I am taking my kids 10/10/14 to see the Capitol for spring break.( My wife gets a break) I see no need to get a car (Parking would, I guess be a problem). What is best way to get to the hotel? Taxi? United has put us in E- (SAN-IAD...I guess my new MM status really helps) so I will not be in the best of moods. Any and all recommendations for this trip will be appreciated.

I am taking my kids 10/10/14 to see the Capitol for spring break.( My wife gets a break) I see no need to get a car (Parking would, I guess be a problem). What is best way to get to the hotel? Taxi? United has put us in E- (SAN-IAD...I guess my new MM status really helps) so I will not be in the best of moods. Any and all recommendations for this trip will be appreciated.

Well, given the cost of the Washington Flyer bus ($9 per person one-way/$16 round-trip) + metro costs (per person) + perhaps a cab (with a surchare per person after the first passenger): if not comfortable porting luggage, a cab makes good sense although it will not be cheap either.

http://www.toandfromtheairport.com/virginia.html#IAD

Well, given the cost of the Washington Flyer bus ($9 per person one-way/$16 round-trip) + metro costs (per person) + perhaps a cab (with a surchare per person after the first passenger): if not comfortable porting luggage, a cab makes good sense although it will not be cheap either.

http://www.toandfromtheairport.com/virginia.html#IAD
Thanx I'll consider trying it...

Another option, though not for everyone (especially if you have luggage), is the hourly 5A bus that leaves IAD between :30 and :40 minutes past the hour and takes about an hour to get to L'Enfant Plaza. The fare is only $3.00 one way. If you've flown all the way to IAD from SAN in E-, though, I'd second GUWonder's recommendation that you take a cab. Washington Flyer cab service does have SUVs and station wagons, so your family of 5 should be able to fit in a single vehicle. It is not cheap, though (probably around $50+tip).

I am taking my kids 10/10/14 to see the Capitol for spring break.( My wife gets a break) I see no need to get a car (Parking would, I guess be a problem). What is best way to get to the hotel? Taxi? United has put us in E- (SAN-IAD...I guess my new MM status really helps) so I will not be in the best of moods. Any and all recommendations for this trip will be appreciated.
Edited out my idea of taking the train; I'd goofed and was thinking BWI, not IAD. Thanks to gvdIAD for pointing that out!

But then, what would one expect the quality of advice from a lowly 2P to be? :D

If you're adventurous, you take the Metroliner train from IAD (there's a shuttle to the train station) to DC, and then transfer to the Metro at Union Station.

Um, Mike, I think your mixing IAD up with BWI. No AMTRAK train comes within 30 miles of IAD, and unless something has changed in the past week, there's no shuttle between IAD and the VRE Station in Manassas (and even if there were, no one in their right mind would want to take it). This lack of connectivity of IAD to DC is one reason that the Metropolitan Airports Authority is planning to takeover the Dulles Tollroad and build a MetroRail connection between West Falls Church and IAD.

I am taking my kids 10/10/14 to see the Capitol for spring break.( My wife gets a break) I see no need to get a car (Parking would, I guess be a problem). What is best way to get to the hotel? Taxi? United has put us in E- (SAN-IAD...I guess my new MM status really helps) so I will not be in the best of moods. Any and all recommendations for this trip will be appreciated.

The absolute best way from IAD to downtown is to either take a cab and pay the $50, or so, that it will cost for a family OR to take a Supershuttle bus. You're right, no need to get a car for that hotel. Once you're downtown, plan on taking the Metro everywhere. The Washington Flyer (same folks who run the cab) MAY also run a Greyhound Bus-style service to the Capitol Hilton, but I'm not certain.

Moved to the Washington DC forum

cblaisd
Moderator, United

The Washington Flyer (same folks who run the cab) MAY also run a Greyhound Bus-style service to the Capitol Hilton, but I'm not certain.

Sadly, that's been gone since right around September 2001, due to lack of passengers and the unpredictability of arrival times at IAD due to our screwy traffic.

Um, Mike, I think your mixing IAD up with BWI. No AMTRAK train comes within 30 miles of IAD, and unless something has changed in the past week, there's no shuttle between IAD and the VRE Station in Manassas (and even if there were, no one in their right mind would want to take it). This lack of connectivity of IAD to DC is one reason that the Metropolitan Airports Authority is planning to takeover the Dulles Tollroad and build a MetroRail connection between West Falls Church and IAD.
Thanks, yes, lost track of things for a bit! BWI is what I was thinking of. I'll go back and edit the prior message. My bad! :o

Agree that taking the taxi is the way to go, but just a heads up on cost, probably more like 60-70 bucks.

If you want to treat yourself, you might think about a sedan service. It is actually not that much more expensive. if you google Red Top Sedan Service it will come up. I think it would only cost about $80-$90 and that includes driver meeting you at luggage, etc.

In the spirit of the OP's any tips and recommendations for this trip, definitely check out the Washington, DC Tourism Office's website at www.washington.org.

Here are some links from their site with ideas for things to do with the kids:
http://www.washington.org/index.cfm?ID=4010&Page=0&blnShowBack=False&idContentType=433&IDPG=0
http://www.washington.org/index.cfm?ID=10171&Page=0&blnShowBack=False&idContentType=630&IDPG=0

Rent a car.

drive IAD-Hilton.

dump the family

drop car off at union station.

take the circulator back.

Check to see if there is a rental agency in the neighborhood of 16th & k. I don't know. I think there is one near the 4 points, which is around 13th & k, and is a short walk back.

do a false book on your flight on Orbitz, to see if any E+ seats are there.

Rent a car.

drive IAD-Hilton.

dump the family

drop car off at union station.

take the circulator back.

Check to see if there is a rental agency in the neighborhood of 16th & k. I don't know. I think there is one near the 4 points, which is around 13th & k, and is a short walk back.

do a false book on your flight on Orbitz, to see if any E+ seats are there.
I believe there is an avis or hertz near 17th or 16th and L.
I would either rent a car and park it at the hotel, in a local garage or on the street, or take a cab. Depending upon the number of days you are staying, I think the car would be a little cheaper, but a bit more hassle. The cab would be about $120RT.

I think parking is $28 a day at the hilton, not much street parking,

I think parking is $28 a day at the hilton, not much street parking,
Upon rereading the original post, I think they will be in DC for Spring Break. That would indicate to me that they will be here for a week. I missed that the first time around. Based upon the word capitol used in place of capital, I thought they were only visiting the building where Congress meets. I assumed, incorrectly, that such a tour wouldn't take more than a day or so. As such, a rental car for 2 days with one day of parking would have been less than the cab. Bottomline is that now I would def. recommend taking a cab.