Getting Around Washington DC
Sep 14, 2002 | 10:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
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Getting Around Washington DC
I finally booked my trip for Washington DC. I am going to be there from the October 24-28, and I am going to be staying at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.
My question is, if I am going to do the tourist role, do I need to rent a car?
I am planning on hitting all the usual tourist places, and going to see the Redskins vs. Colts.
Can I get around by walking/metro? Or should I rent a car?
Thanks
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Another evil plot for world domination through the use of points and miles.
My question is, if I am going to do the tourist role, do I need to rent a car?
I am planning on hitting all the usual tourist places, and going to see the Redskins vs. Colts.
Can I get around by walking/metro? Or should I rent a car?
Thanks
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Another evil plot for world domination through the use of points and miles.
Sep 15, 2002 | 9:54 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
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Posts: 1,866
DC drivers aren't nuts, but don't rent a car anyway. The hotel is well within walking distance of the mall, etc.
Your best choice for the game is metro. They have shuttle busses from the metro station. Plan B would be a cab, but the traffic around the stadium can be pretty bad. Don't drive. Parking is pretty outrageous, both in price and distance from the stadium.
Metro info is at www.wmata.com
Your best choice for the game is metro. They have shuttle busses from the metro station. Plan B would be a cab, but the traffic around the stadium can be pretty bad. Don't drive. Parking is pretty outrageous, both in price and distance from the stadium.
Metro info is at www.wmata.com
Sep 15, 2002 | 10:25 am
#5
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There is a TourMobile that runs through many of the main tourist sites. It will drop you off, and pick you back up in front of each museum, etc.
http://www.tourmobile.com/
http://www.tourmobile.com/
Sep 15, 2002 | 11:55 am
#6
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Thanks for the information, I was not sure that I wanted to rent the car, and to top it off they charge $20/day for parking 
What is the best way of getting from BWI to the hotel, are there any good shuttles?
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Another evil plot for world domination through the use of points and miles.
What is the best way of getting from BWI to the hotel, are there any good shuttles?
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Another evil plot for world domination through the use of points and miles.
Sep 15, 2002 | 12:55 pm
#8
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I would do the math out and see which work better for you. The hotel we usually use in DC doesn't charge for valet parking other then the tip, so for us it makes a ton of sense to get a car through priceline for $18 or so a day and drive from the airport to the hotel and back to the airport (we normally fly into Dulles) then it does to mess around and figure a way to get into the city for the two of us. Even if we don't touch the car again, it's easier then any other way to get into the city, once we are in DC it's metro all the way.
I wouldnt' discount the car right away, for us it's by far easier then any other way from airport to city and back.
I wouldnt' discount the car right away, for us it's by far easier then any other way from airport to city and back.
Sep 15, 2002 | 12:58 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Washington, DC, USA
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From BWI to downtown, once again it's Metro! They recently started up a bus service from BWI to the Greenbelt station (I think, check this out at the Metro site). If they used the same logic they used when they priced the bus from IAD to downtown, it might be $1.10. Be like a native and never pass up a subsidy.
Sep 15, 2002 | 3:17 pm
#10
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 1,655
You can get a free airport shuttle to the Amtrak station, where for $5 you can a ride a MARC train (Maryland commuter rail) into Union Station. You could also take Amtrak, but I believe it's more expensive. From Union Station, either take the Metro or catch a cab to your hotel.
Edited because METRA is in Chicago, not Maryland (thanks to dhacker for catching my slip)
[This message has been edited by warmsnickers (edited 09-15-2002).]
Edited because METRA is in Chicago, not Maryland (thanks to dhacker for catching my slip)
[This message has been edited by warmsnickers (edited 09-15-2002).]
Sep 15, 2002 | 8:42 pm
#12
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 4,330
It has been a while since I have been to DC, but when I rode the MARC into downtown it was cheap and easy. The only problem I ran into is at the time was the MARC doesn't run on Sunday. Apparently it is a commuter train and it only runs during the week. I ended up having to take Amtrak back to the airport which was around $16, still a good investment.