Washington DC in Spring?

Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 10:12 AM
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Washington DC in Spring?

I'm planning a trip to DC in spring, looking for some help. I'm going with one friend; we wanted to go mid March to avoid extremely cold weather but the flights from about March 10th on are VERY expensive. That leaves us with late February or first week of March. Is February too cold? We will have access to a vehicle but want to see monuments, museums, etc and I hear it will take a bit of walking in between each stop.
I'm looking for any information on weather, as well as any interesting places to visit or good restaurants! Will probably have 5 days, staying in Maryland and I think will drive (transit better?) into DC for touristy stuff.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 10:18 AM
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None of the above are spring. The temps in February vary from year to year but generally is the coldest month I suppose. Last year was very cold by DC standards. You can check the numerous weather websites for historical averages.

Where in Maryland are you considering staying?
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 10:20 AM
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Washington DC can be cold in February, but it won't be Arctic cold. If you can handle Seattle you can handle Washington DC.

> I hear it will take a bit of walking in between each stop

Correct. You may have to bundle up. I'm sure Seattle has taught you how to layer clothing, so just do the same.

> I think will drive (transit better?)
Do **NOT** drive into Washington unless you absolutely have to. In four decades of driving around this nation, DC traffic remains the worst I have experienced. This despite the fact that the transit system is pretty good. Not sure where in Maryland you'll be staying, but try to stay close enough to a transit stop to just ride into DC from your lodging.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 10:56 AM
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For restaurant ideas, check out the Washington Post critic's fall dining guide:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/gui...-dining-guide/

There are so many good-to-great places in DC these days, it's hard to eat a bad meal. Do you have any specific preferences or requirements?

IME, late February and early March are tough to predict. You could get cold, wet, blustery weather, or nice, cool sunny days--a mix is likely. If that's the best time for you to go, go!

As for "interesting places", well, there are loads! Do you have any specific interests?
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 11:37 AM
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I'm good with bundling up, using an umbrella if necessary... Seattle has taught me that, at least. I should have asked more specifically if it will still be snowy at that point. Snow is ok, but a few feet that prevents me from seeing the sights...no good!

Looks like we're good for the first week of March. Flights are still reasonable, just waiting for time off from work to be approved.

I'm staying with my friend's mother in Frederick, MD, flying in to Baltimore. We will probably eat most of our meals at her house but will certainly splurge on something good for a night or two...and as far as restaurants go, I'll try most anything.

I'm interested in going into Baltimore for one of our days too, if it's worth the trip.

This is going to be the most tourist-based trip I've ever done, so I'm interested to see just that...touristy crap! Smithsonian is a must, then things like the Lincoln Memorial, National Cemetery, Library of Congress, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, etc. I'm very interested in the history behind it all!

I think there will be a couple days where her mother can drive us to DC then pick us up at the end of the day, but she is working full time and we may be on our own for transportation, will definitely look into transit to avoid the headache of traffic/parking.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 11:50 AM
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You should look at MARC for the transit options.

http://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train

National Mall info

http://www.nps.gov/nama/index.htm

"I should have asked more specifically if it will still be snowy at that point"

Nobody can tell you that.
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 12:05 PM
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DC is not the kind of place that gets snow predictably. It's always on the rain/snow line, plus, as I said, that's a changeable time of year anyway, so..."feet" of snow are unlikely. That's the best anyone will be able to tell you!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 12:41 PM
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Thank you

And thanks for the transit website!
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Old Oct 22nd, 2014, 10:01 PM
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Sounds like you are prepared for the worst and ready for the best - perfect!

You might want to invest in a decent guidebook for DC -- it will put everything you need to know in one place and give you information about visiting hours, transportation options, highlights, etc.

No reason for a car unless you really want it -- for most parts of DC, having a car would be a decided disadvantage. See if public transportation will meet your needs, or how you can minimize your reliance on a car while meeting your priorities.

Baltimore might merit a day, depending on your interests. Example: I love Baltimore's (rather expensive) aquarium. But you really need to look at your options for DC and Baltimore and decide, given your interests, time, and budget, what YOU most want to do.

As for a spluge meal, LOTS of options in DC. AND lots of options for great food that doesn't fall into the "splurge" category. Here's a site that gives you some info:
http://www.opentable.com/washington-dc-restaurants

Hope that helps!
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 04:42 AM
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I live in Frederick MD, I hope you realize it is a good 55 min drive without traffic into DC. The metro subway systems nearest stop is in Shady Grove and is about 30 minutes drive from here. You may want to consider renting a car to drive to the station daily and park in their garage while you tour the city for the day. You can also use the Marc train but then you need to transfer to the subway to get to the major sites. The Marc has certain hours and can be very crowded. I agree with the other posters, driving in DC is very stressful unless you are familiar with the city, the traffic from Frederick just to the Shady Grove station will be heavy during rush hour, so plan to leave later in the morning and wait until after 6pm to return. If you were to rent a car the ride to Shady Grove is easy, I'm not sure how much parking is available during working hours, but there are 2 large garages and outdoor parking. You may want to check on that by calling Metro.

