Visiting Washington DC?

Question

My family and I are planning on visiting the Capital next summer for our vacation, and I've been there once before, so I've been put in charge of planning it, and I have a few questions.

1. Where are the worst crime areas? I've read that most crime is in the Anacostia area and parts of the NE sector. Are there any other areas I should be wary of?

2. When getting to and from the airport and our hotel, we may have to take the Metro to get there. Will it be alright if we were to take our large baggage with us on the trains? I rode the Metro when I was there, but I dont recall anyone having large bags with them. The main thing I'm worried about is taking it on the escalator (stand right, walk left!). Also, when getting to and from the airport, there are several other transportation options, such as taking a train from BWI to Union Station, or shuttle buses. Is it alright to take our large baggage onto these trains or buses? I would assume it is, otherwise they wouldn't stop at the airport, because not everyone travels with just a duffel bag.

3. What are some of the best parts of the DC area to stay at? We will most likely fly into BWI, so we are looking at hotels near the New Carrollton and Greenbelt Metro stations. Are these alright areas, as far as crime and safety goes? (Will we feel safe walking from a nearby hotel to these Metro stops?) Also, please let me know if you have any other areas around DC that would be good, safe places near a Metro stop to stay at, as we may end up flying into IAD or DCA.

Thanks for your time answering my questions!

Answer 1

1) You're right-Anacostia is the worst part of DC. Columbia Heights is another questionable area. Fortunately, the bad parts of DC are not areas that are frequented by tourists.

2) It's ok to bring large luggage on the Metro. Just don't ride during rush hour (6-10 AM, 3-7 PM) when it gets real crowded. All Metro stations have elevators so carrying the luggage won't be a problem. MARC (the commuter train that goes to BWI) has overhead racks for large luggage.

3) I'm not too sure about New Carrolton. I took the Metro there once but I didn't really venture into the area. Greenbelt is near the University of Maryland campus. I recommend staying in the Silver Spring area. It is full of shops, hotels, and restaurants. It is 15 minutes to the downtown area on the Metro. If you're flying into Reagan National then stay at Crystal City. It has an underground mall and various hotels. It's also close to the downtown area.  

Answer 2

I've been in Washington DC for awhile and visited several times in the past few years.  

1. Some areas have more crime, just don't travel by yourself at night in those areas.  

2.  If you take the metro with large bags, I would recommend not taking it during rush hour, some trains are PACKED and it would just get in the way, so don't ride between like 3-6 if possible on the metro.  The elevator is another option if you don't want to take them up the escalator, especially when it is busy and you stand right, walk left, you don't want your things getting in anyone's way, they get angry! :-)

3. After you get past Navy Yard on the green line, the area gets a little rougher- Anacostia, but up to Navy Yard is fine.  A hotel that I have stayed at is the Courtyard Marriott (new about 2 years ago) at the Navy Yard Stop.  It is a short (about 1 mile) walk to the capitol building and Library of Congress, and is only about a block away from the Navy Yard Metro (New Jersey entrance).  Also, it is only a few blocks away from the new baseball stadium- Go Nats!  There are a lot of people moving around there during the day- just about a block from the Department of Transportation, so it is very safe.  I have lived in this area for awhile now and have never had any problems.  

Another thing to remember, is if you fly into DCA/Reagan, you can get on the Metro there without having to take a bus or rent a car.  Dulles and Baltimore are a much further drive than DCA.  I would suggest flying into DCA and taking the Metro to your hotel if it is close to a Metro line.  

Hope this helps!

Answer 3

I've done the whole big bags on the metro deal.  It's not great, but it's bearable.  Sometimes it's just easier to pay for the cab ride.  As far as hotels, the Omni near the zoo is great - the Holiday Inn Select in Alexandria is fantastic too... Old Town Alexandria is fantastic to stay, and it's connected to the metro too.  Foggy Bottom and Georgetown are really nice too.  If there are hotels around there, you should check that out... but the prices may be higher because they're near the embassy and Georgetown and GWU.  Have a great trip!

Answer 4

The first suggestion for your trip would be to fly to Reagan National rather than BWI. It's closer to the city. If you stay at either the Marriot Woodly Park or the Omni (across the street), then you would be right there at a red line metro rail station and the zoo is walking distance. There are also nice restaurants right there at your doorstop. It's tough to analyze the crime regions. None of the major tourist attractions in DC are known for crime. But that doesn't mean that it won't happen. I wouldn't worry about that. And as someone else already pointed out, it's also wise to choose a hotel that has a complimentary shuttle to and from the airport. Then you won't have to worry about hauling large luggage in the trains.

Answer 5

Your best bet is to stay at one of the major hotels and use their shuttle from the airport and take one of the many tours available to see all the sites.  That will keep you with other people like you and allow you to see the sites in a safe way.  Having lived in Washington D.C. for 5 years I know there are definite bad spots but anything can happen anywhere.  Stay safe, stay with a group.