Need help with Baltimore and DC

[alrose251]

Hi,

Our cruise will be ending on a Friday in Baltimore (October).  We would like to stay 2 days to visit Baltimore and Washington DC.  I know this is not much time at all, but it is all we have.  Just want to see whatever we can.

 

What area should we stay in? Does not need to be fancy, just a safe area.

 

Any suggestions on what we should see?  I don't mind taking organized tours if that is the best option. 

 

I would appreciate any help you can offer!

Thanks!

[princeton123211]

5 minutes ago, alrose251 said:

We would like to stay 2 days to visit Baltimore and Washington DC.  I know this is not much time at all, but it is all we have.  Just want to see whatever we can.

With only two days I would pick one or the other and there is far more to do in Washington DC, by a long shot. You're just going to stretch yourself thin doing the two cities and spend more time in transit than you will seeing things. 

 

7 minutes ago, alrose251 said:

What area should we stay in? Does not need to be fancy, just a safe area.

In Baltimore you would want to stay in either the Inner Harbor or Fell's Point. Baltimore has a small tourist area which both of these areas essentially encompass. Be thoughtful of your surroundings in Baltimore-- unlike DC there are areas that are flat out dangerous and they are much closer to the tourist area than you would think. 

 

DC is very neighborhoody and you have a wide variety of choices in where to stay. Personally I like staying in either Georgetown or Foggy Bottom area but there are hotels that are very close to the National Mall and Smithsonian which might be more convenient. 

 

If you have a budget in mind would be happy to recommend a few places in either city. 

[alrose251]

Thanks for your suggestions.  As for budget, I guess Hilton or Marriott budget.  But, I understand everything cost so much more right now, so I am open. 

Edited February 4, 2023 by alrose251

[sandym718]

Only been to Baltimore once but we stayed at the Homewood Suites on the Inner Harbor.  Highly recommend.  Close to everything, including Fells Point which we enjoyed.

 

D.C. - spend a lot of time there as that's where DD goes to college.  Being right on the Metro is important unless you stay right near the Mall.  We always stay in Rosslyn, Arlington VA which is right across the Potomac from Georgetown, D.C.  Safe area, affordable and very convenient.  Metro is right there which can take you to the Smithsonians, monuments, White House, etc.  Also, Georgetown area is not on a Metro stop, but you are a 1 mile walk over the Key Bridge or you can take the $1 D.C. Circulator bus over the bridge right to M street (main "drag" in Georgetown).  Great neighborhood for dinner and shopping at night after touring all the "DC stuff" during the day.   We've stayed at both the Residence Inn and the Hyatt Place in Rosslyn and recommend either.  Depends on bed needs and price which one we choose.  

 

As Princeton recommended above, with only 2 days...I'd choose D.C.  So much to see and do and most of it is free!  October is a beautiful time to walk and explore.  You'll have to pick and choose which museums.  The Holocaust Museum is fantastically done, but very difficult subject matter of course. Takes a few hours and will impact your mood (as it should) for at least the day.  In my opinion, save for a longer trip.  Natural History Museum and American History Museum (probably my favorite) are great.  We did the U.S. Botanical Garden this past October, just beautiful.  Definitely walk and see the White House and all the monuments.  If length of walking is an issue, there is another DC circulator bus that does a circle around the monuments, again for only $1. The zoo we went once just to see the pandas since you can't see those at most other zoos.  Old Post Office is a good place to get a free "view" of the city.  

 

Lots of info, sorry!  Feel free to ask more specifics as you get planning.  If you decide on DC...I'll be there at least 2-3 more times before October, so if I don't know....I can try to check!

[Sunshine3601]

We have been to both DC and Baltimore many times for family vacations as well as pre and post cruise trips.     

There is a lot more to do in DC, especially if you have never been too.

Baltimore Inner Harbor is a fun place to explore the Aquarium, the Science Center, many shops as well as some great bars and restaurants, especially if you are crab lover.      We usually stay at Pier 5 Hotel (hilton family) in the harbor.    Great location to walk anywhere you want to go plus they offer a free shuttle bus.

