Washington, DC

[Horn87]

will be there in mid-July and actually flying in to Baltimore--any advice on where to stay (DC, Baltimore, or even Alexandria, VA) is much appreciated

 

[l00p]

how long are you staying and are you there for business or vacation? If you have a meeting in Baltimore you don't have to stay there if it is located well. You could easily take a train up from D.C. and grab a cab without having to deal with Baltimore.

B'more has a really nice aquarium and the Inner Harbor and Fell's Point can be fun but not D.C. fun. D.C. is chock full of great restaurants and bars as well as museums, galleries and things like that.

I lived up there for a decade and still feel I did not see or do enough yet I made an effort to do so. I suggest staying in D.C. on one of the Metro Subway lines, pref. the Red line so you can get to Union for a train to B'more quickly.

As to specific names of places, I dunno, never needed a hotel there.

 

[MarylandHorn]

If you are in town for a weekend, check the metro track work schedule before you get on a train. They do all of their maintenance on weekends (to avoid slowing commuters) and often have long delays if you run into one.

That said, the metro is the best way to get in and out of the city if you get a hotel within walking distance of the metro. I've rarely needed a hotel here, so can't be of much help in suggestions except that you don't need to get an expensive one in the center of the city to see the sites as long as you are on one of the metro lines. In general, I think there are better hotel options on the Virginia side along the Blue and Orange lines in Arlington and Alexandria. Crystal City (Blue/Yellow) and Ballston (Orange) both have lots of hotels. I stayed in a hotel at King St-Old Town (Yellow) once for a meeting and it was convenient. Bethesda (Red) also has hotels within walking distance, but might be on the expensive side. Silver Spring (Red) also has some hotels within walking distance.

BWI is the easiest to get in and out of by car, but if you are relying on public transportation is is not nearly as convenient as National (DCA). Cabs from there are expensive but convenient. You'll pay about $60 one way to get to a metro line on the outskirts of the city and more to get to a hotel in DC.

There is convenient light rail from BWI to Baltimore, but if your goal is to see DC, don't go up there.

The MARC trains are accessible on weekdays only from BWI to DC via a short shuttle bus. Check their schedule MARC Link

The last option is Amtrack, again by a short shuttle bus. Check their schedule Amtrack Link

 

[Horn87]

will be there in July on a Wed-Monday, so long weekend--definitely not work-related--flying to Baltimore for convenience, but open to staying anywhere in DC area--thanks

 

[SabreHorn]

87,

Like a lot of large cities, DC hotels have an occupancy "problem" on weekends and frequently offer deals. In a similar situation, I took my two kids to visit DC. I called five or six Marriotts and told the managers that I would be there over the weekend and a couple of days more. I told them that I was opening bidding - best price gets the business. I wound up with almost 60% off rate. Then they made a mistake on my room and wound up giving me two connecting rooms for the price of one.

May or may not work for you, but I had probably the lowest rate in DC in the last 30 years.

 

[Horn87]

thanks for advice, Sabre--may try that!!

 

[Horn87]

ok, looking in Bethesda--any advice?? will have a rental car, and hotel we are staying does not charge for parking--right off the metro--good deal, right?