All things Baltimore

[mitsugirly]

Saturday you should be fine. I have no idea how much parking is since I always take the metro in.

 

The zoo is in a completely different area than the white house though. Just keep that in mind while planning

 

 

Right, it says it's about 2.6 miles away and around 13 minutes by car.

 

So if anyone else can chime in about where you park when you are around the White House, please let me know.

[Terpnut]

When I say "Easter weekend" I mean on Saturday. So I assume that's not a normal workday for most correct?

 

Where exactly do you park around there? On the street? In a garage? Cost?

 

I would just like a place to park and be able to walk around and look at the White House and get some pictures of the grounds. Then maybe head over to the zoo (which I did see that parking there is $22)

 

Right, it says it's about 2.6 miles away and around 13 minutes by car.

 

So if anyone else can chime in about where you park when you are around the White House, please let me know.

Easter is not a federal holiday so visiting on that Saturday will probably be like most other Saturdays. I believe you have to pay for street parking on Saturdays, but since it's not a work day, you should be mostly fine with traffic and have plentiful street or garage parking. The only thing you should be aware is that you will be visiting in the middle of the Cherry Blossom Festival period. So crowds will probably be bad near the Mall and Tidal Basin. You may even want to add this to your agenda since people come from all over the world just to see the cherry blossoms during these few weeks.

 

Given your interest in the zoo, perhaps you should consider this strategy:

 

1. Drive to the zoo and park in their lot (here's some information on visiting the zoo, including parking info: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/planyourvisit/). I recommend you park in the lower lot. If $22 to park for the day is too steep, consider some nearby parking alternatives (see the above URL for alternatives).

2. Assuming you park in the lower lot, you will visit the zoo walking up-hill toward the main entrance on Connecticut Avenue.

3. When you are done, exit the zoo at main entrance and walk to the Woodley Park Metro station a few blocks away.

4. Take the Metro to the Metro Center stop and take your pics of the White House.

5. Assuming the weather is nice and the cherry blossoms are still worth seeing, you could continue your walk toward the Tidal Basin. Sometime before you leave home, check the blossom schedule (http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/) to see if the blossoms are still at or near peak.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Terpnut

[trixiegal]

When I say "Easter weekend" I mean on Saturday. So I assume that's not a normal workday for most correct?

 

Where exactly do you park around there? On the street? In a garage? Cost?

 

I would just like a place to park and be able to walk around and look at the White House and get some pictures of the grounds. Then maybe head over to the zoo (which I did see that parking there is $22)

 

 

There are garages everywhere, with varying prices depending on location and time of day. When I visit the White House area or the W Hotel across the street, I can usually find metered parking on 15th St and F Street. You can also try to find to find metered parking on Independence Ave, between 14th and 16th St. It's about a 5 minute walk a few blocks from the White House.

[mitsugirly]

Easter is not a federal holiday so visiting on that Saturday will probably be like most other Saturdays. I believe you have to pay for street parking on Saturdays, but since it's not a work day, you should be mostly fine with traffic and have plentiful street or garage parking. The only thing you should be aware is that you will be visiting in the middle of the Cherry Blossom Festival period. So crowds will probably be bad near the Mall and Tidal Basin. You may even want to add this to your agenda since people come from all over the world just to see the cherry blossoms during these few weeks.

 

Given your interest in the zoo, perhaps you should consider this strategy:

 

1. Drive to the zoo and park in their lot (here's some information on visiting the zoo, including parking info: http://nationalzoo.si.edu/visit/planyourvisit/). I recommend you park in the lower lot. If $22 to park for the day is too steep, consider some nearby parking alternatives (see the above URL for alternatives).

2. Assuming you park in the lower lot, you will visit the zoo walking up-hill toward the main entrance on Connecticut Avenue.

3. When you are done, exit the zoo at main entrance and walk to the Woodley Park Metro station a few blocks away.

4. Take the Metro to the Metro Center stop and take your pics of the White House.

5. Assuming the weather is nice and the cherry blossoms are still worth seeing, you could continue your walk toward the Tidal Basin. Sometime before you leave home, check the blossom schedule (http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/) to see if the blossoms are still at or near peak.

