Getting to the Lincoln Memorial

So, it looks like we're going to get a few visitors this weekend that will want to visit the Lincoln Memorial. They're about to find out what legions of previous visitors have found: it's pretty darn hard to get to.

Sure, if you want to disregard our advice and drive, feel free, but parking is limited at best. For every lucky person that finds a spot along Ohio Drive, there are a dozen frustrated out of state cars circling around. And just assume you're going to get a ticket. I live here, and barely understand the enforcement of parking regulations on the Mall.

The Park Service has some handy tips from their website: "It is highly recommended that you make use of the efficient public transit system (Metro rail and Metro bus) as well as Tourmobile, the official interpretive visitor transportation service for the National Mall and Memorial Parks."

Well, great. Except that the Tourmobile costs $27 and generally sucks. And don't get me started on their ridiculous government sponsored monopoly that the Park Service gave them that hinders the "efficient public transit system" that the Park Service speaks so highly of.

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The Circulator Cometh!

photo uploaded to flickr by krossbowWalking along the National Mall, distances become quite deceptive. The compulsion to see "just one more museum" can lead you further and further astray. Before you know it, you're a good mile away from the Metro, which in normal times would be but a fifteen minute stroll.

But it's not normal times. It's hot. The kids are clamoring for ice cream and rides on the carousel. Your feet hurt. The damned stroller keeps getting stuck with the godforsaken gravel along the paths. You're not even sure you are going the right way. And your wife is looking at you as if this is all your fault. I've been there before, and as I can't permanently stand outside the Air and Space museum bailing all of you out, I do what I can to point you in the right direction.

But with a little planning some more professional help is available, for the transportation problem at least. Starting this Saturday, March 27th, the Circulator will be re-starting it's National Mall loop. Unfortunatly, it only runs on weekends, from 10 am till 6 pm, but it's better than nothing. For those of you not familiar with this service, the Circulator is a bus system run by the District Department of Transportation, not the regional system that runs the Metro buses (WMATA). It offers a few advantages over the Metro bus system, especially for our out of town visitors. Unlike Metro bus, you don't need a Masters in Systems Engineering to understand the routing, it's somewhat cheaper at an uncomplicated $1 per ride, and the buses stand out with a distinctive color scheme.

The Smithsonian-National Mall loop, which runs in a loop around the outside of the museums (i.e. along Constitution and Independence Avenues) can be picked up on various spots and swings (with short walks) near the Smithsonian, Federal Triangle, Archives-Navy Memorial, L'Enfant Plaza, and Federal Center SW Metro stops (see here for more info on taking the Metro to the Mall). It also has the advantage of getting near the World War II Memorial. Unfortunately, it doesn't continue to the Lincoln Memorial so your options to get all the way down there are to walk or pay $27 for the Tourmobile, which I'm not linking to because it sucks.

So take a few minutes before you come, and familiarize yourself with the route. No doubt, you've already listened to me and purchased SmartTrip cards for your family, but if not, have a crisp $1 bill for everyone. This bus is designed to run every ten minutes, so don't worry about a schedule, although you can showoff and save this link for your smart phone. It'll finally answer the perennial question from your kids: "when is the bus going to be here" (the mass transit version of "are we there yet" for you auto types).

Pull this all together and your kids will have a fun ride and your wife can go back to wondering if you remembered to mow the lawn before you left home. That I can't help you with.

Getting from DC Area Airports to Your Final Destination--Part 3, Thurgood Marshall (BWI)

Today we complete our thrilling series of discussions about DC area airports with a discussion of the logistics of Thurgood Marshall International Airport (Baltimore-Washington).

The airport has recently been renamed for Thurgood Marshall, the first African American appointed as a justice to the US Supreme court.  It is BWI on your luggage tag.  This is really the airport for Baltimore, but you may end up using it because you get a cheaper fare.  Do not be deceived by the use of "Washington" in its name.  Interestingly, the website for the airport is not forthcoming about its actual distance from Washington--one can assume it is because the airport really does not really want you to know.  So, DC Like a Local went to google maps and came up with rougly 35 miles.  Logistically, it can be the most difficult of the airports from which to get to downtown DC—especially if you arrive on a weekend.