In DC we have stayed at several hotels and we have always enjoyed the hotel, it's amenitites and the location of Hilton L'Enfant Plaza - easy walk to the Wharf and National Mall as well as the Smithsonians, etc.    The Spy Museum is a fun place to visit too. 

When pricing up hotels in DC, you want to check their parking fees.   It can cost up to $60 / day to park your car in DC.    There are many options but will depend on where you stay.

[navybankerteacher]

Since OP is from Louisiana, they may be flying -  and hopefully would not mess with a local rental car as public transportation in (and between) both cities is very good (while driving is a headache).

Edited February 5, 2023 by navybankerteacher

[Rubyfisch]

I personally like staying in Old Town Alexandria when visiting DC. You can stay right by the metro station and be in DC in no time, but then head back to a quite, quaint pretty neighborhood with lots of great restaurants and a beautiful waterfront. The water taxi from DC to Alexandria is a beautiful ride, particularly around sunset.

 

We've been quiet happy with the Residence Inn on Duke St. 

 

Also, you can take Amtrak from Baltimore directly to Alexandria. I managed to catch the 8:48 am train after disembarking from Enchantment in December, and was in Alexandria before 10 am.

[princeton123211]

5 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

I personally like staying in Old Town Alexandria when visiting DC. You can stay right by the metro station and be in DC in no time, but then head back to a quite, quaint pretty neighborhood with lots of great restaurants and a beautiful waterfront.

Old Town is nice but if I had 1-2 days to tour DC I would stay more centrally to the downtown core. 

 

5 hours ago, Rubyfisch said:

Also, you can take Amtrak from Baltimore directly to Alexandria.

You actually waste an enormous amount of time doing this-- all trains on this routing through to Alexandria have a nearly 45 minute layover at Washington Union Station. You could Uber from Union Station to Alexandria a lot quicker. 

[markeb]

What are your interests and how are you traveling? Is this the 13-15th weekend (don't want to recommend something when I know it'll be a zoo)? Are you flying back out of BWI on Sunday? Monday? Open to traveling from Reagan?

 

With two days, I'd stick with DC. If you want to see the classic sites you have some chance of a decent or better than decent place to stay on a weekend in the city. All bets are off if there's a special event, which is why I'm asking about dates.

 

If you want to see the Mall, a couple of Smithsonian Museums, maybe the National Gallery (well worth it, BTW), etc., my first choice today would be the Penn Quarter. That's the area around Capital One Arena (it's third or fourth name change since we've lived here...). There are a number of hotels in the area, easy Metro access, and from Capital One you can walk down 6th or 7th Street a few blocks and be on Pennsylvania next to the National Archives (another nice stop) and a fairly easy walk across the Mall to the Air and Space Museum. And a wonderful view of the Capitol (it's a longer walk by far than it looks...) Close to Union Station if you take Amtrak or MARC (Maryland commuter rail) to DC. It is a fairly long walk down the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial, reflecting pool, Jefferson Memorial, etc. With no easy Metro. There are tour buses, but I've never used them. Do some research and ask questions here.

 

For hotels, look at all the chains. Your "suburban" hotels like Courtyard, Hampton Inn, etc. are here, but they can be as expensive as a full service hotel. The first two I'd price, on a weekend, are the Hotel Monaco (Kimpton/IHG) and the Marriott Marquis. The Marquis is the convention center hotel, and if there are no events, it can be a good rate. Although "good rate" these days has a 50-100% difference from good rate in 2019. The Monaco is a really short walk to the Mall, and there are a number of nice to very nice restaurants on 7th Street (Oyamel, Jaleo, others) and you're about a block from Ford's Theater and directly across the street from the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Museum of American Art, one of the hidden gems of DC museums. "Official" DC becomes a ghost town in the evenings and weekends.

