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mickey10
03-06-2007, 01:14 PM
For vacation this year, we are taking a trip to Washington, DC. Any pointers on sites that are a must see would be greatful and sites that could be skipped. :goodbad: We will be traveling with kids under the age of 8. Thanks in advance for all the advice.

rob121
03-06-2007, 06:59 PM
I would say don't miss the Air and Space Museum. Kids always get a kick out of seeing airplanes and rockets. Plus they'll be able to touch an actual moon rock!
Depending on their knowledge of American history they may enjoy the American History museum. They may be too young to appreciate some of the exhibits, but there is still plenty to enjoy. They have (huge) locomotives on display, and some other pop-culture stuff. Don't miss the ice-cream parlor on the lower level. There is also the museum of natural history which has some cool exhibits, fossils and bones and such. It would probably be better to spend some time online looking at the various Smithsonian museums and gauge what they have and what you think the kids will like/understand.

Also, you can contact your congressperson and arrange for a tour of the capitol building. I thought that was fascinating.

My son is 3 now, and we plan on taking him some day when he is a bit older and understands more. I'm not sure if 8 is old enough to truly appreciate the history of DC, but then again, I'm not sure if 38 is old enough either.

Jasper
03-06-2007, 07:03 PM
I may not be 100% correct on this, but I think you can also arrange a White House tour through your congressman or senator as well. I know they are not doing general tours ever since 9-11 but I do think the congressional tours are back.

NJGIRL
03-07-2007, 10:41 AM
My son's favorites (7yrs old when we went) By the way he LOVED DC!

Air and Space Musuem- hours of interesting stuff and also has an IMAX reasonably priced with two different shows having to do with space or flying.

Natural History Musuem-A kids paradise. Dinosaur bones, rocks and gems, mummys, also has another IMAX.

American History Musuem- Is now closed for reno's for at least another year.

All of the Monuments- Don't try to walk!! Each one IS close to another but with so many there is a termenous amount of walking. Take the "Tourmobile" one day for just the monuments. You pay once in the morning and can get on and off as often as you like. Some of the other trolley's only let you do one "loop" so don't use them. Also if you do all of the monuments in one day it is cost effective.

My son also like the National Archives because if had the Declaration of Independence. We only spent about 1 hour there.

The last time we went it was a combo trip with 4 days in Williamsburg and 2 days in Baltimore so we were only in DC for 4 days but this is what we did.

Day One: Natural History Musuem & American History Museum.

Day Two: Most of the Monuments. The Roosevelt Monument, Lincoln, & WWI monuments were our favorites.

Day Three: Air & Space Museum, National Archives, Fords Theater, Old Post Office (The view at the top is wonderful) nice food court at the bottom.

Day Four: Arlington Cementary. A heartwarming experience.

Whatever you do park your car and leave it there. Don't try to drive.

We have been to DC 4 times and done so many different things so if you have any additional questions PM me.

lauralemm
03-07-2007, 11:01 AM
Her list looks pretty right on; here is what my DD4 loves to do when we go to DC (we go for daytrips b/c its not that far and a beloved Aunt Kate lives there on Capitol Hill.)

Taking the Metro (convenient, cheap, easy, and fun for kids-- warning: can't drink drinks or eat on there)

Carousel at the Smithsonian Castle

National Conservatory (I think that is what its called-- its on the Mall)

Hanging out and eating a picnic lunch on the Mall

The sculpture garden (great for picnics, too)

The National Zoo!

The zoo is the only thing I would drive to. Everything else I'd stay parked at your hotel and metro or use the hotel's shuttle service.

Warning: I travel to DC for business every month. I recently switched hotels and was not altogether happy with the one I got-- Best Western Capitol Skyline. On the plus side: its cheap and has a diner in it and offers great shuttle service to either Metro stops or right to tourist attractions. BUT its not in a very hospitable neighborhood, to say the least. I would not want to stay there with my DD. I'd prefer to go to the Capitol Suites or a hotel in a residential area like DuPont Circle.

Also, when dining, consider trying one of the many excellent ethnic restaurants in DC: every neighborhood has great Thai and then there are Vietnamese, Indian, Moroccan, Belgian, Spanish... I have never been disappointed and when I take DD4 to these places I just make a point of going early in the dinner service time so that we don't disrupt other diners. My daughter especially loved Jaleo (spanish tapas place in the Chinatown area.)

pshokie
03-07-2007, 09:29 PM
I live in the DC Metro Area, and done the tourist thing many times..... laurelmm and NJGRIL have some really great pointers, so I'll just tack on.

I will give you a couple of "things you should know", sounds kinda ominous...

