I knew this day would come eventually

[Belle-To-Be]

Dd would like to vacation in Washington DC instead of DW. Before I admit defeat and consult a TA, I thought I'd ask for your help. It will be sometime in May or June.

*Which airport is the best to fly into? (Also going to Baltimore)
*How many days to allot?
*Besides Smithsonian, Lincoln Memorial, & George Washington's house, what else is on the must-do list?
*Recommended hotels?
*Public transportation, Metro?

Thanks in advance.

 

[suffieldhockeymom]

Baltimore is usually the easiest and cheapest to fly into and out of. I have never stayed in the city, but I do know that it's rather expensive to park there. We have stopped for the day on our way to/from VA. Once you park, public transportation is the easiest to get around. The National Zoo is nice and can take up an entire day.

 

[rimomma66]

As for hotels, I always stay at the Hyatt Arlington. It's only 1/2 block from the Rosslyn stop on the Metro so once you're parked, you don't have to get back in a car. There are so many hundreds of things to do in DC it would be impossible to narrow it down, but I highly suggest a few things (not in any order, just as I think of them)
1. Monuments at night tour
2. Holocaust Museum
3.Smithsonians
4. Ford's Theater
5. Library of Congress
6. Archives
7 Just walking the mall and looking at the amazing images around you
8 The zoo
9. Capitol rotunda
10 National Aquarium

Enjoy!!!

 

[Brian Noble]

We spent a week there last year for April break, and never came close to running out of things to do. We stayed here using our Wyndham timeshare points:
https://www.wyndhamvacationresorts.com/ffr/resort/details.do?id=0032

It was a great spot; right around the corner from a Metro stop, and in a really nice neighborhood with plenty of restaurants etc.

Fair warning: DC is a lot of walking. It will make WDW look like child's play. And, if you go during peak tourist season (we were there Easter Week) it will be *busy*.

 

[Sandy1892]

I have been taking my now grown up kids to Disneyworld for 25 yrs,visited DC 4 times last time 3 yrs ago and we really enjoyed it,obviousley completely different from Disney. We all loved the museums etc but also enjoyed visiting Alexandria and Mount Vernon lots to see and do you won't be bored enjoy.

 

[rwdavis2]

IMHO, Other than the Aquarium I would not bother with Baltimore unless the train museum is of interest.

 

[Shannon G]

While Baltimore may be the cheapest (though not always), the easiest airport to fly into for DC is Reagan. It is just across the Potomac in Virginia, and the Metro runs there, so you can either take the metro to your hotel, or take a cab.

Lots of good hotels - it comes down to what you are looking for. Close to the museums? Close to lots of restaurant options? Hotel with a pool? Something with a kitchenette? Sometimes you can get cheaper hotel rates by staying in Crystal City, Va, and you're an easy metro ride (10 - 15 minutes) to the National Mall. We did this last time we went, and stayed at the Embassy Suites in Crystal City.

As someone else mentioned, there's no need for a car once you're there - the Metro is super easy and will get you just about anywhere you need to go (except into Georgetown, but you could get off at either the Rosslyn stop or the Foggy Bottom stop and have a 10 - 15 minute walk to Georgetown). However, I would recommend renting a car for a day just to drive to Mount Vernon. When we stayed in Crystal City there was a car rental agency at one of the nearby hotels, and it was a pretty easy drive from there to Mount Vernon.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Good advice from the above poster. National Airport is absolutely the most convenient to DC, although flights there can be more expensive.

OP - I suggest you get a good guidebook and also browse tripadvisor.com - you'll find a lot of good hotel and tourist information.

You must visit Bao Bao (baby panda) at the National Zoo!

 

[mhnewcomb]

We were there in July, and we booked a boat cruise to Mt. Vernon...it was FANTASTIC.

Flew in to Baltimore and took the Amtrak to Union Station (I think it was like $20 per person?), then took the Metro to the neighborhood of the condo we rented. The Circulator bus was also really easy and convenient to use. No car at all the whole trip!

You will walk until your legs want to fall off and run away from you. Next time I go, I will prepare more by working out a bit more before the trip!

Highlight visits, besides Mt. Vernon, were the Holocaust Museum, Museum of American History, Air and Space Museum, Ford's Theatre (for the love of Pete, just skip the "Ranger Talk"...I'm a history nerd and it almost put me to sleep), the Memorials bus tour (SO FUN!), and our impromptu picnic on the mall in front of the Capitol. Next time we go, we are determined to go to Arlington Cemetery...we just ran out of steam this time around.

We had lots of delicious meals, as well. Check out McCormick & Shmicks and Founding Farmers! I recommend using Open Table reservations available on their websites, just to guarantee you have a seat.

Have fun!

 

[Disneychick75]

We fly into Reagan and then take the Metro to Marriott Crystal City. We love it there because the Metro stop is in the basement of the hotel. It's very easy to get around.
rimomma66 has an excellent list of things to do.
If you want to extend your trip a few days, I recommend going to Williamsburg. Historic Williamsburg is wonderful and so is Busch Gardens.

 

[Belle-To-Be]

Thanks for all the great advice. I have a conference in Baltimore, so trying to figure out all the logistics between DC. Hadn't thought of Arlington or the Zoo. Great suggestions. Thanks again.

 

[SteveMouse]

Trains between Baltimore and DC are frequent and easy. You probably don't want a car in DC. Parking is expensive and not convenient to most attractions (Mt. Vernon being a significant exception). In addition to specific destinations, don't forget Old Town Alexandria (check out Chart House's happy hour menu). Georgetown is another interesting area. The Newseum is another choice. You can catch the bus between the Air and Space museum downtown and the Dulles (Virginia) facility.

(I lived in the area).

