DC Metro help needed - Please?

[tyniknate]

I hope someone on here can answer my questions. I put one of the dads in our group in charge of finding a place for our families to camp so we can visit Washington DC this spring.

He found Little Bennett Campground, which is in Clarksburg, MD. Now they have asked me to be in charge of transportation to/from DC and I am planning our itinerary.

Can anyone tell me which Metro Rail station we would use to get into the National Mall? I've been on the website, but I have to admit I am completely confused by it all. I also can't find on the site how much we are looking at for a one-day pass for each of us. There used to be a one-day unlimited pass, but I don't see that anymore. Am I missing it? We are only really looking at going from the campsite to the mall stop and back to the campsite. Is there a cheaper option than a one-day unlimited pass?

Thanks so much for any help you can give. I am totally lost!

 

[WhateverLolaWants]

Usually the one day passes are only good if you plan on getting on and off the metro multiple times in one day - like 5 or 6 at least. I haven't been to DC in awhile, but I never used them so I don't know if they still have them or not.

Also, according to Google it is going to take 2 hours to travel to the National Mall area by public transportation from that campground. http://goo.gl/maps/BEVog

Probably would be easier to travel by car and then park at a metro station just outside the city. Link I gave you includes walking/buses/metro but not with car.

 

[JanaDee]

I may be visiting DC with DH for the first time in a few weeks.

Do you mind if I piggyback a question onto your thread?

 

[clutter]

The Smithsonian station is usually considered the one 'on the mall,' but depending on where you are going, other stations may work better.

 

[LukenDC]

The National Mall is quite large and more than a mile long. Several Metro stations provide easy access to the Mall. They include Smithsonian, which is actually on the Mall near the Smithsonian Castle; L'Enfant Plaza, which is closest to the National Air & Space Museum; Navy Memorial/Archives, which is closest to the National Gallery of Art; and Federal Triangle, which is close to the National Museum of Natural History.

 

[wiigirl]

The Smithsonian station is usually considered the one 'on the mall,' but depending on where you are going, other stations may work better.

 

[eliz603]

The National Mall is quite large and more than a mile long. Several Metro stations provide easy access to the Mall. They include Smithsonian, which is actually on the Mall near the Smithsonian Castle; L'Enfant Plaza, which is closest to the National Air & Space Museum; Navy Memorial/Archives, which is closest to the National Gallery of Art; and Federal Triangle, which is close to the National Museum of Natural History.

Yep. All depends on where you are heading. We usually end up at Federal Triangle or Navy Memorial because we spend more time on the north side. The above info is great.

I can tell you we drove up for a quick overnight at Labor Day. We should have just driven in, but the kids wanted to take the Metro. For my family, it was almost $35 round trip from Vienna in to Federal Triangle, outbound from Metro Center to Vienna. But if you are JUST doing in and out, not on/off, on/off multiple times, your best bet is going to be just paying for a round trip fare. Like a PP said, you can drive to a park and ride lot, then proceed from there.

 

[PlutoPony]

Keep in mind not all Metro stations have parking lots, although most in the outer suburbs do. Check the information on the station you plan to use, they will give specific info about parking, # spaces, cost and if you can pay with CC or must use a Smart Trip Card. Also be aware that Metro parking lots tend to fill up early with commuters so showing up at 9 will often mean you are SOL. From that campground looks like the closest Metro stop is Shady Grove, at the end of the Red Line. You might go to Trip Advisor forums and see if anyone there can tell you when the parking lots fill... there are often locals who frequent those boards and can answer questions like this.

Edited to add: there is still a 1 day unlimited pass, it's on the Smart Card now and costs $14. Paper fare cards are still used but trips are more expensive using them (there's a surcharge) vs. the Smart Card.

 

[eliz603]

Paper fare cards are still used but trips are more expensive using them (there's a surcharge) vs. the Smart Card.

But that would depend on if it's peak or not, as well as if they are just taking a round trip or not.

For example, I was wrong about our cost. It was actually almost $43 + $8 surcharge for our round trip travel. If we had done Smart Card, it would have been $56. Now, in retrospect, I *may* have paid the extra $$ for the convenience of not having to deal with getting a paper card...