Weather. If you are coming to DC in summer, be prepared. Sitting right off the Potomac, and smack dab between the Shenandoah Mts and the Chesapeake means that DC in the summer is nothing short of oppressive. Moisture is chaneled right of the bay and sits right over DC. DC was originally built on a swamp (fitting eh?) so it has that kinda feel. You will get wet from humidity/sweating once you step outside. So be prepared with lots of H2O and light fitting clothes. Also realistically, shade on the mall is limited. Is it there, yes. But if you are going from A to B, you will soon see how open it truely is.

Travel. Metro is your friend. You can take it close to anywhere you want to go. By close I mean, you can see it, but you still gotta walk a ways. However, Metro only has 1 official stop on the Mall (Smithsonian) and it basicly serves the museums. And there are no, none, zero, stops west of the Washington Monument. So if you want to see anything to the west (Lincoln, Jefferson, Vietnam), take the tourmobile, or be prepared to walk. Also there is a new bus line that has been introduced called the Circulator. It is a color coded bus line that travels, you guessed it, in circles. Currently I believe there are 2 routes, but more may have opened. Google to Downtown DC and you can get some information from there about routes and such.

Walking. DC is an opitcal illusion. The monuments are sized in such a way that they feel "close". But once you start walking from say the Washington Monument to the Lincoln, you realze it is a hike! And to this day, I swear they keep moving Capitol further and further to the east, just to keep me walking. :thedolls:

Food. Part I: Never, ever, ever, ever, EVER buy anything perishable from a street vendor. Atleast one a year one of the local TV stations does an expose' onthe vendors, and lets just asy it ain't good. Only pre-pakaged food (soda, water, etc). Nothing perishable (hot dogs, etc).
Part II: There is no food west of the Washington Monument. Well there are those vendors, but remeber rule #1! ;) There are a one or two centers run by the Parks Service, but they are not very good. So plan accordingly.
Part III: Two locations: Connecticut (DuPont Circle) and Chinatown. Both areas have had a real resurgence in the last few years, and both are right on (and in this case I mean on) the Metro line. Lots of restaurants from the high end, to the eclictic, to the common ones you know by name. I personnaly favor Chinatown. And if you want a special treat, go the the Hotel Washington (on I believe 15th Street). It stands literally on the easternside of the White House. You can have a "reasonable" lunch in the Terrace Restaurant (on the roof). The food may be OK, but the VIEW IS THE BEST! Photo ops galore!

Two last points, as for the Washington Monument, if you have your heart set on it, do it. If you are so so, do the post office pavilion instead. It is the second/third highest structure in the city, its right on Pennsylvania Ave, and there is no line to go to the top (unlike the WM).

As for the zoo, the trick or Metro'ing the Zoo is to go one stop further (Cleveland Park) than the signs indicate on your way to the zoo, this way you walk down hill to the zoo. On the way out, go down hill to the Woodley Park/Zoo stop. But I still always drive it. ;)

Melanie
03-08-2007, 07:50 AM
Natural History Musuem- Is now closed for reno's for at least another year.

I believe you mean the American History Museum. :thumbsup:

NJGIRL
03-08-2007, 10:16 AM
I believe you mean the American History Museum. :thumbsup:

Thanks!!! I did mean the American History Museum. I did an edit on my post.:thumbsup:

busterthebronco
03-08-2007, 11:04 AM
vietnam memorial.
we stayed in the grand hyatt and it was nice in that you could get on the metro straight from the lobby!

DisneyDog
03-08-2007, 11:50 AM
We are going at the beginning of April, during the Cherry Blossom Festival. We have a 4 year old DS. I was looking at a book called Washington D.C. with Kids and they recommend the National Geographic Museum. Anyone ever been there? We are also thinking of doing the Zoo. I'd love the see the pandas!

lauralemm
03-09-2007, 11:39 AM
We are going at the beginning of April, during the Cherry Blossom Festival. We have a 4 year old DS. I was looking at a book called Washington D.C. with Kids and they recommend the National Geographic Museum. Anyone ever been there? We are also thinking of doing the Zoo. I'd love the see the pandas!


I went there once for a special exhibit-- the mummy girl they had years ago. The entire experience was very positive. It is a very well presented museum. I am not sure how much it might appeal to kids under 5 though. I think it might depend on what they are featuring. Check out the website.

GottaLvDisney
03-09-2007, 01:59 PM
We've done DC quite a bit with our two oldest daughters (now 8) since my grandad lived nearby and to echo several other posters, they always loved:

Riding the Metro - so cool to them to be 'underground' and super convenient as a parent.

