These shoes were made for walkin'

This time of year, it's not uncommon to see swarms of camera-clad, fanny-pack wearing tourists from all seven continents ooh-ing and ahh-ing around the District. Ahh, tourist season. The sun is out, the air is a perfect mix of warm and cool, and GW students are creeping out from every corner just to be outside.

"Every spring, it seems like our student body grows by about a thousand," senior Michael Gray said. "Everyone is taking monument walks, or forgoing a cab ride to Georgetown for a nice walk because we all just want to be outside."

So if you're inspired to go tour the Museum of Natural History for the first or tenth time, you want to properly adorn this season's hottest transportation device: your feet.

DC is a walking city. In fact, when architect Pierre L'Enfant designed Washington, D.C. in the late 18th century, he outlined the city so that each monument and area was pedestrian friendly and accessible. Thus, the best way to tour the District is on foot. But all that pavement can really tear up your feet, if you don't have the right footwear.

First of all, since it's finally warm and you'll want to expose your newly pedicured toes, make sure you don't just grab a pair of rubber flip-flops.While these may be great for lounging pool-side, they give you no support and can actually do great damage to the arches of your feet.

Instead, if you choose to go the sandal route, make sure you choose a pair with leather soles. While these will be a bit pricier, they will SAVE your feet and will last much longer than a cheaper rubber pair.

Not only are these more fashion-forward, they are more comfortable for long distance walking. My personal favorite are the classic Jack Rogers Navajo sandals. I wore my pair every day last summer while commuting to my internship and they still look brand new.

"Jack Rogers are my spring shoe of choice because they literally mold to my feet," sophomore Ellen Kaplan said. "And they still look cute after wearing them day after day."

For those more toe-shy, a classic ballet flat will get you through spring, no matter how many steps you take. Make sure to buy the right size, however, or you will be covering your heels in band-aids until next fall.

"My favorite ballet flats are made by Kate Spade," junior Jessie Lockhart said. "They never give me blisters and literally feel like I'm wearing slippers."

Other popular flats seen around GW are Tory Burch and J.Crew brands. But you don't have to spend a fortune on a great pair of flats. Target always has great options, as well as DSW.

If ballet flats or sandals aren't your thing, check out flat espadrilles, or Toms, which are both in this season. Happy exploring!