As to the weather in March, it will be cold and snow is likely. We have gotten snow as late as March 20th. But DC clears the streets and walkways quickly, bring boots and warm coats, hats and gloves. You will do a lot of walking, I know people do not realize how spread out the sites actually are. I suggest taking the tourist trolley. It is a hop on hop off system that drops you very near all the major sites and worth the cost. While at the mall, there is a little cafe in the gardens of the National Gallery of Art that serves a nice lunch, you can watch the skaters while you eat.

The inner harbor in Balt is really nice and worth a day if you have time. And lastly downtown Frederick is a lovely little town, make sure to save a day to eat in one of the great restaurants in town.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 08:33 AM
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In February there is no guarantee that you won;t get snow. The odds are that you won;t get a major storm - many years have none and others only 1 or 2. But anything is possible in February - including a couple of feet of snow and bitter cold.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 08:38 AM
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I did a touristy trip with my brother a few years ago--we took the Old Town Trolley's Moonlight Monument tour. It gives you enough time to hop off and see what you need, and certainly helps with saving your feet from all that walking! I remember how impressive the Korean War memorial is at night, as well as the Iwo Jima flag-raising statue. The Trolley tours start from Union Station. You can book ahead online.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 12:01 PM
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Does your trip span a weekend? You might be surprised at the bargains you can get on hotel rooms for Saturday nights in Feb through Priceline, etc. If your friend's mother is willing to drop you off and pick you up at the Shady Grove Metro Station, you could take the subway from Shady Grove Sat morning, spend the day and evening sightseeing, eat at a nice DC restaurant, catch the free show at the Kennedy Center, stay the night in the hotel and spend the whole next day doing more sightseeing. You can cover a lot of territory that way and it will be so much nicer than trying to commute in from Frederick each day, especially if the weather is bad. Some of the places you want to see will be closed on Sundays (like the Library of Congress) so make sure to go to those places on Saturday.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 12:47 PM
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April is spring. There are lots of spring break trips to DC, which is why the airfare is expensive. It is a lovely time to go, but not in February, IMHO.
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Old Oct 23rd, 2014, 12:51 PM
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Frederick, MD, is very far from DC, as travelsis pointed out. You may want to splurge on a hotel one night. I usually stay in the Chevy Chase area of MD and even then, I find, that traffic is terrible. If you take the metro, avoid rush hour, because it is CROWDED.
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Old Oct 24th, 2014, 06:39 AM
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It'll be cold. Personally, I wear a warm coat and gloves PLUS a thermal layer for a day of "museuming". I live in Northern VA and have my whole life so, yeah, it's cold, but so what? Most activities are indoors. The Museum of the American Indian is really neat and the cafeteria there, Mitsitam, is fantastic. I also really enjoy Jaleo for tapas which is fun with a group. The patatas bravas are sublime!

Frederick isn't that far away and has a nice little downtown area. I'd stay there.

Enjoy your trip!!
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Old Oct 25th, 2014, 01:36 PM
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If you would like to see the Capitol building beyond the visitor center you can book a tour with your local congressional representative's office or senator's office. its free. you can also get a pass to the galleries of the senate and congress.
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Old Oct 26th, 2014, 02:30 PM
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Second the suggestion of staying over at least one night in DC. Understand the connection to free lodging in Frederick, but it is a good hour each way to DC, more if there are traffic or metro disruptions. Plus you don't have the option of running back to the room for a midday rest. Penn Quarter would be a good area to look for a room.

As noted weather can be a toss up - this past March I was stuck in a DC snowstorm that shut down the city's business operations but in other years wandered in shirtsleeves.
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Old Oct 27th, 2014, 05:52 PM
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Keep in mind "the Smithsonian" is actually several museums~The Air and Space Museum, The Natural History Museum, The National Portrait Gallery, the Zoo, and (my personal favorite) The American History Museum, to name a few.
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Old Oct 28th, 2014, 02:04 AM
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One does not need "feet" of snow to make DC shut down - a few inches and schools close, a little more than that and the government, including museums shut down.

It is your Congressman/woman who is the contact person for special tours, including the White House. Many allow you to make requests via their website, but it is usually the job of some intern to handle this. A nice call (after the election activity has settled down - and if you have a new Rep they get a chance to get settled) can't hurt.
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