Air & Space Museum - they still talk about touching a moon rock, that was a big deal!

Natural History Museum - they loved the dinosaurs and the IMAX movie was a big hit also.

ryca1dreams
03-10-2007, 10:09 AM
I go to DC occassionally and we are going this May for vacation. I want my trip to be more than just a "gow-llly, wow" trip for my son and nieces and nephew. I would really try to encorporate some learning in your trip. It is possible to do that and still have fun. :) The National Archives is one of my favorites because of all the original historical documents here - the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta, etc. Read about the British burning the White House in the War of 1812 and then see it now and talk about it. Look at drawings of the Capitol before the dome was changed and look at it now. Read about the space program and then go through the Air and Space Museum and see the actual hardware! Read about Pierre-Charles L'Enfant too - interesting. I love this place (if you haven't guessed) and I love history. This is a great place to learn about our nation. There's a lot to see.

seawitch
03-11-2007, 12:13 PM
We did D.C. last spring break with 3 kids ages 7, 8, 9. We had a blast! My kids really enjoyed the U.S. Postal Museum (yes, it really is neat-lots of hands on for them and only takes about 1-2 hours to do whole thing). We all enjoyed the Spy Museum where you creat a false identity and go undercover. Lots of 007 types of gadgets that were really used by former US and KGB spies. Cool!!! Washington Monument is a must (have to timed tickets in advance) We couldn't get a White House tour, but we did get a private tour of the Capital Building and we saw the Supreme Court (in session!). If you live near a good aquarium then skip the National Aquarium as it is a waste of $$. Have a great time!

Donald
03-11-2007, 06:42 PM
We are going to DC 3/30-4/2 and I appreciate all of this information!! Thanks!

BronxTigger
03-11-2007, 07:16 PM
I didn't see the Holocaust Museum mentioned on this thread. While there is an area designed for children, I would not do it with young children.

However, if you have children that are older or are traveling without children (not the OP, but maybe others), don't miss this museum. It is tastefully done and you won't forget the experience.

Also, the Smithsonian Castle is open earlier than most of the museums and monuments. If you are on the mall in the earlier morning, visit the Castle and the gardens behind it. I had the beautiful gardens to myself and it was wonderful.

GusNJacque
03-13-2007, 10:54 PM
As some of you may remember I work in the Capitol complex. I actually did tours at one time. I definately recommend getting in touch with your Senator or Congressperson. They can really help you plan your trip. Unfortunately since 9/11 alot of the tours are not as good as they used to be--but if you don't know any better it seems good.

I started out at a small school in the city so all of my field trips were all the wonderful things to see in DC. I never realized how lucky I was until I got older.

One place that has not been mentioned is the WWII Memorial. It is absolutely breathtaking at night.

If I can answer any questions, I will be more than happy to help.

Touchdown
03-13-2007, 11:15 PM
We are going at the beginning of April, during the Cherry Blossom Festival. We have a 4 year old DS. I was looking at a book called Washington D.C. with Kids and they recommend the National Geographic Museum. Anyone ever been there? We are also thinking of doing the Zoo. I'd love the see the pandas!

Hope you actually catch the blossoms, I lived there last year and they peaked in late March.

As for general tips, for your monument day look into buying Tourmobile tickets, they allow you to hop on and off their busses all day which is the only way you can possibly see all the monuments in a day in the summer (its too hot to walk them then and your 8 year old wouldnt make it in any weather anyways) as an added bonus they are the only company permited to opperate in Arlington Natl. Cemetary and its free with the normal ticket so you also can see the Kennedys grave sites, the tomb of the unknown soldier and Robert E. Lee's house.

The American Histroy Smithsonian is currently closed for rehab, unfortunatly. However I highly suggest trips to the Air and Space and Natl History Museum.

This cannot be said enough, Metro is your friend, you cant park anywhere in the city so dont even try. Also, talk to one of your congressmen/women their tours are the best.

The Zoo is really nice, but beware if its hot outside because then it becomes a stinky, sweaty pit of dispair for you and the animals.

NotaGeek
03-14-2007, 12:15 AM
The Holocaust Museum Changed my life.

I absolutely LOVE doing the Monuments! The new World War II memorial is stunning. When I was there last I booked a day tour at my hotel, full day EVERY monument, the White House, Smithsonian (eat lunch there, it's good and well priced!) and it also took us all the way to The Arlington National Cemetery. Other highlights were the Ford Theater. I was with my aunt that was suffering from a bum knee so it was MUCH easier on her, too. it only cost about $20.

Have a great time, DC is one of my favorite towns in the USA!

