Planning a DC trip. Questions.

[James Jaragosky]

The wife and I are considering visiting Washington DC in the spring.
We have been told by many people that the transit system is very good and that renting a car is very expensive when you add in parking fees.
We will be flying into Baltimore if we go.
My questions are.

·Is there public transportation from the Baltimore airport to the DC attractions?

·Should we stay near the Baltimore airport or stay nearer the DC area?

·Which option would offer the more economical hotel choices?

·Can someone recommend a good hotel in the area?

·What attractions are must see and how long should we plan on each of them?

·We are originally from Chicago and use to small mom and pop restaurants
that offer outstanding food.

·Are there any restaurants like this in the DC area?

·Or any other considerations we should think about while planning or visiting the area?

Thanks in advance for your help and suggestions.
Jim & Betsy

[Chris Kennedy]

I've only been to DC once, and it wasn't a very successful trip, but I will tell you what I can.

1. The Metro is really good. I would definitely recommend it over taking a car. I don't know about getting from Baltimore to DC, but if you are going to be in Baltimore, the aquarium is supposed to be fantastic.

2. Expect DC to be expensive, particularly for food.

3. You have to see the Air and Space Museum. We had half a day, and we could have used a little more.

4. The National Zoo is worth a visit (and its free).

Cheers,

Chris

[Dan Friedrichs]

Also only been there once, but:

1. The Metro (train and bus) system is fantastic, especially to the types of places you'll be visiting. I would highly recommend it over renting a car.

2. The metro has a train running to Baltimore airport, so you can get anywhere from there.

3. I'd just find a hotel that is close to a metro stop. Many advertise that fact.

4. As Chris said, the zoo is good.

[Scott Shepherd]

How much time (and money) you got? :)

It really depends on what you like to do. The Zoo is excellent, Air and Space is a MUST see, much of the Smithsonian is a must see. But you could spend 2 weeks or more just doing that.

Do some research on the food. There is a China Town, etc. so you can find different areas for different types of food. I forget the name of the area, but there's one stretch of road that's just loaded with tons of bistro's, cafe's , etc. If you stay near there (I can figure out where that is later), you can walk to the metro, you can walk to food, etc.

The Spy Museum is also fascinating, to me at least.

I don't know if the Air and Space moved or if it just expanded. They used to have one right in DC and now I know there is one out by Dulles Airport. Not sure if they are 2 different ones or not, but I think the one at Dulles actually has a space shuttle in it? Maybe? I can't remember. I haven't been to that one yet.

Metro can get expensive. They do have a pass that's about $8 a day and you can go anywhere as many times as you want for that. Used to be $6, last time I took it, it was $8 I think. Might be $10 now. You do not want to drive in DC. No place to park and if you park in a lot, it's at least $20 a day.

Oh, Arlington National Cemetery and the changing of the guard ceremony is something that needs to be seen.

If you aren't used to walking a lot, then it's probably not a great place to go because you'll walk from sun up to sun down.

Georgetown is right there on the edge as well and you'll found outstanding food in that area, along with nice shops. Georgetown is quite nice.

If you can put some of your interests, likes, dislikes up, I'll see if I can help fine tune it a little more.
Tons to see and do in DC.

[Mitchell Andrus]

LOML and I took our 2 boys a few years ago. Security is tight at the major attractions, but nothing to put you off your game.

We stayed north of the city within 3 blocks of a metro stop. We were there 6 days and never touched the car. Really.

We ate like pigs too. Plenty of small, high quality places to eat. Variety of food mirrors the variety of nations doing business in DC.

Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously.

Also, plan way ahead for the tickets you'll need to get before arriving in the city. Some tickets are only available on-the-spot, on the same day. We stood in line for tickets a few times at 7:00am and tickets for that day were gone in 30 minutes. The capitol tour was one, the Washington Monument was another IIRC.

No matter your level of exhaustion, you'll be glad you went.
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[Lee Schierer]

Get in touch with your Congressman and Senators and get free VIP passes for the White house tour. It is more than the standard tour and you don't have to stand in a long line. I think they also have tickets for the mint tour.