 

In that area, I'd probably look at the American History Museum, Natural History Museum, very quick look at Air and Space (you'll be there all day if you're into it...), and maybe a quick visit to the National Gallery (great museum but big) and National Archives. Walk or take a tour bus by the White House and the Ellipse, etc. 

 

With two days there's no way on earth I'd deal with getting to and from Old Town. Love Old Town, but no. And as previously stated, if you take Amtrak from Baltimore to Alexandria, you're stuck in an empty train for 30-45 minutes at Union Station changing from an electric engine to a diesel engine. If DC itself is too expensive, look at Pentagon City and/or Crystal City. Easy Metro access to DC, but it will take time and you don't have a lot of that. They are on the Yellow Line which will drop you in the middle of the Mall, and you can take the Blue Line to Arlington National Cemetery. You'll have to balance budget with time. Recognize that a lot of tourist sites close fairly early. And allow time to get to whichever airport you're flying out of.

 

Come back and ask more questions! But give us your actual dates...

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

59 minutes ago, princeton123211 said:

Old Town is nice but if I had 1-2 days to tour DC I would stay more centrally to the downtown core. 

 

You actually waste an enormous amount of time doing this-- all trains on this routing through to Alexandria have a nearly 45 minute layover at Washington Union Station. You could Uber from Union Station to Alexandria a lot quicker. 

Agree on both points.

[Newdaytrippers]

I am from DC until retirement a few years ago.  I agree with Princeton.  Save Baltimore for another trip and get to DC quickly.  A train to Union Station makes sense. I agree that Uber and Metro and the Circulator bus are all good options.
 

On Friday, after dropping your bags at the hotel, consider taking Uber directly to the Lincoln Memorial.   The view back to the Washington Monument and Capitol is breathtaking and a great photo op for selfies with both in the background.  And behind you on the hill is Arlington Cemetary.  At the base of the Lincoln Memorial, you can walk through the Vietnam Memorial, another must.  The Korean, WWII and/or MLK, Jr. Memorials are in this vicinity, depending on time and stamina.  That leaves Saturday and Sunday for museums.  Some museums or galleries might have evening hours on Friday.  You can research this if interested but you’ll have had a very full day!
 

Pick the museums based on current exhibits and your interests.  First Ladies gowns, Foucault Pendulum, Calder Mobile, Harriett Tubman’s bible, etc.  Some special exhibits and museums require timed tickets (free) which you need to get online in advance.  The new African American Museum of History and Culture might need a ticket and needs a couple of hours minimum. All Smithsonian Museums are free.  Others such as the Spy Museum have an entrance fee.  It’s a lot to cram into two days.  And staying near the Penn Quarter gives a lot of options for dinner and is lively and well lit at night.  Love Jaleo and Oyamel.  But there are plenty of other good options, too, and a good guide book can help with hotels, restaurants, walking tours and HoHo options.  Uber is easy.
 

Saturday morning and Sunday morning be at your preferred museums when they open so you can avoid crowds, hopefully.  I’d fly out of DCA (1st choice) or IAD rather than returning to BWI but it’s certainly doable.  Allow plenty of time for travel and security lines for all the airports.  Monday morning is very busy for Amtrak and at the airports.

 

Enjoy your visit!  

[alrose251]

On 2/5/2023 at 9:17 AM, sandym718 said:

Only been to Baltimore once but we stayed at the Homewood Suites on the Inner Harbor.  Highly recommend.  Close to everything, including Fells Point which we enjoyed.

 

D.C. - spend a lot of time there as that's where DD goes to college.  Being right on the Metro is important unless you stay right near the Mall.  We always stay in Rosslyn, Arlington VA which is right across the Potomac from Georgetown, D.C.  Safe area, affordable and very convenient.  Metro is right there which can take you to the Smithsonians, monuments, White House, etc.  Also, Georgetown area is not on a Metro stop, but you are a 1 mile walk over the Key Bridge or you can take the $1 D.C. Circulator bus over the bridge right to M street (main "drag" in Georgetown).  Great neighborhood for dinner and shopping at night after touring all the "DC stuff" during the day.   We've stayed at both the Residence Inn and the Hyatt Place in Rosslyn and recommend either.  Depends on bed needs and price which one we choose.  

