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| A view of Congress from the Canadian Embassy rooftop |
But there is one thing I really don't like about DC - It is EXPENSIVE.
Even my corporate rate for hotels falls somewhere above $200 per night, and you don't want to be caught in this town without funds. Luckily, I am an expert at finding good deals. Even luckier, I'm going to share my secret gems on this blog.
So, here's how to do a week in Washington, DC on the cheap.
1. Book a B&B
It might seem like a hotel in Virginia or Maryland is going to save you some cash. It won't. Trust me. You'll be downtown DC, soaking in some hot blues band and eavesdropping on senators when suddenly you realize - Damn, the subway's closed and I'm going to use my last $50 for the cab ride home. It will ruin your night. Don't do it.
On the flipside, hotels in the DC core are pretty pricey. There are two good options. The first is Hotwire. I recently booked my father-in-law into the Hilton, which stands very close to the White House, for a mere $88 US per night. The downside here is that you're guessing on the exact location and quality of hotel.
For me, hotel location is essential. I want to be able to walk around, easily reach a subway, people watch, feel safe and be generally in the centre of things. Bed and Breakfasts in Washington are plentiful, safe and well located. This website allows you to search by location, price or availability.
We spent $150 a night on our first trip (Dupont Circle) and, I think, $115 a night on our second trip (U District).
Our first trip to DC was spent at Akwaaba B&B where we met a young woman from France who was tracking artwork stolen by Nazis, and a man who'd been summoned by Obama to participate in a roundtable on the future of clean energy. The room was great and the breakfast was very filling. Plus, we were in a real neighbourhood (Dupont Circle) and could easily stumble across great places to eat and be entertained. And many B&Bs have self-contained kitchens were you can prepare your own meals ... another good way to save money while you're on the road.
Our favourites were the the American Indian Museum (designed by the brilliant Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal, of Calgary), the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum (this is the one from that adorable Ben Stiller movie) and the National Art Gallery.
TWITTER: @DailyDealsDC and@TICKETPLACEDC
On the flipside, hotels in the DC core are pretty pricey. There are two good options. The first is Hotwire. I recently booked my father-in-law into the Hilton, which stands very close to the White House, for a mere $88 US per night. The downside here is that you're guessing on the exact location and quality of hotel.
For me, hotel location is essential. I want to be able to walk around, easily reach a subway, people watch, feel safe and be generally in the centre of things. Bed and Breakfasts in Washington are plentiful, safe and well located. This website allows you to search by location, price or availability.
We spent $150 a night on our first trip (Dupont Circle) and, I think, $115 a night on our second trip (U District).
Our first trip to DC was spent at Akwaaba B&B where we met a young woman from France who was tracking artwork stolen by Nazis, and a man who'd been summoned by Obama to participate in a roundtable on the future of clean energy. The room was great and the breakfast was very filling. Plus, we were in a real neighbourhood (Dupont Circle) and could easily stumble across great places to eat and be entertained. And many B&Bs have self-contained kitchens were you can prepare your own meals ... another good way to save money while you're on the road.
2. Soak in the Smithsonian
There are 19 Smithsonian museums and they are ALL FREE.
Our favourites were the the American Indian Museum (designed by the brilliant Canadian architect Douglas Cardinal, of Calgary), the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum (this is the one from that adorable Ben Stiller movie) and the National Art Gallery.
The National Art Gallery is not techincally part of the Smithsonian, but it's in the same area and is also free.
Not only are these incredible collections available for your pleasure, but there are often free concerts and lectures here ... for FREE. Amazing. Here's where to go for more information: http://www.si.edu/
One last hint: The cafe inside the American Indian Museum is incredible. It is absolutley worth the long line-ups to feast on Aboriginal food from the four corners of the continent, including smoked venison and snapping turtle soup from the Northern Woodlands, Indian tacos from The Plains, sunchoke and sweet potato hash from the Pacific Northwest and, my favourite, frijoles ala charra (slowcooked "cowboy beans") from MesoAmerica.
OK, one more! PLUS, while you're there, take in the free short film on the third floor. You'll sit on a rounded bench with a fire pit in the centre while the sounds of drums and a curved, starry sky above overcome your senses. Then you'll get a real taste for American Indian life through a short documentary that also serves as your introduction to the museum. You'll be surprised, maybe, by the amount of CanCon.
3. Mind Your Own Monuments
You do NOT need an organized tour to visit Washington's incredible monuments. Just a map. Available here, or on every corner of DC. You'll walk down the National Mall first, then take in the World War II monument before making your way to Honest Abe Lincoln (can't miss him), Vietnam, Washington Monument .... then across the park to Jefferson, JFK and the new Martin Luther King Jr. monument, which was just opening the last time I was in DC.
History is alive and well in Washington, DC and you'll often come across signage explaining the significance of a particular street, area or neighbourhood. These signs allow you to walk in the steps of war protestors and civil rights leaders, or even past presidents.