Parking in the downtown area is tough. If you park too long or in the wrong place, they love to ticket visitors. Around the main mall area it is limited to 2 hours. What we did was park the car and set an alarm. We had walkie talkies so one of us would go move the car by driving around the block looking for a spot and then use the walkie talkie to get back with our group.

[Charlie Barnes]

We drove out for spring break with the kids 2 years ago. A lot of the key points have already been mentioned, but I'll chime in anyway:

-Stay at a hotel on the outskirts of DC with free parking, but near a metro stop. The metro system is great and very easy to use and much better (cheaper, easier) than driving in town.

-Call your local congressman's (person's?) office NOW and get tickets for the White House, Capitol and mint tours. We waited and were only able to get tickets for the Capitol, which is amazing. There's so much art and sculpture in there, it's hard to believe it is a "working" office.

-I can't get enough of the Air & Space museum (but my wife can.) When you walk in the main entrance, there is the X1 (first plane faster than sound), Spirit of St. Louis, X15 (fastest plane ever), Apollo 11 command module, Space Ship One plus others that slip my mind at the moment. I believe they also have a second location outside of DC. We didn't make it there, but I'm sure you can look it up on line.

-Arlington National Cemetery is a must see, especially the changing of the guard.

-Take the time to check out the National Archives. You can see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution and many other historical documents.

-The National Museum of American History was closed for renovation when we were there, but they had a side exhibit in one of the other museums. I think they describe it as America's attic. We saw such items as Lincoln's hat, George Washington's sword, the ruby slippers from the Wizard of Oz, Archie Bunker's chair, the sign post from MASH, Seinfeld’s "puffy shirt" and a lot of other pieces of American history and culture.

-Of course all the key monuments are a must see (Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington, Vietnam, WWII, etc.). I think you need tickets to go up in the Washington monument.

-Also, check out the National Cathedral. It is simply amazing in scale and detail.

-We were a week ahead of the cherry blossom festival. Some of the blossoms were out, so we did get a little feel for that. I'm sure it's really beautiful when their in full bloom, but I'm also sure the crowds are much bigger too. Anyway, that's something else to consider since you'll be going in the spring.

Anyway, have fun and take in as much as you can. There's no way you'll see everything. But after seeing just some of the monuments, history and human achievements, it made me very proud to be an American.

[Pat Germain]

Although it was a long time ago, I used to live in DC. And I mean right in DC. I could see the Washington Monument from my back yard. In the years since, I have visited many times for work. Here's my take:

- Traffic in the DC area is an absolute nightmare. I would not recommend renting a car. The Metro is your buddy! Also, getting lost in the DC area can be downright dangerous. Mere blocks from the White House are some of the roughest neighborhoods in North America. I don't mean to be offensive, but this is no joke. (I once got lost in a bad area and a policeman pulled me over, then escorted me out.)

- I would not consider staying in Baltimore when visiting DC. It's quite a ride between the two. Staying close to the Mall area would be the most convenient. I highly recommend Old Town Alexandria if it's in your budget. I once stayed there right across the street from a Metro station and it was great. Old Town Alexandria is very nice and has many mom & pop restaurants to choose from in a small area; all within walking distance. And it's on the water.

- Another good lodging option would be Crystal City or Roslyn. I know there's a hotel right across the street from the Roslyn station because I stayed there once. (Sorry, don't recall the name. It was a chain.) The Crystal City Gateway Marriott is an excellent place to stay. It has a Metro station right on the property. If you book well in advance, you may be able to get a good rate on a room there. Try taking advantage of any discounts you can: government, corporate, Marriott Club, etc.

- If you need to stay further out from the city due to budget, try to find lodging near a Metro station in Northern Virginia. The trains go pretty far out into the suburbs these days. But getting into the Mall area will likely require changing trains and the hustle and bustle of DC commuters.

- Most of the museums in the Mall area are part of The Smithsonian. All Smithsonian museums have free admission. But they have limited hours; roughly 9-5. This may change seasonally. Check schedules ahead of time.

- The National Zoo, also part of the Smithsonian, also has free admission. It's not in the Mall area, but there's a Metro station just down the hill from the zoo entrance. It's a nice zoo. But beyond the pandas, there's not much there you won't see at any other zoo.