Metrobus #B30 runs from the airport to the Greenbelt Metro Station.  Fare is $3.10.  When you get to the Metro, hop on the Green Line and take Metro to DC.  The only problem is that the B30 runs every 40 minutes.  I did try and confirm the schedule with Metro, but had persistent trouble doing so, so I am relying on memory here.  You can check the schedule online or use NextBus.  If the bus just left, you can have a very long wait. There are two Metro bus stops at BWI, both on the lower level. Think of the airport as a giant "U"; they are at either end of the U.

If you arrive during the week, you can take the shuttle bus from BWI to the train station and hop on a MARC commuter train.  These trains run frequently during the week, but not at all on the weekend.  Fare is $6.00 one way to Union Station. Look for the shuttle busses to the BWI train station on  the lower level.

On the weekends, if you do not take Metrobus #B30, your only choice will be Amtrak.  You take the bus to the train station just as you would to pick up the MARC train.  One way fare from BWI to Union Station in DC on Amtrak can vary.  It will be more than double what MARC charges and service is relatively infrequent.  Check the times of the trains with Amtrak when you make your airline reservations to be certain you do not head over to the train station and wait a very long time, for the money, it can't be beat.  Metro fare to downtown (using the Farragut West Station as the point of arrival) is $2.35 in the non rush hour and $3.80 in the rush hour.  If you want to calculate the fare yourself to your specific destination, go to Metro's fare finder. When you get to the site, just click on any station, by the way, and information will be there for the station including an option to calculate fares.

Whether you take MARC or Amtrak, you may take the train to either New Carrollton or Union Station. While Union Station is in DC proper and closer to downtown, it is only on the Red line. You may wish to get off to New Carrollton if your plans include the Orange line, and save yourself a transfer.

The other options are the Super Shuttle.  Taxi fare to downtown DC is estimated at $90.00 (ouch!)  The Taxi Fare Finder site gives an estimated fare of $67.50 including the tip (using the Penn Quarter in DC as the point of destination)--a veritable bargain!  

If you are going to use Thurgood Marshall/BWI, make certain that the savings on your airline ticket is not eclipsed on what you will pay to get into DC.  We at DC Like a Local have heard plenty of stories here.  If you are arriving during the work week, however, you should have no problems if you take the MARC train.  But on weekends, look out!

We know we sound like a broken record, but please note that all fares can change and taxi fares may depend on the traffic at the time of the day when you arrive.

Getting from DC Area Airports to Your Final Destination--Part 2, Dulles (IAD)

DC Like a Local continues its romp through the wonderful airports of the Washington, DC, area--none of which are in Washington, DC.

Dulles International Airport is located 26 miles from downtown Washington, DC, and is named for John Foster Dulles, the Secretary of State under Eisenhower.  It’s IAD on your baggage tags..  You get your bags and are greeted with a number of options.  One involves a bus to Rosslyn, VA (across the Potomac from Georgetown).  The second involves a bus and Metro combination.  The options are listed from cheapest to most expensive.

Here we go:

A.  Metro Bus 5A goes from Dulles Airport to Rosslyn, VA, and L’Enfant Plaza, DC.  Follow the directional signs to buses.  Then search for the appropriate bus stop.  There are signs telling you where different bus numbers stop. If you want to know when the next bus to arrive, check NextBus when you arrive. If you don't have a web capable phone, you can call (202) 637-7000 and enter stop number 5002017. And, of course, there is an iphone app for this.  From Dulles you stay on the bus to Rosslyn, VA, or L’Enfant Plaza, DC.  You can transfer to the Metro at either station.  Bus fare is currently $3.10.  There are no transfers from bus to Metro. The trip will take 45-60 minutes.  Please note that, if you take the bus to the airport, you can get a discount on the bus transferring from Metro to the bus--but only if you use a plastic Smartrip card.  Depending on what you are going to do in DC--and how long you will be here--a Smartrip card might be a good investment.  If you use a paper ticket on the Metro, there is no transfer to the bus and you pay full fare.

