<p>We are considering a short trip to DC over d’s spring break, first week in March. (Her request…loving a family trip!) Anyway, we will fly into BWI, and would prefer to use public transportation while there. Planning to do wonderful tourist stuff – the Newseum, other museums, have written to try to get a White House tour, etc.</p>
<p>So…first of all, the hotel needs to be affordable. Love something in the $100 a night range (we’ll be there Tuesday-Friday). Secondly, near the Metro would be helpful. We can walk a bit…block or 2. Prefer not to spend the whole day getting into the city. Finally, something we can get to from BWI. So perhaps near the train station? Or is there a better (and affordable) way to get to the hotel of choice?</p>
<p>Can you give ideas as to either location or specific affordable place you’d recommend? Other trip must-see/do/eat? (I was last in DC in 4th grade…so this is going to be a new adventure for all of us.)</p>
<p>BWI is the furthest out, as you know, so you probably want to stay nearer to town.</p>
<p>If you want something for $100/night, your best bet is to stay in Maryland or Arlington, and take Metro in to town daily. </p>
<p>I went to grad school there and lived in Arlington, and took Metro in every day. Was much cheaper than living in DC but still gave me quick access to everything.</p>
<p>(Frankly, I like the Virginia side better than the Maryland side, but you might prefer Maryland to be closer to BWI.) Besides DC, you can quickly head further out to places like Manassas, etc. </p>
<p>I’m not sure what public transportation is like from BWI, but once you are at your hotel, you don’t even need a car. You can always take SuperShuttle from the airport if needed.</p>
<p>As far as museums, love the Phillips Collection and National Gallery. For eating, I like Adams Morgan, for the sheer diversity of international food choices. Or Dupont Circle. </p>
<p>If you just like walking around the city it is fun to walk along Embassy Row.</p>
<p>There are several affordable hotels in downtown Arlington (Rosslyn) that are walking distance to the Metro. We have stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott. It is short Metro ride to most of the tourist hotspots. If you fly into DCA, you can also take the Metro to the hotel.</p>
<p>My experience is several years old, so won’t suggest an individual hotel, but short walk to Metro is ideal. We stayed at a hotel with free shuttle to metro. Spent more than an hour one afternoon waiting after we called for shuttle…both vans were stuck in traffic at the airport. By the time the shuttle arrived, there were twice as many people waiting than it could hold. Walking would have been nice.
Metro was great. We got nearly everywhere without using our rental car.</p>
<p>Consider using Hotwire or one of those types of sites. My D and I stayed at the Omni Shoreham (right by the Red Line, I think) in August, during the week, for less than $100/night.</p>
<p>You won’t find much for $100/night in Arlington or DC in any neighborhood you’d want to stay in. $150+ is more like it. I’m out towards the Shady Grove Metro (end of the Red Line) and you should be able to find something in that range (Comfort Inn @ Shady Grove Rd., $110/night), but it’s close to an hour into downtown DC and you’d need to drive to the Metro or take a Ride-On Bus (it’s under a mile to the Metro, but NOT set up for pedestrians, as it is a major intersection). </p>
<p>ETA: Just checked Mariotts in the DC area – the cheapest was the Key Marriott for March 5th, at $249/night in early March. Mid-300s to 400 in DC itself, though close to Metro. </p>
<p>BWI into downtown DC is doable if you take Amtrak or Marc trains, but Marc has a rush-hour oriented schedule. You’d spend over an hour each way (driving or training) from BWI.</p>
<p>ETA #2 – There is a bus that runs from the Amtrak station at BWI to the Shady Grove Metro station. Take a shuttle from BWI to the Amtrak station, and hte bus runs hourly. Trip takes an hour, costs $5. My kids and DH have used it and said it is fine, though there is not help with luggage.</p>
<p>D.C. is super-busy all spring with families on vacations and school trips and D.C. is a busy place mid-week anytime with business travelers and gov’t related business. There are more options on the VA side than on the MD side…do some searches on Expedia or TripAdvisor… and see what the options might be… you will want to stay on a metro line, it is so easy to get around. Was in D.C. just about a year ago for a long weekend and went to the Newseum- I recommend highly. Your admission is good for two days and there is so much to see there, you can easily spend at least part of a second day. Also had a trip back to the Smithsonian American History museum which I hadn’t been to in a long time… but wanted to see Julia Child’s kitchen…stayed at Hilton Garden Inn as DH was staying on for a conference that began on Sunday night. We also have stayed in Crystal City-many options there.</p>
