DC / Baltimore / Philly Trip
 

There are going to be ~ 10 of us going on this trip. Friend of mine is getting married and this is in lieu of his bachelor party. Primary purpose will be the baseball games (surprise...)

Our Tentative plan for right now

Thursday
Amtrak from Hartford to Baltimore (others will be flying in from LA)
Barhopping around Inner Harbor
Game in Baltimore this night
I booked Holiday Inn Express at the Stadiums (great rate and near the stadiums)

Friday
Spend all Day in Baltimore (probably out to Ft McHenry)
Train to DC late in the Day

Sat / Sun in DC
2 games, whatever else (repeat trip for a few of us)
Staying at the Americana again.
Monday
Train back to Philly
Any recommendation for a budget hotel in downtown (preferrably around $125-$150 per night) near a Subway system? May try to use priceline as the date approaches.
Game Monday night

Tuesday
Train back to Hartford

Just changed hotels for Baltimore when i realized where the original hotel was (on far side of Stadiums from the Inner Harbor). Rebooked at Hampton Inn and Suites Inner Harbor

Sounds like a fun trip! Did you notice the really spiffed up Americana website?

Yes, I did. Problem with it is that it won't work too well on my work computer and looks funny (no HTML, etc). But it does look good. I really enjoy staying there and it helps a budget a lot. Now if I could only get them to open 1 in Baltimore and Philly...

This will be a fun trip. I have been to all these stadiums but its nearly been 8 years since Philly and 4 since Baltimore.

Just booked our Amtrak Tickets finally. $130 for the 3 legs which is not bad at all. Just planning on taking MARC to DC from Baltimore at 1 point on Friday.

Now just have to watch for hotels for Philly and Baltimore. I'm open to any suggestions.

Also, playing with tickets. The Orioles game is the priority with it being the Yankees coming in. Also, going to do the Phillies tickets soon as I know they sell out. Will buy Nationals tickets before we go but not as worried except for it being a Phillies game.

Looking forward to this trip.

Here is what I have for our itinerary so far. Any suggestions / thoughts?

Thursday
Amtrak to Baltimore. Gets in at Noon.
Go to Hotel and hopefully check-in. Our hotel is Hilton Baltimore, adjacent to Camden Yards.

What is best way to get from Penn Station to Camden Yards?

Babe Ruth House / Sports Legends Museum / bar hop before the game
Yankees @ Orioles game that night

Friday
Ft McHenry via Water Taxi from Inner Harbor
Water Taxi to Fell's Point for lunch maybe
Couple of stops in Inner Harbor

MARC from Baltimore to DC
Can we take MARC from Camden Yards to DC or is it just out of Penn Station?

Dinner Someplace in DC

Check in at Americana Hotel

Saturday
American History Museum
Air & Space Museum.

Nationals Game

Sunday
Monuments early AM if we choose
Nationals game (maybe) - may do something else

Monday
Amtrak to Philly 11am
Get in around 1.
Probably head to get a Cheesesteak before the game. Suggestions? I know - loaded question...
Staying at Holiday Inn adjacent to the Ballparks

Tuesday
Probably outside view of Independence Hall
Eastern States Penitentiary? Worth it?

Alternative to above is a tour of Citizens Bank Ballpark.
Amtrak home at 5.

Skip the cheese steak. Instead, go to the ballpark early, especially since your hotel is within walking distance, watch batting practice, and have a beer and get a roast pork sandwich at Tony Luke's behind the left field stands. (I prefer mine with broccoli rabe). Get to TL's early for the sandwich, or face long lines. Really, the food and prices at the ballpark aren't bad, though the beer's a little expensive.

Otherwise, you're going to have to take a cab to Pat's or Geno's to get a cheese steak. I get it that it's a Philly tradition, but I'm not sure it's worth the bother.

> a cab to Pat's or Geno's to get a cheese steak
> I get it that it's a Philly tradition,
> but I'm not sure it's worth the bother.

I'm sure -- it's NOT worth the bother.
It would be hard for me to imagine a bigger waste of time and money than to pay for a cab ride to have a mediocre cheese steak. If you MUST have this sandwich while visiting here, Tony Luke's is just as good (if not better) than these two, and it's right at the ballpark.

> Eastern States Penitentiary? Worth it?