It's cheesy, but Philip's Seafood Restaurant is a FABULOUS and fun buffet on the Washington Channel on the waterfront and the seafood selection is really impressive! :) You can find them if you Google their name!

Tink's Mom
03-27-2007, 04:01 PM
My family and I are going to visit Washington DC for the first time April 12-17. All of this info has really helped me also. I recently purchased reserved seats for the Cherry Blossom Parade. Sure hope there are still some Cherry Blossoms to see!

P.S. We are planning to stay at a hotel that we like by BWI and take the train into Washington each day. Does anyone think that this is a problem?
The hotel is new and has great beds, a pool, free breakfast, shuttle, and it is in a nice area. I researched hotels in washington, but prices were very high, and lacked ammenities. Also we have an early morning flight out of BWl our last day. Thanks for any advice.

Touchdown
03-27-2007, 04:41 PM
What train are you riding in? Is it the Metro or the Maryland Train (forgetten its name) if it is the latter I strongly suggest finding either a different hotel or another way to get to a Metro station, the trains do not run nearly as often and are jammed (to the point you will not get on them) during rush hour and close for the night early. Do not rely on the Maryland Train!

Disneymom4ever
03-27-2007, 04:50 PM
Tink's mom- Can I ask what hotel you chose? I am trying to plan a trip in July, and I'm having a hard time finding a decent, reasonable hotel with pool and breakfast included, and near the metro. It seems like the ones closer to attractions are so expensive! How far is it to the monuments, etc.? I actually don't mind being out a bit, as long as it doesn't take us 1/2 a day to get anywhere! :mickey:

lauralemm
03-27-2007, 10:59 PM
P.S. We are planning to stay at a hotel that we like by BWI and take the train into Washington each day. Does anyone think that this is a problem?
Also we have an early morning flight out of BWl our last day. Thanks for any advice.

well, I have friends who live in Baltimore and take the MARC into DC everyday and it can take an hour or more and can get extremely crowded. DC is a super-busy commuter area and the commute is not altogether pleasant...Also: the trains stop running fairly early and do NOT run on Sat/Sun. I just doublechecked their site and did not see any special hours for that weekend. So, you might want to think about spending the first few nights on the VA side near to a Metro? That might be more pleasant although it can still be very crowded. Or, take a look at the Metro map and look at hotels near malls near the ends of the red or green lines on the Maryland side.There might be some affordable options near White Flint or Silver Spring, maybe. Maybe. Bethesda, while handy and FUN, is P*R*I*C*E*Y. I checked the metro map and expedia and found that there are some relatively affordable hotels if you search for Rockville, MD, which has a connection to MARC at the Metro station (for getting to BWI) and is right on the Red Line which can take you right into DC easily. Its an outlying stop, so even if its rush hour when you are heading into the City-- you are on before everyone else... that Metro ride would probably be approx an hour, maybe? The Red Line is the one for the Zoo and Chinatown and Metro Center, so its a good choice that should minimize changing trains for you.

If the hotel you like is good then I am sure that the front desk staff can help guide you on the commuting. Baltimore is a great destination in itself, so maybe it would be smart to try to avoid the evening rush hour and have your dinners/ evening activities there. Camden Yards is GREAT fun if anyone has any interest in baseball...

lauralemm
03-27-2007, 11:04 PM
Tink's mom It seems like the ones closer to attractions are so expensive! How far is it to the monuments, etc.? I actually don't mind being out a bit, as long as it doesn't take us 1/2 a day to get anywhere! :mickey:


Lisa, I notice you are in NC-- are you driving? If so, you might want to look for a hotel in the Springfield area because that way you have less driving in bad traffic on arrival and departure day and can Metro to DC. When I go to DC for business if I do not stay on the Hill then I stay at one of the hotels near Springfield Mall. It cuts up to an hour off my drive from Tidewater VA, and during morning rush it usually takes an hour from the hotel to the Metro to L'Enfant Plaza in DC (I usually am going to things at the GSA near L'Enfant, and I generally have to be there by 9 am. I leave the hotel at 7:30 and have AMPLE time to get coffee, etc when I arrive in the city.) L'Enfant Plaza is walking distance to the National Mall. Its not easy to do the monuments via Metro, but the Metro can get you to the Mall and you can use the Circulator buses to see the monuments (someone else posted about that, too.)
I have stayed at a Courtyard by Marriott near Springfield Mall and a Red Roof Inn. Neither one was fabulous, but they weren't terrible either and there are plenty of family friendly places to eat, etc nearby. Granted, its all chain stuff that is everywhere, but that can be best when traveling with kids sometimes ;) I kind of prefer that routine because its a simple shot off the highway to the hotel parking lot without any of the weird parking issues and such you sometimes have to contend with in the district itself. Depending on time of year, though, you can find good rates at the Capitol Suites on Capitol Hill. I like it pretty well and its in a handy spot. I would avoid the Capitol Hill Best Western though-- NOT what I would call family friendly and NOT a pleasant walk to the Mtetro at all (although they do have a very generous free shuttle to the major attractions and business areas.)

