Travel tips to Washington, D.C.
May 21st, 2000, 04:47 PM
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Write to both your Senators and your Representative immediately and request Congressional Tour Tickets to the following: White House, Capitol Building, Supreme Court, FBI, State Department, Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This will cut down the time that you'll be waiting in lines for the major attractions.
May 22nd, 2000, 04:13 AM
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
If you visit the Capitol when Congress is not in session, you do not need passes to visit the House and Senate galleries. If you tell us the dates of your trip, I can tell you if they will be in session. You should ask your congressman or Senators' offices for a personal tour of the Capitol given by a staffer. Also, remember, congressional offices need about 3 months notice if you have any chance of getting White House tickets because they only get a total of ten tickets per week. Getting around the city is a piece of cake with Metro. There is absolutely no need for a car. I have to get to work now, so I can't post further. However, I work in DC so feel free to email me with any questions you may have.
May 22nd, 2000, 06:08 AM
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Liz,
I'd need to know more about your party and interests to be specific, but assuming that this is your first trip to D.C., you should consider the Tourmobile for your first day of touring on the mall. It is a hop-on-hop-off tram that takes you to the main sights with commentary. Very nice. Metro is good for fast point-to-point transit, but it is underground, so not good for getting your oriented.
I'd need to know more about your party and interests to be specific, but assuming that this is your first trip to D.C., you should consider the Tourmobile for your first day of touring on the mall. It is a hop-on-hop-off tram that takes you to the main sights with commentary. Very nice. Metro is good for fast point-to-point transit, but it is underground, so not good for getting your oriented.
May 22nd, 2000, 05:51 PM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
I just got back from Washington DC today and had a wonderful trip. I stayed at the Holiday Inn on the Hill. Close to Union Station, but next time I will stay closer to all the museums. Possibly the Holiday Inn Capitol. I used the trolley tours to get around instead of taxis. (It rained alot during my long weekend). You can get off and back on through out the day. They also stop in front of several of the hotels. I also took a full day Grayline tour. Even though it was supposed to start at 8:30, my hotel suggested I meet the bus at Union Station at 6:45 instead of waiting to be picked up. The bus stopped at the White House and got tickets for the tour for later in the day. The bus that left at 8:30 did not get tickets.
Have a great trip.
Have a great trip.
May 23rd, 2000, 09:57 AM
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
As a longtime DC resident (15 years-plus), I agree with Cindy about the Tourmobile. It's a bargain way to get quickly between a lot of attractions and get some area history as well, while seeing sights of the city as you go.
But as others have said, for better advice I'd have to know more about your plans--and about you. Are you coming in the summer? Fall? Are you a family with children, a couple, a group of friends? What are you particularly interested in--history? (And what kinds/periods of history if you're a history buff? We have a ton of it here.) Politics and government? Art? Music? Nightlife?
There's lots to recommend--Washington's a wonderful city--and I might suggest a few off-the-beaten-path possibilities, but I could help much more if I knew some of your interests & specs.
Speaking generally about hotel accommodations, I wouldn't recommend staying downtown in the "Mall" area, because even though it's convenient to what you will likely want to see, it also tends to roll up the sidewalks in the evening and there's not much to do in terms of dinner and evening activities.
I'd recommend staying in the Dupont Circle or Woodley Park areas--nice, busy, safe, and full of good restaurants and activities, with convenient Metro stop to zoom you to most other areas you'd be visiting. The Carlyle Suites on New Hampshire Avenue (Dupont) have been lovely and affordable for visiting family members in the past, but it's been awhile since I've put anyone up there so I can't speak to the accommodations more recently than three or four years ago.
There are a couple of very nice hotels right at Woodley Park--the Omni Shoreham and the Sheraton Washington. An added plus here is that you're near the Zoo, if that's of any interest to you.
More info on your interests and I can offer more help.
But as others have said, for better advice I'd have to know more about your plans--and about you. Are you coming in the summer? Fall? Are you a family with children, a couple, a group of friends? What are you particularly interested in--history? (And what kinds/periods of history if you're a history buff? We have a ton of it here.) Politics and government? Art? Music? Nightlife?
There's lots to recommend--Washington's a wonderful city--and I might suggest a few off-the-beaten-path possibilities, but I could help much more if I knew some of your interests & specs.
Speaking generally about hotel accommodations, I wouldn't recommend staying downtown in the "Mall" area, because even though it's convenient to what you will likely want to see, it also tends to roll up the sidewalks in the evening and there's not much to do in terms of dinner and evening activities.
I'd recommend staying in the Dupont Circle or Woodley Park areas--nice, busy, safe, and full of good restaurants and activities, with convenient Metro stop to zoom you to most other areas you'd be visiting. The Carlyle Suites on New Hampshire Avenue (Dupont) have been lovely and affordable for visiting family members in the past, but it's been awhile since I've put anyone up there so I can't speak to the accommodations more recently than three or four years ago.
There are a couple of very nice hotels right at Woodley Park--the Omni Shoreham and the Sheraton Washington. An added plus here is that you're near the Zoo, if that's of any interest to you.
More info on your interests and I can offer more help.
