Anyone from around Washington DC area?
 

Very soon my family and I are going on a road trip vacation to Washington DC. Do we have any members in that area that might offer any advice on where to stay, where to go etc...?

Of course we know the big things to see but what I am asking is, is there anything that will make it easier for us to get around? Maybe a train system, bus routes etc...? We like nice hotels but not 5 star (or at least 5 star price). Thanks in advance for any tips....

It was suggested to me, that I stay out of the area behind the White House. Not a good place to go. But, you have to. If you want to go to the not too miss zoo.

hmmm...sounds like we might want to go during the mid day time frame if we go there.....thanks for the tip

btw, the area around the Zoo in Dallas is not some place I would want to be at night either. Murders there barely get reported they are so common.

Hi Leon,

I live in the DC area and would be happy to help! By far and away the best way to get around in downtown DC is a combination of the subway (aka Metro) and walking. Here is a link to the Metro rail system:

http://www.wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm?

You can also ride buses are part of this system if you need to go somewhere the Metro doesn't go. There's bus information / schedules on the www.wmata.com site as well. In general the Metro is well maintained and safe to ride in all directions.

In terms of the city, its broken into four quadrants: NW, SW, NE, SE. The age old wisdom is that NW is the safest part of the district by far. That's where most of the museums, attractions, etc. are located but there are some exceptions. For instance, Nationals Park (where the Nationals play) is in SE and they are completely renovating that area which has improved it significantly. Georgetown is in NW as well. It's a great spot to shop, browse, etc. in downtown.

I personally would suggest you consider staying along the Metro line outside of the city in VA. Clarendon is a nice, hip area that's a few Metro stops outside of the city and located in Arlington County, VA. All of the stops in Arlington are nice and there are hotels.

Not sure what types of activities you want to do while here but a few of my favorites include:

* Iwo Jima memorial / Arlington Cemetery / General Lee's memorial - all are within walking distance of the Rosslyn Metro stop (Orange line)

* Mount Vernon (George Washington's home) - pretty far outside the city but nice. You can either ride the subway and then catch a bus or drive there

* Spy Museum - downtown, interesting stuff if you like gadgets, spy stories, etc.

* Holocaust Museum - downtown, very very good but you need to be prepared for pretty graphic information and to leave extremely depressed. It is phenomenal but not a "happy, happy" place as you can imagine.

* Smithsonian Museum of Natural History - downtown, my favorite of the Smithsonian museums. Massive dinosaurs, etc. everywhere

* Smithsonian Air and Space Museum - downtown, my second favorite. There is also another one near Dulles Airport (30 miles West of DC) that is awesome as well if you want to drive out there

* Try to stop by Ford's Theater and see the exhibit on the Assassination of Lincoln. I believe you can get in and see it regardless of whether the theater is having a show or not but you'll want to check

* Of course you might want to hit the "monuments" as they are called which are all downtown as well: National monument, Jefferson memorial, Lincoln memorial, White House, etc.

I hope this helps and would love to do a meet and greet while you're in the area if you have time.

jeff

Thanks Jeff.....we will be there around the 3rd week in July....I appreciate the detailed help very much!! If we can meet that would be great but I will have family in tow too...LL

Mount Vernon is a great trip by car. Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is huge. You'll spend a whole day there on it's own.

Hi Leon,

I second Jeff's comments. I lived in DC for roughly five years and my fiance was born and raised there. It is a fun city with a lot of great things to do. I'd try to stick to NW to the extent possible, unless you are heading to Nationals stadium, some of the monuments, or to the Wharf for crabs right off the boat (one of my favorite adventures).

There are a lot of fun things to do in DC and some awesome places to eat.

Some recommendations on things to do/see/eat:
1. The Wharf: you can buy blue crabs on a barge, they will cook them up, and you can eat them right there on the Anacostia River. It is an eclectic crowd and the food is great.
2. The zoo: It is located in Woodley Park (red line on the metro) and is a very safe area. I've always had fun.
3. The National Cathedral: It is in a safe area but a little difficult to access by public transportation from what I can recall.
4. The Smithsonian Museums: the natural history one's gem collection is one of my favorites.
5. Nationals Stadium: great stadium, cheap seats, mediocre baseball, and always a nice time.
6. The Mall/Monuments: I think these are worth a visit while you are in town. They are beautiful at night as well.
7. The White House: no real explanation needed.
8. Georgetown: Has some great shopping and is a really neat neighborhood to walk through. Not sure whether your family is in to shopping, but is has a lot of great places. Plus, there is the very popular Georgetown Cupcakes (can be ordered online in advance to avoid the ridiculously long lines).
9. Ethiopian food: DC has some of the best Ethiopian restaurants. I used to go to Zed's in Georgetown, but it is a bit upscale and, from what I have heard, not nearly as good as the ones on U Street.
10. Ben's Chili Bowl: It is located on U Street. I'd recommend going during the day if you are going to. U Street is up and coming. It is a relatively safe neighborhood now from what I have heard, but there is still some crime there. Plus, at night, you may have to deal with some of the drunks from the bars on the street. I would recommend against venturing north of U Street. Ben's is a DC staple though. It's got a great history, and the president ate there a few years back adding to the popularity.
11. Burgers: If you like Burgers, I highly recommend Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington (awesome place) or Black & Orange Burger in Dupont (one of my favorites).

