Need Advice - Timing, transportation, etc (Washington: fit in, how much, hotel)
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How long would it take to see a good portion of the typical tourist stuff?
I am trying to get a time line set for our upcoming visit, but its been hard figuring out how much time to slot for things.
We basically have 2 full days and about 6 hours on the 3rd day, to see things & this is what we want to see.. What would be the most time-efficient way to do it? Do you think we can fit in a quick tour of each of the following?
1. Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
2. Museum of National History
3. Memorial Statues: Lincoln, Iwo Jima, Washington, Jefferson, Korean War
4. National Aquarium
5. Fords Theater
6. Capitol Hill
7. White House
Which things would be easier seen grouped together in a day? Do you recommend doing them in a certain order? Should we do the trolley tour? What about the night time trolley tour? Duck tour? Are they worthwhile?
We are staying at the Embassy Suites on 22nd street not far from the Golden Triangle area. Which things should we walk to? What are our choice for transportation?
Do the White House and Capitol Hill on the same day. Not too far from each other. Plus you have to get up early for the White House I believe....After that I would go check out the Museums Starting with the Smithsonian and all along the Mall. You won't have problems unless its on the weekend when its packed.
The national aquarium is a shame. I would not waste my time. You need to see Baltimore's Aquarium which is probably one of the best attractions on entire East Coast. Blows DC away....I would definitely do the Trolley tours if your from out a town. You'll see some great sights, especially at dark. Just make sure to bring a camera. You can also go check out the National Zoo which is pretty good. Theres a metro stop not too far from it and its easy and safe to walk.
You should walk to everything or take Metro. Just depends on your preference...
Basically, figure half a day for each museum thing you want to see. Then see if you have enough energy left to fit in anything else in the evening. Air & Space and Nat Hist are sort of across the Mall from each other...might be worth doing them together. The trolley tours are well worth it, particularly re the monuments. If the weather is good, the night-time tours are quite impressive. If you've never done the Duck Tour, it's worth it too. If you've done one somewhere else, well, the novelty may have worn off (unless you like being really close to really big airplanes as they land or take off). For Capitol tours, you will need to get same-day tickets in advance from the kiosk at 1st Street & Independence Avenue, SW, which is at the SW corner of the Capitol gounds, tucked in behind the Botanical Gardens Conservatory (which is the giant greenhouse -- worth seeing as well, btw.). The kiosk opens at 9:00 am Mon-Sat. White House tours are Tue-Sat, and you will also need same day tickets obtainable at the WH Visitors Center at 15th and E Streets, NW, under the dark blue awnings. They open at 7:30, but it's best to be in line somewhat before that. There are not many tickets each day, and it's a very popular tour. Many people fail to acquire tickets. If you do get tickets, the list of things you cannot take with you on the tour is very long. Basically, you can have clothes on, but not much else. Plan accordingly. The National Aquarium that you actually want to see is the one in Baltimore. It's a little over an hour's drive from your hotel. There is a facility of the same name in DC (same building as the WH Visitors Center), but it ain't so much. The one in Baltimore is fantastic.
The Embassy Suites is a fine hotel. It's actually in West End, 'Golden Triangle' being a name that was simply made up by the local business council. For transportation, you can walk to the Metro Red Line at 19th Street & Dupont Circle (roughly P Street). Walk east on N Street, then north on 19th. Tons of shopping and dining there also along Connecticut Avenue, which is the street next beyond 19th. You can also walk to the Metro Orange and Blue Lines at 23rd & I (Eye) Streets. Each walk would be about ten minutes. The Orange & Blue Lines will be more convenient to the White House, The Mall, and The Capitol. Otherwise, nothing much is within walking distance. You could theoretically walk into Georgetown. The main intersection there is at roughly 32nd & M Streets though, so it's more than just a stroll. Go south from the hotel to M Street, then west if you want to do that. Do not under any circumstances be tempted to drive anywhere in downtown DC. Parking will kill you. Walk, Metro (consider a day-pass), or grab a cab. Cabs are on a zone fare system in DC. All of the places you named are in Zone-1. Fare within a single zone is $6.50 plus $1.50 per extra person. But 22nd Street (the one your hotel is on) is the boundary between Zone-1 and Zone-2a. If you start or end a cab ride there, you may have to pay the two-zone fare of $8.80 plus $1.50. Your call on that one.
Cab zone areas - is there a list somewhere? Are the cabs easy to get? I think its going to be pretty warm, so I dont know how much walking we'll be up to.
We are not planning on driving much during our stay, maybe just over to Georgetown area. It doesnt look like a short walk. Is there a trick to parking in that area? Are there public lots, or how does it work?
Do they have metro passes for multiple days, or do you just do them one day at a time. We'll be there about 3 days.
Do you think we'll have enough time to do the things we listed (axe the aquarium)? Is there anything else I didnt mention that you'd suggest?
Cab service is best in midtown, downtown, and Capitol Hill, but should be decent along Connecticut Avenue, M Street, and Pennsylvania Avenue as well. The hotel can always help you out there also.
Driving into Georgetown, I'd recommend going north up 22nd from the hotel (it's one-way, so you won't have much choice), then left on P Street. That will take you across Rock Creek, then past some of the nicer townhouses that Georgetown is known for. If you're into that, take a turn or two and cruise along Q and R Streets as well, but keep in mind that you might have to win Lotto twice to afford some of those. Still pretty, though. Anyway, keep heading west on P (or whichever) until you reach Wisconsin Avenue, which is next after 32nd Street. If you see on-street parking in that area, grab it. Otherwise, you'll just have to cruise to find a spot or a lot. It's not easy sometimes. From that area, you'd want to walk along Wisconsin down the hill to M Street. That's the heart of town. On the return, you can get back over Rock Creek into West End only via K, M, P, and Q Streets. M Street will force you onto Pennsylvania Avenue on the downtown side, but it's the same deal.
A Metro day-pass costs $6.50 and is good for unlimited travel after 9:30 am that day. A Metro 7-day pass costs $22.50, but is good for travel anytime at all, except that if your trip during rush-hour costs more than $2.20, you have to pay the extra. More info on all that here...
Metro - Metro passes and farecards (http://www.wmata.com/riding/passes.cfm#Metrorail - broken link)
With the trip to Baltimore slashed, you should indeed have time to do what's left. There are of course tons of other things. The Holocaust and Spy Museums are popular downtown items, the former being a bit sobering, it should be kept in mind. The FBI and Bureau of Engraving & Printing tours draw crowds. The Archives and National Gallery of Art appeal to many and are both at the east end of the Mall. Arlington Cemetery is included on many of the trolley tours, but you could spend hours there on a nice day, or take a cruise down the Potomac to Mount Vernon. And it's only one stop up the Red Line to see the pandas at the National Zoo. Kind of depends on your tastes and interests, but the normal tourist things alone will be plenty to keep you busy, while repeating again the caveat that it may be quite a challenge to get White House tickets.
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