<p>We usually stay in Rosslyn, which is a short Metro ride into DC. We’ve also taken the MARC train from BWI to DC which does take about an hour, but is an easy ride.</p>
<p>You’re less likely to find good deals on hotels on weekdays, which it sounds like your trip will involve. We’ve stayed at most of the Marriott properties in Rosslyn & haven’t paid more than $120/night, but we’ve been there on weekends.</p>
<p>Check out the [Hotel</a> Harrington](<a href=“http://hotel-harrington.com/]Hotel”>http://hotel-harrington.com/). It isn’t fancy but you can’t beat the location in downtown DC. It is near the museums & attractions that you mentioned you would like to visit. It is also close to the Metro & a short cab ride from Union Station, which is where the MARC train will bring you from BWI.</p>
<p>The most convenient airport, if you have no ground transportation, is Reagan National. There is a local metro stop right at the airport. </p>
<p>Re: the bus CountingDown refers to at BWI. You don’t have to go to the Amtrak station. It leaves from BWI to Shady Grove metro which is on the Red line:</p>
<p>If you want to go to one of the other lines, you are probably better off taking the B30 bus to the Greenbelt Metro stop on the Green Line. Here’s the info on that although I’m not sure the price: </p>
<p>One is located on the lower level of the International Concourse and the other stop is located on the lower level of Concourse A/B. The B30 will pick you up outside at the bus shelter. Follow the signs that say “Public Transit.”</p>
<p>The BWI Express/B30 service runs every 40 minutes, 7 days a week to the Greenbelt Metro Station, which is located on the Green Line of the Washington Metro System. Buses run 25 times each weekday and 21 times on Saturdays and Sunday, every 40 minutes. For more information call 202-637-7000 or go to [Metro</a> - Home page](<a href=“http://www.wmata.com%5DMetro”>http://www.wmata.com).</p>
<p>I stay at the Hotel Lombardy but it is probably more 100-120. I have also stayed at an embassey suites as you may pay more , but it is more like two rooms. U akways take the shuttle from the airport.</p>
<p>We have had good luck with the Holiday Inn at Key Bridge in the Rossslyn VA side I think. It’s a block away from the subway, and free parking. Be sure to factor parking in the price. There’s a few other hotels in the immediate area depending on your rewards/points/etc.</p>
<p>The 30B bus is an alternative, too. By the time you pay for the bus plus Metro times ?? number of people, it might be cheaper/easier to take the Super Shuttle, depending which airport you fly into.</p>
<p>Key Bridge Holiday Inn starts at $199 prepaid, non-refundable, per tripadvisor, for 3/6-9 for two adults.</p>
<p>Countingdown, yes, they do stop at the BWI rail station but you don’t have to go to the rail station to catch the ICC bus. The bus also makes 2 stops right at the airport – lower level Concourses A and E. (And we may be saying the same thing but I’m reading it as if you’re saying the person would get off the plane at BWI, take a shuttle to the rail station and then board the bus when the person can just get off at BWI and follow the signs to the bus.) :)</p>
<p>We lucked out two years ago using Hotwire (I think…) and got a room here for $111. Located in Georgetown, especially nice for your DD–young and energetic part of town.</p>
<p>My two cents is that you try to stay nearer to the ‘action’ rather than spending so much time on the Metro, etc. It’s worth the extra money, if budget allows…</p>
<p>In addition to looking at places in Rosslyn, I’d look at locations on/near Metro in Arlington, including Pentagon City & Crystal City (almost as close to DC as Rosslyn) , and along the Orange Line - Court House, Clarendon, Balston. Also along Red Line (NW direction of DC, convenient to National Zoo). You may find a deal, although between business and tourist traffic, there is usually alot of demand.</p>
<p>Capitol Bike Shares is a good way to get around the National Mall area without a car.</p>
<p>If you want to go to museums, you want to be near Metro. Georgetown is not really convenient to Metro, although it has lots of shops and restaurants.</p>
<p>^^^Agree. Georgetown area is not convenient. Stayed there once, and took a cab to Union Station. From there, took the Metro to where we wanted to go. Even took the MARC train from Union Station to go back to BWI to fly out. LOVE DC!</p>
<p>I agree with not staying in Georgetown, especially for someone who’s never been to DC. There are buses that run through Georgetown, but the Metro is easier for newbies to negotiate.</p>