How to visit Washington?

[Highlander]

Looks like we will be taking the family to Washington DC.  The primary purpose is to visit several universities in the area that my son will be applying for admissions.   We are probably going to fly.  Can you stay in the city and get to those universities (e.g., Georgetown, American, U of Maryland) via public transportation?  After an intense week of touring schools, we will probably venture out into the environs (civil war battlefields, Williamsburg, etc....).   How walkable is the city outside the Mall?  Can you stay in a suburban location which I suspect would be cheaper and take the metro into the city every day?  We'd like to limit renting a car to only a few days so we can see Penn State and UVA and the sites around Washington.  I know a couple of you guys live there so I'd appreciate your advice.  

[grovester]

We usually stay in Alexandria and metro into DC, nice place in its own right, but gotta think there's cheaper options, think I'll defer to Grid or the preservation kid.

[dangerboy]

I usually do a vacation rental. It's cheaper than a DC hotel, and with a kitchen you can save a lot of eating costs.  www.vrbo.com is a reputable source of vacation rentals.

Beyond the Mall, DC is a city of neighborhoods that are very walkable and accessible.  I'd recommend staying *in* the city so your kid can get a good experience of the city he might be living in.

All universities are accessible by public transit.  Georgetown is the only one that isn't on the subway system, but it is on the bus and Circulator.

[Boognish]

If your son has an appointment with the admissions office at Georgetown, call them and ask for a recommendation for a hotel. Several years ago they would connect you with a cheap room on Dupont Circle, particularly if your trip is on a weekday. I'm not sure if this is still in practice, or if they can accommodate you for more than two nights, but it's worth checking out. I'm not certain about American or at College Park, but I wouldn't be surprised if they had something similar.

On the rest of your questions, those three universities can easily be reached by a combination of transit services, including most of the suburbs. It wouldn't be difficult to compare a potential hotel's location with the Metro map online once you have a better idea of your plans. It's definitely one of the more transit friendly cities in the country.

Good luck to your son!

[KCMax]

Georgetown is a really neat area - I'd stay there if you can afford it. There is no metro stop there, but you can metro to Rosslyn and there is a shuttle (or a bus) that can take you to Georgetown.

My sisters went to American and to be honest, I think its in a weird location. Doesn't have an urban vibe at all, you almost feel like you're out in the woods. But she liked the school a lot and you can definitely make a lot of connections there. The closest Metro stop is Tenleytown, from there you'll have to take a bus to campus - I think they have a shuttle as well though.

College Park is on the green line, although again, you'll have to take a bus to campus. Never been out there so I can't comment on it really.

The city is very walkable outside the mall. Hang out in neat neighborhoods like Dupont Circle or Adams Morgan. Head down to Old Town Alexandria and go to the waterfront. DC has IMO the best subway system in the country. It is clean, efficient, on-time and very easy to navigate. It connects to most of the major suburbs. Most hotels in the burbs will have a shuttle to the metro line, if they're not already within walking distance (ah, the results of transit-oriented development!)

If you have time, I'd recommend the Spy Museum (located in Chinatown, an up and coming area). The Smithsonian is also a must - I like the American History Museum. Best of luck and I hope you enjoy DC!

[LenexatoKCMO]

We are probably going to fly.  

Pay a little more to go into Reagan.  You will see cheaper fares going into Dulles or BWI but they can both be a tremendous pain in the ass if you are going to the district proper and aren't getting a car.  Its well worth the premium fare.  There is a Marriott one stop up from the airport that has relatively reasonable rates since it isn't DT, yet sits right on the metro stop and is only a couple stops from the thick of things.  The neighborhood itself sucks but the price is good and it is ultra convenient to everything that doesn't suck. 

[KCMax]

I'll echo that. Dulles is a big pain in the ass to get to and from, and there is no rail access. For BWI, you can take rail I think to Greenbelt, then you have to take a train from there to the airport. It will take you well over an hour from DC.

Reagan is ridiculously convenient.

[GRID]

It's much cheaper to fly into BWI out of KC due to Southwest being so big at KCI.

All you have to do it catch the Metro Bus from BWI (frequent service) to the Greenbelt station of the Metro's Green line.  Not bad really.  But Reagan would be ideal if you can get a cheap flight there.

Hotels are definitely expensive in the district, but I would just stay there for the days you plan tour the city and find a suburban hotel(s) for the other stuff.  Even Arlington hotels can be crazy expensive.  DC is VERY walkable, plus there are all the transit options, including some tourist type buses to move you around.

Too many attractions to list, just find some that might interest your family.  The Air and Space museum at Dulles is worth the drive or you can just stay there for part of your trip if you fly into Dulles.

[LenexatoKCMO]

Yeah the BWI train schedule can be really inconvenient and if you should happen to come or go on a Sunday there is no service so you will be stuck with an $80-90 cab fare - likely negating much of the savings that might have looked good when booking that flight online.

[grovester]

midwest flies to national (never Reagan  ) for 99 bucks each way usually.