 

As Princeton recommended above, with only 2 days...I'd choose D.C.  So much to see and do and most of it is free!  October is a beautiful time to walk and explore.  You'll have to pick and choose which museums.  The Holocaust Museum is fantastically done, but very difficult subject matter of course. Takes a few hours and will impact your mood (as it should) for at least the day.  In my opinion, save for a longer trip.  Natural History Museum and American History Museum (probably my favorite) are great.  We did the U.S. Botanical Garden this past October, just beautiful.  Definitely walk and see the White House and all the monuments.  If length of walking is an issue, there is another DC circulator bus that does a circle around the monuments, again for only $1. The zoo we went once just to see the pandas since you can't see those at most other zoos.  Old Post Office is a good place to get a free "view" of the city.  

 

Lots of info, sorry!  Feel free to ask more specifics as you get planning.  If you decide on DC...I'll be there at least 2-3 more times before October, so if I don't know....I can try to check!

Thank you so much for all this info!

[alrose251]

4 hours ago, Newdaytrippers said:

I am from DC until retirement a few years ago.  I agree with Princeton.  Save Baltimore for another trip and get to DC quickly.  A train to Union Station makes sense. I agree that Uber and Metro and the Circulator bus are all good options.
 

On Friday, after dropping your bags at the hotel, consider taking Uber directly to the Lincoln Memorial.   The view back to the Washington Monument and Capitol is breathtaking and a great photo op for selfies with both in the background.  And behind you on the hill is Arlington Cemetary.  At the base of the Lincoln Memorial, you can walk through the Vietnam Memorial, another must.  The Korean, WWII and/or MLK, Jr. Memorials are in this vicinity, depending on time and stamina.  That leaves Saturday and Sunday for museums.  Some museums or galleries might have evening hours on Friday.  You can research this if interested but you’ll have had a very full day!
 

Pick the museums based on current exhibits and your interests.  First Ladies gowns, Foucault Pendulum, Calder Mobile, Harriett Tubman’s bible, etc.  Some special exhibits and museums require timed tickets (free) which you need to get online in advance.  The new African American Museum of History and Culture might need a ticket and needs a couple of hours minimum. All Smithsonian Museums are free.  Others such as the Spy Museum have an entrance fee.  It’s a lot to cram into two days.  And staying near the Penn Quarter gives a lot of options for dinner and is lively and well lit at night.  Love Jaleo and Oyamel.  But there are plenty of other good options, too, and a good guide book can help with hotels, restaurants, walking tours and HoHo options.  Uber is easy.
 

Saturday morning and Sunday morning be at your preferred museums when they open so you can avoid crowds, hopefully.  I’d fly out of DCA (1st choice) or IAD rather than returning to BWI but it’s certainly doable.  Allow plenty of time for travel and security lines for all the airports.  Monday morning is very busy for Amtrak and at the airports.

 

Enjoy your visit!  

Thanks so much for all this info.  We will have to fly out of BWI since we have our airfare through NCL.

[alrose251]

19 hours ago, markeb said:

What are your interests and how are you traveling? Is this the 13-15th weekend (don't want to recommend something when I know it'll be a zoo)? Are you flying back out of BWI on Sunday? Monday? Open to traveling from Reagan?

 

With two days, I'd stick with DC. If you want to see the classic sites you have some chance of a decent or better than decent place to stay on a weekend in the city. All bets are off if there's a special event, which is why I'm asking about dates.

