I will be taking a family trip to DC from Oct 25-28. I have read that it is a good idea to stay in Alexandria, Arlington etc.. I will have a 3 year old and 1 year old. I would like to stay at a hotel that has close proximity to a metro station as we may not have a car. Also, would like area to be nice enough to walk around and need decent restaurants. We are also planning a trip to Mount Vernon. Does anyone know the best way to get there? I read we could take the metro and bus to get there or would a car be better? Thanks in advance for the suggestions and help.

My favorite family place to stay:

Embassy Suites on Diagonal Road in Alexandria. You could jump from your window onto the Metro, it's right across the street.

If you've never stayed in one, here are the reasons why I like them:

*separate bedroom, pull-out sofa in living room (nice privacy for parents!)
*TWO TV's! No Sponge Bob in parents' room!
*microwave & refrigerator
*free hot, made-to-order breakfast in open atrium
*Manager's reception with wine & beer
*pool (though I haven't seen it/used it)
*they allow dogs!

The hotel is full most of the time so book ASAP.

Alexandria is a beautiful, kid-friendly town with many restaurants. The waterfront with jugglers, etc. is fun for kids.

It's a bit of a walk to the water on Duke or King Streets over uneven sidewalks, and parking is a premium though not impossible in Old Town. If you think your kids would enjoy real cobblestone streets, there are a few south of King/Duke street.

I'd drive to Mt. Vernon down the GW parkway--it's beautiful. Good for a long bike ride if you're so inclined. Washington Street in Old Town (intersecting King & Duke) is the GW parkway, so hop on that going on South and you can't go wrong.

Great city, nice people, dogs welcome in some restaurants. They have doggie happy hour Tuesday & Thursday evenings at the Holiday Inn Select on King in Old Town--also a nice hotel.

Valerie

Try the Harrington hotel.We'll be staying there next month and it's not expensive and very well situated close to the Mall and the White house. I read somewhere that it's possible to visit Mount Vernon by boat. Paul

Here's the problem with Alexandria, especially with kids your age. You will be touring and the kids will be getting tired and cranky (or you will be getting tired and cranky). If you stay in Alexandria, it will take you at least 1/2 hour to get your hotel and you probably won't want to spend another 1/2 hour going back to do more touring. If you stay in DC, you can pop in and out of your hotel with ease. King Street is quite a ride on the Metro if you are on "the mall."

The Harrington, IMO, is a bit of a dump. The neighborhood, however, is great. If you want an Embassy Suites, there are three of them in the city (Friendship Heights, Foggy Bottom/West End/DuPont Circle, and the Convention Center/Chinatown/Penn Quarter)

I've often stayed in Alexandria (including E.S.) but I've got to agree with MikeT about the difference of when kids are with you.

Look at the Red Roof Inn in DC. Not fancy, but usually good prices and very convenient - a stone's throw from the Chinatown exit of Gallery Place Metrostation. Inexpensive restaurants and fast food nearby. Safe.

I've taken bus from Huntington Metrostation to Mt Vernon. If your 3 yr old can remain convinced that the trip is an adventure, go for it. Otherwise, a one day (or make it two and also go to Annapolis) rental should suffice.

The Harrington is a dump, and I wouldn't stay there with my little girl.

I think Embassy Suites in OT is a great suggestion--I have an 18-month-old, and I'd probably stay in OT if I was going back to DC to visit.

There are a lot of child-friendly restaurants in OT. Hard Times Cafe, for one, is close to ES. Rock-It Grill is great for breakfast on the weekends, and all very close by.

Old Town is a great place to walk, but some of the sidewalks on the side streets are kind of uneven, so watch out with your strollers.

You can catch a boat tour at the end of King Street that will take you to and from Mount Vernon. That would be the easiest way if you're staying in OT. If you're staying in the city, I believe you can get on a similar tour leaving from the Georgetown Waterfront.

For all your needs I'd think you need to stay right in DC. The Red Roof is in a goof location, as is the Holiday inn.

As to Harrington hotel - it's very, very old and hasn't been refurbished too often.

Mike has given you real good advice - stay where you can get back to your hotel easily with those two young kids.

Let me tell you why I say what I do. First, I don't have kids. But when I travel, I often sneak back to my hotel room in the middle of day just to put my feet up, take a shower, catch a nap.

Second, I ride the Metro home every day in the direction of Alexandia. I see these exhausted people at 6:30pm and know they've been doing a tourist marathon all day long. The kids are cranky, the parents are near the end of their rope, and they just look generally unhappy. When I get off the Metro, they still have another 10-15 minutes to ride before they end up at King Street or even further out.

I have been to DC with a toddler (and used to live in Alexandria) - stay in DC. The kids won't care about anything cultural or historical, they'll simply want to run and climb on things. And when they start getting cranky, you won't want a long metro ride back to your hotel.

I'd suggest the downtown area around 14th and Pennsylvania Ave. There are a number of hotels - JW Marriott, Hilton Garden Inn, Marriott Metro Center etc. Plus there are tons of restaurants, and many places to grab a quick breakfast or lunch (like the Corner Bakery, Au Bon Pain etc).

Definitely stay in DC. If you travel during rush hour - especially in the evening - you may not get a seat, and that will not be a fun metro ride back to the hotel.

What's your budget? We can definitely recommend some nice places.

You probably should consider doing a tourist trip to Mt. Vernon - I believe they have buses that leave out of Union Station.

I have a compromise suggestion - stay in Rosslyn, which is just across the river from DC and an easy Metro ride, 15 minutes tops to the Mall area. My daughter and I stayed at the Holiday Inn several years ago and they had free parking and free breakfast if you signed up for Priority Club, which is simple. They also had an indoor pool and it's about 1/2 block from the metro. It's not fancy but it was clean and friendly.