 

[tyniknate]

We are talking the last Saturday of May using the Metro to go into the city. Here's what we were planning:

Taking the metro in to the stop closest to the Lincoln Memorial and working our way up toward the Smithsonians (Air and Space and Natural History). We will then eat lunch together at some spot along the way, so we don't have bags to carry into the buildings. After lunch we will give families three options:

1. Air and Space Museum
2. Natural History Museum
3. Lincoln Theater & House Tour

By this time I figure it will be late afternoon (probably 5 or so) and we will just plan on heading back to camp. I plan to find a pizza place and have them deliver dinner about 30 minutes after we return to camp.

Which stop should we plan on using when we come into DC?

I plan on having a meeting point at 5 p.m. so we can return together. Where would you plan on meeting, based on the three options I'm giving them? Which metro stop do we use to return to camp?

Is 2 hours really the travel time? Another group we know camped at this site and they recommended it. Said it was easy to use for large groups. I can't believe they wouldn't have told us if it was a 2 hour travel time.

 

[tyniknate]

I may be visiting DC with DH for the first time in a few weeks.

Do you mind if I piggyback a question onto your thread?

Don't mind at all. Ask away.

 

[JanaDee]

Don't mind at all. Ask away.

Thanks.

The hotel we will be staying at is in Arlington, around the 19th and Lynn Street area (where DH has to stay for conference), near a walking bridge over the river, he says. He thinks there may be a Metro station a few blocks away, but isn't sure. He uses taxis when he is there, so hasn't really paid attention to public transportation.

On Thursday and Friday, I would like to do some exploring on my own. I live in a very small, very rural town in the Midwest and have almost zero experience with public transportation.

Some things I have read about DC make me nervous. Is it safe for me, as a single woman, to walk around by myself?

Yeah, go ahead and snicker at the dumb country mouse. But then can you answer my question?

 

[eliz603]

Some things I have read about DC make me nervous. Is it safe for me, as a single woman, to walk around by myself?

Absolutely.

Of course, be alert and all that kind of good stuff. Take precautions like you would anywhere else - don't flash cash, etc. I always try to look like I know exactly what I'm doing. Have an idea of where you are going (like if you are taking the Metro, know what lines and stops so you aren't figuring it out in the station). Common sense kinds of things.

You will be fine.

DC is a tourist town. Yes, there are areas that I wouldn't go, but that goes for just about any city. But the main tourist areas like around the Mall, Georgetown, etc. are not scary or anything like that.

I live about 5 hours away, and we try to get to DC whenever we can. Love it up there, and we have a lot of friends in the metro area. I have been on my own in the city many times, including having to deal with a toddler in a stroller.

And as long as you aren't Frank Underwood's paramour, you're okay! LOL (House of Cards fan here!)

 

[VAfamily1998]

We are talking the last Saturday of May using the Metro to go into the city. Here's what we were planning:

Taking the metro in to the stop closest to the Lincoln Memorial and working our way up toward the Smithsonians (Air and Space and Natural History). We will then eat lunch together at some spot along the way, so we don't have bags to carry into the buildings. After lunch we will give families three options:

1. Air and Space Museum
2. Natural History Museum
3. Lincoln Theater & House Tour

By this time I figure it will be late afternoon (probably 5 or so) and we will just plan on heading back to camp. I plan to find a pizza place and have them deliver dinner about 30 minutes after we return to camp.

Which stop should we plan on using when we come into DC?

I plan on having a meeting point at 5 p.m. so we can return together. Where would you plan on meeting, based on the three options I'm giving them? Which metro stop do we use to return to camp?

Is 2 hours really the travel time? Another group we know camped at this site and they recommended it. Said it was easy to use for large groups. I can't believe they wouldn't have told us if it was a 2 hour travel time.

How many people will be in your group? We are a family of 6, and we've found that it is actually MORE expensive to ride the metro into DC from our closest suburban VA station, than to drive in and pay to park on weekends.
We typically park at the Regan building and it is $13 on weekends. http://www.itcdc.com/Visitor-Information/Parking.aspx

 

[VAfamily1998]

Just thought of something--will you have a car with you? You mentioned camping, so I wasn't sure if that meant a tent, or will you be driving a motorhome down with no additional car, or?