B. You can take the Washington Flyer Coach Service from Dulles to the West Falls Church Metro Stop (Orange Line on the Metro).  Buses leave from the Arrivals Level Door 4 at Dulles.  Fare is currently $10.00 one way and $18.00 round trip.  When you get to West Falls Church, hop on the Metro and take the subway to your hotel. The trip is 20-30 minutes on the Flyer bus.

C. Take the Super Shuttle. Super Shuttle is a van.  It is a group taxi.  If you are the first one off, it’s quick, but, if not, it can take awhile.  Very useful if you are going somewhere that is not conveniently near the Metro and/or you have a lot of luggage.  To get a fare quote, just click on the highlighted link.

D. A Taxi.  A Taxi from Dulles to downtown will be about $60.  This fare quote was taken from the airport taxi website.  The Taxi Fare Finder estimates that it will be $57.41 (interesting that penny). 

Please note that all fares can change and taxi fares may depend on the traffic at the time of the day when you arrive.

You Can't Get There From Here: Udvar-Hazy

Stephanie from Colorado recently asked: "How does one get to the Udvar-Hazy Center if (as you fervently suggest) a tourist does not have a car?"

Well, Stephanie, you got me. The best, and just about only, way to get to the Air and Space's expansion near Dulles Airport is by car. As I enjoy the view from being hoisted by my own petard, let's talk a second about Udvar-Hazy. No, not the Hungarian born aircraft leasing tycoon who donated the money, but rather the Museum named after him.

It may be the coolest museum for aviation junkies in the world. It's phenomenally well designed, with row after row of world changing aircraft stretching as far as the eye can see. To give you a sense of it's scale, the Space Shuttle is housed in a relatively small offshoot of the main gallery. Yes, the Space Shuttle (Enterprise, the one that was just a flight test platform). The Museum's collection of 163 airplanes is ably housed in its main hanger without being crowded, all the more impressive when you consider that among these planes is a 707, a B-29, SR-71, and a Concorde; hardly small planes. And to cap it off, the observation tower gives you a bird's eye view of operations at Dulles, which is particularly cool when the 747s are coming in from Europe and Asia.

But it's a pain to get to. If you have a car, just head out the Dulles Toll Road, follow the signs, shell out $15 for parking, and enjoy. Without it, you're almost, but not entirely, out of luck. First off, don't even bother with the Metro Authority's trip planner. Or if you do, let me know how you got it to work. I'm stumped. But you can take the 5A bus (pdf) to Dulles Airport. From there, look for the Virginia Regional Transit's shuttle bus to Udvar-Hazy and the Dulles Town Center. As the shuttle runs hourly, this could mean that a trip from DC to the Museum could take up to two hours. One way. It'd be easier to fly there.

As inconvenient as it is to get to, I have a hard time getting too irate at the Smithsonian for this. The Air and Space Museum has a tough curatorial challenge. Nearly by definition, their collection is going to contain pieces that are much, much larger than pretty much any of the other museums. I imagine when they hang out at curator bars (much like biker bars but with more tweed and less leather), they taunt the guys from Natural History. What? Must be tough building a case for a whole diamond? Do you have to put in special supports for that? Meanwhile, the guys from the Postal Museum hunker down in the corner, trying not to be noticed.

So as large as the Air and Space Museum on the Mall is; to properly conserve and show their collection the Museum needs a facility with even more space. And, of course, as the best way to get a several ton airplane somewhere is to fly it, the location near Dulles makes a certain amount of sense.

No my ire is reserved for the car-is-the-wave-of-the-future 1950's planners who put Washington, DC's airport 26 miles outside of downtown DC. Heck, West Virginia Dulles International Airport would be almost as accurate as Washington Dulles. Construction is underway on a new Metro line to Dulles and I am cautiously optimistic that it will be built in the next couple of decades.

Until then, I'd have to say, you probably won't want to include the Udvar-Hazy Center in your plans unless you have access to a car, want to shell out for a taxi, or happen to be flying in or out of Dulles Airport.

NOTE: Stephanie also asked about a shuttle between the two Air and Space Museums that was mentioned in her 2009 (?!) guidebook. Don't fall for it, that was discontinued in 2006.