Washington, DC In October

[fortinbras]

I strongly advise friends who plan to drive to DC, to stay at Maryland or Virginia hotels not far from subway stations and either take buses to, or park their cars at, the subway station and ride the subway into the city.

[Demosthenes]

Another nice set of street signs in DC that require video taping to capture so I don't have them yet.

1) About 50 feet before a traffic light, there's a sign on the left that says "Left Turn Only" with a diagram showing the left lane turning left and the right lane going straight.

2) 25 feet later, there's a big white arrow painted on the asphalt marking that the left lane must turn.

3) At the light, there's a sign that says "No Left Turn."

This is near the monuments, so there's amost always a deer-in-the-headlights tourist in panic mode, frozen at the intersection with a bunch of obnoxiously honking locals piled up behind him.

[Prof]

Demo is absolutely correct. When we lived in DC and I officed at the Willard Office Building, I gave up driving and rode the Metro (subway) every day. Between the traffic, the actual drivers, and the parking, it is impossible to get anywhere -- and the streets are confusing. The Metro is clean, safe and efficient, unlike the DC government or the federal government.

I suspect that the price of hotels is better in VA or MD but certainly don't know anymore.

I would also suggest a side trip to Mt. Vernon if time permits, just for the iconic nature of the visit.

Finally, any of you on an extended trip to DC should take the time to go to Gettysburg. As Gregg has said, that battlefield is one historic site that is very hard to forget and cannot be appreciated by photos or film.

[jg]

Last time there we stayed at
Embassy Suites Washington D.C. - at the Chevy Chase Pavilion
4300 Military Road NW Washington, District of Columbia USA 20015
1-202-362-9300

There was a metro station you could get to under the hotel without going outside.
The hotel had a parking garage.
The Chevy Chase Pavilion mall entrance connects to the hotel lobby.
There is a cheesecake factory in the Pavilion.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.
Just one man's experience, your mileage may vary.

[Parvati]

Last time there we stayed at
Embassy Suites Washington D.C. - at the Chevy Chase Pavilion
4300 Military Road NW Washington, District of Columbia USA 20015
1-202-362-9300

There was a metro station you could get to under the hotel without going outside.
The hotel had a parking garage.
The Chevy Chase Pavilion mall entrance connects to the hotel lobby.
There is a cheesecake factory in the Pavilion.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay there.
Just one man's experience, your mileage may vary.

I believe that there's an Avis location in the parking garage, isn't there...? Or at least used to be. Convenient to pick up a vehicle for the day to get out of the city for a bit. Skyline Drive is lovely--particularly in the fall when the leaves have turned.

[The Observer]

Finally, any of you on an extended trip to DC should take the time to go to Gettysburg. As Gregg has said, that battlefield is one historic site that is very hard to forget and cannot be appreciated by photos or film.

That is another one of my "bucket list" items to do, but sadly, I won't be able to manage that this trip.

One more thing, save an evening to see The Capitol Steps.

http://www.capsteps.com/

That's another great suggestion - thanks!

[Imalawman]

One more thing, save an evening to see The Capitol Steps.

http://www.capsteps.com/

Highly recommend this. Tons of fun with clever humor.

[JamesVincent]

Something else to look into. Theres a chain in the DC metro/ NOVA area called Hardtimes Cafe that does some really good chili. If I remember correctly the Hardtimes in Alexandria or Clarendon is like a block away from the metro stop.

http://www.hardtimes.com/

The cafes are just the restaurant and the cafe and cues are obviously restaurants and pool halls. I used to redo their pool tables and Installed the 2 in Clarendon. They serve like 4 different types of chili and won some of the chili cookoffs so many times that they arent allowed to compete anymore. Either way they are usually a good time to hang out in and some really good food. If you like spicy stuff the Chicken Alamo is awesome.

Out of all the ones Ive been in I like Germantown the best and Waldorf the least but their all pretty good.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Tourists shoudn't drive in DC for a number of reasons, not just because of the traffic.

1) One way streets and lanes that change direction depending on the time of day.
2) Aggressive Maryland drivers + passive Virginia drivers = road rage.
3) Your GPS will scramble street indicators the closer you drive to the White House.
4) Parking is a nightmare.

Precisely why Yours Truly eschews the idea of driving in DC.

[Doktor Avalanche]

Something else to look into. Theres a chain in the DC metro/ NOVA area called Hardtimes Cafe that does some really good chili.

Oh no they don't do good chili!

You want good chili in DC, you go here:

[webhick]

You want good chili in DC, you go here:

Is that a psychedelic bear?

[Demosthenes]

It's a psychedelic panda!

http://joeorgren.com/dc/pandas.htm

[webhick]

It's a psychedelic panda!

http://joeorgren.com/dc/pandas.htm

There are no words.

[Demosthenes]

The panda statue campaign was a hat tip to the earlier donkey/elephant statues.

http://jophan.org/safari/

[fortinbras]

The problem with the donkey statues was that the donkey had the wrong kind of tail (I think a horse's tail).

At the last get-together I did not thoroughly enjoy it because the restaurant broke us up into small tables and I wound up just out of earshot of the main conversation. So let's try for something with a different topography.

[The Observer]

Pandas without pomelo panamas? Positively piffling.

[Gregg]

My best DC trip ever was when I stayed in Crystal City at a hotel (wish I could remember which one) with a mall in the basement, and a Metro stop in the mall. I pulled in, valeted the car, and didn't see or miss it for a week. Last time I went, I stayed in Tyson's Corner, a few blocks from the Metro, and I did drive on that trip out to Mt Vernon, stopped at Arlington on the way back and Metro did the rest.

And doesn anyone know what hotel in Crystal City I'm talking about?

[JamesVincent]

My best DC trip ever was when I stayed in Crystal City at a hotel (wish I could remember which one) with a mall in the basement, and a Metro stop in the mall. I pulled in, valeted the car, and didn't see or miss it for a week. Last time I went, I stayed in Tyson's Corner, a few blocks from the Metro, and I did drive on that trip out to Mt Vernon, stopped at Arlington on the way back and Metro did the rest.

And doesn anyone know what hotel in Crystal City I'm talking about?

I know what your talking about but I cant remember the name either. My step-dad used to work in Crystal City and we used to go down there a lot. We would get the Metro at New Carrolton and ride in. There were some nice restaurants underground there and shopping. And of course everything else you could get to from the Metro.

[AndyK]

most likely the Crystal City Marriott -- but there are a half dozen within blocks of the station