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How to Navigate Washington, D.C. Without Going Nuts
I've been on the road for more than a month, and here's my number one tip: Don't drive in Washington, D.C. Nightmare would be a measure too generous.
As soon as I could park my ride, I did, content to not touch it until I pulled out of the District two days later. And considering the byzantine fare structure and bizarre routing of the Metro, it's something I avoid, too. Here's a better idea.
Trade four wheels for two: Rent a bike. While you can certainly walk the city-getting to your destination eventually-it's much easier to just pedal there, particularly in the summer, when temperatures in Washington hit roughly "surface of the sun" levels. Best to limit your exposure by riding where you're going in a hurry.
The newest option in town is the Capital Bikeshare program. Another in a growing list of bike-sharing efforts around the world modeled on Paris' Velib, the initiative is open to visitors because it offers 24-hour and five-day "memberships." Any riding up to 30 minutes is free after that, with longer rides racking up bigger bills. (The clock resets each time you dock your bike, so it's possible to do the whole day for five bucks.)
But the claim that Capital Bikeshare "puts 1,100 bicycles at your fingertips" is a stretch at best: On the occasions that you actually stumble across a station, there's no guarantee you'll actually find one to ride. A couple of smartphone apps have been developed to help with this problem, but they're not foolproof yet.
The easier solution is to buy some convenience with a Bike and Roll rental. You'll pay a little bit more, but you'll have the same ride all day-and ditch the hassle of looking for docking stations while on the clock. With your bike dialed in, you'll actually want to ride from the Capitol all the way down to the new Martin Luther King, Jr. monument that's scheduled to open to the public before the end of summer.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 8)
Jay Jul 8th 2011 1:07PM
Bizzare routing of the metro? I take it all the time, and it is very easy to use and straightforward. If you can't understand the system in DC, I feel sorry for you.
lou britt Jul 16th 2011 4:34PM
I took the DC Metro for many years and it is wonderful. The advice not to use it is a big disservice to the tourist.
Metro covers the important parts of DC, and goes into nearby Virginia and Maryland. It works great and is clean, safe, and fast. (Not everyone can bike a lot of miles, and the weather may not allow this.) One can put, say, $20 on a fare card, and the fares are automatically deducted. When necessary, you can add money to the card. A good strategy is to stay along Wilson Blvd. in Arlington, and use the Metro for the short ride to and from DC.
jm Jul 16th 2011 5:09PM
I lived there for 7 years. You stick your ticket in the little slot, ride all you want, and stick it in the other little slot when you exit. Charge it up at the kiosk when it runs down. How freakin hard is that? The writer/rider needs to have his head examined. This is the cleanest and easiest-to-use system in the World, and it is designed EXACTLY that way, given the Tourism and International Presence in our Nations Capital.
C. POtts Jul 16th 2011 5:14PM
I agree with Jay and Lou. The Metro is the easiest way to get around. Anyone heading to D.C., ignore the advice about avoiding the train. With the traffic the way it is, drivers at times, ignoring red lights as well as pedestrians in the crosswalk, the Metro is the only way to go. Most stations are withing easy walking distance of what you want to see. Park the car at the hotel, walk to the station and enjoy the ride. I've done this many times and never wished I were on a bike instead.
JOhn Jul 17th 2011 4:35PM
What a crock! This bike company is AWFUL! A TOTAL waste of money because you are CHARGED for the time you spend looking for a station to get rid of the damn thing asap...
D.C.'s metro is the best I've ever taken! efficient, easy to use, goes EVERYWHERE, fast, cheap to use and amazingly CLEAN!!! Tourists (except maybe college kids who want to BIKE in that heat) beware of this misleading article...it was obviously 'lobbied' by the bike company and "you'll be sorry"...TAKE the Metro!
robb Jul 16th 2011 5:34PM
are you kidding... that's the stupidest thing I ever heard of .. renting a bike .. lol ... haha ... you'll get run over.... driving in DC is easy .. you just have to understand how the streets run and if you can count to 40 and know the alphabet .. you're in good shape.
