Need Help with East Coast Trip (DC and Civil War, sites, etc)
 

We live in California and are first timers to the east coast. I found low cost flights into BWI and we plan to visit for 8 days in mid-July. We definitely want to visit museums in DC and want to check out Gettysburg in PA and plan to rent a car. Does anyone have any itinerary suggestions or recommendations of what to avoid given high tourist traffic in summer? I know that the question is very broad, but I would appreciate any input. Thanks in advance!

Do you plan to go to Gettysburg first? That might make sense and then you can go to DC and get rid of the rental car.

I had not thought of that. We have not booked a place to stay anywhere yet (last minute decision to make the trip!). Is it easy and safe to get around DC to visit the museums without a car? Do you recommend any other places to visit in the general vicinity of those or other states that are doable in 8 days? We are open to taking drives to visit other states as well...

I have found this website excellent for Civil War sites:

www.civilwartraveler.com

Thanks, that is really helpful.

"Is it easy and safe to get around DC to visit the museums without a car?"

Easier and safer than WITH one. Have you really not heard what a pain driving around DC can be? www.wmata.com is the website for Metro and there is probably a section of your guidebook that covers it also.

Good idea to head straight to Gettysburg area from BWI. Traffic to/from the airport to Gettysburg is pretty easy and avoids the high congestion areas. Depending on what day of the week and time you're traveling, from BWI you can take a commuter train or an easy bus (B30)/ Metro combination into downtown DC.

I would plan on 2 nights in Gettysburg and the rest of your time in DC. There is nothing I would "avoid" because of crowds, see what you want to see. Tell us what's on your list and we can offer suggestions of the best times/days to see them.

DC hotels will be 2x to 3x the cost of a comparable room in the Gettysburg area. High, but no higher than hotels in San Francisco.

Sacrificing a good central location is NOT an area I would be looking at to trim costs - it makes a world of difference in too many ways. There are countless other areas to cut back and the best of the sightseeing options are free.

Many hotels are already book for a month from now. I suggest booking at least the DC hotel ASAP. Give us a budget (in dollars) and the number in your party and you'll get some good suggestions.

A car is worse than useless in DC. there is no place to park it and you would be paying a daily rental fee and the cost of hte garage for it to sit there. You se DC by feet and via Metro - or grab a cab at the end of the day if you're exhausted.

I would rent a car the day you're laaving DC, see Mount Vernon tht day and then drive to PA and start Gettysburg the next.

Agree that a car is not needed in D.C., provided you've made your out of town excursions before arriving. You could make a loop connecting Gettysburg, Antietam, Harper's Ferry and Bull Run (rebels call it Manassas.) before heading into DC. Of course, there are many other sites. Note that the area will be sweltering mid-July.

Another excellent site is

www.hmdb.com

Gives the exact location and wording of every marker, doing so by county. Allows to visit markers for battles you may never have heard of, and to see markers for a specific interest (say, the locations of troops from your home state).


May I also suggest that, instead of going north to Gettsyburg, you instead go south towards Richmond? It's closer, and has FAR more Civil War history per square kilometer than Gettysburg.

Most war monuments and memorials are in the National Mall. Here's a great link to the map of the national mall in Washington DC which shows all attractions in the mall: http://dcjourney.com/outdoors/nat-mall

Thanks so much for all of the replies. It does seem that the consensus is to visit civil war sites first and then drop the car off in DC. As far as a hotel in DC, we are on somewhat of a budget, but would like something clean and in a decent part of town and not too far from the museums.. There are 3 of us,but we plan to share a room. Any suggestions for lodging will be appreciated.

I don't know your budget, but we stayed at the Americana Hotel in Arlington last October. It's about a block from the Crystal City Metro stop, and it has a pretty decent continental breakfast and free wi-fi. www.americanahotel.com

If you like, you can click on my screen name and you'll find my DC trip report. I also started a thread about inexpensive food in DC, if that would be helpful.

Lee Ann

Thank you Lee Ann, the price looks right and I will definitely check it out!

Hi Sherri,

I agree with everyone - use your car for a few days and dump it before you get to DC - absolutely useless in that town! You could even save money and rent from BWI, return it there and take an easy commuter train into Union Station. Cheap and easy :) As far as hotels to stay, can you give us a price range? Cheapest places are "downtown" and are fine but there is nothing to do at night - it's all business buildings. There are a few places around the mall, the best (in my opinion) are at Dupont Circle but will be more expensive. Stay away from the Navy Pier and NE area, those are crime-ridden areas. Georgetown is pricey and have no metro stops.

Another option for lodging that is cheaper is the Marriott at Key Bridge, which is literally over the bridge from DC. There is a metro stop right there and typically around $99/night. And if you MUST keep your car, you can park it there for $18/night - though I wouldn't recommend that. It is a business area but there are restaurants around and Arlington cemetery is a metro stop (or two) away.

Look at when you can get lodging in DC at an acceptable price and then decide if you are going to do it first or do Gettysburg first. Then arrange for the car and don't bother with it for the DC portion of the trip.

If you have Civil War buffs, consider going to Manassas (Bull Run), Harper's Ferry, and Anteitam on the way to or from DC to Gettysburg. Manassas is closest to DC, Anteitam closest to Gettysburg, and the drive that way takes you through some pretty countryside in PA, WVA, and VA.

We have decided to visit DC first -- we will take the train to Union Station (Penn line I think) and then take a taxi to the hotel. Or..perhaps walk if it is not too far and safe (we are arriving in the afternoon). I found a decent price for 4 nights at the Fairfield Inn & Suites near Chinatown. It looks like it is close to Union Station and fairly close to the museums, etc. We will then take the train back to BWI and rent a car there for our trip to Civil War sights. Good info from Emalloy! If anyone has any comments about the specific hotel that I booked, it would be great. Folks on tripadvisor seem to like it as it is fairly new, has free Wi-Fi and a decent free breakfast spread in the AM.

Great location - near all the restaurants on 7th, 2 blocks to Chinatown Metro stop, and an easy walk to the National Mall.

It used to be a Red Roof Inn and was recently completely renovated when it became a Fairfield Inn & Suites.

I would also venture a few blocks north to the 5th & K st. area for two more nice restaurants:

Busboys & Poets and (especially !) Kushi!

http://www.busboysandpoets.com/about/5th-k

http://eatkushi.tumblr.com/


For picnic needs, there is a very nice Safeway at 5th & L.

Also nearby to hotel is a fab cheese shop at 919 F St:
http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/

There are two movie houses within a 5-10 minute walk of hotel:

http://www.fandango.com/regalgallery...ar/theaterpage (major releases, some loud patrons - teens - at times)

http://www.landmarktheatres.com/mark...reetcinema.htm (more art house/foreign releases, very well behaved patrons, nicer snacks)

Thanks so much for this info! I really appreciate it. I am going to book it!

"We will then take the train back to BWI and rent a car there for our trip to Civil War sights."

This may not be the best plan -- the sites I mentioned lie in an arc between DC and Gettysburg. Bull Run is less than an hour from Washington. Probably better to rent the car in DC and turn it in in Baltimore.