- The original Air and Space Museum is right on the Mall. This museum gets very crowded because it's so popular. Try to get there just before opening to really enjoy the exhibits without crowds.

- The Air and Space Museum also has a large annex at Dulles Airport. Dulles is quite a ways out from the city. But making arrangements for transportation there would be worthwhile. I've yet to visit the Annex, but it has some amazing exhibits.

- I visited the Holocaust Museum just after it opened. I'm pretty sure admission is still free. But this is a museum where you get same day tickets. It's gigantic and packed with exhibits. If you tried to see it all, it would probably take a week. If you visit this museum, get there very early to get tickets. Try to learn about the exhibits and decide which you want see ahead of time. Alternately, just quickly browse and stop here and there.

- Seek out the smaller sites. My favorite is the Lincoln Assasination museum in the basement of Ford's Theater. It's right on the Mall. Just across the street from the theater you can see the room where President Lincoln was taken after being shot and where he later died. It may seem maccabre, but I found it very moving.

- The Old Post Office Pavilion is a neat place to see and grab lunch at the food court.

- Try to see the US Marine Corps Memorial. It's absolutely gigantic! I walked there from the Roslyn station and don't recall it being a long walk.

- Alrington National Cemetary is also worth a visit.

[Scott T Smith]

Lots of great advice thus far. In addition to what has been offered, the Museum of American History is a "must see", especially if you like older mechanical things. I could easily spend many days in that single museum.

Visiting the Vietnam Memorial can be a powerful experience, especially if you go at dawn.

The problem with staying in Baltimore is that you will lose at least 2 hours each day commuting back and forth. Much better to stay closer to DC.

The new Annex to the Air and Space Museum is Udvar Hazy, located at Dulles Airport. You should be able to get there via the Metro; plan on 30 - 45 minutes from downtown DC.

Mt. Vernon is a nice visit as well, they put on tours that sometimes include a meal and it is a great experience.

[Pat Germain]

The new Annex to the Air and Space Museum is Udvar Hazy, located at Dulles Airport. You should be able to get there via the Metro; plan on 30 - 45 minutes from downtown DC.

I'm pretty sure the Metro does not connect to Dulles. I'll check it out to be certain.

[Tony De Masi]

I worked in DC for 28 years so I know the city fairly well. Charlie has probably given you the best advice to stay in either Maryland or Virginia at a hotel close to a Metro stop. Hotels and food in DC are/can be quite espensive. If it were me I would stay in Springfield, Va.. Plenty of national name hotels right by the Metro station with 15/20 minute ride into DC.

Others have given you good advice also on the sights to see. Air and Space, Zoo, Natural History, Spy Museum, Newseum too........

To me, Georgetown is a waste of time unless you have lots of expendable cash and like to shop for clothing.

A great place to eat nearby a lot of attractions is a place called The Old Ebbitt Grill. It's in the 700 block of 15th Street across the street from the Main Treasury Building. It's a very popular place with the locals and the tourists. I would call it a moderately priced place. Say for example, a sandwich for lunch with a side of fries and a drink will be about ten bucks. If that sounds like a bit much then it won't when you start going into other places.

Bring "good" walking shoes for in town. Get a good map too. If you are going to rent a car and drive in DC just remember this:

Numbered streets run north and south
Lettered streets run east and west
State streets run on diagonals.

Pretty basic square set up of the streets. The only thing that would get in your way are the one way streets of which there are all too many.

Tony

[Dave Schreib]

If you are a baseball fan make sure to get to Camden Yards and the Nationals stadium (new I think).

[Walter Plummer]

Another great place to see is the Library of Congress, particularly the Thomas Jefferson building. In my opinion the most spectacular building in D.C. Woodwork, stonework,(incredible carvings) mosaics, and murals everywhere. I think they also had some books.:rolleyes: Also consider the National Law Enforcement Memorial and their visitor center. An extremely moving place.

[Jerry Bruette]

We stayed in Alexandria, Va. at a very nice DoubleTree Hotel and rode the Metro everyday without a hitch. People on the metro were very friendly and helpful.

