What’s
the best way to get to Washington DC?
If you live on the East Coast,
I urge you to take the train and come into
Union Station in DC.
The station is architecturally lovely and has shops
and
restaurants inside. There are no airports in DC itself. The Ronald
Reagan National Airport is just across the Potomac River in Virginia
but
it’s small, and I don’t know if every airline uses it. The
major airport is
Dulles International out in Sterling,
Virginia.
What is the traffic situation
like in Washington DC and what is the
best advice you can offer
for getting around?
My best advice I always give to
my guests: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO
DRIVE IN D.C. The streets are
illogically organized with many one-ways,
barricades, and
periodic closings that will quickly make you frustrated.
On-street parking is extremely limited, and in some places you need a
permit to be on the street. Also, the local drivers aren’t very
good and
tend to get into accidents. Fortunately, many of the
things visitors want
to see are on the Mall within walking
distance of each other. There’s
also the Metro (subway) to take
you around town. When you select a
hotel, make sure it’s near a
Metro stop and your visit here will be a joy.
What time of year is the best
time to visit?
The best time to be here is in
autumn and spring away from school
holidays because the weather
is perfect – clear and cool. Before I
moved here, I thought DC
was a Southern town. It isn’t. It gets cold here
in winter,
although not as snowy as up North. However, if you don’t mind
cold, winter is a great time to visit because there are fewer
tourists to
bump into. Summertime gets hot and muggy, but that’s
when families
like to visit because the kids have summer
vacation.
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