It's been awhile since I have driven around DC, at least 20yrs. I do recall traffic being "unpleasant", and I had to go in 4-5 times a month.

Looking at options. We will be traveling from PA to Richmond, to see family, then making our way north to DC. I have looked into Amtrak, but looking at the requirements, our bikes may not fit the criteria; wheel width must be less than 2". Another option is to drive closer to DC, ditch the car in a park and ride, and then hope we can pick up the Metro with bikes.

So now I am thinking the easiest solution, is to just drive to our hotel, Hyatt Place Capital. Valet parking (UGGHHH!!!) and $30 parking/night. But I'd still like to take the bikes to get around and avoid the congestion.

My son will be running the USMC marathon, and I know DC will be more hectic than usual, and that's why I'd like to rely mostly on bikes to get around and sight see the rest of the week. We are staying until Thursday following the marathon. My sons have never been in DC, so I'd like to make this trip as pleasant as possible.

Anything I need to know, or should be aware of? Any suggestions?

I live inside the beltway, and have been in my present location for over 20 years. My recollection is that, back then, traffic wasn't all that bad compared to how it is now. Don't knock the valet parking option, otherwise you're likely to find no parking at all. I have a client on NY Ave. not far from your hotel, they are almost exactly six miles from my home, when I visit their offices, I allow an hour and a half for that distance.

WRT to whether USMC marathon weekend makes a difference, unless along the course itself, my experience is hardly at all.

Otherwise I can't really help you, except in general, try not to drive during peak times (weekdays: 7:30-10:00AM, 2:30-7:00PM, weekends: all day). You should be aware that there are some fairly sketchy neighborhoods not far from your hotel (North and East, and out NY Ave. across the railroad tracks), going South, towards Capitol Hill should be safe enough, but don't go too far in that direction, do not cross the Anacostia River. West toward the Mall and monuments is OK. DC is fairly flat, and a pretty good town for biking, lots of dedicated bike lanes, etc.

Of course, like under any good socialist regime, being found in possession of a firearm, or any part of a firearm, ammunition, or even a single empty cartridge case, without the appropriate permit, will get you charged with a felony.

There are a few roadway maintenance issues this summer that might affect your travels, a Potomac bridge closure, Metro route shutdowns, etc. You might want to research these before making specific day plans.

Electronic mail.
Some you has.

Having run the MCM several times, I can tell you it's great for spectating, but you'll want to be careful riding bikes. Race marshals will take a dim view of anyone (and that includes pedestrians) on the course itself. You'd do well to familiarize yourself with the course, since they tend to alter it a bit every year. Here's some info and the map:

https://www.marinemarathon.com...thon/mcm-info/course

https://www.marinemarathon.com...mcm-info/course-maps

I'd probably plan on parking the car and using the Metro (subway). They will allow bikes on the trains, but be aware that Metro is a major conveyance for MCM participants, so it will be a madhouse before and after.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:
Electronic mail.
Some you has.

Wow. Email replied.

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
Having run the MCM several times, I can tell you it's great for spectating, but you'll want to be careful riding bikes. Race marshals will take a dim view of anyone (and that includes pedestrians) on the course itself. You'd do well to familiarize yourself with the course, since they tend to alter it a bit every year. Here's some info and the map:

https://www.marinemarathon.com...thon/mcm-info/course

https://www.marinemarathon.com...mcm-info/course-maps

I'd probably plan on parking the car and using the Metro (subway). They will allow bikes on the trains, but be aware that Metro is a major conveyance for MCM participants, so it will be a madhouse before and after.

We will not be riding during the marathon (I know my thread title suggested that. DOH!!!). But we will be in DC from either Friday night/Saturday morning until Thursday. So most of our sightseeing will probably start on Monday. I doubt my son will be up for it on Monday, so he'll probably lay around the hotel.

I just don't want to deal with DC traffic, parking, valet, fees, etc...

quote:

Originally posted by ASKSmith:
Another option is to drive closer to DC, ditch the car in a park and ride, and then hope we can pick up the Metro with bikes.

I haven't biked in DC since Metro opened the Red Line to Shady Grove in 1976, and I continued biking using the Metro for another 15 years. At that time, you had to have a special Metro-issued bike permit to bring your bike on the train, and you had to sit with it in one or the other end sections of the car. IIRC, there was also a restriction on the number of bikes on a single car, but could be wrong there. I really don't recall the details of getting the permit (how long it took, etc), and you might be able to get it ahead of time via mail. It's also possible they no longer require the permit.
 
DC is definitely a great place to bike. You can travel from Montgomery County MD all the way to Mt. Vernon VA without ever leaving a bike trail. The Mall is a bike trail itself, and you can pick up the trail through Rock Creek Park near the Kennedy Center, or cross the bridge and pick up the VA side trails. There's a bike parking area (rack) right next to the National Zoo in Rock Creek Park, the lower entrance to the zoo. You can also jump on the C&O Canal towpath near Georgetown and travel all the way to Cumberland MD.

I wouldn't bring a bike, you can rent one there for cheap through the various services such as Lime. Better yet, you can even rent the electric scooters for cheap. I think it's $1 to unlock and $.15 per minute. You pick them up and drop them off wherever. Their app will tell you where they are located.

Good idea, Edmond.

I'm trying to overcomplicate this...

The rules on Bikes on the Metro is;
On weekends and most holidays, no more than four bicycles (two at each end) may be allowed in any railcar of a train, at the front and rear doors only. Please wait until all exiting and entering passengers have cleared the doorway before moving their bicycles into the railcar.

Check out www.capitalbikeshare.com This may be a way better alternative than bringing your own.

Capital Bike Share and other rent bikes. Capital Bike Share uses docking stations scattered around the city. You can pay a flat daily fee and use them as much as you want.

I would rent that way you don't have to worry about locking it up if you stop for lunch or a museum.