We have a reservation for Massanutten resort near Harrisonburg, VA for one week in June. We would like to visit Washington DC while we are there which appears to be about a 2 1/2 hr drive. Since it's a bit of a hike we are thinking it would be a good idea to spend the night there. We know we won't be able to see much in that short time but our top things to see are Air & Space museum (DS & 2 DS top must see item), the monuments & memorials, & I'd like to do the Holocaust museum but not sure there would be time for that one) I imagine we'd get there later morning, tour all day, sleep, tour the next day til early afternoon and then head back to the home resort.

So based on our short time and the places we'd like to see can you recommend an area or specific hotel? Our budget is as cheap as we can get while being safe, clean & convenient. We will only be in the hotel to sleep.

Take a look at the Americana Hotel in Arlington. It's a well-regarded budget hotel in a good location that offers free parking (which saves you a bit of money right there.) It's within walking distance of 2 Metro stations, so you have quick and easy access to D.C.

Can you add an extra day or two beyond your rental, so you don't have to drive 2.5 hrs each way from your Massanutten rental and lose a night (and a lot of relaxation) that you've paid for? Otherwise, I'd vote for putting off D.C. for another time. June starts getting pretty crowded in D.C. too.


If you aare really intent on doing this, you could drive in to D.C. in the a.m., park your car at the hotel, and go straight to the Air and Space Museum. Stay there the afternoon (it is worth it, stay the whole afternoon), and have dinner, and then do an evening tour of the monuments.

You could go to the Holocost Museum while your husband and boys are at Air and Space, or else all of you could go to the Holocost Museum together on the next morning.

Again, if you are really intent on doing this, you will be taking Hwy 66 into Northern Virginia. You could stay in a hotel in V.A. close to D.C., like in Rosslyn, to get lower rates and free parking, as June is a busy time for tourists and rates go up in D.C., plus in D.C. hotels you will pay for parking. From Rosslyn you can take the metro 6 stops to the Smithsonian stop for Air and Space Museum.

http://www.wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm

Rosslyn/"Courthouse" areas are your best bet, right on the Orange Line near stops and right across the river from Georgetown, easy in-and-out of the area by car. Several chains are represented in a range of price levels.

Be careful when looking for hotels in Rosslyn. A lot of search engines will bring up Arlington hotels. Arlington is a big area, and you are looking for Rosslyn, one small part of Arlington. Be sure you are booking in Rosslyn and not some outlying area of Arlington.

You might want to check out the Best Western Iwo Jima. It is in Rosslyn and about .3 miles to the metro station on the orange line. It gets pretty good reviews and will run about $200 a night mid-week in June.

Watch out for some of the budget hotels like the Days Inn in Rosslyn (Days Inn Arlington, on Arlington Blvd, Rt. 50 at Fort Myer) . Cheap, but pretty gross.

Hotel Harrington within walking distance of the things you want to see.Paul

The downtown Hilton Garden Inn is a nice, reasonably priced hotel in a good location for seeing the sites - within walking distance of the Mall and just acros the street from a Metro station.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will check them out. We could possibly leave a little earlier and go to DC first but I'm not sure if we'll be able to get off work. We just confirmed the reservations at the timeshare yesterday so now it's on to working out the details.

I may be able to help you out if you are still looking. I can get discounted rooms at Marriott hotels (less than $200 in some areas) if you would like me to check for you.

I live here but travel in the area frequently. I love Massanutten; you will have a great time out there!