jule22

Going for a weekend to D.C. planning to drive from Norfolk, Va.
Is there anything on the way to see or in D.C. besides the typical sights? And does anyone know a cheap/good Hotel in D.C?
Thanks

Shandy1977

I have made three trips to DC and had good luck with Priceline each time. I put a bid on the White House - Downtown area and I have not paid over $120 yet. It is one city where Priceline seems to work very well, for whatever reason. I'd say it is worth a shot.

tovarich

I keep repeating this.Try the Harrington hotel.It's only two blocks from the Mall in a nice neighbourhood.We were there in pt. and had a nice renovated room for 4 nights at 527 $.Paul

DrNo

Last year I got a suite for $120 at the Lombardy Hotel, I highly recommend it.

Retired_teacher

Jule, you could certainly spend your entire weekend in D.C. and not begin to see it all. Although you plan to drive up from Norfolk, I would not recommend taking your car into the city proper. Rather, I'd look for an accommodation near a Metro stop and use mass transit to get around. Take a look at the following links: http://www.stationmasters.com/System...ystem_map.html (DC Metro map plus a detailed guide of each metro station) and http://dcrails.com (Locates the nearest Metro to a street address or a destination)

All of the national museums on the Mall are free which should help with your budget. You might also consider staying at the international hostel downtown (HI - Washington DC). Here's that link: http://www.hiwashingtondc.org/ Also, check out the HOTELS tab at the top of this page for a short list of accommodations with pricing information. In the US, Days Inns, Red Roof Inns, and Motel 6 chains afford standard, economical accommodations that would fit your budget.

D.C. will become very crowded with tourists in the springtime as many senior citizens come to town to see the cherry blossoms around the Mall. Next come the groups of high school students who visit the city either prior to or shortly after their graduations the last couple of weeks of May into early June. Then families start arriving, bringing their kids into the capital city on summer vacation. The message here is that if you want to avoid the crowds, you should make the trip in March before Spring Breaks/Easter.

Richmond Virginia was the capital of the Confederacy during the American Civil War (1861 - 1865) and you will drive through it on your way to Washington. Because these two capital cities were only 90 miles apart, Virginia became a battleground as both armies tried to invade and protect their capital cities. Other sites south of Richmond that would be worthy of visiting on a weekend would include the James River Plantations along Route 5 and Colonial Williamsburg. The College of William & Mary in Williamsburg lists Thomas Jefferson, our third president, among its alumni and would certainly be worthy of a stop. You might find a peer group among its current student body.

jule22

Thanks for the Tips, they sound great, we would go at the end of march a week befre the Cherry blossom festival and I think the springbreak starts mid April this year.

Retired_teacher

I believe that you will also find hotel rates to be more reasonable if you go the end of March. Use the Search Engine at the top of the pape to pull up more information on DC hotels. Type in a hotel name such as the Harrington which was recommended on this thread in the Search this forum box and then select Washington, D.C. under topics and hit the SEARCH button. You will find an amazing number of old posts with hotel recommendations in the DC area.

Generally I believe that you will find that your hotel costs will be cheaper if you stay near a Metro stop on the outer ring around DC. The Metro costs will balance out what you would have to pay for parking further in and you can probably save at least $50 + per night per room.

Enjoy your stay in the USA!