We'll be spending the upcoming holiday weekend in Washington, and will be arriving probably around 10 a.m. or so on Friday. Will the parking spaces in E. Potomac Park likely be filled by then? We'd like to park either there or in paid spots in Arlington, and go to the Folklife Festival and monuments before driving to our Dupont Cir hotel and checking in later in the afternoon.

topping - anyone?

There's no way to tell. I think you will just have to take your chances, or go straight to the hotel and try to check in early/park your car.

East Potomac Park is pretty popular place. I've only been there on summer weekdays for tennis events and even then the parking filled up very quickly. I don't know but I'd guess that getting a spot at 10am on a holiday would be very iffy. Also depending on where you park it's a bit of a hike, maybe a mile, to the National Mall. Not a huge distance but something to consider at the beginning and end of a long day of walking or in case of rain.

As MikeT mentioned, why not just go directly to your hotel, park and check in if possible? As a minimum you could stash your luggage with the concierge.

I'd say u will be very lucky if u get a space on the Friday of a holiday weekend. Lots of people go there to play golf and enjoy the Park. I would think with so many people being off on Friday there will be many doing just that. Agree that I would go to your hotel and ditch the car.

dreamer,

You can leave your car and bags at your hotel at 10am even if your room isn'r ready. That would make the most sense by far. Based on my experience, I'd say there is a 1 in 4 chance your room might even be ready at 10am.

Thanks, everyone. We're not parking at the hotel, but at Union Station for half the price. I was trying to save time and avoid backtracking from Union Station. My hope was that people would be sleeping in a bit on a holiday Friday! I'll do a drive-by, in any case, and continue on if necessary.

I would definately drop your stuff off at hotel and then immediately park at Union Station. There are many transit options from Union Station: walk (to the Mall), Metro Rail, Metro buses, or the Circulator buses.

http://www.stationmasters.com/System...ystem_map.html

http://dccirculator.com/index.html

http://www.wmata.com/pdfs/bus/DC.pdf? (scroll down to "Central DC"

Definitely do a drive by, u never know -- traffic should at least be light in the am on Friday. Enjoy DC

I'm not sure how keen I'd be about a car full of luggage parked in East Potomac Park or Union Station.

Ditto MikeT. Even if you have to back track, I would drop off and store your luggage at the hotel; take the car to Union Station; and then either sightsee and/or go back to the hotel by red line.

If it's in the trunk, I think it will be fine. Sitting out on the seats or anywhere visible, not such a good idea.

It'll hardly be a car full of luggage. Two people, three days, from two hours away = 1 bag plus a tote, stowed out of sight in the trunk.