gracie

DH and I are considering a Labor Day weekend trip. Because we have to fly out of Northwest Florida, and because we want to keep the ticket price under $400. pp, our choices are limited to Reagan or Philadelphia. The price is about the same for either destination. We have been to DC a few times, so we won't spend any time in the city. We will rent a car and see some historic sites, either in Virginia or Pennsylvania. Not interested in shopping. We would arrive at either airport at 11:30 pm on the Thursday night, and depart the afternoon of Labor Day. Considering we don't know our way around either airport or surrounding area, that we won't arrive til 11:30 pm and will then have to pick up a rental car, which airport would you choose? Thanks for any suggestions.

tchoiniere

I would fly into Philadelphia but stay in the city and not rent the car. That being said, I really enjoy it there and could easily fill the weekend with plenty of sites to see.

sf7307

Since you've been to DC before, I'd do what tchoiniere suggests. We were in Philadelphia last October for the first time in years, and really enjoyed ourselves.

JanetKMR

I would also stay in Philly and not rent a car. It is a lovely city.

elberko

Made that a 4 for staying in Phila. and no car!

Macross

Philly for sure.

vincenzo32951

Yesm, you can fill your days in Phila w/o a car, but since you said you also wanted to see other historic areas:

The airport in Philadelphia is on the south side of the city, not far from downtown. If you decided to first spend some time in the city, you could take a taxi to your hotel, preferably one on S. Broad St., near city hall, since that will be an easier destination. (Full disclosure: I have never taken a taxi on that route, so I don't know what the actual cost would be, but it seems as if you'd want to use a cab at 11:30 pm.)

You could spend a few days in the city, and then rent the car to visit, and stay at, some sights outside the city -- Gettysburg, Valley Forge, Longwood Gardens. Then return the car to the airport and catch your return flight.

Christina

I wouldn't rent a car, either, but if you do want to, I'd choose Philadelphia airport. It's outside the city and you can get right on I95, but it partly depends where you are going, I guess. I just think DCA is more in a real urban area that takes a while to get out of and traffic is usually bad all the time right around the airport and Rte 1/I395, etc., I think it will take longer to get out of the major metro area at DCA.

Because I presume you are just going to find some chain hotel to immediately stay at, but you don't want one right at the airport probably. Not to mention the car rental agencies at DCA close around midnight and they are open 24/7 at Philadelphia. So if your flight is just a little late or something, you could be stuck at DCA.

gracie

Thanks, all, but especially Christina. I didn't know the DCA airport car rental agencies close @ midnight. That is precisely the type of info I was seeking.

Based on the comments thus far, I am leaning toward Philadelphia, and possibly renting a car for just a day or two. We definitely want to see the countryside.

Dukey1

Hertz, just as ONE example at Reagan is open until 2:30 IN THE MORNING and traffic, as bad as it can be in the DC Metro area is NOT going to be "bad" around midnight.

You should, IMO, actually check the various rental car agency opening times before making some final decision on what somebody "thinks" is 'the answer.'

Hobbert

There's no traffic to worry about at Reagan at midnight but I'd go to Philadelphia for a change of scenery.

tomfuller

I don't know what airport you use in NW Florida. Can't you use Atlanta or Jacksonville?
Split the difference and fly to BWI. In the old days it was cheapest to fly to - maybe not anymore.
There are Amtrak stations at BWI and Newark.
Atlanta has the Crescent to Washington (overnight) and Florida has 2 trains (Meteor and Star) that go to Washington.

andrea_m111

Fyi Philly airport into the city by can is about $20. Maybe a little more now as I last made the trip about 2 years ago.

gracie

@TomFuller -- we are a 5.5 hour drive from Jacksonville or Atlanta. We often fly out of Atlanta when we have more time, but we don't have time to drive there for this short of a trip.