Depends on what you mean by "worth it." There's some fascinating history there, but it's pretty specific. Myself, I'd rather visit the room where the U.S. Founders wrote the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution than the room where Al Capone spent a year behind bars. But that's just my personal taste.

I like Eastern State--it's very evocative--but there really is a lot to choose from in the city. It will give you a break from standard museums, though! There's a picture link here in my trip report, to give you some ideas: http://www.fodors.com/community/unit...the-prison.cfm If you do want a standard museum, the newly redone Philadelphia History Museum is small but interesting, and the National Museum of American Jewish History is really well done. And, of course, for gross-out purposes,there's the Mutter.

I believe you can take the Marc from Camden Yards to Union Station. Here's there website to get schedule info
http://mta.maryland.gov/marc-train
Take the Light Rail from Penn Station to Camden Yards
http://welcomebaltimore.com/transpor.../rail-service/

So being a baseball fan, what do you think is going on with the Nationals? slow start or a flash in the pan despite some great talent?

Lots and lots of Phila. choices for one day, tell us a little about your interests and we can help more.

Phillies are no longer guaranteed sellouts :-(

Yestravel, they are just off to a slow start. They have been showing signs of life - but now with news that Strasburg is injured, I am getting worried now for them.

I have taken all the suggestions about Philly and will look into them. Probably going to be the hardest as there are a few of us that have been there a few times and others that haven't...Just need to look at all the options.

Thanks for your assessment...that's encouraging! Per the WPost Strasburg is not injured-hope that is accurate. Enjoy your trip

We changed hotels for DC. Got a great deal at the Key Bridge Marriott. More for a different hotel than anything wrong with the Americana. Same price but for a better hotel.

An idea for a dinner before the short walk across the bridge back to your hotel - located near the 34th & M pedestrian entrance to the bridge.

http://www.kafeleopolds.com/

Sounds like fun! Not sure I've got any recommendations as such, but you may like to read my trip report, as we've just got back from a similar trip (DC/NY/Philly).

Bear in mind that the Air and Space Museum may be quite crowded (it's one of the most visited in the country I believe). However, it's swings and roundabouts, as when we went it was a weekday and there were loads of school groups! So it may well be that there's no *good* time to visit per se now that we're into the high season. So just visit and enjoy...none of this is a reason to *not* visit.

Bear in mind also that the monuments are open late too. Capital Bikeshare is a great way of getting around them if you think the walk may be a little long for some of the people in your party. It's relatively cheap, but to cut the cost, share bikes (1 bike between 2 is fine as you can easily alternate walking/biking).

Have a great trip :)

Pizza Paradiso http://www.eatyourpizza.com/tag/pizzeria-georgetown/ on M St has great pizza, salads and sandwiches.

Will post more tomorrow. If you really want a cheesesteak, go to Jim's. But not sure if id wait in a really long liine . The Xfinity Center at the stadium complex is fun. (Don't go to pats or genos.).

I liked the EAstern State tour, but I'm pretty fascinated with that kind of stuff.

I loved the tour of Citizens Bank Park - those might be more likely to sell out than the game itself! They don't take you into the locker room, but you get to hang around in the dugout, at bat circle, etc. they were even tolerant of my son holding the mic in the TV broadcasting room. our tour guide loved baseball and gave a great tour.

Thanks for the info on Philly & DC.

Just looked at the website for the Newseum and will be going there. They are having a Special Exhibit on JFK as its the 50th anniversary of his assassination so I definitely want to see that. Having been there before, I am hoping we can get through moderately quick but I also know how much I like the museum...Hoping to be there just as it opens on Sunday morning then maybe head to the game...

Husband just was in Philly. I did the hotel res on priceline. Zones were such that it worked out well for that city. Even if you don't end up using priceline, I'd study their zones and betterbidding.com or hotwire to see where the deals are. It appeared that I could get many of the same hotels, named and potentially cancelleable on travelocity or hotwire at about 20-30 percent more than a priceline or hotwire secret sale.

I believe we are set on the Holiday Inn adjacent to the stadium to make Monday as easy as possible but may play with betterbidding to see if I can get a better price there without risking the location...

The Holiday Inn is going to be super convenient for going to the game. You can also easily access the subway from there to get into center city.