 

[focusondisney]

We were there in July, and we booked a boat cruise to Mt. Vernon...it was FANTASTIC.

Flew in to Baltimore and took the Amtrak to Union Station (I think it was like $20 per person?), then took the Metro to the neighborhood of the condo we rented. The Circulator bus was also really easy and convenient to use. No car at all the whole trip!

You will walk until your legs want to fall off and run away from you. Next time I go, I will prepare more by working out a bit more before the trip!

Highlight visits, besides Mt. Vernon, were the Holocaust Museum, Museum of American History, Air and Space Museum, Ford's Theatre (for the love of Pete, just skip the "Ranger Talk"...I'm a history nerd and it almost put me to sleep), the Memorials bus tour (SO FUN!), and our impromptu picnic on the mall in front of the Capitol. Next time we go, we are determined to go to Arlington Cemetery...we just ran out of steam this time around.

We had lots of delicious meals, as well. Check out McCormick & Shmicks and Founding Farmers! I recommend using Open Table reservations available on their websites, just to guarantee you have a seat.

Have fun!

Who did you book your boat cruise thru? Your hotel, travel agent or on your own? What was included & how long was it? Care to share the name?

And How was it taking your luggage on the train & metro? Did you feel out of place; was it hard to navigate with luggage? Thanks!

We fly into Reagan and then take the Metro to Marriott Crystal City. We love it there because the Metro stop is in the basement of the hotel. It's very easy to get around.
rimomma66 has an excellent list of things to do.
If you want to extend your trip a few days, I recommend going to Williamsburg. Historic Williamsburg is wonderful and so is Busch Gardens.

How easy is it on the metro with luggage? Did you feel out of place or conspicuous?? Thanks!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

And How was it taking your luggage on the train & metro? Did you feel out of place; was it hard to navigate with luggage? Thanks!
....
How easy is it on the metro with luggage? Did you feel out of place or conspicuous?? Thanks!

Many people use metro to get to the airport or Amtrak (Union Station). At rush hour, you occasionally might have to wait a few trains to find one that isn't packed, but otherwise it's normal and fairly easy.

 

[Southernswthrt]

Dd would like to vacation in Washington DC instead of DW. Before I admit defeat and consult a TA, I thought I'd ask for your help. It will be sometime in May or June.

*Which airport is the best to fly into? (Also going to Baltimore)
*How many days to allot?
*Besides Smithsonian, Lincoln Memorial, & George Washington's house, what else is on the must-do list?
*Recommended hotels?
*Public transportation, Metro?

Thanks in advance.

I fly into DCA (Reagan National) and hop on the Metro to the hotel, mainly because I can fly non-stop there from New Orleans.

# of days - I've been there 4 times and still haven't seen everything!

We stayed at the Marriot Metro Center (I believe on F Street), which is literally in the middle of everything, but I have also stayed in Arlington and Rosslyn, which are also fine and just a short metro ride to the heart of DC.

I've always used the Metro and it is fine. Just stay off at rush hour as it does get busy.

have fun

 

[Propro]

Dd would like to vacation in Washington DC instead of DW. Before I admit defeat and consult a TA, I thought I'd ask for your help. It will be sometime in May or June.

*Which airport is the best to fly into? (Also going to Baltimore)
*How many days to allot?
*Besides Smithsonian, Lincoln Memorial, & George Washington's house, what else is on the must-do list?
*Recommended hotels?
*Public transportation, Metro?

Thanks in advance.

I'd stay in the Crystal City or Pentagon City portion of Arlington and metro everywhere. Priceline could be your friend there. Where are you flying from? If you're near the Northeast Corridor, I'd highly recommend taking Amtrak.

 

[Disneychick75]

Who did you book your boat cruise thru? Your hotel, travel agent or on your own? What was included & how long was it? Care to share the name?

And How was it taking your luggage on the train & metro? Did you feel out of place; was it hard to navigate with luggage? Thanks!



How easy is it on the metro with luggage? Did you feel out of place or conspicuous?? Thanks!

You are not alone with the luggage on the Metro. Forgot to say that once I flew into Reagan and took the Metro to Fairfax or whichever station is closest to it. I had a few suitcases because I had parties to attend. It was no problem.

 

[mhnewcomb]

Who did you book your boat cruise thru? Your hotel, travel agent or on your own? What was included & how long was it? Care to share the name?

And How was it taking your luggage on the train & metro? Did you feel out of place; was it hard to navigate with luggage? Thanks!

We travelled on the Spirit of Mt. Vernon, and it was just lovely! I booked the tickets online well before the trip. Takes about 90 minutes each way, and you get some great photos as you pass by Fort Washington, too. ETA: you cruise to Mt. Vernon, tickets to the house and museum are included, and you're on your own to tour at your leisure until time to reboard for the trip back.

As for the Metro, each of us only had one suitcase, as it was a 5 day trip in a condo with washer/dryer. That being said, I can safely say that the five of us with our suitcases were NOT--in ANY way--the strangest things on the Metro! No worries as long as you can tote everything! We even rode the Circulator bus back to Union Station on our last day, and there was plenty of room for the suitcases there, too.

 

[ironz]

Keep in mind, the Smithsonian is a bunch of museums, not just one. Can spend several days just to see all of that and the memorials, which are right there as well.

 

[Iamthequeen]

If you want to visit the White House, you need to schedule it in advance. Also there is a section of the Air and Space Museum at Dulles Airport, well worth the trip.

Regardless of a pp observation, there is much to do in and around Baltimore, the National Aquarium being one place to visit. All of the Inner Harbor is interesting, Fort McHenry is nearby and this year is the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Baltimore, where Francis Scott Key wrote the Star Spangled Banner. Oriole Park at Camden Yards is within walking distance of the Harbor if you are interested in baseball.

Have a great trip!