Which "far end" of a subway line is in the best area to end our ventures each night? We plan to take the subway into Smithsonian / The Mall area each day but wanted to be located very close to a subway line but in a clean safe area with perhaps restaurants or shopping closeby.

Any suggestions from the locals?
(it will be over the July 4th time period if that makes a difference)

Also is your American statutory holiday "day off" right on the 4th only, or do you also close everything down on the 3rd or 5th this year?

Thanks.

I can't recommend places to stay, but the subway in DC is called "the Metro." You'll get funny looks calling it the subway. We in the US are treating the 5th of July as the holiday since the 4th falls on a Sunday this year.

To answer your first question, what you might refer to as the "bank holiday is on Monday July 5. Most people have that day off, banks the stock market, etc are closed. Most stores and restaurants are open.

It's kind of subjective, but the King Street stop in Alexandria toward the end of end of the blue/Yellow line, or the Silver Spring, Bethesda, or Friendship heights stops on toward the end the red line would be my choices for places to stay. There are lots of restaurants near those stops, and they have a neighborhood feel, as opposed to Crystal City which is just high rises. Crystal City is perfectly safe and would be fine if that is where you get a good hotel deal. Also don't rule out the downtown DC area, esp Dupont Circle, and the Woodley Park stop. Of them all, my favorite would be Woodley Park, as you can get into Rock Creek Park from here, and there a lots of restaurants and interesting shops.

There is usually a wonderful, free outdoor classical concert at the Capitol (west lawn on the Mall) on July 4. The National Symphony Orchestra usually plays with guest performers as well. There are fireworks as well. I could not find any info on this year's concert, but someone else may. This is extremely popular, so pack a picnic and get there by about 6:30 pm if you can. There is usually a rock concert during the day on the Saturday (this year July 3) down near the Washington Monument.

thanks for the quick & helpful responses. I'll look into all this & "see you there"

No need to go to the end of the line--I recommend the Rosslyn area of Arlington, Virginia (the first stop on the Orange and Blue Lines in Virginia after leaving DC) for the area such as you describe which involves the least travel time from the tourist highlights and good value hotels a block or two from the Metro station.

Type Rosslyn in the search box in click on Go for more details, as this question comes up frequently.

You specify "very close to a subway line but in a clean safe area with perhaps restaurants or shopping closeby." These are features better found at some close-in locations, as end-of-line Metro stations are generally surrounded by highways and vast parking lots. Convenient for both daytime and evening activities -- Dupont Circle, Foggy Bottom, Friendship Heights, Bethesda are a few areas that come to mind.

OOPS--in the last sentence of my post above, please substitute "and click on Find" for "in click on Go."

john charles -- hee, hee - yep I knew what you meant... ;-)

Thanks everyone.

Here's a vote for Dupont Circle.

"but the subway in DC is called "the Metro." You'll get funny looks calling it the subway."

Funny, I ride the subway everyday in DC, call it the subway, and no one has ever given me a funny look.

If you really feel you want to stay in a more suburban location and out of the city, you could also try Bethesda (although it actually has a pretty urban feel to it). As others have said, the ends of the SUBWAY are not as tourist-friendly as you would expect since they are in mostly residential areas.

Hmmmm - when I search almost all of these wonderful locations mentioned, they do not have car parking. Silver Spring is the only one with parking & only 44 spaces.

The following 3 seem to have most parking spaces (I assume it's a parking garage?) Greenbelt, Huntington, Franconia-Springfield.

Any preference out of those three?

I expect a stop like Silver Spring with only 44 spaces will be filled when we arrive mid- to late- afternoon on Sat. July 3 ?

Sorry to be a pest... but you all are giving great advice.

The symphony orchestra concert sounds great too!

Oops, didn't realize you needed car parking. All of the places we mentioned are where you don't need a car. If you stayed at the places mentioned, you won't need to drive to the subway.

Why do you want to drive your car to the Metro? Are you staying with friends or did you not want to stay someplace with expensive parking prices?

If you want to be near the Mall each day, why not jsut stay in the city, as most tourists do? You'll have no need for a car, and will have scores of hotels to choose from that meet your criteria of a clean, safe area with restaurants and shopping nearby.

I always hate to post this because then people start to reply with the "flack" but --- we travel on a budget; we'll be sleeping in the car. That's why I need the car.

Yes, yes I realize your concerns. You should hear my mother! ;-)

You're sleeping in the car!!! Whaaaaa?

Been there, done that. Park in DC itself, in the NorthWest area, you'll be fine. Just pay close attention to street signs about parking, especially because of the holiday. The city will be packed on the Fourth because of the fireworks.

If you want a car to go to excursions outside the city, I would plan renting for a day or two and plan all your out of town trips for that time. To be far from the city only to have parking is not the best way to plan your time in dc.

I agree with those indicating you don't need a car if you stay in the city. Everything is metro accessible - actually, for the most part, you can walk everywhere.

Woodley Park and DuPont stops have probably the most eclectic neighborhoods out of all the stops. I live in the Kalorama neighborhood, which is close to Woodley and have seen great little hotels you can check out that are very reasonably priced. Try out Woodley Park House or Kalorama House (stay there and you'll probably see me walking my dog! Also, Tabard Inn in the DuPont area is nice.

I think you'll get a lot more out of the city sticking close by. And don't worry, the vast majority of it is incredibly safe.

Oh, and out of all those stops you mentioned in one of your emails, I don't recommend any of them. While the areas are nice, you will be in the subarbs in all of them and very far from the city (the metro ride itself will take 30 minutes or so).

MikeT is right. You can call it the subway if you like. That's what I call it and I've lived here my entire life. One thing to keep in mind though - if you plan to take a break on the escalators, stay to your right...those that opt to walk up the escalators love to keep the left lane open so that they can pant past you.

Have a great trip and enjoy a great city!

So this is your own car you're driving, not a rental? Oh, okay...yes, you can still park downtown. Find a nice neighborhood - has anyone mentioned Woodley Park or DuPont? - park and don't move. If you come in on a Friday, you won't have to move your car until Monday. Most street parking in neighborhoods is 2 hours unless you live there and have a car sticker to show it, but all that is thrown out the window on weekends.

However, unless you're nicely hidden, you might get a friendly rap on your window from a policeman wondering if you're alive.

Have fun!

Sounds good. We'll be arriving Saturday afternoon & leaving Monday evening. With Monday being the stat holiday, will I be able to "remain parked" without a ticket?

Yes - travelling from Canada with my own car. Will be heading down to Charleston SC for a few days first, then back up to DC on my way home for a few days.

I hope to leave the car parked somewhere & then walk or take the Metro if needed to Arlington Cemetery, Smithsonian / Mall area, and the Zoo.

Last time & only other time I was in DC several years back by myself, I parked the car on the street the first day, then had a hard time finding my way back to it that night in the dark! So I moved to a subway parking lot for the next day & night to be sure I could find my way back - ha!

Counting the days now. Looking forward to any opportunity to take a VACATION!

(p.s. - Thinking of y'all at the passing of a great man, Pres Reagan -- we're getting lots of live coverage of the proceedings on our Canadian TV too!)

Hmm, tough call! I believe that Metro parking lots are well-patrolled, esp. at night, so I doubt you'd get away with sleeping in your car in one of those. Plus, as you yourself guessed, they'll fill up fast on a holiday weekend. I guess I'd hunt for on-street or strip mall parking near a suburban Metro stop--your plan all along, right? Try Clarendon and on up into Vriginia (orange line), Bethesda or Friendhsip Heights in Maryland (red line), or American U., Woodley Park, Cleveland Park in DC (also red line). You can find a metro map online... good luck!