Originally Posted by Mikey
How long will it take to drive from the Sheraton Reston (exit 12 on Dulles access road I think) to Washington DC? I will try to avoid the "rush hour" from 6-9AM and again from 4-7PM.
Heh, that's funny
I don't remember the last time rush hour cleared up at 9am, started at 4pm and ended at 7pm
That said, the other poster is spot on about 25-90mins. If you drive at just above speed limit, you can get to the DC/VA border (Potomac river) in 25mins from the Sheraton Reston; less if you go 75mph on the Toll Road (
). That's in ideal traffic conditions i.e. 10am-3pm, after 7:30pm. Mornings won't be so bad since you probably won't be heading into the city until past 10am anyway but evenings are going to be tricky. Since there are 4 of you, it would be ideal if you hit 66W/Toll Road during HOV i.e. leaving DC between 4:15 and 6:15pm. You would be wise to take the alternate route (GW Parkway to 123-S to Toll Road) at all other times - 66W is nasty during the evening rush.
If you are planning on hitting the sights around the National Mall, parking should be moderately difficult but not overly so. You won't have to pay, I don't think, except for metered parking - some of which are time-limited. There are quite a few lots available around the National Mall (in front of FDR and near the boathouse on the Tidal Basin come to mind) that won't be too crowded during the weekdays. Since there are some seniors in your party with mobility issues, it may make sense to get a handicap tag which will allow you to park close to most of the major monuments and sights. Otherwise, it'll take about 10-15mins to find parking on the Mall depending on luck. If you venture away from the Mall into downtown, NW or other areas, parking will be difficult. And expensive. Especially on weekdays. It can be anywhere from $9-$30/day in a garage depending on location. Again, it's all about luck. Sometimes you can find metered parking in Chinatown/Penn Quarter for $0.75/hr, other times you wish your car could turn into a motorcycle. Take note that there are quite a few parking restrictions (rush-hour, time-limited, street-cleaning, etc.) along downtown streets - though nowhere near as many as NYC or SF. Tickets are $25 and up.
I think it makes sense for you to drive seeing that there would be 5 of you. I would worry about traffic far more than I would about parking.