 

If you want to see the Mall, a couple of Smithsonian Museums, maybe the National Gallery (well worth it, BTW), etc., my first choice today would be the Penn Quarter. That's the area around Capital One Arena (it's third or fourth name change since we've lived here...). There are a number of hotels in the area, easy Metro access, and from Capital One you can walk down 6th or 7th Street a few blocks and be on Pennsylvania next to the National Archives (another nice stop) and a fairly easy walk across the Mall to the Air and Space Museum. And a wonderful view of the Capitol (it's a longer walk by far than it looks...) Close to Union Station if you take Amtrak or MARC (Maryland commuter rail) to DC. It is a fairly long walk down the Mall to the Lincoln Memorial, reflecting pool, Jefferson Memorial, etc. With no easy Metro. There are tour buses, but I've never used them. Do some research and ask questions here.

 

For hotels, look at all the chains. Your "suburban" hotels like Courtyard, Hampton Inn, etc. are here, but they can be as expensive as a full service hotel. The first two I'd price, on a weekend, are the Hotel Monaco (Kimpton/IHG) and the Marriott Marquis. The Marquis is the convention center hotel, and if there are no events, it can be a good rate. Although "good rate" these days has a 50-100% difference from good rate in 2019. The Monaco is a really short walk to the Mall, and there are a number of nice to very nice restaurants on 7th Street (Oyamel, Jaleo, others) and you're about a block from Ford's Theater and directly across the street from the National Portrait Gallery/Smithsonian Museum of American Art, one of the hidden gems of DC museums. "Official" DC becomes a ghost town in the evenings and weekends.

 

In that area, I'd probably look at the American History Museum, Natural History Museum, very quick look at Air and Space (you'll be there all day if you're into it...), and maybe a quick visit to the National Gallery (great museum but big) and National Archives. Walk or take a tour bus by the White House and the Ellipse, etc. 

 

With two days there's no way on earth I'd deal with getting to and from Old Town. Love Old Town, but no. And as previously stated, if you take Amtrak from Baltimore to Alexandria, you're stuck in an empty train for 30-45 minutes at Union Station changing from an electric engine to a diesel engine. If DC itself is too expensive, look at Pentagon City and/or Crystal City. Easy Metro access to DC, but it will take time and you don't have a lot of that. They are on the Yellow Line which will drop you in the middle of the Mall, and you can take the Blue Line to Arlington National Cemetery. You'll have to balance budget with time. Recognize that a lot of tourist sites close fairly early. And allow time to get to whichever airport you're flying out of.

 

Come back and ask more questions! But give us your actual dates...

 

 

Yes, the dates are Oct 13-15.  Thank you for the wealth of information!!!

[alrose251]

On 2/5/2023 at 11:42 AM, navybankerteacher said:

Since OP is from Louisiana, they may be flying -  and hopefully would not mess with a local rental car as public transportation in (and between) both cities is very good (while driving is a headache).

Yes, we will be flying.  No interest in renting a car. 

[markeb]

38 minutes ago, alrose251 said:

Thanks so much for all this info.  We will have to fly out of BWI since we have our airfare through NCL.

Check on the air. All three airports BWI, Reagan, and Dulles) serve Baltimore and Washington. And NCL may be better able to do an open ticket.

Edited February 6, 2023 by markeb

[alrose251]

18 minutes ago, markeb said:

Check on the air. All three airports BWI, Reagan, and Dulles) serve Baltimore and Washington. And NCL may be better able to do an open ticket.

I will.  Thanks

[cementhands]

On 2/4/2023 at 12:55 PM, alrose251 said:

Hi,

Our cruise will be ending on a Friday in Baltimore (October).  We would like to stay 2 days to visit Baltimore and Washington DC.  I know this is not much time at all, but it is all we have.  Just want to see whatever we can.

 

What area should we stay in? Does not need to be fancy, just a safe area.

 

Any suggestions on what we should see?  I don't mind taking organized tours if that is the best option. 

 

I would appreciate any help you can offer!

Thanks!

Trinity reservations for park sleep cruise! Best western elk horn Maryland is wonderful. Stain glass pub next door for excellent crab cakes. Indoor pool and sauna. Safe area. Great place with breakfast included.