Backpacking Through Washington DC

Our trip was a quick, 3-day backpack through DC. We arrived on Friday morning and took the metro from Dulles to downtown. We checked into the Hotel Harrington and then hit the Mall. We ate lunch at the Elephants Pub (great!), and then went sightseeing some more. That night we did the Monuments by Moonlight tour.

That morning we checked out of the hotel, took the metro to Union Station, and lockered our bags. We did more of the Mall and Arlington Cemetary and then headed to Dupont Circle in the late afternoon. We watched the OU game at a sports bar, and then hit the Brickskeller that night.

The next morning we took the metro to Union Station and met my parents (they happened to be there for work). We did some more monuments and museums. We rode with my parents (in their car) to the National Cathedral and Georgetown.

We left the next morning. We each had one backpack, so anything we did had to fit in with what we brought. It was all very casual, and pretty cheap. Almost all of our activities were free, our meals resonable, and our hotels were budget hotels. Had my parents not been there, we probably would not have gone to Georgetown or the Cathdral because of transportation.

Quick Tips:

Buy a book before you go. It was my husbands first time there, and my seventh, so we had to find stuff that would keep both of us interested. The book I like is "Off the Beaten Path." I don't remember who it's by.

The Holocaust museum will easily take 6-hours, so we skipped it. The National Cathedral is an awesome place. Plan ahead on what you want to see.

Skip the cute shoes and go for comfort!

We both want to go back on a non-budget trip to have a different experience.

Best Way To Get Around:

METRO, METRO, METRO!!!!
Why? Here are five reasons:
1. It's cheap.
2. You don't have to worry about parking.
3. It takes you within four blocks of anywhere you want to go.
4. It's clean and I felt safe.
5. It saved on lots of  "I said turn right," and "No you said left" arguments.

We bought day passes for each day we were there (you buy them at the station). At first it was a little confusing, but after a couple of hours we were pros. And I guess we looked like pros because someone asked us directions!

Coming from Dallas were we do not have a Metro system, I was a little worried, but it is the only way to go.

This was a cheap weekend for us. We had to redeem our airline miles, and wanted to see how cheap we could stay in this expensive city! The Hotel Harrington is blocks away from the Mall, Capitol, White House, and most importantly a metro station. Our room rate was under $100 a night, and we only stayed there one night. The room was extremely clean and quaint. The hotel is historic and maintains that charm. The staff was extremely nice and customer friendly.

The bathroom was small, as was our room. If this was where we were staying in for most of the trip, with a few more nights, it would have been to small, but it was perfect for this trip.

There were several families in the hotel with us, as well as visiting college students. This was a safe feeling hotel. It was in the middle of an urban environment that I would not consider safe, but I felt safe in the hotel.

I would feel comfortable recommending this hotel to visitors of Washington DC.

The Brickskeller is the record holder for the biggest beer selection. So, naturally, when my husband found out there was a hotel above the bar, he wanted to stay there.

The coolest part about this hotel (other than being above a bar), is the old elevator that is operated by an elevator operator. Other than that, there's not much to say.

Our room was not very clean, the air-conditioner did not work, and the bathroom was dirty. I would not recommend this to anyone with children. The location is great—blocks from Dupont Circle and the metro station. That's really about all it has going for it.

Although my review of the Brickskeller Inn wasn't that great—The Brickskeller is a completely different story.

If you are looking for a bar that has character, great beer selection, and decent food—look no further. The bar itself is in the basement of an old building and is really pretty small.

The beer selection is over 1,000. Pretty much anything you could want is offered. The food is great bar food (remember you are in a bar).

I have to say that this is probably the most interesting non- touristy place I've been to in D.C. Prepare yourself to be surrounded by Georgetown students, and feel a cramped, but this is absolutely worth visiting. And while your there, buy a t-shirt!

To get my husband to do this took some convincing. But after eating at the ESPN restaurant, I convinced him it would be fun. This was my seventh trip to D.C., and this is one tour I had never done. It was worth every penny of the $30.00 ticket.

Talk about seeing the monuments in a completely different way. Washington, D.C. is beautiful at night and a very different feel from the daytime. The Vietnam and Korean Memorials were far more touching at night. To see the lights reflect off of the memorials, and it was starting to rain while we were on tour, was amazing. Even the kids were attentive and interested in our tour guide.

The tour lasts for 2 1/2 hours. We were able to see the FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam, and Korean War Memorials, Jefferson Memorial, and World War II Memorial. Not only was it interesting, but there was something romantic about seeing the monuments at night. We got our tickets from Union Station at the booth inside the main entrance.