Tink's Mom
03-28-2007, 05:04 AM
Wow, thanks for all of the help! Here are the transportation options that I found from BWI. We can take the express bus from BWI to the greenbelt metro station, and then take the metro to downtown Washington. It seems like that should take about an hour. Or we can take an Amtrak train straight to Union Station, and that should take about 30 minutes. Please let me know what you think about these 2 options.

Disneymom4ever, sounds like from what lauralemm said, where I am staying would be out of your way. Also she might know if the room prices will be less in July. Seems like we chose the busiest time of the year to go.

Here are the reasons that we chose this hotel. Mainly, stayed there in Nov and really liked it. I looked for many, many hours trying to find a hotel that would be within walking distance to most of the things that we plan to see. Most of the hotels were way overpriced, and had few ammenities, to almost none. Many of them had bad reviews. And since I am not familiar with the area, I am not sure what areas are safe to be in. I appreciate any advice. Thanks!

Touchdown
03-28-2007, 06:38 AM
While a bus is better then the MARC (I remembered the name!) its still not ideal. Also Amtrack is going to have the same problems as the MARC (excpet it runs all night, but very sporatically) and is also expensive. Will you have a car with you? I ask because the metro stations on the end of lines (http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm) have paid parking (look for the car symbol) so you can drive in, get off and take the Metro the rest of the way.

When I visited as a tourist we would normally stay in Alexandria, VA it had resonalbly priced hotels and while the paid parking wasnt cheap it was certainly better then any other option. Look for places just on or right outside the beltway they usually have what you are looking for.

Disneymom4ever
03-28-2007, 09:29 AM
Wow, great advice given here! (One reason I love Intercot so much! :thumbsup: ). And yes, lauralemm, we are driving from NC. I will definitely take all the advice given, and research, research!
Tink's Mom- you said it right on, I've been looking and looking, and that's exactly it- few amenities, overpriced, and just not being familiar with the area makes it tough. (And many bad reviews on decent $ hotels!) Planning a trip to DW is so much easier for me! :mickey:

Tink's Mom
03-28-2007, 12:59 PM
Touchdown - Thanks for the link and all of the info. I really like your idea about renting a car and parking at the metro station. I am going to do some research on that. Thank you.

Disneymom4ever - I just had to add this after your last comment. I actually had a trip planned to WDW for this vacation. But because of it being busier due to spring break, and the prices for resorts being high, DH decided that since we were just there in Nov, and we are going to DLP in Aug, that we should save a little money and go visit his parents in OMAHA :shake:, and then spend a few days in Washington. Ends up that it is actually going to cost just as much, if not even more. And now I get to spend spring break with..., well....,um...., lets just say not Mickey.

TooGoofy
04-03-2007, 02:47 PM
I can recommend the Holiday Inn Capitol. While it did not have many ammenities (ie: free breakfast) the location could not be beat! We were a 5 minute walk from the Air & Space Museum and the National Mall.

In addition, we were less than a five minute walk from a Metro stop. Finally, the block that the hotel was on had a Quizno's, a McDonald's and a deli. There was a Starbucks in the hotel lobby.

We paid about $200.00 per night for this hotel and it was well worth it!

I would also recommend the new wing of the Air & Space museum at Dulles (you can catch a shuttle bus right in front of the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall). The new Museum of the American Indian is also fantastic!

pshokie
04-04-2007, 03:55 PM
Starting to get confused about who is going and staying where.....:confused:

Responding specifically to one thing TinksMom wants to do, rent a car and park at metro.

Huge warning: in recent years the attendants at the toll gates for the parking garages have been pocketing some of the toll money. Metro caught them, and as a result, the procedures have changed. Most, if not all, of the parking garages now require the purchase of a SmartTrip card to pay the toll. Good news is, this card can also be used to ride the metro, buses, etc.