We ended up booking at Radisson Plaza Warwick Hotel in Philly due to a couple of people wanting to use Radisson points for the night. I objected but went with the majority as its still near a subway stop to get to game.

That'll be fine - the subway ride will be short. And you really can't get lost b/c the subway only goes in two directions (unless you get on at City Hall, then it goes in 4).

tchoinere - would you be up for a brief Hello while you are at the game? I dont' want to interfere with you watching the game and it sounds like you will be in a big group, so I don't want to budge in on any of your fun or plans. But I'm always up for going to a game, and I could stop by and say Hello to a fellow Fodorite sometime while you are at the stadium if you are up for it.

(I've only been to two games so far - we have tix this week for our 3rd).

Phillyfan, that sounds like a good idea. Wait until it gets closer and we can figure out where to meet up at the stadium as we will have our touring plans finalized by then. I tend to be one to get to stadiums very early while apparently others want to wait till last second to get there so I may be on my own for a while before the game which I don't mind. 10 guys = will be needing a break from them by that Monday.

We got a great deal on the hotel via Lastminutetravel.com for around $140 for the night so I am happy with that.

Sounds like a plan. Could you remind me of your Philly date again? I know you already mentioned it (somewhere....)

I think I'll bring my son's speech therapist with me to the game - she's been so good to my son and is having a rough time. She's a big Phils fan but rarely goes to games.

Are you still interested in a tour of Citizens Bank Park? If so, you should get those tix ahead of time - I wanted to do this 2 years ago, and the tours were sold out when I checked (in late July) for most of the remainder of the summer. Last year we finally got to do this, but I did book early in the season to secure a tour. It was fun.

The Phillies game is Monday September 16.

I don't think we are going to have time for a tour but won't know for sure until we get our plans for Tuesday done. Only thing we have booked for Tuesday are Independence Hall tickets and knowing we want to go to the Museum of Art solely for the Rocky Steps and Statue.

My current plan for sightseeing is as follows. If anybody sees something wrong with it, please let me know. This will be my plan - but not going to be afraid to call an audible.

Thursday: Get to Baltimore Penn Station at Noon. Light Rail to Hotel to drop off bags (or check in if rooms are ready) and head to the Babe Ruth Museum then a couple of bars before the Orioles game.

Friday
Aquarium (timed tickets for 9am). This was a must for a few of us. Since we will be in first, we should make it through fairly quickly while still enjoying it.

Water Taxi from here to Ft McHenry via Fell's Point. Couple of hours here at the most then head back to the Inner Harbor.

Spend some time walking around the Harbor including Dinner probably. This may be time dependent as we will still have to retrieve bags at the hotel before either getting back to Camden Station for MARC to DC (last train is at 5:20 from here) or getting to Penn Station for a later MARC train to DC)

When we get to DC, probably just head to our hotel (Key Bridge Marriott) and hang out there that night - may head to the Iwo Jima Memorial after dropping bags off.

Saturday - Am I being too ambitious - keeping in mind its a much repeated trip for myself?

9am: Newseum (Having been here before, there are just certain exhibits that I will want to see. Mainly the new JFK and Civil Rights ones plus a few repeated ones). I am picturing 3 hours. Then head to the Air and Space Museum and hit highlights.

Most other people are heading to Arlington Cemetery for this morning but I have done that a few times now and feel I don't have to see it again on such a quick trip but the others have never been. I figure they will meet up with us at the A&S.

When we leave here, head to the Nationals game. Its a 7pm game but I like to get to the parks early and walk around.

Sunday:
American History Museum as it opens. Is it still worth going to as a repeat visitor with a lot of it being under construction?

Most people are going to National Archives / Ford's Theatre / Monuments after this (I believe...) but I may head to the afternoon National's game and meet up with everyone at the Monuments (but again, I am not sure if I even want to head to the Monuments with having seen them so much in the past few years)and then bar hop afterwards in Penn Quarter / Chinatown (figuring a few different bars).

Monday
Not much time for anything.
Train leaves Union Station at 11:15 or so for Philly. May just grab a late breakfast and walk around a little

Get into Philly around 12:50 or so.

Cab it to the Museum of Art for the Rocky Steps / Statue. Then head to our hotel (Lord Radisson Warwick Plaza).