Donna Jul 17th 2011 12:39AM
This is a reply to Robb more than Jay- 'thou I agree with all the Metro is Great!
Driving in DC is a nightmare!! I can count to 40, I know the alphabet. What I don't know is how in the world all the circles, the criss-cross of the grid with the "States"-named streets, the one way detours, steets with the same name but different quadrants make "driving in DC is easy" true? And the lack of left turn lights or lanes? What if they simply outlawed left turns at lights? Might help?
And it's hard to ride a bike in a dress.
at1 Jul 16th 2011 8:48PM
Its illegal to ride a bike on the sidewalk in DC and most are not comfortable riding a bike in city traffic...the idea to rent a bike is so stupid for non experienced cyclists! Washington DC is full of fast past, get out of my way, high strung, over achievers, this article is going to get someone killed!
The metro is beyond easy to figure out, pay for, and ride. The metro will get you within walking distances to all of the monuments and museums, the capital, white house. the national zoo, and trendy Maryland and Virginia areas. The great thing about DC, unlike cities like New York, is that all of these attractions are free so it wont kill you to by a $9 day pass for the metro!
To sum it up...this article is ridiculous, pay no attention to it!
Keith Jul 16th 2011 8:58PM
I agree with Jay. We always stay out of the city, and the Metro is great for
putting us where we want to be in DC. As part of this last trip, we actually
rented a car to do some sightseeing. You just have to pick your spots as to
when you take it into DC.
Cathy Jul 17th 2011 1:17AM
I've been to DC more than a dozen times and have used public transportation in other major cities as well. The DC Metro is by far the cleanest, easiest system I've ever come across. We don't even bother bringing a car to DC anymore; we hop a train in New England to Union Station in DC and use the Metro for everything while we're visiting the city. In the rare case when we have trouble navigating the system, Metro staff have always been glad to help us out. Ignore the article. If you can read, you can easily figure out the DC Metro.
ekane98 Jul 17th 2011 2:38AM
I have lived in DC for 17 years. Metro is great, but what most tourists don't realize is that a "city block" here is longer than city blocks elsewhere and if you aren't used to walking, then you will be tired and sore. It takes longer to get around. Metro is easy to use, but can still leave you far from where you want to go - and the local bus system remains a mystery to everyone but the locals. Capitol Bikeshare is good for the Mall spots, but what the reporter should have shared is info about the Circulator buses which have now been around for about 4 years. They take you north to Dupont Circle and the zoo, west to Georgetown and east to the Convention center. They will particularly save you in the heat and will get you closer than metro. They also can be easier for people with mobility problems: http://www.dccirculator.com/ DC taxis also now have meters, so no more "mystery fares" and they are still cheaper than many cities. Downtown to my house ( a 20 minute trip) is usually around $12. For those who remember when DC was the U.S. murder capital, those days are gone and almost every neighborhood near a Metro stop is getting gentrified.
BTDT Jul 17th 2011 5:07AM
The cab drivers are robbers but there's nothing wrong with the metro.
You'd have to be some kind of idiot to try riding a bike through DC.
George Jul 17th 2011 8:02AM
The writer is obviously not from DC, and likely not from the DC metro area!! Riding Metro (train) is the easiest thing in the world, every visitor I've met says the map is simple (and it is). The Metro (bus) is a little more challenging, but even that's a good way to get around (if you have a little more time). As for driving in DC, that's no more of a challenge than any big city. If you're stupid enough to try to go east-west or north-south during rush hour, then....well, you're stupid! The ONLY part of the city I would not recommend driving to, through, or trying to park, would be Georgetown (Friday evening, Saturday or Sunday). "If" you know your way around (or find someone who does) getting around DC in a car is easy, and thanks to the alphabetical and numerical order of the city's layout, it's impossible to get lost! Riding a bike?? Yeah, maybe around the neighborhood, but you're seriously (I mean "seriously!") taking your life in your hands if you ride anywhere downtown, Georgetown, Capitol Hill, or Adams Morgan.
