📍 Washington, DC
🏒 Home of the Washington Capitals

The home ice of the NHL’s Washington Capitals and home court of the NBA’s Washington Wizards since it opened in the Chinatown neighborhood in 1997, Capital One Arena has been a hub for indoor entertainment in Washington, DC for almost thirty years. Although the venue was built to accommodate primarily hockey and basketball, it has also played host to many major events that have come to the District.

The Capitals, who have skated their way into becoming the arena’s most successful tenant, were founded back in 1974. An expansion club, the Caps originally played all their home games in the suburb of Landover, Maryland at an 18,000-seat cookie-cutter venue known as the Capital Centre, although it would be sponsored by US Airways in its later years. It was a far-flung barn that aged rapidly, forcing out both the Capitals and Bullets – who would rebrand as the Wizards – after just a quarter century.

Now known as Capital One Arena, the Caps’ new digs were a major upgrade and solidified itself as one of the premier multi-purpose facilities around the turn of the century. As the seasons have wore on, even this state-of-the-art arena has needed enhancements and facelifts to keep it in line with modern expectations, and it has received many updates to keep the fan experience relevant and fresh. One of the most noticeable changes was the installation of an enormous new videoboard – one of the largest in the NHL – prior to the 2019-20 season.

Despite their well-kept arena and advantageous location in downtown DC, the Caps almost followed through with plans to flee to suburban Virginia in the mid-2020s, but ultimately opted to remain at Capital One Arena after a six-phase renovation process – slated to be complete in 2028 – was unveiled.

And that decision is certainly for the better, as the Capitals have built nearly their entire legacy here in the District. In their inaugural season downtown, the team would advance all the way to the 1998 Stanley Cup Finals – where they were swept by Detroit – and, in 2018, the Caps finally hoisted Lord Stanley for the first time after defeating the Vegas Golden Knights. The Caps are also three-time Presidents’ Trophy winners and have clinched a division title on more than a dozen occasions. All along the concourse of the arena, fans can take a walk down memory lane by gazing into the many display cases highlighting the history of the Capitals organization, its outstanding players and the moments that have been forever etched in the minds of the crazed Caps family.