Washington, D.C. in April or May
 

I'm planning a trip to Washington, D.C.next spring,and I heard that May is the start of the tourist season and so more expensive than April. Those 2 months are my only choices. Also, I've been warned not to rent a car because parking is so rare and expensive, true or not? Can anyone recommend a nice, clean hotel near the Mall under $125 per night?

Ceril, <BR> <BR>I can't help with the hotel part of your answer, but I can make a few points. <BR> <BR>April and May are just great in Washington. Very pretty, good weather. April can be busy due to Spring Break, but May can start to get a little hot now and then. Either would be outstanding, and whether you get good weather is luck of the draw. <BR> <BR>No, don't rent a car unless you need to get out of town. Parking is hideous in all respects. I almost always take the Metro in -- cheap, reliable, safe. <BR> <BR>While we're talking about warnings, if you plan to do the typical tourist itinerary, resist cheap hotels in the outer suburbs. Better to stay closer and be in the thick of things and avoid 60 minutes per day dealing with a big Metro commute. <BR> <BR>You didn't ask this, but you are planning way ahead (good for you!), so you can probably get White House Tickets from your Congressperson or Senator. Call or write as soon as you have selected your dates, if you'd like to see it. As for the merits of spending your time in this fashion, do a search to read varying opinions. <BR> <BR>Have a great time! <BR> <BR>

Skip the rental car unless you really have a compelling reason -- and don't keep it for any longer than you truly need it, if you do choose to rent. It's a hassle and adds unnecessary costs to your trip. I would recommend that you stay in the Dupont Circle area, rather than near the mall. Regardless, check out www.quikbook.com for some possibly great rates in Washington. You should be able to meet your budget, but keep in mind that dining and hotels tend to be pricey in DC. You needn't worry about being limited to April-May. The weather is lovely and if wasn't tourist season, it would probably be convention season. Just go, and have a great time!

DC is most expensive in April because that's when the Cherry Blossoms bloom, marking the beginning of tourist season. Check the dates of the Cherry Blossom Festival. In the past 4 years, the cherry blossoms have not been in full bloom for the festival though. Visitors have a hard time planning in advance to see the blossoms because you never know when the peak will be or how long it will last. They're usually gone by May.

Wow, what a lot of help! Thanks for the GREAT comments!! AMC, can you tell me where to find info on the cherry blossom festival? I did a google search but didn't find anything for DC. Thanks, everyone! <BR> <BR>One last question: I'll be attending a service at Arlington National Cemetary (my main reason for going to DC) and I wondered which airport would be best. We'll do the Arlington thing first, then do the sightseeing. Thanks again!

sorry, but if you put "cherry blossom festival" into the Google search box, even without the word washington, the Natl cherry blossom festival URL comes up as the very first "find"

Ah, the great airport debate! There are many opinions about which airport works best. My take is that the best fares are often out of Baltimore (not always, though). The fare can be hundreds of dollars less, but you must pay to get yourself to the District. <BR> <BR>Convenience suggests National, which takes you right to the heart of things and with Metro access. Dulles is OK, but tougher to get to the city.

To Ohyeah, you're right! I somehow put in apple instead of cherry! What can I say, nobody's perfect (especially not me!)... <BR>

For your airport, if you have to get to Arlington Cemetary right away, I would definately fly into National Airport as it's only minutes from the cemetary 9and the city). Dulles and BWI are both fairly far away (but you could get a much better price out of BWI, at least that used to be the case). <BR> <BR>Definately agree with the above on parking...a logistical nightmare here in DC and hotels will charge about $25 per night for parking. Cabs are fairly cheap as far as cities go...

If you are having trouble finding a hotel within your budget near the Mall, take a look at the hotels in Crystal City. It's an area on the Metro Yellow Line (near National Airport)in Arlington, Virginia. It's a business area, with mostly office buildings (so not a lot of nightlife, except for Pentagon City Mall), but it is very convenient for sightseeing, since it is just across the river from the Washington Monument & Mall area (about 3 metro stops). There are all the big business hotels (Marriott, Hyatt, Courtyard, Sheraton, Embassy Suites, Hilton etc. etc.), and they may have good deals, especially on the weekends.

I went to DC this past May, and found the weather to be just great. A little warm one or 2 days, but for the most part, pleasant. <BR> <BR>Be prepared (I wasn't): there will be TONS of school children crawling all over DC in April/May on their school trips. Although the weather was great, and I managed to have a good time, if I go back, next time I would go in March (or even earlier) to avoid all the 8th graders. They were truly annoying, many ill-behaved with "chaperones" who did anything BUT chaperone! Just a warning! <BR> <BR>Don't rent a car - no need to. DC is very walkable in all tourist areas, and the Metro is convenient, easy to use, and safe. Driving in DC would be a nightmare, plus most hotels charge around $20 a night to park. <BR> <BR>As far as a hotel, we stayed at the Howard Johnson on the Hill - it's right across the street from the Hyatt. We were 4 blocks from Union Square (the nearest Metro), and 3 blocks from the Capitol building. I liked the location, although Dupont Circle location would have been nice - but more expensive. We were booked into a hotel in a less than desirable location originally, and I had to call when I arrived in DC to find another hotel. Howard Johnson offered one rate for the weekday and a special, discounted rate, for the weekend. It averaged out to around $120 a night, so I was happy. I found most hotels do the same - offer discounted rates on the weekends, so it is something to keep in mind if you will be staying over a weekend. <BR> <BR>Also: write your congressman/woman and ask for White House tickets as soon as possible. I almost didn't, but was VERY glad I did. A lot of people wait until they get to DC, only to find out they must be IN LINE at 5:30 to try to get tickets that day. Knowing the day you want to go, and getting them from your Representative or Senator will be well worth it! <BR>

For a hotel, try Jury's Inn. It's right on Dupont Circle. Avoid Crystal City. You can get a hotel in DC for roughly the same price. AND the hotels in Crystal City will be absolutely packed with kids. That's where all of the school trips stay. <BR> <BR>I'd pick May over April. April tends to be more crowded than May, since the Cherry Blossom Festival is in April. I really don't think May is more expensive than April. Mid-May is typically beautiful here. Not too hot, but pleasantly warm.