I was there on the 1st of January and stayed at the Plaza hotel. This place is very near to the White House, the Obelisk, and lots of other monuments. Its absolutely great to have a walk around the place. If you are planning to go there, please do not use a car because you will not be able to enjoy it fully. You will also notice Capitol Hill on your way towards the White House and some other monuments. Usually there are a noticeable number of tourists. You may also find a journalist or reporter giving a news report for a channel in front of the White House. Its nice to see them doing that live in front of you. I found the people to be very friendly.