 

[tyniknate]

We will have approximately 18 vehicles with us with about 60 people total. Some people are not comfortable driving anywhere near the city and I don't trust that I can keep them all together if we have that many driving.

Plus, the metro was kinda a lesson for the kids. They are studying transportation, auto maintenance, trip planning, map reading, etc. So were were hoping the metro would be a nice change from what we have at home, which is just cars. No taxis, no buses, no trains or metro.

 

[LukenDC]

We are talking the last Saturday of May using the Metro to go into the city. Here's what we were planning:

Taking the metro in to the stop closest to the Lincoln Memorial and working our way up toward the Smithsonians (Air and Space and Natural History). We will then eat lunch together at some spot along the way, so we don't have bags to carry into the buildings. After lunch we will give families three options:

1. Air and Space Museum
2. Natural History Museum
3. Lincoln Theater & House Tour

Which stop should we plan on using when we come into DC?

The closest stop to the Lincoln Memorial is Foggy Bottom. Once you exit the station, turn right and walk several blocks until you reach the Lincoln Memorial.

There really are not any convenient lunch places on the Mall outside of the museums, with the possible exception of hot dog carts. All of the museums have cafeterias. I recommend packing some snacks to tide you over until lunch. If you do not want to dine in a museum cafeteria, plan to walk several blocks (quarter to half a mile) from the Mall to find a suitable restaurant.

 

[tyniknate]

The closest stop to the Lincoln Memorial is Foggy Bottom. Once you exit the station, turn right and walk several blocks until you reach the Lincoln Memorial.

There really are not any convenient lunch places on the Mall outside of the museums, with the possible exception of hot dog carts. All of the museums have cafeterias. I recommend packing some snacks to tide you over until lunch. If you do not want to dine in a museum cafeteria, plan to walk several blocks (quarter to half a mile) from the Mall to find a suitable restaurant.

We will be having families pack bagged lunches/snacks and picnicking on the mall if that is possible. I will be purchasing cold meats & cheeses, PB&J, bread, fruits, bagged snacks, water, etc for them to pack the night before so they are all ready to go in the morning. I think I remember seeing areas with tables off to the edges of the mall. Is that right? We have several families who this trip is a pretty big expense for them. We need to keep food costs to a minim for their sake. Otherwise they will be unable to go.

 

[eliz603]

We will have approximately 18 vehicles with us with about 60 people total. Some people are not comfortable driving anywhere near the city and I don't trust that I can keep them all together if we have that many driving.

Plus, the metro was kinda a lesson for the kids. They are studying transportation, auto maintenance, trip planning, map reading, etc. So were were hoping the metro would be a nice change from what we have at home, which is just cars. No taxis, no buses, no trains or metro.

If you have a group not willing to drive to a park and ride lot, then I suggest going back to one of the early posts in this thread and doing the walk to bus stop/take bus to Metro stop/then take Metro in idea. And yes, I do think that would probably take 2 hours. Looks like you change buses at Germantown Transit Center. You could also check and see what the parking there is like and see if driving to that bus station would be an option.

The outermost Metro stations tend to be the ones with the park and ride lots, and they aren't *that* close to the city. The lot we used was still outside the Beltway. It was suburban, not city, driving. Albeit with a lot of cars. Still totally different than driving in DC proper.

I wouldn't even begin to try to keep 18 cars together. In fact, I really don't like driving where anyone is following me/I'm having to follow anyone, but that's just me. What about splitting up into smaller groups? Like instead of 1 group of 18, what about 6 groups of 3? Or carpooling to reduce the number of cars?

 

[eliz603]

We will be having families pack bagged lunches/snacks and picnicking on the mall if that is possible. I will be purchasing cold meats & cheeses, PB&J, bread, fruits, bagged snacks, water, etc for them to pack the night before so they are all ready to go in the morning. I think I remember seeing areas with tables off to the edges of the mall. Is that right? We have several families who this trip is a pretty big expense for them. We need to keep food costs to a minim for their sake. Otherwise they will be unable to go.

The tables certainly aren't everywhere. I'm sure there are some somewhere, just not sure off the top of my head. I would plan on bringing large picnic blankets to spread out and just having lunch on the Mall somewhere. No need to worry about hunting down a table!