A good way to get around, if you tire of walking, is to rent bikes. There are bike stations all over the city and the rates are reasonable. Capitol Bike Share seems to be the most popular, although we saw some from this company too - Bike and Roll. Their's are $40 for the day or $12 for two hours. The Bike Share is more expensive; $94 for the day plus a $7 membership fee. But the trick there is to just ride the bike from one station to another, thus only playing the $6 it might cost you to get from bar to monument to theatre to home. Every time you park the bike (at a station), you stop paying. It could be much cheaper than Bike and Roll, if you play your way from station to station. There are big maps to help you do just that, and it seemed to work for most people we asked.
A good way to get around, if you tire of walking, is to rent bikes. There are bike stations all over the city and the rates are reasonable. Capitol Bike Share seems to be the most popular, although we saw some from this company too - Bike and Roll. Their's are $40 for the day or $12 for two hours. The Bike Share is more expensive; $94 for the day plus a $7 membership fee. But the trick there is to just ride the bike from one station to another, thus only playing the $6 it might cost you to get from bar to monument to theatre to home. Every time you park the bike (at a station), you stop paying. It could be much cheaper than Bike and Roll, if you play your way from station to station. There are big maps to help you do just that, and it seemed to work for most people we asked.
4. Half the Price
Here are two things you should know before planning a perfect date night in DC ... on the cheap.
One: The BEST oyster selection and Lobster Bisque in town is at Hank's. And if you drop by after your show, you can indulge in a half- priced raw bar (Oysters, Clams, Ceviche & Old Bay Shrimp). Who care's if you miss that, anyway? The $4 oyster/vodka shooters, generous melt-in-your-mouth old school lobster rolls and the trendy, jovial atmosphereis enough. Isn't it? Go there. You'll love it. Go here for more info. The best of the three Hank's Oyster Bar locations is at 1624 Q Street in the Dupont Circle area.
Two: Theatre tickets can be cheap. Below are two websites and one twitter account you should know about. We bought half price tickets to Jersey Boys at the National Theatre and Lungs at The Studio Theatre from TicketPlace. TicketPlace has a little shop close to the Archives Metro station, as well as an online business.
Also, at Ford's Theatre (where Lincoln was shot) you can buy same day tickets for half-price, which include a tour of the museum. I saw Parade there, which I didn't like very much, but it was a special experience to be inside that theatre.
TicketPlace: http://cultural-alliance.org/tickets/today.html
DC Theatre Scene: http://dctheatrescene.com/
DC Theatre Scene: http://dctheatrescene.com/
TWITTER: @DailyDealsDC and
****TIP: If you are in DC between Wed, October 10 and Sun, November 4 - SEE "OUR CLASS" AT THEATRE J - It's close to Dupont Circle. Here's the wesbite. It might be the best play I've ever seen. The Kennedy Centre is also a great venue, with lots of free cultural programming daily.****
5. Cheap Eats
So you've got your metro pass, read your daily free papers (Politico, Onion and whatever you've stumbled across in Starbucks), your B&B is cheap and cheerful and your feet have been taking you from one delightful free museum and music venue to the next.*** You've even had half-price date night.
But you still have to eat, right?
And you're in DC so you must eat well. Here are a few options fit for the President on a pauper's budget.
But you still have to eat, right?
And you're in DC so you must eat well. Here are a few options fit for the President on a pauper's budget.
***By the way, an excellent (and free) music venue is Pier 7. It is very much a hidden gem. Go after dark and dance. It's an older crowd, fifty plus I'd say. Live music will blow you away. Drinks are reasonable. It's hidden in the back of a hotel on the waterfront ... really out of the way. We'd never have found it but for our local friend. You'll also want to try Nightclub 9:30, Madam's Organ and Blues Alley for top-notch entertainment and good old fashioned American soul food.***
Here are a few options:
- Breakfast at home (you've got a B&B right??)
- Lunch on the National Mall (hot dogs, tacos and other kinds of street meat)
- Lunch at CF Folks (sandwhiches and salads all under $8) - http://cffolksrestaurant.com/
- Lunch at Surfside (yummy seafood tacos etc all under $15) - http://www.surfsidedc.com
- Dinner at Estadio (hip, trendy, cheap tapas that are delish; all items under $25) - http://estadio-dc.com/
- Late night at Ben's Chili Bowl (A CLASSIC and all items under $7; open until 2 am on weekdays and 4 am on Saturdays. The chili is a must-have) - http://www.benschilibowl.com
- Breakfast at home (you've got a B&B right??)
- Lunch on the National Mall (hot dogs, tacos and other kinds of street meat)
- Lunch at CF Folks (sandwhiches and salads all under $8) - http://cffolksrestaurant.com/
- Lunch at Surfside (yummy seafood tacos etc all under $15) - http://www.surfsidedc.com
- Dinner at Estadio (hip, trendy, cheap tapas that are delish; all items under $25) - http://estadio-dc.com/
- Late night at Ben's Chili Bowl (A CLASSIC and all items under $7; open until 2 am on weekdays and 4 am on Saturdays. The chili is a must-have) - http://www.benschilibowl.com
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