| Author | |
Martha in VA
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 15 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 496
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 10:00pm | IP Logged
|
 |
|
I know it's a little early but Dh is considering taking our family to DC for July fourth and is already checking hotel rates. For those of you who live up that way, is there anything we should know/be advised of before we decide for sure to do this?? We have never been in DC for the 4th.
We will be traveling from Charlottesville.
__________________
Blessed wife & mom to
4dds,miracle son 4/09, 2 in heaven
My Conversion Blog
Our Family Blog
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Celeste
Forum Pro
Joined: April 03 2006
Location: Nebraska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 263
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 10:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Well, most of the natives leave DC because it gets so congested for the Fourth.  Maybe they escape to lovely Charlottesville?
If you are hanging around for a while, and if you want White House and/or Capitol tours, contact your congressional office (Rep. Virgil Goode?). Staff members are trained to give Capitol tours, and you can possibly get gallery tickets. (Although Congress won't be in session, so there won't be anything to watch. But still cool.) White House tickets I think must be obtained through your congressional office.
BTW, welcome home, Martha!
__________________
Celeste
Mother of five. Daughters.
Perchik: Do you have children?
Tevye: I have five daughters.
P: Five?
T: Daughters.
P: Girls should learn, too. Girls are people!
Student: A radical!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Celeste
Forum Pro
Joined: April 03 2006
Location: Nebraska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 263
|
| Posted: April 20 2007 at 10:20pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Oh, and it's not too early. I've discovered that tickets go fast. 
Celeste
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lorri
Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 248
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 9:12am | IP Logged
|
|
|
It's hot and humid here in July and prone to pop-up thunderstorms. Were you thinking of being on the Mall for the fireworks?
__________________
Lorri
mom to   
The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Martha in VA
Forum Pro
Joined: Nov 15 2006
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 496
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 9:30am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lorri wrote:
| Were you thinking of being on the Mall for the fireworks? |
|
|
Yes, that's our plan.
__________________
Blessed wife & mom to
4dds,miracle son 4/09, 2 in heaven
My Conversion Blog
Our Family Blog
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary Chris
Forum All-Star
Joined: Jan 27 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2175
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 10:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Martha,
One thing we have done is go to the rehersal concert on July 3rd. They do the same concert as on the 4th, just sometimes they have do-overs . Usually most of the performers are there, and it is much less crowded! It is really fun and relaxed. They don't do the fireworks but they set off the canons in the 1812 overture.
We have watched the fireworks from the Pentagon parking lot in the past. I know a friend stayed downtown once and was able to see the firworks from her hotel room. We have never been in the city on the 4th, I don't think I could do the crowd on the mall. The Pentagon turns into a big party but you can't hear the music.
__________________
Blessings, Mary Chris Beardsley
mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Anne McD
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 499
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 11:24am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I'd take the metro as much as possible, and leave the car somewhere. DC's streets make absolutely no sense, and the traffic will be bad on the fourth. The metro is pretty user friendly. It might actually be cheaper to stay in VA, close to the orange line, and just take that around. I also second the hot and humid part-- dress lightly, bring water and get ready to walk.
__________________
Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Lorri
Forum Pro
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Location: N/A
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 248
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 2:57pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Anne McD wrote:
| I'd take the metro as much as possible, and leave the car somewhere. DC's streets make absolutely no sense, and the traffic will be bad on the fourth. The metro is pretty user friendly. It might actually be cheaper to stay in VA, close to the orange line, and just take that around. I also second the hot and humid part-- dress lightly, bring water and get ready to walk. |
|
|
LOL! DC streets make perfect sense...IF you know how they are laid out. But we bought a GPS because we were so tired of missing a street or making the wrong turn and having no clue where we were.
How long are you thinking of staying? Last year we had some friends come to town and they did the tourist thing for most of their stay, except on the 4th. We can see the Washinton monument and Capitol from our house, so they came over and we just stayed home for the fireworks. We had a huge thunderstorm that day, but it was clear for the fireworks. Our friends got tickets for the Washington Monument and the Capitol from their Congressman for the same day (not the 4th - a couple of days later). They didn't realize it is a l-o-n-g walk between the two! Any tickets you can get ahead of time would be worth it. Otherwise you'll have to stand in line early and just hope.
Definitely park your car at your hotel if you can or at a metro stop. Not all of the metro stations have a parking lot, so you'll have to do a little research. There are lots of hotels that are near metro stops, too.
__________________
Lorri
mom to
The Mac and Cheese Chronicles
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Anne McD
Forum All-Star
Joined: Dec 21 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 499
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 8:47pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Lorri wrote:
LOL! DC streets make perfect sense...IF you know how they are laid out. |
|
|
Ha! My point exactly!!
I heard some story somewhere that DC was laid out the way it was to confuse anyone who was going to attack so that they couldn't find anything.
Its all those darn traffic circles. One wrong turn and your in MD all of a sudden! 
__________________
Anne
Wife to Jon
Mommy to Alex 9
James 8
Katie 6
William 3 1/2
Benedict Joseph 1
and baby on the way! 10/14
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cindy Mac
Forum All-Star
Joined: April 21 2005
Location: Florida
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 576
|
| Posted: April 21 2007 at 9:58pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Like Mary Chris, the one time I've "done" the DC 4th of July was at the Pentagon on one of my first dates with dh. He actually was the hit of the area, because he brought a boom box, and tuned it to NPR, so we could hear the concert while the fireworks were lighting up the sky. Many people surrounding us thanked him afterwards. Just a way to avoid the crowds of the Mall and still get to enjoy the light show set to the music.
__________________
Cindy - wife to Chris, mommy to my 4 sons!
Kellys Klassroom Korner
St. Anne's Academy
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Tea and Conversation
Topic: Fourth of July in Washington DC??