 

 

I wasn't quite sure if Easter weekend would still be considered a Holiday or not. Thanks for the info.

 

As for parking at the zoo, I found this on the linked site:

 

The Zoo is a popular destination and crowds are large in April and May. Parking is limited; parking lots fill up by 10:30 a.m. this time of year. :eek:

 

That doesn't sound too promising. :(

 

So if you are lucky enough to get a parking spot, you're allowed to just leave your car there after it's closed and take the Metro to the White House area? Will you be able to get your car out once they are closed or do you have to make sure you plan it so that it's not closed? BTW, what is the "metro"? Is that the local bus?

[mitsugirly]

There are garages everywhere, with varying prices depending on location and time of day. When I visit the White House area or the W Hotel across the street, I can usually find metered parking on 15th St and F Street. You can also try to find to find metered parking on Independence Ave, between 14th and 16th St. It's about a 5 minute walk a few blocks from the White House.

 

How long are the meters for? What do they run? Are you able to put enough money in them in order to last long enough to walk around the area and get pictures? Or will it be one of those things where you are constantly running back to put more money in it so that it don't expire?

[trixiegal]

How long are the meters for? What do they run? Are you able to put enough money in them in order to last long enough to walk around the area and get pictures? Or will it be one of those things where you are constantly running back to put more money in it so that it don't expire?

 

 

Check this link for rates and other info-

http://ddot.dc.gov/page/parking-meters

 

You have to read the signs for specific allotted parking times but I'm pretty sure they are not less than 2-4 hours maximum in that area to account for tourists. Some of the street parking is changed to No Parking Zones during rush hour which is 4-6:30 pm on weekdays so carefully read the signs where you park. Unfortunately, you still have to pay for parking on Saturday but you won't have to worry about rush hour.

 

Oh yeah, I meant parking on Constitution Ave not Independence Ave, which is further south of The White House. You could also park on Independence Ave but it would be a longer walk to The White House. That entire area has many notable landmarks, including The Washington Monument. It's so nice to walk around there during that time of year if it's sunny and not too windy and cold.

 

We usually go into DC for Easter or Mothers' Day Brunch and even had the luck one year to score lottery tickets for The Easter Egg Roll hosted on The White House lawn. It was amazing!

[Terpnut]

I wasn't quite sure if Easter weekend would still be considered a Holiday or not. Thanks for the info.

 

As for parking at the zoo, I found this on the linked site:

 

The Zoo is a popular destination and crowds are large in April and May. Parking is limited; parking lots fill up by 10:30 a.m. this time of year. :eek:

 

That doesn't sound too promising. :(

 

So if you are lucky enough to get a parking spot, you're allowed to just leave your car there after it's closed and take the Metro to the White House area? Will you be able to get your car out once they are closed or do you have to make sure you plan it so that it's not closed? BTW, what is the "metro"? Is that the local bus?

Since you are planning a full day, I assume that arriving by 10 am is doable. Even if the zoo lots are full, you should be able to find street or garage parking nearby.

 

By Metro, we are referring to DC's public transit system that includes the subway and buses. When I referred to Metro earlier, I was recommending that you use the subway system and the Red Line specifically.

 

As for the discussions about parking near the White House and Constitution Avenue, again my concern is that during mid March to early April weekends, traffic and parking near the Mall and Tidal Basin could be problematic. And the White House is very close to the Mall and Tidal Basin-- only 4 or 5 blocks. This is why I previously suggested driving to and parking in upper NW near the zoo, and then taking the Metro downtown. And when you are done, take the Metro back to Woodley Park to get your car. I have personally driven to and parked near the White House during Cherry Blossom season before, but I'm very familiar with the area and roads and don't mind circling the blocks if necessary--just not sure if you want to deal with that or not! But if you are okay driving in the city, you should be able to find parking.