[GRID]

Yeah the BWI train schedule can be really inconvenient and if you should happen to come or go on a Sunday there is no service so you will be stuck with an $80-90 cab fare - likely negating much of the savings that might have looked good when booking that flight online.

?

What train service?  Amtrak or MARC?  Wouldn't do that anyway because of that (lack of service or just potential timing issues like late trains, plus that would be expensive).  

Just bus to DC's subway.  There is a bus, much like a rental car bus, that is constantly going from BWI to Greenbelt.  It's used all the time by air travelers.

[kcjak]

Hotels in all parts of the metro have deals (sometimes REALLY good deals) but it all depends on what is going on during the time you're there.  Hotels just outside of the district are usually just one or two metro stops away from the action, and at cheaper rates.  I'd recommend Rosslyn (across the bridge from Georgetown), the arean near Reagan airport or Alexandria.

The DC metro is one of the nicest I've been to, but it can get overly crowded during rush hour so plan accordingly.  The Holocaust museum is fantastic, but certainly not a feel-good experience.  Nat Gallery of Art is amazing if you're into that.  Just get online and see what interests you - there's something for everyone.

Last time I went we flew into BWI - don't take Amtrak as it's expensive.  There is a shuttle from BWI to a DC metro stop that will take you right into the city - very reasonable.  And an airport shuttle takes you back.  But I also agree that flying into Reagan is worth a few extra dollars.

[LenexatoKCMO]

midwest flies to national (never Reagan  ) for 99 bucks each way usually.

Highlander probably won't be coming out of KC. 

[dangerboy]

I've done Amtrk from BWI to Union Station.  It's not too bad, is pretty reliable, and is much more comfortable than the crowded.  At some times of day it runs more frequently than the bus to Greenbelt Metro station.

[AJoD]

Georgetown is a really neat area - I'd stay there if you can afford it. There is no metro stop there, but you can metro to Rosslyn and there is a shuttle (or a bus) that can take you to Georgetown.

I've always walked to the Foggy Bottom station (about 15 minutes), though I guess it depends where you are in Georgetown and where you're going.

[mlind]

Sometimes universities that are running summer sessions will rent dorm rooms to visitors.  You can eat in the cafeteria for a cheap breakfast.  We did that once. 

The school my daughter went to had converted an old infirmary to guest rooms for visitors. 

You might check on craigslist to see what you can find. 

Tourist attractions?  So much to do and never enough time.  I think you have to contact your member of congress to get tickets to tour the White House. 

The weather will make KC look balmy.  Congress used to recess for the whole summer because the heat/humidity was so bad.

[dangerboy]

I think you have to contact your member of congress to get tickets to tour the White House. 

And you have to book at least six months in advance in order to allow time for a background check.

[Highlander]

Thanks for the great advice everyone.  We went ahead and booked into Reagan for the convenience.  Cost isn't an issue because I've accumulated literally a few hundred thousand frequent flier miles so we are cashing a few in.  Because the tickets were so cheap (airport tax) we can splurge a bit on the hotel so we are staying near Dupont Circle which seems kind of central to a lot of things.

Reagan is not as convenient for leaving as we are hiring a car and heading up to Gettysburg for a weekend before leaving the area.  It's getting back to Reagan the morning we are leaving in heavy traffic that makes it a little inconvenient for the return trip.  

Hope to spend a mixture of time visiting the schools and sightseeing.  Smithsonian Air & Space is a must and we want to get to the Museum of American Art as well.   Museum of American History is high on the priority list.  

Bit of a bummer that U of Maryland is not on the line.  We will be pressed for time due to transportation issues. 

What's the best way from Reagan to one's hotel near Dupont circle late at night?  I realize I can get from Reagan to Dupont Circle on the metro but do we want to pushing luggage around for another 15-20 minutes  that late at night (circa 11 PM)?

Highlander probably won't be coming out of KC.  

Actually, in my effort to make things as complicated as possible, we will be flying out of KC.  Drive into town next week to see parents and then get on a plane that, of course, flies back to a Texas hub before heading to Washington.  

[dangerboy]

U of M *is* on the Metro.  College Park - U of M station on the Green Line, as well as on the Maryland commuter rail line.

A taxi from National to Dupont wouldn't be unreasonable at that hour and considering the luggage.

[mean]

Actually, in my effort to make things as complicated as possible, we will be flying out of KC.  Drive into town next week to see parents and then get on a plane that, of course, flies back to a Texas hub before heading to Washington.  

That's pretty classic.

In other news, since Highlander's issue seems to be resolved, if I may slightly hijack this thread, I also have a question for you guys more familiar with the Baltimore/DC area. I'll be flying into BWI on Tuesday, arriving around 4pm. I have to be on an Amtrak train at BWI at 7:45 (I think I can switch this to Penn, though, if that would be better for doing a quick run-through of the city). So, I have almost 4 hours to kill in Baltimore, and I'm going to want to eat, see a few sights, maybe have a beer. Any suggestions?