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Washington, DC Deacs

Dunn Loring station definitely DOES NOT require SmartTrip to park anymore...you can pay with a credit card. I am fairly certain the others have switched over as well but not 100% sure (like I am for Dunn Loring
 
How big is your family? I'd say unless you're under a really tight budget (or if you have zero experience driving and looking for parking in a city) you should just drive into the city and park. You might hit some traffic, but you'd still save yourself a ton of headaches. And you can find all-day deals in the city for $20 and under. That'll cover your Metro costs for a family of four or whatever. I dunno, seems like driving to an outlying Metro station and herding a family onto trains to and from the city would be a horrendous exercise, but I've never had to do it myself.
 
If you do the open top bus tour DO NOT stand up while going under bridges. Guy was decapitated not long ago. Check out the duck tour boat bus. Looks like it could be fun w kids. I'd hit the zoo, Old Town Alexandria and the National Harbor in MD. There's a shuttle boat across the Potomac that runs between Old Town and Nat Harbor. Driving in and parking is a good idea. You can find a spot right on the Mall if you circle a few times. If you don't want to circle just pony up the $18.
 
bigdoublezero said:
How big is your family? I'd say unless you're under a really tight budget (or if you have zero experience driving and looking for parking in a city) you should just drive into the city and park. You might hit some traffic, but you'd still save yourself a ton of headaches. And you can find all-day deals in the city for $20 and under. That'll cover your Metro costs for a family of four or whatever. I dunno, seems like driving to an outlying Metro station and herding a family onto trains to and from the city would be a horrendous exercise, but I've never had to do it myself.
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This. The Metro is the absolute worst - especially on weekends with their ubiquitous "track work" that seems to yield zero results.
 
With your help I think we've decided that it is best to drive in & park. There are 6 of us including 2 8-yr olds & my wife's parents...in their 70's. they get around pretty good tho. I'd rather not try to herd them onto the metro. I'm going to try to find parking close to the mall & near a hop-on-off bus stop. I'll be sure to stay seated!

Your suggestions have been so helpful. Thank you!
 
DeacsNDayton said:
With your help I think we've decided that it is best to drive in & park. There are 6 of us including 2 8-yr olds & my wife's parents...in their 70's. they get around pretty good tho. I'd rather not try to herd them onto the metro. I'm going to try to find parking close to the mall & near a hop-on-off bus stop. I'll be sure to stay seated!

Your suggestions have been so helpful. Thank you!
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Definitely the right call. Even if you end up stuck in some traffic, just imagine all of you getting stuck on a single tracked metro, tacking an extra hour onto that 45 minute ride... Plus driving and parking will be cheaper, sadly.
 
The DC metro is one of the best public transit systems in the world. To my mind, it's part of the DC experience. As with any rail system it's a nuisance from time to time but trying to drive downtown will not be a breeze, either. Besides the traffic, there are lots of restricted lanes and other oddities on the highways around DC that can throw you for a loop if you're not used to driving there. At least get a good map beforehand and figure out your route before you get under way.

I would skip the Nat'l Zoo. Unless it's been massively upgraded in the last ten years, it's small, drab, and pitiful. It's really just there b/c the nation's capital needed a zoo so they squeezed one in where they could. IMO, Old Town Alexandria does not merit a stop if you're only there for a few days. Great restaurants, but that's about it. If you want a break from downtown, go to Mt. Vernon.
 
inspectah said:
The DC metro is one of the best public transit systems in the world. To my mind, it's part of the DC experience. As with any rail system it's a nuisance from time to time but trying to drive downtown will not be a breeze, either. Besides the traffic, there are lots of restricted lanes and other oddities on the highways around DC that can throw you for a loop if you're not used to driving there. At least get a good map beforehand and figure out your route before you get under way.
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Pft. No. This is bad advice. Driving to the end of the line and parking at Metro with a gimp leg, some children, and some old folks? No. Rush hour traffic is bad, but it's bad in most cities that are worth a damn. It's definitely not the easiest city to drive in, especially if you don't understand how traffic circles work, but it's not like he's touring the town in the car. He's parking at the Mall.

The advice about the zoo is pretty sound. It's not as bad as inspectah makes it out to be, but it's not that great. The bottom line is "do you really want to see a panda?" If the answer yes, then go. If the answer is "not really," then skipping it for another one of the Smithsonians, lets say, is probably a solid move. Remember that all this stuff is basically free.

Old Town has the whole old brick/cobblestone thing going for it. If it's a big hassle to get there, you're not missing out. But you'll probably enjoy yourself if you end up there for dinner or whatever.
 
I agree that driving is the way to go under the circumstances. With all those people in your group, you don't want to be at the mercy of the Metro schedule. Just know where you are going and be prepared for some hassle, especially if you are driving all the way in from Dulles. Ideally you could have found a place to stay downtown and avoided the problem, but there aren't many affordable hotels to choose from.
 
Hotels downtown were booked & pricey. Rates at Dulles hotels were actually very good. I've driven through many larger cities. They all have their quirks. My wife thinks I have a built in map/GPS. I'll study a map & get it in my head & I'll be good to go. I'll probably pass on the zoo. Pandas are cute and other than that I can see elephants in Cincinnati. I'm not a zoo fan anyway. Too smelly.
 
At ~$20 per person, it may be a bit too expensive, but I would highly recommend going to the Newseum. Blows away anything you'll see at the Smithsonian.
 
yeah and the good thing about the Newseum is the ticket is good for 2 days. Also, you can use it for a discount at their restaurant, The Source, which is a fantastic Wolfgang Puck place.

avoid the Spy Museum. waste of money.
 
Another rep for the Newseum. It's incredible. If you want a smaller free museum that isn't as overwhelming as something like American History, the Portrait Gallery is one of my favorites. I used to work directly across the street and would walk through when I needed a break.
 
wfudkn said:
Another rep for the Newseum. It's incredible. If you want a smaller free museum that isn't as overwhelming as something like American History, the Portrait Gallery is one of my favorites. I used to work directly across the street and would walk through when I needed a break.
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I used to eat lunch in the courtyard several times a week when I also worked across the street.
 
inspectah said:
The DC metro is one of the best public transit systems in the world. To my mind, it's part of the DC experience. As with any rail system it's a nuisance from time to time but trying to drive downtown will not be a breeze, either. Besides the traffic, there are lots of restricted lanes and other oddities on the highways around DC that can throw you for a loop if you're not used to driving there. At least get a good map beforehand and figure out your route before you get under way.

I would skip the Nat'l Zoo. Unless it's been massively upgraded in the last ten years, it's small, drab, and pitiful. It's really just there b/c the nation's capital needed a zoo so they squeezed one in where they could. IMO, Old Town Alexandria does not merit a stop if you're only there for a few days. Great restaurants, but that's about it. If you want a break from downtown, go to Mt. Vernon.
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I'd love to know how often you take Metro and what your regular commute is to make you think this. I'd also love to know what other systems you're using as a comparison. Because WMATA is easily one of, if not the worst transit systems in the world.

For the OP, since you're staying further out, you should check out the Air & Space terminal at Dulles Airport (Udvar Hazy) for sure. Its a must see for anyone that stays in the area for a few days.
 
Newseum is awesome. So much cool stuff to see. I agree that the Spy Museum is a waste of money.
 
from my limited experience i'd say dc>sf in the public transit game.
 
Way better. DC transit has lots of flaws, but it's markedly better than a bunch of transit systems in other major cities.
 
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