Get a good map or better yet a book about D.C.. We found out that getting to attractions early will help you get in line ahead of some bus tours. We also found out that where you get off the Metro can save you some walking to get to the tourist entrance to the attractions.

As for things to see all I can add is Go To Bureau of Printing and Engraving, and the F.B.I. building. I'd skip the National Aquarium.

Have fun James, I know that our trip to D.C. was one of our most memorable vacations.

Jerry

[Scott Shepherd]

I think they stopped the FBI tours after 9/11. I'm not 100% certain, but I seem to recall that being stopped. If it's not stopped, then it's a long line. It was an incredible tour when it was up. Going up and seeing all the weapons from crimes, famous crimes, all displayed. The highlight was always going into that room and having an agent talk, then and the curtains opened and you're actually behind bullet proof glass, looking at the firing range where another agent is standing. One by one, he's display the various standard issue guns, talk about them, and then turn around and fire them. Seeing the machine guns in action was cool!

That was always one of my favorite tours. Hadn't tried getting in since 9/11 when I thought it was shut down. If someone knows that's it's open, please post, as I'd love to know and I'd love to go again!

As mentioned Springfield is 20 minutes on the metro, in Virginia on the Blue Line, I think. That's were we normally park. We drive to that station and then take the metro into town, using all day passes. You can get to anywhere from the metro.

Oh, one thing no one's mentioned (unless I missed it) was the National Cathedral. Simply beautiful. Does have hours where you can't get in though, so check that. You can pay a little for a guided tour and it's well worth it. You get to go places they won't let you go on your own.

[Pat Germain]

I just did some checking and confirmed the Washington DC Metro doe not connect to Dulles Airport. It doesn't appear there's a commuter rail going there either.

Also, I went to the FBI web site and confirmed they are not longer doing tours. That's too bad. It sounds like it was a really cool tour!

[Eric DeSilva]

Since I still live in the DC metro area and have for over 20 years, I'll throw in my $0.02.

You can get from BWI airport to DC on public transport--there is a train that goes to Union Station in DC, and from Union Station you can pick up the metro and get just about anywhere. That is fine to do if you decide to fly in/out of BWI, but I would not stay at or around BWI (or Baltimore, which is further north). As others have said, try Old Town Alexandria--so decent inexpensive hotels. Look for a hotel around a metro station or within walking distance. Ballston area is also a good bet. If you aren't committed to BWI, I actually prefer Washington National (I still can't say Ronald Reagan National Airport). It is the closest of the three DC airports to DC proper, halfway between Old Town Alexandria and DC itself. It is a well-designed airport, virtually no security lines, and--unfortunately--usually the most expensive to fly in/out of. You will save hours flying in/out, since it is the ONLY DC airport actually on the metro.

Georgetown is a waste, as someone said. At one point it was expensive high end shopping; now it isn't even that. They have a nice area for modern furniture (Cade Alley), but that is it. I would also skip the zoo unless you have small kids. I would depart from another commenter who suggested the Spy Museum--it is not a Smithsonian, so I believe they charge, and it always struck me that it was 90% gift shop and 10% museum. One non-Smithsonian museum you may want to put on your list, however, is the Newseum. It is a pretty tremendous place.

The Air and Space Museum is tremendous, but it is split. The original is on the Mall. The Udvar Hazy Annexe is out by Dulles. It is NOT metro accessible, but there may be buses or some other form of transport--I would check the museum website. They have a Space Shuttle and SR71, which are both very impressive.

The new Museum of the American Indian is also worth a visit. It is right next to the Air and Space on the Mall, and houses some impressive stuff (I would not recommend doing any shopping there; for American Indian shopping in DC, the only place to go is the American Indian Craft Shop in the US Department of the Interior. Tiny shop, but fantastic stuff).

The Museum of American History just completed a long and expensive renovation. I haven't actually seen it, but it has gotten really good reviews.

Metro is your friend. If you say anywhere metro-accessible, chances are you will find plenty of restaurants. You might book a hotel first, and then update your post. People may be able to give you better recommendations depending upon where you are staying. DC has some unusual choices, including great Ethiopian, Lebanese, Vietnamese...

