4 days in DC (first time) (Greenbelt: hotels, limo, transfer)

[king of mirage]

Hi,

I will be in DC for 3 nights, we are 5 ( 2 adults 3 kids ) no car. arriving from IAD from overseas trip and the Dep from BWI to detroit.

My question is:

we wanna stay near where DownTown, found hotels @Key Bridge. When we arrive on IAD found that if we wanna use the public trans. it will take us time and in out, we will have 1 bag but with the kids I believe it will be hard to handle it.

also, I found Limo or shuttle would be fastest option. (DO I HAVE TO BRING CAR SEATS ??? )


any advices ?

[ersatz]

Child Safety Seats are not required for public transportation (which includes taxis and limos) in Virginia
Virginia Safety Seat Laws

There is a shuttle bus at IAD that will take you to the Silver Line Wiehle-Reston Metro. It goes straight to Rosslyn Virginia where the Key Bridge Marriot and Holiday Inn are located. Those are several blocks away from the Rosslyn Metro stop. You may not want to walk that distance with young children who are tired from an international flight. The Rosslyn Hyatt Hotel is located directly across the street from the Metro station, your family can walk to that in three or four minutes.

To go to BWI, take the Metro to Union Station Metro Station (subway transfer from Silver/Blue lines to Red Line is required at Metro Center Station) or take a taxi. At Union Station, get a MARC train (not Amtrak) directly to BWI. Free shuttle buses will take you from the BWI train stop to the airport terminal. Children love the train ride. If you wish, it will be easier though more expensive to arrange SuperShuttle to take your family directly to BWI from your hotel.

[king of mirage]

Originally Posted by ersatz

Child Safety Seats are not required for public transportation (which includes taxis and limos) in Virginia
Virginia Safety Seat Laws

There is a shuttle bus at IAD that will take you to the Silver Line Wiehle-Reston Metro. It goes straight to Rosslyn Virginia where the Key Bridge Marriot and Holiday Inn are located. Those are several blocks away from the Rosslyn Metro stop. You may not want to walk that distance with young children who are tired from an international flight. The Rosslyn Hyatt Hotel is located directly across the street from the Metro station, your family can walk to that in three or four minutes.

To go to BWI, take the Metro to Union Station Metro Station (subway transfer from Silver/Blue lines to Red Line is required at Metro Center Station) or take a taxi. At Union Station, get a MARC train (not Amtrak) directly to BWI. Free shuttle buses will take you from the BWI train stop to the airport terminal. Children love the train ride. If you wish, it will be easier though more expensive to arrange SuperShuttle to take your family directly to BWI from your hotel.

Thanks a lot. I will take your suggestions.

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by king of mirage

Hi,

I will be in DC for 3 nights, we are 5 ( 2 adults 3 kids ) no car. arriving from IAD from overseas trip and the Dep from BWI to detroit.

My question is:

we wanna stay near where DownTown, found hotels @Key Bridge. When we arrive on IAD found that if we wanna use the public trans. it will take us time and in out, we will have 1 bag but with the kids I believe it will be hard to handle it.

also, I found Limo or shuttle would be fastest option. (DO I HAVE TO BRING CAR SEATS ??? )


any advices ?

If you are only staying for 3 nights, I would take the fastest mode of transportation possible if you can afford it so you are not wasting your entire trip messing around with transit and IAD is far out from the city. Once you are in the city, you can use metro and buses to get around just fine.

So you might consider taking a shuttle/taxi to the hotel. Once at hotel, you can then walk over the key bridge (not a bad walk at all) to metro and use that to get around DC. Buy day passes for metro. Also learn the DC circulator bus routes. Those will be best buses to explore the attractions in DC. You won't have time to do much in three days, but you should try to at least see everything even if you don't have time to go into every museum. DC has a very large bike share system as well if that interests you.

To get to BWI, you can take metro to Greenbelt and connect via bus or you can take MARC from union station, but again, you would probably be better off using your time to see the city rather than become an expert on the area transit system. BWI is easy to get to from Georgetown via taxi, but you would a lot more time if you take transit.

Have fun.

Washington D.C. Circulator

[selhars]

Once at hotel, you can then walk over the key bridge (not a bad walk at all) to metro and use that to get around DC.

kcmo quick question….. what metro subway stop is on the DC side of the key bridge? If they stay at the hotel on the VA side, and walk across the bridge into DC, what Metro stop is on that DC side. (unless you're talking about getting a Metro bus.) The closest Metro stop is already on the VA side they're on, no?

[kcmo]

Originally Posted by selhars

kcmo quick question….. what metro subway stop is on the DC side of the key bridge? If they stay at the hotel on the VA side, and walk across the bridge into DC, what Metro stop is on that DC side. (unless you're talking about getting a Metro bus.) The closest Metro stop is already on the VA side they're on, no?

Yea, sorry, was late when I posted that. For some reason I was thinking the hotel was on the DC side. But if they want to check out georgetown, it's a pretty easy and pleasant walk.