What to do/where to eat in DC this weekend?

[Nitemare]

The wife and I are planning on making a weekend at DC and would like to know what to see and where to stay

We are planning on seeing the Smithsonian, the Vietnam wall, Korean War memorial, Lincoln memorial, the Basilica, Library of Congress and the International Spy museum. Most government buildings aren't open on the weekend, so we will have to check them out at a later day.

Planning on staying in the suburbs and taking the metro in unless we can get good rates in the city.

 

[EyeMWing]

There's somthing like 12 hours of stuff to do within 2 blocks of the Mall, and none of it will cost a darn thing. Eat at the air & space museum's cafeteria - it's the best place I'm aware of. And whatever you do - DO NOT FREAKING DRIVE YOURSELF INTO THE CITY. Don't even bother with the buses. Once you hit the government buildings, get out and WALK. It takes half an hour to cover a block right along the mall. Worst traffic EVAH. It's probably worse with homeland security road closings. There's a reason they use the chopper to get el presidente everywhere - the most powerful man in the world can't be sitting in traffic for eight hours.

Last time I went was right before 9/11 on a school trip - they had to take the buses out of the city just to park them (Not due to security concerns - due to space constraints)

Remember that DC was designed to impede the movement of an invading military with small streets and a very awkward layout.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
There's somthing like 12 hours of stuff to do within 2 blocks of the Mall, and none of it will cost a darn thing. Eat at the air & space museum's cafeteria - it's the best place I'm aware of. And whatever you do - DO NOT FREAKING DRIVE YOURSELF INTO THE CITY. Don't even bother with the buses. Once you hit the government buildings, get out and WALK. It takes half an hour to cover a block right along the mall. Worst traffic EVAH. It's probably worse with homeland security road closings. There's a reason they use the chopper to get el presidente everywhere - the most powerful man in the world can't be sitting in traffic for eight hours.

Last time I went was right before 9/11 on a school trip - they had to take the buses out of the city just to park them (Not due to security concerns - due to space constraints)

Remember that DC was designed to impede the movement of an invading military with small streets and a very awkward layout.

LOL, I've been by it before on 95 but never tried to park anywhere. Which suburb is good(safe and fairly cheap) to get a hotel room?

 

[TekChik]

aside from the Washington Monument, you've pretty much covered it in your list already.

good luck getting all that stuff done in one weekend.

 

[hevnsnt]

I am in D.C. this week as well (from KC) anyone want to go have a beer or something? I am here till friday.

 

[murphy55d]

We used to go down to DC every year... what we would do is stay in New Carrollton, MD, and take the orange line into the city, and then do whatever. There is(or was, at least, havent been down in a few years) a Courtyard by Marriott right near the New Carrollton station. Drive up to the station, park there, and take the train in.

 

[Turkish]

For cheaper hotel rates, try the ones in Arlington... but you won't have the best room there....
Expect a rate of $200/night if you decide to stay in somewhere decent...
Other than that, you covered everywhere but Washington MOnument...
Georgetown also worths a walk...

 

[nitsuj3580]

add the Pentagon and Jefferson Memorial to your list if you like seeing all the famous buildings/monuments in DC

 

[TekChik]

I live in the Maryland suburbs of D.C. (Montgomery County, near Rockville). You can usually get a decent priced hotel room near Rockville and then drive to the Metro station. I know the Courtyard in Rockville is $75-80/nt normally. You can check prices, reserve rooms on their website.

 

[crantang]

Originally posted by: EyeMWing
Remember that DC was designed to impede the movement of an invading military with small streets and a very awkward layout.

This is true...

Try getting a place in McLean, Virginia. It's a nice business/shopping area. Tyson's Corner is full of shopping, and the traffic is not too terrible.

 

[Nitemare]

Are the Metro stations safe to leave parked cars at?

 

[Broohaha]

go kill dan snyder and steve spurrier for me.

 

[isekii]

I stayed at the Watergate Hotel for 2 nights.

It was like 115 a night for a suite.

I got the room from Expedia I think. Regularly the rooms were like 250-300 a night.

It's right by everything, and if you need to get around, take the Metro subway system.


This is where I stayed and had the River View

And that was the Georgetown Suite

 

[Broohaha]

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Are the Metro stations safe to leave parked cars at?

yeah they're very safe. i echo tekchik. find a hotel in rockville. get onto 355 and find a red line metro station. take it down to metro center or thereabouts. it's a comfortable 30 minute ride and a 2 dollar fare.

BAM, you're set.

www.wmata.org for more information

 

[Broohaha]

my mistake. it's www.wmata.com
also, the washingtonpost.com visitor's guide is very helpful:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/travel/visitorsguide.htm?nav=toc

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Broohaha
go kill dan snyder and steve spurrier for me.

The line is too long

 

[Linflas]

Remember that DC was designed to impede the movement of an invading military with small streets and a very awkward layout.

LMAO I have lived in this area my entire life and never heard that one. The city is not designed awkwardly at all. Letter streets run east-west, numbered streets run north-south, and state streets run diagonally. When all 3 meet there is a traffic circle. The city is divided into 4 quadrants NW, NE, SW, and SE based on their relationship to the Capitol which sits up on a hill visible from most parts of the city. Very little thought was given to invading military which is why there was a ring of forts hastily constructed after the outbreak of the Civil War when Washington was suddenly surrounded on all sides by hostile territory.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: Broohaha

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Are the Metro stations safe to leave parked cars at?

yeah they're very safe. i echo tekchik. find a hotel in rockville. get onto 355 and find a red line metro station. take it down to metro center or thereabouts. it's a comfortable 30 minute ride and a 2 dollar fare.

BAM, you're set.

<a href="http://www.wmata.org">www.wmata.org</A> for more information

So is all this stuff pretty much within walking distance (Take the metro in get off and do the tourist thing?

 

[isekii]

Don't forget to sneak away at night to Dupont Circle area,

Lots of hot college chicks running around that area

make sure you leave the wife behind

 

[rh71]

Take in a Caps game. They're playing the Sharks. Hockey is always fun... just don't mind the fact that the Caps suck this year.

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: rh71
Take in a Caps game. They're playing the Sharks. Hockey is always fun... just don't mind the fact that the Caps suck this year.

What washington team doesn't suck every year

 

[nitsuj3580]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: Broohaha

Originally posted by: Nitemare
Are the Metro stations safe to leave parked cars at?

yeah they're very safe. i echo tekchik. find a hotel in rockville. get onto 355 and find a red line metro station. take it down to metro center or thereabouts. it's a comfortable 30 minute ride and a 2 dollar fare.

BAM, you're set.

<a href="http://www.wmata.org">www.wmata.org</A> for more information

So is all this stuff pretty much within walking distance (Take the metro in get off and do the tourist thing?

the Smithsonian stop off the Blue or Orange line will plop you right in the middle of all the touristy stuff...monuments, memorials, museums are all easily walkable from there.

 

[Nitemare]

Originally posted by: isekii
Don't forget to sneak away at night to Dupont Circle area,

Lots of hot college chicks running around that area

make sure you leave the wife behind

What if she wants to play with them too? :Q

Thanks for the advice everyone

 

[isekii]

Originally posted by: Nitemare

Originally posted by: isekii
Don't forget to sneak away at night to Dupont Circle area,

Lots of hot college chicks running around that area

make sure you leave the wife behind

What if she wants to play with them too? :Q

Thanks for the advice everyone

The more the merrier

 

[MaxDepth]

so - you are driving into the DC area and not flying, yes?

Try, if you can, to hide the fact that there is an Ikea store close by.