We're headed to the Hyatt in Arlington this week from NJ and am looking for driving suggestions on getting there without driving through DC. Anyone from the area who can help?

You could go west on the Beltway to the George Washington Memorial Parkway ("GW Parkway). Have you looked at a map of the area?

The GW Parkway is really lovely.

Are you being directed to go through downtown DC to get to Arlington?

Once you hit the DC metro area, you can circumvent downtown by going west (as above poster suggested) or east to Alexandria and on to Arlington.

But both involve urban driving to end up in Arlington. Are you trying to avoid something in particular?

I assume you are speaking of the Hyatt in the Rosslyn section of Arlington...if so you can come south on the GW Parkway from 495 (the Beltway) at Exit #44. You will pass under the Roosevelt Bridge and that is the exit you want..it will say for Route 50 (amongst other things)..

ON THE EXIT RAMP ITSELF there is a turn off (to the RIGHT) which you want to take...do NOT go onto the Roosevelt Bridge or you will BE in the dreaded DC...immediately after you join Route 50 STAY IN THE FAR RIGHT LANE and take the immediate exit for Rosslyn and from there it is only a couple blocks to the Hyatt.

You might consider using mapquest.com for further directions

SORRY..meant to say above you will pass under KEY BRIDGE and then just BEFORE the Roosevelt Bridge is the exit for Rosslyn and Rte 50

Thanks, everyone! Mapquest, AAA and Yahoo all provided the same directions and we were just trying to avoid all the congestion in the city.