Spring Break Washington DC trip with Family

[richardheitzman]

OK, quick Non-Mooney question.

 

For the price, location and comfort, what is the best Marriott brand hotel to stay at in the DC metro area so we can spend a couple days exploring the Capital without having to drive, and not walking Miles to get to/from subway??

I have about 70K in Marriott points saved up.

 

Also anyone have some ideas on what we "have to" see, and what we should "want to" see.

For me it is :

1. Arlington

2. Air and Space museum

3. everything else.

 

Thanks

Rich

[Steve65E-NC]

       Go to the Kennedy Center website and check performances.  Purchase tickets in advance.   There are three fantastic theatres, not a bad seat in the house, fairly priced for seats about half way back.  Makes you proud just being there.  You park below the Center for $20.00.  In the past year we saw the Washington Philharmonic conducted by Kurt Mazur with Sarah Chang as solo violin.  We also saw the Washington Ballet do an adaptation of "The Great Gatsby".  Both were at the top of a world scale.  We paid about $50 per seat half way back.    

[Parker_Woodruff]

I agree with you on your list.

When I was in DC, I was fortunate to get to go on the White House lawn and watch Dubya take off in Marine One.  I also went to Gettysburg, which was cool.

[DrBill]

There are now 2 air and space museums.. Udvar Hazy and Smithsonian. UH is at Dulles (a hike from DC)  Smith. is downtown.  I had a job interview at Smith.. was a nice afternoon walking around talking technical with my prospective boss. I did get the job.  That was in 84 ! Seems like yesterday.  Got to visit Union Station, good food court there. Lots of activity and shops.

The FBI was cool place to visit too. Saw their gun collection.

The war memorials are good. Tomb of unknown soldier. Find a relative at National Cemetary.

There you go.. A week should do it !!

BILL

 

[Becca]

Quote: richardheitzman

OK, quick Non-Mooney question.

 

For the price, location and comfort, what is the best Marriott brand hotel to stay at in the DC metro area so we can spend a couple days exploring the Capital without having to drive, and not walking Miles to get to/from subway??

I have about 70K in Marriott points saved up.

 

Also anyone have some ideas on what we "have to" see, and what we should "want to" see.

For me it is :

1. Arlington

2. Air and Space museum

3. everything else.

 

Thanks

Rich

[John Pleisse]

Rich,

 

3 options best to worst IMO:

 

1)  Marriott Downtown: theater district, a zillion restaurants, 10 block radius to everything…every memorial and museum. Cab rides are cheap. Hoofing it works well too. Avoid areas north and east of downtown locations.

2)  Roslyn: You can walk to Iwo Jima, tomb of the unknown and most of Arlington. You would also be a 5 minute cab ride to Pentagon and Air Force Memorials.

3)  Pentagon/Crystal City: Easy access to all of the above and really close to National Airport. This would also be your best spring board to Old Town Alexandria as described in another response.

 

The latter 2 locations are in VA and require a ten minute cab or tube ride into the city. National Air and Space is downtown. You would be a 45 minute drive to Dulles for the Udvar Hazy Air and Space. This is a must see and would be a minimal half day trip. Plan carefully with traffic.

 

The weather for spring break will be a crap shoot. Could be winter, could be sunny and 70. If you are flying your bird and need help with that, fell free to PM. 

 

Take Care,

 

John

[Mooneymite]

This subject has come up several times on the AOPA forum and thoroughly discussed in all its variables.  Check it out.

There's really nothing I can add except that the Metro makes downtown very easy.

 There used to be a shuttle to take you from the Air and Space museum to UH.....check the web-site to see if is still offered.  it used to be very reasonable.

 

[xftrplt]

Holocaust Museum deserves a spot (well) ahead of the Native American or Women's Museums. 

Vietnam Memorial. 

Bureau of Engraving and Printing. http://moneyfactory.gov/wdctourtickets.html

[Amelia]

It's worth your time to check with your congressman's office, and see what they have to offer, probably tix to White House tour, Printing and Engraving, and FBI, the Capitol tour, which is excellent.  Call soon, as spring breaks are busy times.

I'm so glad to have jumped through the silly hoops to get my Secret Decoder Ring to fly into the DC-3 airports. If this is a trip you'll make regularly, you might want to set aside a day to git'er-done. College Park is a fine little field, within a couple of blocks of the Green Line Metro station. They're most hospitable, parking's $10/night, prop lock provided, and fuel's reasonable.

If you'll have a car for a day or two and good weather, the National Arboretum is really gorgeous that time of year. So is Mt. Vernon. Also useful for getting out to U-H, which is amazing.  Not a fan of FDR, but the memorial to him is lovely. Agree that the Native American museum is worth a miss, except for the food court, which was delightful- interesting native fare divided by geography.