Karen Jul 8th 2011 2:49PM
Often late, filled with cranky people, full of escalators that don't work? Yes. Routed badly for tourists? Not really.
Aglaia761 Jul 8th 2011 3:45PM
Like the Metro or not, riding a bike all over DC is really not all that feasible. It's hot as hell, the drivers don't respect you, and pedestrians get in the way.
Riding a bike on and around the Mall makes sense. Riding a bike anywhere else is a bit silly
The best way to get around DC is the Metro, simply because it goes everywhere and most places are a 5-15 min walk from a metro stop.
I mean really, you want to bike from Union Station to the National Zoo...In July...In DC?
Michele Jul 16th 2011 9:58PM
So right, so right. From about May through October the temperatures and humidity in DC make it hotter than hades and less comfortable. The Metro system, while it has its problems, is the perfect way to travel to see most tourist attractions. Beyond that there are sightseeing buses you can hop on and off of all day that go directly to the places where Metro doesn't have a stop close by, like the Lincoln, Jefferson and Roosevelt memorials and all the Smithsonians and Arlington cemetery; and you get some local history from a tour guide as well. Given that there is no admission charged for most of the popular tourist activities why wouldn't you want to spend a little more on transportation like the subway and a sightseeing bus?
Debbie Jul 17th 2011 12:08AM
I think the Metro is the best way to travel in DC. I took my mother (age 73) to Cherry Blossom Festival this year, and we had no trouble getting around. As a teacher who has brought many students to DC, I DO NOT recommend renting and riding a bicyle! Metro is so easy and inexpensive to use!
Ella Jul 9th 2011 11:41PM
My opinion on visitors riding a bike in the city is the same as visitors driving in the city: don't do it unless you've done it before. I agree with AGLAIA761 very much when they say that riding a bike around the mall makes sense- from the Lincoln to the Capitol and back is fine, sure. But trying to navigate Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan and Chinatown on a bike if you've never ridden in the city before? Bad idea. Many city drivers pay little attention to bikers, even if there happens to be a bike lane on the road. The danger of riding on the streets forces many inexperienced riders up onto the sidewalk, creating a serious hazard to pedestrians- not to mention that the Capital Bikeshare rides are thick, unwieldly bikes and end up crowding the already populated sidewalks. Not to mention that you're probably more likely to pass out if you're huffing up Wisconsin Ave to the Cathedral in the middle of a DC July, the Metro (while yes, often arrives at completely arbitrary times), when combined with the Circulator bus service, will transport visitors within 5-15 minutes walking distance of basically every major attraction in the city. Unless you're adventurous enough to explore the Metrobus lines, I'd advise you to stick with the trains. Buy a Smartrip and bring a water bottle, and enjoy not having sweat stains all over your clothes while perusing the National Archives.
mesager42 Jul 16th 2011 4:21PM
Only use the Metro if you have good knees and don't mind smelling someone's armpit during rush hour. It is better to visit D.C. in the off season, not during the summer, not during spring break, not around any major holidays. The region is crowded enough during the peak seasons with workers and tourists. Research a time like January, February, early March, early May, September after Labor Day, October, November before Thanksgiving. Those are the best months to drive around D.C., during the day. Get back to your hotel before rush hour. Best drive times during those months 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Rush hour starts at around 3 p.m. Best days to be out and about in a car are Tuesday through Thursday. Mondays and Fridays are hell days on the roadways. Don't go wandering around the National Mall after dark. While security does exist, it cant' stop all criminal elements that permeate the city after dark. Go to ATMs in with others during daylight hours. Stay out of neighborhoods Southeast D.C. Not a safe place for tourists. Northwest D.C. in and around areas connected to where Walter Reed is closing down also has problematic areas. Use common sense. Personally, I would recommend a trip to Hawaii. It is a lot more fun.
Bunnie Jul 16th 2011 4:31PM
Can't you just see me, a 78 year old grandmother, riding around D.C. on a bicycle?