 

You do raise a good question regarding how long you can leave your car at the zoo. The zoo's lots are in open areas--not fenced into the property itself. But I'm not sure how you would get to the lower lot if you should return well after the zoo is closed. Thus unless you can confirm access to the zoo's lots after hours, perhaps the best plan is to park along Connecticut Avenue in a public lot somewhere near the zoo.

Edited February 16, 2015 by Terpnut

[jamisong]

We will arrive, 2 adults 2 kids 11 and 9, In April on a Saturday about 4, we cruise out on Sunday. I want to do some sight seeing of beautiful places, but be back to our room early for an early morning. ANy free easy sights to suggest. Most places(museums and aquarium, etc will be closing so I dont want to spend full admission for an hour or so) We are staying at the Best Western on O'Donnell.

TIA

[mitsugirly]

So just wondering....IF we decide not to drive and fly in instead, is using this "Trinity" still a good idea? Or is it cheaper using something else if you don't need the parking?

[Crusin Karen]

We stayed at the Best Western Elkridge, booked through Trinity Reservations. We did a New Years Eve cruise out of Baltimore.

We plugged in the address and drove there, then we put in the GPS address for the White House, and we drove there, right down town! We parked on the streets around the corner from the White House, and walked around. It was easy! We were there on December 26th prior to our cruise.

 

The hotel was off the beaten path, it was a-ok. We also had local crab cakes in a great restaurant. Then we took the free shuttle to the ship and had a great cruise.

 

We found driving around this area was ok. Not too bad at all. It was a wonderful pre-cruise quick tour of the area...and we are going to do similar for our next cruise in April....

 

Good luck and have fun planning!!!!! Have a great cruise... which cruise are you on?

We are staying at the same hotel this April...[/QUOT

We are doing a B2B on Pride, 5/10-5/17 and 5/17-5/24. We COULD drive down day of and park at the pier. But might be better and almost the same price to stay at a hotel the night before. Does this hotel offer free parking and free shuttle to the ship? TIA

[mapleleafvoyage]

Yes it does, I believe up to 14 days free parking and then I think a small charge for more. It also includes s free breakfast :)

[Crusin Karen]

Yes it does, I believe up to 14 days free parking and then I think a small charge for more. It also includes s free breakfast :)

Okay, thank you. Do the shuttles run early? We like to get to the ship by about 10:30. How far away is it? I just looked it up and a room is offered for $187.00. Not sure if this is a good price. :confused:

[Terpnut]

We will arrive, 2 adults 2 kids 11 and 9, In April on a Saturday about 4, we cruise out on Sunday. I want to do some sight seeing of beautiful places, but be back to our room early for an early morning. ANy free easy sights to suggest. Most places(museums and aquarium, etc will be closing so I dont want to spend full admission for an hour or so) We are staying at the Best Western on O'Donnell.

TIA

Will you have a car?

[LynnAnne]

We want to do about the same thing. Our cruise is in Feb. 2016. Out of Baltimore. Would like to walk or drive by the White House and go to the Vietnam Wall, are they close? We love crab cakes, who has the best? We're driving from Michigan. This is all new for us as we aways cruise out of Florida. Thanks Everyone!

[Terpnut]

We want to do about the same thing. Our cruise is in Feb. 2016. Out of Baltimore. Would like to walk or drive by the White House and go to the Vietnam Wall, are they close? We love crab cakes, who has the best? We're driving from Michigan. This is all new for us as we aways cruise out of Florida. Thanks Everyone!

What day of the week do you arrive and what day does the cruise leave?

[LynnAnne]

Our cruise leaves Saturday Feb. 20th and returns Sunday the 28th. We can be flexible with our days before and after as were driving and retired.

[Terpnut]

Our cruise leaves Saturday Feb. 20th and returns Sunday the 28th. We can be flexible with our days before and after as were driving and retired.