[Scott Shepherd]

I would also skip the zoo unless you have small kids. I would depart from another commenter who suggested the Spy Museum--it is not a Smithsonian, so I believe they charge, and it always struck me that it was 90% gift shop and 10% museum.

No Zoo for grown ups? :( I love the Zoo there! It is a free zoo, but you'll pay about $20 to park in their lot if you drive.

It was me that recommended the Spy Museum and I still do. You do pay. I think it's about $15 or $20, but I found the place to be fascinating. To see the history of spy's and all the tools they used to spy, to me, was way cool and very interesting. I don't even recall the gift shop, so looks like we got the opposite impressions from the same place!

[Walter Plummer]

As far as I can tell FBI is still closed, but the D.E.A. museum was featured on Public Television and looks very interesting. It is located in Arlington VA close to the Pentagon. I want to make time for that one myself.

[Myk Rian]

We stayed at the Best Western on I street. A hotel bus will take you into town in the morning. Make your own way back.
If you stay there, don't sit more than 5 at a table for breakfast. They'll charge a tip, even if they did nothing for you. We complained loudly till they took it off the tab.

Parking in D.C. is a PITA. Everything has barricades. We did a LOT of walking. You can rent Segways.
Busses run all over the place. You can buy daily passes, but they aren't too cheap.

We spent 3 days there and didn't see it all. We got to one museum, the Holocaust Museum. We visited all the monuments. I flew some Red-White-Blue kites at the Washington Monument.
Don't expect to visit the White House unless you have set it up with your Congressmans' office many MONTHS in advance. We also got a personal tour of the Capital building that way.
National Archives and Library of Congress are awesome.

Restaurants are all over the place. Expensive the closer you get to Georgetown.

The FBI building is wrapped in a wire mesh, and closed to us peons.

The subway system is really cool.

[Eric DeSilva]

I like zoos, I just don't think the National Zoo is a particularly good example of one... B'sides, with a limited time budget, there is so much in DC you can't get anywhere else; with the exception of the giant Panda (which is rarely actually in evidence), you can see the same animals in most any city...

If you are really interested in spy stuff, the place to go is the NSA cryptographic museum on the NSA campus. It is down the GW Parkway a looong way, so not generally a recommendation I make. But, if that interests you, they have an actual Enigma decoder and things like that.

[Lee Schierer]

I'm pretty sure the Metro does not connect to Dulles. I'll check it out to be certain.

I think you can take the metro part way and get a transfer to a bus. They run every 30 minutes to Dulles, but I'm not sure if they go to the air and space center out there.

[James Jaragosky]

We only have 4 days to sight see the rest of the time is devoted to business.
So far we want to see the
Arlington national cemetery on sat morning
Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington on Saturday afternoon
National Cathedral Sunday morning ( can we attend services there?)
Museum of natural history on Sunday afternoon
National Museum of American History on Monday
Capital building on Tuesday
Local shopping Wednesday morning

We will be staying in Alexandria
Our airport of choice is Baltimore due to airfare at half the price.
Thanks for all the tips and advice
If any Creekers would like to show off their shop or just meet for dinner shoot me a Pm.
March 6-10
Jim J

[Mitchell Andrus]

Assuming you get to do the capital tour on Tues, it won't take all day by far. Keep the rest of the time on Tues. open for a last-minute thing (like the spy museum or Air and Space) or just to sit and catch your breath. You've got a full schedule set up. Also, if you get clear weather do not miss a walk up and down the mall at night. Everything looks different at night and seeing the capital dome and Lincoln Memorial all lit up will make your knees weak.

Have a great time.
.

[Warren Johnson]

Depending on your arrival time, the trip from BWI(Baltimore) to Alexandria could be 45 to 60 minutes. Hope you have your transportation arangements made.

I second the comment about eating at the old post office; its been a while since I was there but the selections were good.

