Budget Washington, D.C.?

[Christine]

With 2 pre-teens and DH and me, we're more than happy to walk around DC during the day and after dinner just chill out in our suite. We'll have our car, so can drive around in the evening if we'd like, but the convenience of being in the center of the sites we want to see is a great feature for us.

I would be that way myself--not interested in the nighttime stuff but, over the years, I've made note of what visitors say and there are some who enjoy that so they always seem to like staying in/near Old Town Alexandria.

 

[castleview]

We are going in mid July. I think it is the most expensive travel time ever! It was the only time we had available. I will keep going back and checking the price. Thanks for the tip. We aren't AAA members so that won't work for us.

We also did a long weekend (Good Friday to the Monday after Easter). I looked into staying until Tuesday and it brought the price back up to the 200s.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

Anyone have success getting tickets for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing from their congressman/woman? We'll be in DC later this month.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

We also did a long weekend (Good Friday to the Monday after Easter). I looked into staying until Tuesday and it brought the price back up to the 200s.

Yes, our first night (Saturday)is something like $160 but the rest are $240. The average is $209. Which isn't bad considering the location of across the street from the metrorail. With having a party of 5 we really can't do Priceline or Hotwire. I think they only let you book rooms for up to 4 people.

I recently got the Alexandria Tourism Guide from their website. (FREE) I am almost thinking that we don't need to leave Alexandria to have a good trip.

I am getting very excited about vacation. Especially with the PP's pics of the cherry blossoms.

 

[pomlover]

Those are nice photos, thank you!

 

[Andrea from PA]

Planning a family trip over Easter week & need some help.

We are considering the Embassy Suites in Old Towne for a family of 5 - 4 of whom eat "adult" sized meals. What is a realisitic food budget?

What is the Nightly Manager's reception in terms of snacks/drinks & time.

TIA

 

[TDC Nala]

Also note that the Metro is not inexpensive.

www.wmata.com will have the prices for Metro routes. Note the much higher prices for rush hour fares (and here, "rush hour" usually equals 2-3 hours). There is a one-day pass, but note it cannot be used before 9:30 am.

 

[mjkacmom]

Planning a family trip over Easter week & need some help.

We are considering the Embassy Suites in Old Towne for a family of 5 - 4 of whom eat "adult" sized meals. What is a realisitic food budget?

What is the Nightly Manager's reception in terms of snacks/drinks & time.

TIA

I've been to many ES, and usually some tortilla chips and salsa, maybe cheese - pretzels... The drinks are wine, beer, soda, cocktails.

 

[Andrea from PA]

Thanks!

 

[golfgal]

Planning a family trip over Easter week & need some help.

We are considering the Embassy Suites in Old Towne for a family of 5 - 4 of whom eat "adult" sized meals. What is a realisitic food budget?

What is the Nightly Manager's reception in terms of snacks/drinks & time.

TIA

Our friends just got back from staying at the ES in Old Town just a couple weeks ago. They said the hotel was great and they would stay there again any day. It is also right across the street from the Metro Station so that is nice as well.

 

[Nancy for Disney]

We stayed in the old towne ES this summer. It was great. We are also a family of 5(kids 15, 12 & 8). It is so close to the metro and there is a trolly that takes you to Alexandria's Old Towne area.

Photo from our room.

View of Metro Station From our room.

View of hotel from metro station.

Food was a bit more expensive than we expected. If we got away with dinner at $80 for the 5 of us it was good. We ate a lot of lunches at the cafeteria's in the museums. Those ran about $60 per meal if DH and I shared and the kids just got small items. DC food makes Disney food prices seem reasonable. We budgeted $1000 for food on a 7 night trip and I think we went over. The nice thing about ES is the large breakfast. I made my kids eat as much as they coudl while it was free.

One of my favorite meals of the trip was King Street Blues in Old Towne. You can usually find a coupon in one of the tour booklets. It was so good I snapped some photos. Best chicken strips I ever had. They were my DD8.

 

[Iott Family]

Im so glad to see this got bumped. We are going for our first trip with the kids and spent the weekend getting research accomplished and a room booked as we are going in like 8-9 weeks for spring break and the idea didnt come to us until Friday night when DH was searching our local museums/zoo etc to see what was on their websites and saw a link to the Smithsonian.

Just amazing what one little ol' link can lead to!

We booked the Embassy Suites for March 25-29. I got us into an executive suite for $1100. We are a family of 6 so it will be nice to have the extra room, just wish it had 2 bathrooms

We are driving from Indiana and parking our car at the hotel and will just swallow the $30/day fee and walk or use the metro. That will be an experience because here if you dont drive or walk to your destination you dont get there! Public transpo just isnt available here in our tiny 'burb!

I have come to realise that we are going to choke on food costs! We will pay in one day what I pay in a week for groceries to feed the 6 of us
I did find a few places we will try. 5 guys and Good Stuff Eatery. I think 2 Amys might be a different take on our usual pizza outing but still How do folks afford to eat in DC?? I am sure there is a higher pay scale for Dc folks then what we Hoosiers earn......LOL!


I am contemplating a membership to the Smithsonian to save us on the inevitable souvies and food courts costs.........

I am interested in what the OP decided on and how their trip went!

 

[golfgal]

Im so glad to see this got bumped. We are going for our first trip with the kids and spent the weekend getting research accomplished and a room booked as we are going in like 8-9 weeks for spring break and the idea didnt come to us until Friday night when DH was searching our local museums/zoo etc to see what was on their websites and saw a link to the Smithsonian.

Just amazing what one little ol' link can lead to!

We booked the Embassy Suites for March 25-29. I got us into an executive suite for $1100. We are a family of 6 so it will be nice to have the extra room, just wish it had 2 bathrooms

We are driving from Indiana and parking our car at the hotel and will just swallow the $30/day fee and walk or use the metro. That will be an experience because here if you dont drive or walk to your destination you dont get there! Public transpo just isnt available here in our tiny 'burb!

I have come to realise that we are going to choke on food costs! We will pay in one day what I pay in a week for groceries to feed the 6 of us
I did find a few places we will try. 5 guys and Good Stuff Eatery. I think 2 Amys might be a different take on our usual pizza outing but still How do folks afford to eat in DC?? I am sure there is a higher pay scale for Dc folks then what we Hoosiers earn......LOL!


I am contemplating a membership to the Smithsonian to save us on the inevitable souvies and food courts costs.........

I am interested in what the OP decided on and how their trip went!

I would look into one of the outlying areas to stay vs being right in DC. You can probably save quite a bit on the parking fees and the hotel prices are generally a lot less then being right in DC. Just find something close to the metro and you will be fine. You can probably save enough money to cover your food costs. The ES in Crystal City is VERY inexpensive.