If your goal is to see the White House (outside only so no tour) and Vietnam Memorial, and you are okay driving your car in the city, then I would recommend you visit DC after your cruise on that Sunday. Free street (and paid garage) parking will be relatively easy to find, and driving around town will be traffic-free on that Sunday. To do DC pre-cruise, you would have to visit on a Friday--a workday meaning plenty of cars, traffic and potential parking problems. For specific parking suggestions, please see trixiegal's earlier post on parking around the White House. The Vietnam Memorial is a short 8-10 minute walk south and west from the White House so I recommend that you park somewhere between them. If you must visit DC pre-cruise, then you may want to consider one of the drive/park/Metro strategies described in previous posts.

 

As for crab cakes, if you are staying near BWI airport or in the corridor area, consider G&M, Timbuktu or Olive Grove for good/great ones!

 

And finally, for your sake, I hope next winter is better than this one because otherwise it will be a very very cold almost-Michigan-like sailaway! LOL

Edited February 28, 2015 by Terpnut

[Crusin Karen]

What about the PORT area? I will probably post a thread, or search for one, prior to our cruise in May, but we are doing a B2B. Is there anything in the immediate port area we could visit in between cruises? How about a liquor and/or convenience store to replenish carry on beverages? :confused:

[mapleleafvoyage]

We ate at G & M-- it was excellent!!

[Tony O]

We will arrive, 2 adults 2 kids 11 and 9, In April on a Saturday about 4, we cruise out on Sunday. I want to do some sight seeing of beautiful places, but be back to our room early for an early morning. ANy free easy sights to suggest. Most places(museums and aquarium, etc will be closing so I dont want to spend full admission for an hour or so) We are staying at the Best Western on O'Donnell.

TIA

 

Since you are staying at Best Western O'Donnell St. I would suggest being in the hotel before dark and park you car in a lighted area.

The area is not the best as there is a truck stop across the street, a truck washing business on the premises and low income housing a few blocks away with police cameras mounted on the street poles.

Also there is nothing within walking distance of the hotel.

[Terpnut]

What about the PORT area? I will probably post a thread, or search for one, prior to our cruise in May, but we are doing a B2B. Is there anything in the immediate port area we could visit in between cruises? How about a liquor and/or convenience store to replenish carry on beverages? :confused:

There is nothing in the immediate port area (it's all industrial) that is a short walk, but both Fort McHenry and the Inner Harbor area are both just a 4-5 minute taxi ride away (in opposite directions) and easily doable for a few hours on turnaround day! Fort McHenry is only about a mile away as the crow flies but I have no idea how or what it would be like to try to walk there! Edited March 1, 2015 by Terpnut

[LynnAnne]

Thank You Terpnut! You rock!

[Crusin Karen]

There is nothing in the immediate port area (it's all industrial) that is a short walk, but both Fort McHenry and the Inner Harbor area are both just a 4-5 minute taxi ride away (in opposite directions) and easily doable for a few hours on turnaround day! Fort McHenry is only about a mile away as the crow flies but I have no idea how or what it would be like to try to walk there!

Thank you. If we drive down the day of and leave our car at the pier, would it be doable to get off the ship, get in our car and do "stuff" like see some things and do some shopping, then re park the car and re board the ship?

[mitsugirly]

The Best Western BWI is about 15 min from the cruiseport.

 

 

Is this the one located at 6055 Belle Grove Rd? I put in the address given and that's what it gave me but when you are on google earth and pull down to the street, it says it's a Sleep Inn? :confused: It also shows Comfort Inn Suites as being right next door but with the address as 6921 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd? I'm confused if I have the right place or not. There doesn't seem to be much around that area, but there is a Checkers across the street and a Shell gas station if I have the correct place.

[Terpnut]

Thank you. If we drive down the day of and leave our car at the pier, would it be doable to get off the ship, get in our car and do "stuff" like see some things and do some shopping, then re park the car and re board the ship?

 

I'd just hop in a taxi as I don't know what the cruise terminal's policy is regarding in/out, and if you elect to go to the inner harbor, parking will cost you as much as a cab ride so what will you have gained?

Edited March 1, 2015 by Terpnut