I will be driving from Richmond VA to IAD with my 9 year old daughter in a few weeks and we will have about 6 hours to spare before we check-in. So I want to take her to downtown DC and walk round the Mall area etc.

So is there a good / safe / easy-to-find subway station close to the I495 beltway, on the 10-12 mile section between the I95 South and the IAD Expressway exits?

With a 9 year old daughter my main priority is the ease of parking and safety.

They're all safe. Every DC Metro station is safe in my book. Excellent idea!

I'd park at Dunn Loring/Merrifield and take the Orange Line downtown. Here's the map:

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

Have fun. :)

They're all safe. Every DC Metro station is safe in my book. Excellent idea!

I'd park at Dunn Loring/Merrifield and take the Orange Line downtown. Here's the map:

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

Have fun. :)

Thanks - I checked out the link and it gives details of parking ^ . However, does anyone any thoughts on whether any spaces are likely to be available about 10:00AM on an August weekday?

If DC is anything London subway stations with a parking lot, they tend to get full from about 07:30AM

The office building across from the Dunn Loring Metro always has room in their parking lot. Otherwise go up to the Vienna Metro which has two large garages. Both are on the Orange line 25 minutes from downtown DC.

They're all safe. Every DC Metro station is safe in my book. Excellent idea!

I'd park at Dunn Loring/Merrifield and take the Orange Line downtown. Here's the map:

http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm

Have fun. :) While I agree that all the stations in this area are safe, I would not stop at Dunn Loring. First, the parking lot generally fills up early, second, it's about 20 stops to the Mall. Try Springfield, they have overflow parking at the Springfield Mall and if you switch to the Yellow line anywhere before the Pentagon it's a straight shot to the mall (get off at L'Enfant and walk a couple of blocks north). Even easier would be to park at Huntington or Eisenhower and catch the Yellow line directly. I suspect that this time of year there might be parking at Huntington.

While I agree that all the stations in this area are safe, I would not stop at Dunn Loring. First, the parking lot generally fills up early, second, it's about 20 stops to the Mall. Try Springfield, they have overflow parking at the Springfield Mall and if you switch to the Yellow line anywhere before the Pentagon it's a straight shot to the mall (get off at L'Enfant and walk a couple of blocks north). Even easier would be to park at Huntington or Eisenhower and catch the Yellow line directly. I suspect that this time of year there might be parking at Huntington.

Thanks, is it generally safe walking in the area surrounding the mall - ie up to 5 blocks in any direction?

Thanks, is it generally safe walking in the area surrounding the mall - ie up to 5 blocks in any direction?

No problem at all. But you'd have trouble parking there! (So Metro is a much better idea.)

While I agree that all the stations in this area are safe, I would not stop at Dunn Loring. First, the parking lot generally fills up early, second, it's about 20 stops to the Mall. Try Springfield, they have overflow parking at the Springfield Mall and if you switch to the Yellow line anywhere before the Pentagon it's a straight shot to the mall (get off at L'Enfant and walk a couple of blocks north). Even easier would be to park at Huntington or Eisenhower and catch the Yellow line directly. I suspect that this time of year there might be parking at Huntington.

Gre is absolutely correct. Skip Dunn Loring because it's difficult to access from 495.

I am all for public transportation and driving downtown can be a hassle at times, but you might think about just driving in depending on what time you are going to hit DC.

If you are going to hit DC at 10 or 11am and want to stay for 2 or 3 hours and leave by 3pm or 4pm it might actually work ok if you just drive straight up 95/395 into the District. You could park along Constitution (no parking on Constitution during rush hour ~ 6-9am and ~4-6:30pm) and then when you leave leave via Rt 66 to Dulles Toll Road / Airport.

66 has a well deserved reputation for terrible traffic, but in August you might be ok depending on when you leave the city.

You might consider driving as far as Fredericksburg and taking the VRE train. It stops at L'Enfant Plaza and at Union Station. With just the two of you, you can't use the morning northbound HOV lanes, because they require 3 people on 95. It's a bit crowded during rush hours, but, IMO, it's still a lot better than driving.

Also, I believe AMTRAK runs between Richmond and Union Station, but I don't know how frequently.

Here's the VRE web site: Virginia Railway Express (http://www.vre.org/)