yoli

sf7307

yoli

5alive

I would encourage you to use the metro as it's clean, fast and fun for kids. This helps prepare them for when they go off to college or move away and don't have a car. Taking the metro mixes with an occasional Uber or taxi ride just fine. Not an either/or.

We ended up staying in outer Georgetown at what is now the Kimpton Glover Park. The previous owners offered free parking and we wanted a vehicle for part of our stay. And we had a mini kitchenette, and a great price. They had a shuttle to the Woodley Park metro station and to the campus, and we used that a lot. It looks like Kimpton retained that feature.

We ate at The Tombs and wandered around the student part of the neighborhood. Also worth noting: There are only 2-3 hotels in what you might think of as Georgetown. There are some hotels that say Georgetown and they aren't really that close to the area where all the fun shops and restaurants are. I am not a local but if you have 1-2 in mind, I would suggest you name them here for someone local to guide you.

My brother stayed in Dupont Circle and honestly, if I could choose (not thinking about price), I would pick that area over Georgetown. It felt a little warmer than staying by the monuments. And there were more restaurants right nearby.

Christina

It would be more ecological to use public transit rather than contributing to the traffic and pollution.

There aren't really that many hotels in Georgetown, anyway, not sure why you want to stay there so much. I don't think it's any more walking friendly than many other neighborhoods of the city, not sure why it would be. Some residential parts of it can be "quaint" or attractive, but that's true of areas around Dupont Circle also, and I doubt if you'll be going on architectural walking tours with kids that age. I could be wrong, of course.

But if you really want to stay there and found some hotel you like, sure, you can do it, the main reason is metro and lack of hotels. And it's not really within walking distance of any tourist sites, either.

k_marie

k_marie

StacyB

I second the part about it being hot in July. I mean HOT. (I live in DC area) A pool is a great idea when looking for a hotel. Crystal City and Pentagon City have hotels, have good access to the Metro or shuttles and can be cost effective with a pool. There is also a huge food court at the Pentagon City Mall which may be a good place to grab something before or after touring. There are free, interesting ranger programs at the monuments. You can go to the National Park National Mall website to see a calendar. In July, I'd do an outside activity in the morning and then inside in the afternoon when it is hot. All the Smithsonian museums have good programs too. The Circulator is a great way to get around the Mall and I think there is one from either Dupont or G'town toward the Mall too. Enjoy your trip!

StacyB

Remember, DC is a working city with traffic. Rush hours and/or vehicular accidents compound this problem. There is also surge pricing. Keep this in mind when thinking about Lyft or Uber.

nelsonian

We stayed here on our trip with grandchildren two years ago. not a luxurious hotel by any means. It had a free breakfast, which the grandchildren enjoyed https://www.familyvacationcritic.com/best-western-georgetown-hotel-and-suites

Vttraveler

I agree with others that it would make sense to choose a hotel that is close to the metro so that you can use that as an option especially during hours when DC traffic is bad.
Crystal City is convenient but not an attractive neighborhood to walk around.
As for walking around at the end of the day, I don't think Georgetown would hold much interest after one afternoon/evening.
I would pick the Dupont Circle area over either Georgetown or Crystal City.

The circulator buses are very useful. The one that goes around the mall also circles the Tidal Basin and has stops at many of the monuments.

gail

I like the idea of Georgetown if you plan on using Uber. Lots of restaurants in a relatively compact area. If you end up picking a Metro-served area, check out closures. They are doing major work and for most of the summer many Alexandria stops are closed, for example. I would personally much rather hop in an Uber in summer heat than deal with Metro.

obxgirl

To clarify, only the stations south of National Airport in VA (blue & yellow lines) will be closed from the end of May to the first week in September. That's not likely to impact many DC visitors. Mostly the regulation commuters who will take the replacement buses or find other ways to get into work.

All of the other lines will be operating from Vienna, Reston, through DC and into Maryland.

Uber and Lyft are great choices in DC but not always the best during rush hour.

yoli

obxgirl

The hotel is beautiful and the area is fine for children. The Wharf is new & shiny and definitely hopping with activity. Dupont Circle is a great neighborhood, more residential than the Wharf but still plenty of shops & restaurants. There is a Ritz-Carleton about a 10 minute walk from the circle. I think its address is technically the West End neighborhood. It's an easy uber or taxi from there to Georgetown if you are still interested in going. Also, if you're still interested in staying in Georgetown, there is a Four Seasons at the far west end of G'town propers on Pennsylvania Avenue.

yoli

Thank you, I will look them up!