Don't miss the Library of Congress (1 block behind the Capital Building) Several exhibits, gorgeous architecture, mosaics, paintings, sculptures, and Thomas Jefferson's personal book collection. It was the first building in DC to get electricity so take notice of the light fixtures too. Allow an hour.

You really cannot drive around a major metropolitan area to sightsee. You can't in DC any more than you'd rent a car to drive around New York city as a tourist. The traffic is terrible and doesn't need the additions of tourists sightseeing on the roads, anyway. You could spend an hour or more just getting into the city (from the very edge) to park somewhere, and get out. You could easily spend 2-3 hrs to/from Dulles airport unless you come and go in midday. And you can't leave in midday to return to the hotel to see anything.

If you msut stay around Dulles, which I wouldn't, you'll ahve to get to a metro station somehow, like Falls Church to get to/from the city. Vienna is the end of the line, but I think there is a bus to FC. It will got you a lot in metro fare, though, for several people to/from the end of the line.

Someone thought it would take 40 min to get to Dulles from the city in the evening? No where even close to that, it is a commuting nightmare. I have colleagues who go out that way and it can take a couple hours. Maybe that 40 minutes was from some place to dine nearby in Sterling or something. Probalby wouldn't take that long from there.

I was the one that mentioned the 40 minutes - but I was assuming they would stay in DC for dinner and head back to their hotel at 10 or 10:30 pm - not rush hour.

Still think this is a really bad idea overall.

The OP has never responded....

Go closer to Metro stops..Falls Church, Tysons corner. even with a car these areas will be better and quictk to areas of interest by metro. Couldn't DH out of Smithsonian Air Mus!! Hope on Hope off saves alot of foot leather and stress.. Return to what you want to see.. NO NO NO CAR!! One of the outstanding grid lock cities in the world!

Thanks for all the info on not renting a car, and finding a hotel downtown. I haven't booked a hotel yet so still looking just booked our airlines flying into Reagan so now will start looking for a hotel. LeeAnn, I did find your trip writings, thanks for putting it out there very helpful in starting our itinerary for our trip.

So will start looking for a hotel in the downtown area and skip renting a car.

Thanks for all the info.

Ken

Flying into Reagan is a good choice. You will be able to take the Metro directly from there into the city. I do this regularly (just last week, in fact) and it is super simple.

For the Metro, you should all buy Smart Trip cards.

http://www.wmata.com/fares/smartrip/

You buy them at a kiosk in the Metro stations and they are super simple to use. You can add value as needed and your fares will be cheaper than if you go with the old-style paper tickets, which are also available.