I would just hate to see you get to garage exit and find yourslef needing to buy another card just to leave. :mad:

As for area with hotels...
As a local, I cannot speak for hotels, I have no need for them, obviously. But on the Virginia side of the river, the following locations are, for lack of a better term, "safe". Springfield, Ballston, Crystal City, Pentagon City, Alexandria. Closer to the Metro Stop the better. If it were up to me, I would stay close to the King St Station in Alexandria. Old Town Alexandria is a charm in and of itself. It is one of the oldest areas in the city, has lots of historical sites, good restauraunts (Shout out for Hard Times Cafe!) , cobble stone streets, and of course, Ghost Tours. :ghost: Gotta Love'em.

A little walking may be involved if you wish to venture from the King St station all the way down to the water front, but cabs area a plenty.

It is not part of the "city" but it has that old pre-revolutionary/colonial feel to it.

Ahhh...the hours of my youth and many $$ spent down at the waterfront.....:beer:

DisneyDog
04-05-2007, 01:08 PM
We just got back from a very nice long weekend trip to D.C. and Annapolis. In D.C. we stayed at the Omni Shoreham, which was wonderful. It was pretty close to a Metro stop, and close to the zoo. Also across the street from a trolley stop. The trolley was a lot of fun and very informative. A great way to get around to all of the historical places and museums.

I had a bit of a problem with the zoo. It's lovely, but I don't like the way it's designed. It is shaped like a "C", not a loop, so if you get to one end, you are forced to turn around and go back the way you came. We entered on, I think it was Connecticut Ave., walked to the end, and then after we were all finished and tired, we had to walk back the way we came UP HILL. With a tired 4 year old. I will definitely never go to that zoo again. Good thing it was free.

The next day was our trolley/museum/memorial day. The cherry blossoms were beautiful and it was in the high 70s. The trolley took us past the National Cathedral, through Georgetown, and right near the museums. We went to the Museum of Natural History, Air and Space Museum, and then got back on the trolley and headed to the Lincoln Memorial. After that, we took the trolley back towards the museums and jumped on the Metro to get back to our hotel faster. It worked out great.

Annapolis was wonderful, but it's definitely a one-day trip. We went to the visitors center at the Naval Academy, then had lunch in town, took a boat tour on the Harbor Queen, which was great, did the shops and then had dinner at a place called Buddy's Crabs and Ribs which had an amazing seafood/pasta/rib buffet. $20 for adults, kids eat free. We can't wait to go back there again!

mickey10
04-16-2007, 01:34 PM
We just got back from our vacation in Washington, DC and we had a wonderful time. I want to think everyone for all the good advice. We got to see a lot of things and there were more we wanted to see, but we ran out of time. I loved seeing the Panda bears at the zoo. Thinks again for all the information on Washington,DC.
I can always count on intercotees for great informatin.

thrillme
04-18-2007, 12:47 PM
Ok...I'm really scared to death now. My son and I are going to fly from San Antonio (mid-July 2007) to Cleveland spend some time at "Cedar Point" drive to "Falling Water" in Pennsylvania, then "Hershey" followed by...

WASHINGTON DC...

Then "Gettysburg" and back onto Cleveland.

I'm scared to death now:( :cry: :paranoid: :hide2: It's a really strange world to me. I really don't want to pay HUNDREDS for a hotel. Apparently you're not supposed to drive you're supposed to take the Metro :confused: :confused: (I will never complain about Texas parking or Traffic again)

We were looking at spending a day maybe two at the Smithsonian then on a third day checking out the memorials then driving out to Gettysburg and finding a place to stay there. It sounds so wonderful and educational.

I keep looking for hotels then I find one that might be reasonable then it's slammed into the ground on it's "reviews" or else someone has told me that it's "not safe". :scared:

Is there a reasonable hotel somewhere near a metro. Do hotels offer shuttles to this Metro?

I got a few Courtyard by Marriott doesn't seem too bad but $109 seemed steep. Red Roof Inn...I'm not sure which one? Capitol Inn Suites...OWCH.

What is King's Station Alexandria? Is this near the Metro? It's all the way in Virginia does the Metro go that far??? It does sound beautiful.

When does this Metro close when does it open? I don't want to be stranded somewhere.

It boggles my mind to envision going between ALL these states in just about 3-4 hours.

HELLPPPPP!

Touchdown
04-18-2007, 02:28 PM
^Kings Station is part of the Metro, and yes it does go that far into VA (in fact that is a station that has two lines go through and each line has two stops further down the line.)

To learn all about the Metro check out its official website www.wmata.com it has a great bunch of tools to help you learn the system.

As for hours, dont worry about them, I believe they are 6:30-12 Mon-Thur, 6:30-3:00am Fri, 8:00-3:00am Sat, and 8:00-12:00 Sun.

As for going through so many states in 3 hours, yes it can be done. I lived in the area last year and would go to Hershey quite a bit (was a Season Pass holder) from my apartment in Crystal City (Arlington, VA) it was a little over 2.5 hours to Hershey.

