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Back from vacation

June 28th, 2013 at 05:54 pm

We don't go on vacation often, this was only the 3rd time in 10 years. Now I remember why!

We took a trip up to Washington D.C.. It was the first time we have been there, and most likely our last. Don't get me wrong, it was kind of cool to be in the Nation's capital. But traffic, parking and prices were a nightmare.

We got there on Saturday before our hotel room was ready so we decided to drive in to the city. There were 2 festivals going on that made traffic a nightmare. We stopped at a chain restaurant to get some lunch. 4 burgers and sodas cost $75.00! Holy cow. How can anyone afford to live in that place?

Parking was a nightmare, too. Besides being hard to find and expensive, we managed to get our car locked in one of the garages. Talk about panic. It all worked out finally, but it soured me on driving down there again. The last day we took the Metro, which while expensive, worked much better for us.

I have some great pictures, not so great memories, big blisters on my feet and an empty wallet. I'm glad to be home.

6 Responses to “Back from vacation”

  1. disneysteve Says:
    1372441295

    Sorry you had a bad experience. We have been to DC many times. One of the things we love about DC is how affordable it is since so many of the attractions are free. I'm wondering where you had lunch. $75 for 4 is $18.75 per person for a burger and soda. Figure $2 or maybe $3 for the soda. That means over $15 for a burger. I'm quite sure there are plenty of more affordable places in DC.

    Driving in any major city can be a challenge, especially if you aren't accustomed to doing it. I was born and raised in Philadelphia so city driving doesn't phase me whether it is DC, NYC, Boston, or Philly, but it certainly can be intimidating to folks not used to it. When we go to DC, we always depend on the Metro to get around though, particularly because we always stay outside of the city in Arlington or Alexandria.

    DC has endless great things to see and do. Hopefully you'll give it another chance some time.

  2. creditcardfree Says:
    1372448278

    I'm actually looking forward to visiting DC sometime in the near future and have heard the Metro is the way to get around, so we will do that.

  3. Baby_nurse Says:
    1372463096

    Disneysteve- I did love that the exhibits were free. That helped a lot. The reason we picked the chain restaurant was because we knew my very picky daughter would eat there. We visit the one in Atlanta often and the same meal runs about $50 there. We experienced sticker shock to say the least.

    Creditcardfree- Definitely look in to the Metro. You can buy either passes for just between stops or the all day pass for $14. I'm pretty sure they had a week long pass available, too. Another thing I might look in to is the hop on/hop off tour. The two day pass is a better deal than the one day rate. Also, try to go during the week when things like the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the Senate building are open and offer free tours.

  4. snafu Says:
    1372467113

    We loved nearly everything about DC using customer friendly METRO exclusively. The people are terrific about helping tourists like us who easily get lost and make suggestions about their favorite places. Prices were what we expect from any major city. Why would you cater to shenanigans of a picky eater? As parents I suggest you choose based on adult standards like cleanliness, healthy food, price and adventure. If DD prefers to go hungry that has potential to be a life lesson.

    Pick your time carefully, we went in August when the sidewalks melt beneath your feet.

  5. PNW Mom Says:
    1372479261

    We were planning a trip there this summer and decided to go to Kauai instead. I have heard the heat is almost unbearable in the summer months. Maybe we will go in the Spring or Fall. We were planning on staying in VA, to save on the hotel costs. Good tips above.

  6. CB in the City Says:
    1372541059

    You know, when those financial sites recommend spending money on experiences rather than things, they fail to consider that sometimes experiences turn out awful. Sorry yours did. I have had some bad parking/traffic experiences in my home city of Chicago. It happens.

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