful.
• Ask about shipping. Some vendors can ship larger items, which is helpful if you're flying home.
• Pack fragile items carefully if they're going in a suitcase. Ask the vendor for extra wrapping.
• Leave purchases in the vehicle if you have an hourly booking, so you're not carrying everything into a museum or restaurant.

If the Weather Turns

The market is entirely outdoors, and December in Washington can bring cold rain, wind and the occasional snow. Vendors may close early or skip a day in severe weather, so check the market's website or social media before heading out on a stormy afternoon. On a merely cold day, the market is still pleasant if you dress for it: warm layers, gloves and comfortable shoes for standing on pavement.

It also helps to have an indoor plan nearby. The glass-covered courtyard inside the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery building, right behind the booths, is a calm place to warm up, and the galleries themselves can easily fill an hour. With a car waiting nearby, it's simple to cut the outdoor part short and move on to dinner or a museum if the weather doesn't cooperate.

Visiting With Out-of-Town Guests

The market is a natural outing for relatives visiting for the holidays, and it pairs well with an arrival or departure at Reagan National, which is about fifteen minutes from Penn Quarter in light traffic. Guests flying in can be met at the airport and brought straight downtown, with luggage staying in the vehicle while they shop. For a group, a Chevrolet Suburban seats five and a Lincoln Navigator seats six, while a Mercedes Sprinter carries up to thirteen passengers. See our fleet for details.

If your guests are older or less steady on their feet, plan around the walk. The market is a single closed block, but holiday crowds and uneven curbs can make it tiring. A drop-off at one end and a pickup at the other keeps walking to a minimum.

Planning the Ride

December evenings are one of the busiest times of the year for us, with holiday parties, theater nights and airport runs all happening at once. Book ahead, especially for a weekend visit or a larger vehicle. Sedans and SUVs can be cancelled free of charge up to 3 hours before pickup, and Sprinter vans and special-event bookings up to 12 hours before. Your quote is all-inclusive, with no surprises when you arrive.

Tell us where you're starting, when you'd like to arrive and whether you'd like the car to stay with you. Call (877) 609-1919 at any hour or book online, and we'll plan the drop-off around the market, the arena schedule and the rest of your day in Penn Quarter.