Speaking of Hershey, or for that matter Cedar Point (my new home park now that I live in Toledo) you picked a great set of parks. Cedar Point is a coaster enthusiast's Nirvana, of their 17 roller coasters, Raptor, Mellienium Force, Magnum XL 200 are amazing (as a rider of over 200 coasters these three are in my top 5, with Magnum snagging the #2 spot) and Mavarick just looks amazing, it may beat out Hershey's Storm Runner as my favorite launch coaster when it opens :). Hershey's Great Bear, Lightning Racer, Wildcat and Storm Runner are all great rides and their water rides are also a lot of fun. Plus you cant help feeling happy when everything smells like Chocolate :).

When you tour Gettysburg, I highly suggest that you hit the visitor center first and see the Electric Map, it will help orientate you to the battle. From there, I highly suggest you buy/rent an audio tour of the battlefield, in addtion to telling you directions, it will tell you the story of the battle and tell you what happened where you are at the moment.

thrillme
04-19-2007, 04:39 PM
Thank you so much. Hopefully I can find a reasonable hotel near King's station.

My DS and I are ROLLERCOASTER NUTZ. I've always loved coasters. We were drawn to Cedar Point for the email that's floated around. Then I found out it's supposed to be one of the most popular coaster parks. We're looking at stopping in Philadelphia because I'm scheduling a 2 week trip. I really don't want to push myself driving hours upon hours. 3-4 hours isn't a big deal. Heck...for us that's a trip from San Antonio to the coast or Houston. 5 hours is a Dallas trip. Hershey...well...what can I say. I love Chocolate and it just seems like a cool place to check out. I've always heard about the Smithsonian...it's one of those places I've got to say that I've been too.

On the way back to Cleveland I'm kinda hoping to find a waterpark of sorts to just wind down in or something interesting to do for the day. I want to give myself a FULL day in Cleveland in case I'm late returning for some reason. I wouldn't want to miss my flight home.

Someone said that the area near King's Station is pretty nice to stay...Are hotels within walking distance of King's Station or do you park in a garage there?

Touchdown
04-19-2007, 07:21 PM
^If you are looking for a waterpark near Clevland, may I suggest Geauga Lake in Aurora, OH, which is a combo theme park/water park that is usually not too crowded. Also as a money saving option, Cedar Point and Geauga Lake are owned by the same company and you can buy a Maxx pass at CP for $125 and get into both parks, if you are doing 2 days at CP (which I strongly suggest you do because CP is roughly the size of Epcot and has 17 coasters to hit) and throw in a day at GL you have payed for the past. Also if you want you can buy the Maxx plus pass which will get you into Soak City at CP too (separate gate) its small, but it has a great adventure river (waves at points, random "hazards" along the course that get you wet but otherwise a lazy river) which is where I retreat mid day at CP because it just gets too hot (CP is on a peninsula in Lake Erie, and all the water around you just bounces the heat into the park.) It would also get you into: Dorney Park (Allentown, PA,) King's Dominion (Rosewell, VA,) Carowinds (somewhere in the Carolinas,) King's Island (Mason, OH,) Michigan's Adventure (Muskegon, MI,) Canada's Wonderland (Toronto, Ontario) Valleyfair! (Shakopee, MN,) World's of Fun (Kansas City, MO,) Knott's Berry Farm (LA, CA,)
Great America (San Francisco, CA not Gurnee, IL) in addition to CP and GL.

Im so excited, just picked up my first ever CP SP today and the idea that that park is my home park this summer and only a little bit more then an hour away is just amazing, the only place I would be happier from an enthusiast's perspective is living in Orlando. Also I cant believe that one SP gets me into the 3 biggest parks in Ohio (GL, KI, CP) all of which are <3 hours away from Toledo :):):).

WelshieLover
04-20-2007, 08:37 AM
I can recommend the Holiday Inn Capitol. While it did not have many ammenities (ie: free breakfast) the location could not be beat! We were a 5 minute walk from the Air & Space Museum and the National Mall.

In addition, we were less than a five minute walk from a Metro stop. Finally, the block that the hotel was on had a Quizno's, a McDonald's and a deli. There was a Starbucks in the hotel lobby.

We paid about $200.00 per night for this hotel and it was well worth it!


I could not agree more on the Holiday Inn Capitol. I would often go there for work and last summer brought my family there. :thumbsup:

There was parking under the hotel so sometimes at night we would take the car out to have dinner over in Georgetown or over by DuPont Circle. Our kids are teens so we also took one of those Segway tours. It was alot of fun, but you have to be over 12 to ride them. It covered most of the areas we had already walked but it was a novelty.:blush:

One place we discovered was the Food Court at the National Museum of the American Indian. It had different cuisines from all over the US. What great choices -Pacifc Northwest, Southwest...

