Help with Washington D.C. Trip....?

Im going to D.C. at the end of May. Im trying to get plans finalized. Any help would be appreciated. ok. first-Do we need to rent a car for our stay? (1 wk) or is the public transportation sufficient? I have read that parking is awful, and you are better off using public trans., but i need to make sure. Also, if i use public transport...we are wanting to go to Quantico, VA to the Marine Corps Museum...how could we get there? is there a system that runs there from D.C. or would we need our own vehicle? Next- best places to stay for a reasonable cost?? im lost on that one....can be in D.C., or close in Maryland or VA. Only serious responses please....Id like to get this trip mapped ASAP. Thanks in advance.

Help with Washington D.C. Trip....?
I live in Metro DC so I can probably give you some advise. First of all, parking is not that hard to find in DC, paid parking that is. I suggest that you don't rent a car while you're in DC because you will find a hard time finding available parking meters or pay a lot in parking in the garages. Everything around DC is only a few miles in radius and is definitely within walking distance especially that you have a week to do it. You wouldn't need any kind of transportation if you will be going to the places listed below.





Lincoln Memorial


Jefferson Memorial


National Monument


World war 2 Memorial


Vietnam Memorial


Korean Memorial


National Mall


Capitol Building


The White House (outside only of course)


Smithsonian Museums (Holocaust Museum, Spy Museum, African Heritage, Air and Space, etc..)





If in any case that you would like to venture outside the DC area or within DC area then you can use the Metro rail or buses. The metro rail would be better because its fast and predictable. It's clean and very safe also. It travels around DC, Northern Virginia, and parts of Maryland.





The Marine Corps Museum is not reached by metro rail but you can probably use the VRE rail but I suggest not to make it complex. Leave like your last day in going there. That's when you can rent a car to go to other places outside DC that is only a few minutes away. Please see the places below.





National Cemetery (you can use metro rail)


Iwo Jima Memorial (car)


Marine Corps Museum Quantico (car)


Navy Yard US Navy Museum and Marine Corps Museum (use metro rail)


Pentagon (use metro rail-you can't go inside without an invitation but you can see it on the way..That's all you need to see anyways)


Tyson's Corner Mall (car- state of the art mall-real nice)


Tyson's 2 Galleria (car-just across Tyson's Corner mall but is very expensive and usually have rich customers-no food court per se)


Pentagon City Mall - The Fashion Center (train-near Pentagon)


Chinatown near Verizon Center (car or train- Wizard team)








I would suggest for you guys to taste the food in Five Guys Fast Food because it's ranked as having the best burger in this area.





As far as hotels are concerned. You can either stay in DC hotels or you can also stay on the ones by Arlington or Alexandria which is only about 15 to 20 minutes away. Most of the hotels have free shuttle services that goes to Reagan National Airport and Metro Stations. If you decide to stay in DC, all you need to do is step out and immediately start your sightseeing compared to taking the train which is not really a hassle but just a matter of preference.





As far as hotels, I would suggest calling around. Of course, cheap ones here start at a very rare $75 outside of DC. Sheraton, Inns of Virginia, Hilton, and Holiday Inn are fairly okay with price but not constant. I really would suggest that you call around. Try Marrioot first in NW DC because its only 4 blocks away from the White house but not sure about the price. The Sheraton National Hotel near the Pentagon is also okay and might have a good price but it really depends on the demand. Hotels in DC gets overbooked all the time so I suggest that you reserve right away and arrive no later than 5 pm so your slot won't be given away, oh yes they do that.





Do everything in DC first and then rent a car for a day or two to go around. Parking is also really expensive in the hotel. Around $15 per night in Virginia and $25 per night in DC..





Good luck and enjoy your trip.





Try to get
Reply:1) Public transport is awesome! If you're flying into DCA (Reagan) there is a metro stop at the airport. You can public transport from Dulles (take the bus to the West Falls Church metro stop) but that might be a bit much for a tourist especially if you have kids with you. Another option is to simply take a cab into the city. Parking's a nightmare so I'd avoid the car rental.





2) You need a rental car to get to Quantico. Just pick one up for the day (metro to Reagan airport then rent a car from there).





3) Depends what you mean by reasonable costs. Like $150-200 a night, I would recommend Hotel Lombardy. It's one block north of The George Washington University and is only three blocks west of the White House. The Watergate (26th and Virginia NW) is around the same price and is close to everything. If you don't want to spend as much, check out Herndon, VA (Near Dulles Airport). The only problem with staying outside of the city is that any savings you had are eaten up by parking/rental car.
Reply:Public trans is more then sufficient. Renting a car is something you would only regret...especially w/ parking and parking costs in DC. Just find a hotel somewhat near a metro, or you can always depend on a cab.


Quantico has an AMTRAK stop in the center of it, and the Marien Corps Museum is a short ride away by cab.


You could also look into renting a car just for that one day...OR you could look into the ZIP car program here in DC.


The hotel stay would be another thing. Kind of difficult. You could stay in a cheaper hotel in DC but risk a bad region. OR stay outside of DC and have a horrible long distance to travel to get to the sites. IF you are interested in hearing more let me know and I will see what you have in mind as far as $, area, dates, etc.


Good luck!


NATE


:)
Reply:I have lived in the Washington DC Metro area for nearly nine years now. If you are going to spend most of your trip in Washington DC, I suggest taking the Metrorail System; it is the subway system. Parking is terrrible in the city. On the weekdays, it runs from about 5:30AM until Midnight (some stations vary). On the weekends, it runs from about 7:00AM until 3:00AM (some stations vary). There is usually a Metro Station near all the main attractions in DC, but there are some decent buses (RED circulator). You will have to rent a car to get to Quantico. Check-out car rentals at Union Station and Reagan National Airport. I am not sure about lodging, but I would suggest the Crystal City, VA area. Good luck on your trip.