solo travel to D.C.
 

I just got a free ticket to D.C. flying into Reagan. I will have a twelve day stay, plenty of time to meander through all the museums. The 3-16 of Feb. I am wondering where to stay, my budget is 130.00 or under for hotel per night. I like the idea of having a car, because I have a knack for finding the out of the way untouristy things, but this is not absolute. How can I get around the safest way possible for a single women? Is the metro safe? How about walking to and from it? Any tips out there?

The safest and best way to get around DC is the Metro, taking cabs where necessary.

No need at all for a car, and it will add considerably to your costs and be a general hassle in a city where there is a lot of traffic (you'll have to pay at least $30 per night for parking).

If you want to take a day-trip somewhere, you can certainly rent a car for a day or a few days and do some more exploring, but not for your entire visit. It might be nice to escape to Colonial Williamsburg or to go out to see Monticello or Richmond, and you'd definitely need a car for that.

I'd suggest a hotel near a residential neighborhood (Dupont Circle is where I normally stay) so you can take advantage of local places for food. I'm not sure about a specific hotel, but February is generally a good time for hotel deals in the city.

> How can I get around the safest way possible for a single women?
> Is the metro safe?

Riding the Metro is FAR safer (and faster and cheaper and less stressful) than driving in Washington. You'll need to use normal urban street-smarts, just like in any other large city. There are some U.S. cities in which driving a car is not only not unnecessary, it's a burden. Washington DC is DEFINITELY one of them.

You may want a car for some sights on the edge of town; if so, just rent one for the day.

thank you for your replies. I live in the rocky mountains where everyone is pretty friendly. What's the heads up for D.C. urban street smarts?

Your coming at a time when hotel prices are <b>rock bottom</b>, so you have many choices. High season rates are 2X to 3X (or more1) what you'll pay in early February.

Here are a selection well within your budget (even after you add in parking) I found on hotels.com for your dates. Prices are averaged over your two weeks here. All are very located in safe, fun, and convenient neighborhoods. I would stay in any of them. Contact the hotels directly to get a feel for nearby parking availability and rates before booking...

District Hotel - $77/night
The Baron Hotel - $94/night
Windsor Inn - $94/night
Embassy Inn - - $104/night

"What's the heads up for D.C. urban street smarts?"

Same as any other city. I don't know of anything that I do differently here (I work in DC) than any other city I visit.

The buses are also good. I didn't understand before our trip that it is better to get the transit pass that is plastic (looks like a credit card) at the local CVS store. The paper card from the Metro station could not be used on the city buses. When you are further along in your trip planning do a new post about getting around DC and some of the DC regulars will help you.

Email your US Senator or US Representative and request a White House tour and/or a tour of the Capitol building. You also can request passes to go see the House of Reps or Senate in action. Usually you need much more lead time to get the White House pass but since this is a slower time, maybe you'll get in.

YOu shouldn't have a car, it is a terrible nuisance and unnecessary and contributes to the pollution and bad traffic. DC is a large city, cars aren't good in that situation, not for getting around the main part of it. The only purpose would be if you were going somewhere outside of DC, not in it.

The metro is relatively safe, of course, it might not be the greated really late at night in certain unusual areas, but I doubt if you'd be doing that for any reason. It depends where you plan to stay in terms of safety walking to/from it. If you stay in any normal part of central DC, it will be fine.

There isn't anything unusual about DC urban street smarts, same as any big city.

Street Smarts Rule #1: Be aware of your surroundings.

Years ago my in-laws were visiting us in Chicago. We were in the Gold Coast area for dinner. DH and I were walking in front, in-laws were walking behind us. I turned around to say something to my MIL, and saw, behind her, a man with his hand in her purse! Luckily he withdrew his (empty) hand and beat a retreat.

I have traveled to DC many times by myself and have found it to be safe and not so scary even at night. Just look at your map before you venture out and walk with a purpose. I usually stay at the Woodley Guest House but it is a bit higher than your budget. You may want to see if they are running any specials during the time of your stay. It is by the zoo and in a neighborhood so there are restaurants and small markets close by. The Metro is just a stones throw from the porch.

I am not sure if there is time but I suggest booking a tour of the Pentagon through your congressman. You usually need to submit your request 6 months in advance but it is worth a try.

Enjoy!

FYI the Reagan National airport has it's own METRO station.
You can rent a car at the airport if you want to go someplace like Monticello which is beyond the public transportation.

DC gets a bazillion tourists--that's a scientific term, meaning a number greater even than bajillion. It's very tourist-friendly, friendly in general, and you do not much in the way of street smarts to stay safe.

I suggest Penn Quarter or Dupont Circle for hotel locations. $130/night is a bit on the low side, but you're coming at a relatively unbusy time, so it should work out. Search for threads here, bardo always has really good, specific suggestions on hotels and restaurants.

There are hostels in DC if you are so inclined. Personally I like the HI hostels instead of most unafiliated hostels.
http://www.hostels.com/washington-dc/usa
The HI hostel has private rooms for less than $50.night.

I have driven in many cities and found D.C. the absolute worst, so don't rent a car. Public transportation is good and so too are taxis.

Bardo is one of the DC people and I would trust his recommendations.

I am sure Woodley Guest House is a great place, and it is right near a Metro stop, which is a plus. On the other hand, we stayed that far out from city center, but over on Wisconsin. Woodley Park was also our metro stop, and it's kind of a commute to get back to the hotel. If you have the choice, I think the ideas of Dupont Circle or Penn Quarter are better ones.

Woodley Park is a nice, safe neighborhood, but it's not quite as vibrant as Dupont or Penn Quarter. As a solo traveler I think it would be nice to be able to walk around before and after dinner in a neighborhood with a lot going on.

Thank you all for the valuable info. I scored a room for 100$ a night in Alexandria. I know it's a bit out of the city, but it's got all the right components for me. Anybody have any Metro tips for someone who's never been on one? I prefer to do everything in the daylight for my own safety reasons. Most things don't open until 10:00, how long does it take to get downtown for instance? Including waiting...

Also, any must see things from the locals other than museums and the tourist things that are published? I won't be venturing far from the metro.

You didn't say where in Alexandria so nobody can answer your "how long does it take to get downtown for instance" question.

www.wmata.com has a trip planner. That is Metro's website.
www.hopstop.com might be helpful to you also.

http://www.nps.gov/nama/planyourvisi...d/NACCmap1.pdf is a map of DC from Georgetown to the Capitol. It still says that the National Portrait Gallery and Museum of American Art are closed but they are not. Those are two great museums and are open until 7 pm daily (except Christmas)(they open later than the rest though).

http://www.npg.si.edu/
http://americanart.si.edu/