Something else that is fun for kids is the Botanical Greenhouses over by the Capitol Building. What a relaxing place to visit!:cloud9:

TooGoofy
04-21-2007, 06:54 AM
One place we discovered was the Food Court at the National Museum of the American Indian. It had different cuisines from all over the US. What great choices -Pacifc Northwest, Southwest...


Wasn't that food court delicious? We loved it! Very unique food, and very well prepared. We ate there two or three times! :tasty:

Tyson The Lab
04-21-2007, 09:32 PM
has anyone mentioned Gettysburg? I've been there twice, it was a cool place to see. They have a museum there as well.

Pongo
05-24-2007, 09:54 AM
We leave for D.C. in two weeks! I have a little advice to add:

Washington Monument - if you want to go to the top and want to avoid the long lines, you can go to the National Parks website and pre-purchase tickets. While the tickets are free at the monument, you can order them in advance for a $1.50 each service fee.

If you want to go to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, you can get in line at 6:00 a.m. for the free tickets, or you can contact your Senators office and ask them to get you tickets. Make sure you give a variety of dates. We didn't get our first requested time, but we are doing a congressional tour.

National Archive passes are available by simply sending an email to them and telling them when you want to go.

While the Museum of American History is closed, there is a special exhibit of the 100+ favorite items at the Air and Space museum. You can still see Lincoln's hat, Dorotyhy's slippers, Seinfelds shirt, Kermit, and other items.

The International Spy Museum may appeal to kids. We are going as we have a teenager who loves '24', but they do have programs for younger kids.

We are going outside of D.C. to the Luray Caverns in Virginia. They have the caverns tour and a hedge maze.

We are very excited to be going to our Senator's constituent breakfast. Check your senator's website and see what things they have for their constituents while in D.C.

We are staying at the Best Western Georgetown. There is a separate sleeping area and living room area with a convertible sofa. The room has a refrigerator and microwave and is within walking distance to both the Foggy Bottom and Dupont Circle metro stations and the rate includes a continental breakfast that includes breads, cereals, muffins, coffee, juice, etc. We are paying $176 per night in June. When we originally booked it was $240 per night but when the rates dropped we rebooked and cancelled the original reservation.

Have a great trip!

WelshieLover
05-29-2007, 05:17 PM
I know I posted this on another thread about DC. For business and pleasure I have stayed at the Holiday Inn Capital at C Street and Maryland. It is adjacent to L'Enfant Plaza Metro stop a block from the Air and Space Museum. It has parking underneath. The price runs less than $200 a night. You really can't find anything in the heart of DC for this price.

pshokie
05-31-2007, 11:22 AM
Thrillme...B-R-E-A-T-H-E.....it will be okay.

I know much of what you have asked for has been covered. It will be okay.

As for distances & states, it makes a lot of sense coming from a Texan. The states in this region are really packed together. I have an uncle in California (SF/Oakland area) who likes to joke that we drive through states like he drives through counties. Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Deleware, and Pennsylvania are all within a 2 hour drive of DC (without traffic). And New Jersey is about 2.5-3 hours drive. Heck, New York City is only like 220 miles from DC. That's just a 3.5 hour train ride.

So yes, we are wierd and we live too close together. :D

And if you have not decided on a place to stay, google Downtown DC & Old Town Alexandria. Both "officical" sites offer interactive maps and such which will help you plan. If you have any "odd" questions, please feel free to PM me.

As for driving, I have to agree that I tend to scare people. Having traveled to about 1/2 of the country, I feel that the driving in the Mid-Atlanitc/NorthEast corridoor requires some.....nerves. I chuckle when ever my uncle gripes about "bay area traffic". What is he talking about?? They never stop moving! That's not traffic, that's a good commute!!! Traffic is when there is an accident 25 miles away, going the opposite direction, and it still impacts you. But I digress.....:cool:

thrillme
06-06-2007, 12:33 PM
HA HA...thanks Pshokie...I really needed that. I booked a Hampton in Alexandria VA they have free shuttle service to the metro. I know I'll feel 100% better once I get there. I was NERVOUS as heck about my first time taking my DS to Disneyworld by myself. Now I'm a pro.

My next battle is going to be from Gettysburg to Cleveland. I'm not sure when and where I wanna stop. I posted another help to try to assess the risk of just getting a hotel when I need it for that one Tuesday night.