Late March Dc trip - crowds? Stay in or out ?
 

Family of five thinking of going to DC over my kids springbreak the week of March 26th. I noticed this is the start of the Cherry B. Festival.
Does this make for large crowds? Should I wait till June?
Is it better mid-week or weekends in terms of crowds?
We were thinking it would be better to stay outside and then take the Metro in. We were looking at Largo,MD (hotel points) or Arlington. After calculating fare for five, it might be better to stay in the city. My main concern is cost of food (two hungery teens) and crowds. Any help would be great.

Both times are popular, and the weather starts to get uncomfortable in June.

Staying outside the city can use up a lot of time and energy as well as Metro fares. Many hotels notably the Embassy Suites, provide free hearty breakfasts and will house all of you in one suite.

I think the crowds will be about the same both months. Cherry Blossom festival is when crowds are noticed because the tourist seem to arrive all at once after the slow winter season. It really doesn't slow down until late September.

Midweek is ALWAYS a better time to visit the sights, especially the blossoms and the museums.

There is a variety of budget dining options throughout DC including, pizza, diners, burgers, cafeterias, chinese, and all the fast food chains you can think of. Just choose your neighborhood well.

Recommendations on good neighborhoods or more importantly neighborhoods to avoid.

Cherry Blossom Festival WEEKENDS will be a zoo. I live in the area and due to time constraints had no choice but to take visiting relatives downtown at this time (weekend). Unfortunately we made a wrong turn and it took us almost 2 hours to make the correction. I am not talking about going a mile out of the way...I'm talking only a couple of blocks. Arlington is closer to the action than Largo. Roslyn and Alexandria are also good locations for lodging and easy access to Metro.

Regarding Metro, you can buy a day-pass, I believe (I rarely go down there) which gives you unlimited on and off priviledges. Do not consider trying to drive in all that mess, even during the week. Parking is very limited near the places you will want to see.

Before you invest in any passes of any type, do a little cost analysis of your own. IIRC, the all-day passes have time and distance limits, and have to be used several times in order to be cheaper than pay-as-you-go fares.

Go to www.wmata.com for Metro details and even a handy trip planner.