For hotels, I'd also recommend considering Northern Virginia. DC hotels are very expensive. If you find deals in DC, please check the neighborhood though, as there are several really far out of the way in South East, etc.

For transportation, the metro is very convenient. it will take you almost anywhere you want to go. It is also a very walkable city and there are cabs everywhere.

Thanks Chris. I am going to print these posts out and let my wife and daughter decide what they want to do. It sure helps a lot that you and the other guys gave some great tips. I really appreciate it!! Anymore tips are welcome too....

Hey Leon. I live a couple hours north of DC. We normally just take day trips. When we do stay in the city, we stay at the Dupont Circle Renaissnace. I think it's pretty reasonably priced and it's a good safe location (although I think they charge for WiFi). There's lots of great restaurants around as it's walking distance to Georgetown and Foggy Bottom. There's a Metro station close as well. Definitely learn to take the Metro. But even so, when you do the tourist stuff, make sure to wear your most comfortable walking shoes!!! The monuments appear to be a lot closer together than they actually are. Oh yeah, don't forget sunscreen and water too, especially in July. Hope this helps.....enjoy your vacation.

I made sure to hit Ben's Chili Bowl during my school trip! I second that!

I know the Smithsonian has a virtually complete collection of American coins, and nearly the same of American stamps, but do they have anything at all baseball related?

This trip will be more about what my daughter and wife want to do than what I want to do. I am not a big vacation fan personally. I am content on my couch at home with my clicker in hand. So whatever they want is what we will end up doing. I am sure the Smithsonian is on the list but probably only the history parts of it. My daughter said she definitely wants to go to the Spy Museum, so I am sure that will be done. I appreciate all of the tips and printed this thread out too.....
Baseball will take a back seat on this trip...

I'm with you Leon, not a vacation guy either. But should you end up in the Smithsonian, there are a lot of interesting collections to see. Problem is, the place is so big you may never find what you're looking for.

I just moved to Fairfax, VA. You can get to downtown from here in 20 minutes if you take the metro.

My wife is from near DC, and I've made a few visits there.

The spy museum is very interesting. Lots of nice stuff, and apparently has a limited access museum for those with clearance. They have signs up reminding people that they're in sections open to the public. It may just be for atmosphere, but if so it's very well done.

There's a ton of stuff at the Smithsonian. It really depends on what they're into. The first ladies dresses were interesting, and there's so much just plain history. With several buildings worth it's probably asking one of the staff about a particular interest.

The White house was nice, but not the most impressive thing.

The Lincoln Memorial and the Vietnam memorial are impressive in different ways.

I personally liked the Udvar-Hazy facility of air and space that's out at Dulles. If you like planes and rockets just go. If not, it's skippable.

The stamp museum is a separate building. I've been and the collections they display are impressive. But again, if you're not into it you could spend the time better somewhere else.


I've been to a few reastauraunts along the canal near Georgetown. The Ethiopian one was excellent even if it was just lots of different versions of chipped beef on toast served on a huge pancake. Different meats and sauces, but that's the general concept.- And FAR better than I make it sound.

Steve B

I second the spy museum. Also, if you need help with tickets to anything contact your Senator, and do so early.


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Thanks again guys. We are making reservations today for the Washington DC area. Already booked the first 3 days, 2 of them near Monticello. In my quick Google searches there are 436 hotels close by DC. It's a tough decision but we want to stay at a nice one. I am going to call the Hay-Adams Hotel today and see if they have any deals....also looking at the Ritz Carlton in DC.....A big part of the trip, for my daughter, is the hotels we stay at. So we want a nice one, probably historic, for the 5 days in DC....cost is secondary....LL

leon ive stayed at the ritz superb service and a classy place.but my boss pays for all ,a little pricey:)....have fun man

We went ahead and booked the Ritz Carlton Washington DC for 5 nights.....I asked them if slobs were permitted (seriously) and they said no problem :).

I wish your boss was paying for it!!

My wife and I stayed at a Ritz Carlton on our honeymoon - top notch service.

Leon,
I have been to DC several times, always enjoy the trip.
Be sure to catch the Newseum.
And the Smithsonian Museum of American History and chuckle at the Brooklyn Dodgers signed ball they have on display. (it is a clubhouse signed baseball).
And going to Monticello should be on your must see list, it is an amazing place.