If you do the Capitol, Union Station is close and has restaurants and shops. Also there is an Irish Pub close to both. In Alexandria, we like to eat at the Fish Market. Good Food and a good cold brew on draught. Next to that is the Topedo Factory (arts and photos)

[George Morris]

If you want the best tour of the capitol ,contact your senator or rep. from your area. They will give you a personal tour with one of there staffers. You get a chance to go behind the scenes of the normal tour. It is great they used to be able to set you up with a private tour of the white house I don't know if they still do that ,ask them what they can do and for recommendations for things in the area. G

[Joel Goodman]

One of the great things about DC is that all the museums I visited were free, unlike my hometown of NYC where they charge an arm and a leg!

[Pat Germain]

If you want the best tour of the capitol ,contact your senator or rep. from your area. They will give you a personal tour with one of there staffers. You get a chance to go behind the scenes of the normal tour. It is great they used to be able to set you up with a private tour of the white house I don't know if they still do that ,ask them what they can do and for recommendations for things in the area. G

According to the White House web site, the tours are "self guided".

Also note you pretty much can't bring anything inside with you other than the clothes on your back. Therefore, it's important to stow purses, cameras, backpacks and such before going to the White House. They don't have any place to store these items. This is a big deal as I've heard of people getting their items confiscated by White House Security and not getting them back.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events

[Pat Germain]

Arlington national cemetery on sat morning ...

FYI, if you see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, it's important you do exactly as the guard instructs. It's typically no big deal. But I saw one changing of the guard where a soldier stopped, faced the crowd and said, "It was requested that EVERYONE remain standing during the ceremony!" A little girl next to me had sat down. No kidding, all three soldiers stood there frozen until she stood up.

Also, I find the memorial for the Challenger crew to be particularly moving.

[Mark Maleski]

Georgetown is a waste, as someone said....
The new Museum of the American Indian is also worth a visit.

1. Georgetown hosts a Thomas Moser shop/gallery - I go in everytime I'm in Georgetown. Plus lots of very good restaurants in G-town. If you stroll up Wisconsin Avenue you'll find more of the independent type of shops/restaurants. 2. Personally, I do not like the Museum of the American Indian as it's focused on current AI activities rather than showcase the history of the AI. I understand the choice, but as a result the museum doesn't appeal to me - except for their cafeteria, which is pricey but has *amazingly* good food representing AI cuisine from across the continent. If I'm on the mall, I go there just for the food.

The OP asked for restaurant suggestions, so here are a few:
- Take Metro yellow or blue line to King street station. Walk down King street toward the Potomac River. For the first couple blocks you'll think you made a mistake, but the road soon begins to host small, locally-owned (non-chain) restaurants of all sorts. Pick the one that appeals most to you. Good shopping abounds (antiques, indigenous crafts, etc).
- Take Metro red line to Dupont Circle station. Lots of restaurants in this area (Teaism is my favorite casual spot - good brewed tea + organic-type food). Make sure you're comfortable with seeing same-gender couples before going to Dupont.
- Take Metro red line to Woodly Park/Zoo station. Walk across bridge (not Connecticut Ave bridge...the other one) toward Adams Morgan. Similar to Dupont Circle.
- Crystal City (yellow/blue line) has many upscale chain restaurants...or walk to 23rd street for more of the independent type. I can't recommend CC as a tourist destination, though - it's mostly just office buildings/condos.

Couple more points:
- The Pentagon gives tours, if that sounds appealing (there's a Metro stop for the Pentagon). Believe you need to make plans in advance. There's a memorial to the Pentagon's 9/11 victims outside the Pentagon (open to the public, no advanced planning required) - I wouldn't make the trip for this memorial alone, but if you do go to the Pentagon it's worth the walk around to the south side.

- King Street (Alexandria) ends at the Torpedo factory, which now hosts craft/artisan shops. At the rear of the Torpedo factory, you can purchase tickets for a boat trip to Mount Vernon (can't recall how frequently this runs). AFAIK this is the only mass-transit alternative for Mount Vernon.

Mark

[Mark Maleski]

National Cathedral Sunday morning ( can we attend services there?)

I'm pretty sure you can...but not certain. After the service, if you cross Wisconsin and go north <1 block, there's a good Tex-Mex restaurant (Cactus Cantina). It's sister restaurant, Lauriel Plaza, is in Adams Morgan. Both are well-regarded by Washingtonians, though I doubt either would be the highlight of your culinary tour.