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Author Topic: Washington DC  (Read 488 times)

Offline hblair

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« on: June 03, 2002, 03:57:28 PM »
Taking the family there this weekend. Daughters girl scout troop is supposed to go in the white house, maybe see GW. Problem is they want us all to ride a bus up there:eek:. The reasoning is there is nowhere to park in DC. I haven't been there since I was a kid. Surely I could park somewhere in the van and we could walk around the mall/memorials, etc. Any of you live there? Gimme some feedback. Gimme a reason to drive.
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Offline midnight Target

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« Reply #1 on: June 03, 2002, 04:02:23 PM »
Well I'll be....

I'm making my maiden voyage to DC this weekend also, for business.
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Offline Sikboy

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« Reply #2 on: June 03, 2002, 04:03:54 PM »
Will you be coming from Alabama, or flying up and renting something? Eh, doesn't matter... The best way to do it if you ask me is to park at one of the outlying Metro stops, then take the Metro to downtown. I hate trying to park downtown, so I just don't do it. check out http://www.wmata.com/ for more info on Metrorail.

[edit] I know the Dunn-Lorning Metro-station has pleanty of parking, and as long as there isn't some huge event downtown it shouldn't be crowded on a weekend. Franconia Springfield might also work for you.  Where will you be staying while you are down here?


-Sikboy
« Last Edit: June 03, 2002, 04:07:42 PM by Sikboy »
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Offline Dead Man Flying

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« Reply #3 on: June 03, 2002, 04:06:32 PM »
I'm gonna be up in the DC area this weekend too.

Speak o' the devil!

-- Todd/Leviathn
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Offline Toad

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« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2002, 04:29:22 PM »
Two ways, hb.

Metro works great and is cheap.

If you have a crowd, rent a limo for the day. Yes, it'll cost you some but it does two things.

You have a driver that knows the area and the sights at your beck and call. He's a great resource in planning your day and seeing that you get right to where you want to be with a minimum of fuss.

Also, the act of getting chaffeured around DC in a fancy car with a TV inside will make it a memorable thing for the kids all by itself.

My family has done this in NYC and it added to the experience as well as making things much simpler. It wasn't as expensive as I thought it would be but I don't know the DC rates.

YMMV.
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Offline AKDejaVu

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« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2002, 05:05:47 PM »
Quote
Gimme a reason to drive.
So you'll have a back seat for AKSwulfe and your intimate first date?

Girl Scouts:rolleyes: You're going to DC to meat wulfie.

... thought about changing "meet" to its correct spelling but thought better of it;)
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Offline Spitboy

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« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2002, 06:47:42 PM »
There's parking ... it's just not cheap :) Expect to pay $10-$14 for the day in a garage, and there's plenty of them within a few blocks of the mall.

The weather is nice in DC right now, so street parking will be REALLY tough unless you get into town right around the time the street parking restrictions lift (usually 9:30 AM). If you scope out a good street and time it right around 9:30, you can get those free spots.

Or, just keep driving around until you get lucky, which you eventually will. Might take 10 or 20 minutes is all.
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Offline Nath[BDP]

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« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2002, 12:07:41 AM »
Take the train--support the transportation institution that was vital to the United States' economical maturation.
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Offline funkedup

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« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2002, 10:17:33 AM »
Dude, who kidnapped Nath and replaced him with Jesse Jackson???
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Offline DFATITAN

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« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2002, 11:05:23 AM »
I would say use the Metro as well if you don't want to take the bus.  It at least gives you a little freedom to do what you want and not be subject the bus schedule.

I'm not sure if they have restricted parking in the park in front of the White House (off of Constitution, in the park).  You used to be able to park there no problem (as long as there wasn't an event taking place) but it required you getting there before 9:00 AM.  I play grass volleyball tournaments on the Mall every once in a while and it isn't too bad getting a spot.  I'm there early though so that does make a difference.

Hope you enjoy!

>S<

TITAN
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Offline Zippatuh

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« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2002, 01:20:45 PM »
I haven’t been there in several years but I doubt things have changed much.

Yes, parking sucks.  As already mentioned I would still drive the van but stage it at a metro station.  Anywhere you want to go you can get there via the subway or pretty close to it.  It’s very clean and well kept.  Just keep in mind rush hour times as the system gets very busy.
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Offline midnight Target

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« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2002, 01:44:02 PM »
I attribute my complete lack of knowledge about mass transit to growing up in Southern California.

I have looked at the Metro website, but it looks like you need to purchase passes before you go to the station. I am a complete dweeb about these things, help please! How exactly does this work?
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Offline AKSWulfe

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« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2002, 02:06:29 PM »
Metro stations have fare card machines just inside the gates but outside of the... well whatever the hell those things are that have a 50/50 chance of closing up on your nutz.

There's two prices- one for non-rush and one for rush hour. All prices are from that station to the one you are heading to.

As far as parking- well it's all over the city. Lots of it too, but if you want to come back to a vehicle that isn't stripped and/or in flames.. then you are pretty limited.

The areas around the mall (a huge grass area that has trees on either side and is located between the white house and the wash monument) has free "3 hour parking" during the weekdays. I call it "free all day parking if you get there at 9:30AM". They never ticket for not moving, but they will ticket if you leave your car too early. Only happened to me once and I leave it there too early all of the time.

But in terms of accessibility, metro transit is the best. They have stops all over that get you to a lot of places- especially on the mall. Navy/Archives will put you out at 7th and Penn in front of the National Archives. Smithsonian exit will put you on the mall (if you go out the right exit)... which is also where the Smithsonian Air&Space is located.

Basically all the worthwhile stuff (aside from Washington's home.. whatever it's called) is easily accessible by metro. I'm not actually sure if Washington's house (or whatever you want to call it) is accessible by the metro train, maybe by metro bus.

So if you take a bus up here, get a place in Arlington VA, Roslyn VA, or Crystal City VA (near the Pentagon) and use the metro to get into and around DC.

If you drive up, do the same thing unless you don't mind driving around looking for parking.

You're coming on the weekend, though, I suppose... so your best bet is to use the metro.. and if you bring your own vehicle.. use that for getting to places outside of/around DC.
-SW
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Offline midnight Target

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« Reply #13 on: June 04, 2002, 03:06:43 PM »
Thanks SW.

I'll be on a working visit, but I have some free time. Staying at a hotel near Georgetown on 22nd St.

I heard this is only about 3 miles from the Mall. Is it walkable? Doesn't seem far to me. I walked all over Manhattan last time I went there, with no troubles at all.
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Offline AKSWulfe

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« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2002, 03:14:56 PM »
Is it walkable? Yes, but for a dollar (or maybe 50cents more, I haven't ridden the bus in a long while) you can hop on a metro bus that'll take you down to the mall.

The mall extends from about 6th (maybe even 5th) & Penn N.W. and goes all the way down to the Wash, monument.. which I think is like 14th, maybe 18th street. But, that's still Penn Ave.. and it goes up on either side of Penn Ave (all letter/name streets go parallel to Penn) So if you are on, say, K street.. you are basically about 10 blocks away from Penn Ave. ( well Penn is 2 blocks over from the mall and Constitution is one block over)

Check out the bus routes from where you're staying at, I'm sure there's a bus that has a stop by you and can go down to near the mall.
-SW
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