Phillies game on Monday Night

Tuesday
Independence Hall
Duck Tour (hey, We are tourists)
Walk around Centre City
Head Back to Hartford Tuesday night (not that we will want to)

We decided on the Big Bus Tour for Philly. Groupon had them on sale for $13 apiece. After finishing at Independence Hall, we are going to utilize the bus to see the rest of the city. Probably a full loop then just a couple of stops including Elfreth's Alley, Museum of Art, etc

A few of us added on an extra night in Philly to have more sightseeing time. Ended up at different hotel (Hotel Sonesta) but at a good rate. May either go to the Eastern States prison or the Philly Zoo in the morning.

If you are at all interested, the Eastern State Pent. is a unique place; I found that fascinating.

I just ordered our tix for the Sept. 16 game. Since the Phils are out of the pennant race, I was able to get Hall of Fame seats for half price!

Also, Sept. 16 is a Dollar Dog Night. Some people really like that and those games used to be some of the quickest ones to sell out!

I was outvoted on the Eastern State Pent. so we bought tickets to the Zoo...Probably for the better as I have had claustrophobia issues lately (oddly enough started at the National Zoo but that was due to crowded buildings...). I couldn't complain as I have generally planned our itinerary without anyones objections - thankfully its been 2 different itineraries as I have mine (having been to DC and Baltimore many times)and for a large group that have never been to either. We are not going to be doing everything together - too many people and a logistical nightmare.

Sounds like I should have waited to buy tickets but I like to have tickets in hand long before trips.

Where is the easiest place to meet up in the stadium?

We could meet up outside one of the food places along Ashburn Alley (it's the area you can walk that is behind center field).

We will be sitting directly behind home plate. Where are your seats, tchoiniere?

You will like the Zoo, it's a good one.

My seat is in Section 321 (Terrace above Home Plate).

That sounds like a good place to meet. What time? I am planning on being there as the gates open (typical for me and ballparks).

1 lesson learned from this trip is that I will no longer do all the planning...Last couple of days have been a nightmare - people complaining about choices, etc when I asked for input and never got any. I will probably be on my own before this game as everybody else is going to dinner before the game and wants to get there just as the game is about to start...

Tim

As an alternative to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore you might want to check out the American Visionary Museum. It is at the foot of Federal Hill and within walking distance of the harbor. It took me about 1.5-2 hours to go through. Very interesting. I cannot recall the name of the restaurant across the harbor from the aquarium, Rusty ???. The museum is just down the street from that.

Interesting art from little known artists.

The Rusty Scupper

Tim, you will be right above me - my seats are in 222.

Would you be interested in walking through the Hall of Fame Club? They some small exhibits, which they describe as:

>>Cooperstown Gallery - a mini Hall of Fame paying tribute to Philadelphia baseball legends and local baseball greats

I can meet you somewhere outside the entrance and you can borrow my friend's ticket to get you in. (Access to the whole Hall of Fame area/seating is blocked off unless you have a ticket in that section). There aren't many exhibits, but you are a baseball fan and would probably enjoy them.

Oh, and I understand how hard it is get a group to agree to anything! No one has an opinion until AFTERWARDS. So far, my friend and I are planning on going out to eat somewhere in the city before the game. She often cancels on me, so I might have to go to Plan B....

Karen, sorry I took so long to get back to you. Had a surprise trip to Florida for work and didn't have internet access at all which felt surprisingly good.

That sounds good to meet you outside of the entrance to the HOF Club? What time works for you? I'll be there probably when the gates open.

Gardendiva, that is on our list if we have time. Forecast looks like rain for tomorrow so we may have time to go there.

Hi Tim. We are going to eat dinner in center city before the game and may not arrive until closer to game time.

It looks like we are going to see Cliff lee pitch! Yay.

Are you the type to not want to miss any of a game? I want to watch Cliff but could meet you at the bottom of an inning.

I am not sure if you need a ticket to access the hall of fame/club box level. To avoid that, I could meet you outside your section whenever you'd like. Ill bring my friends ticket so you can use that to get in.

I'm not sure but I think I'll be wearing my gray Phillies Tshirt. So far, they are predicting really nice weather.

Karen, I am the type that hates missing an inning. Anyplace we can meet to just watch an inning or 3?

This is going to be a fun trip report. Baltimore may never be the same again....I love this city. My wallet hates it....