The Super Shuttle from BWI to Crystal City is the easiest if you are carrying luggage. If you only have one bag, the train station is right there at BWI. Take Amtrack or MARC to New Carrollton (not D.C.) in Maryland and get on the Metro Orange Line. Transfer either to the Blue or Yellow line to get to Crystal City. Of course, it's better to fly into National airport and take Metro 1 stop. However, carrying a suitcase the 1/4 mile from the metro station in Crystal City to the Hotel can be a problem. There are usually taxis at the Metro stations. To visit the Smithsonian, just walk to the Crystal City Metro station and take the Yellow Line to L'Enfant plaza. It brings you out 2 blocks from the Mall. The underground Metro system and the federal part of D.C. are safe, day and night. That means from the Supreme Court 1 block behind the Capitol to the Lincoln Memorial, and along the sides of the area in between, called the Mall, where the National Archives, the Treasury Department and the Smithsonian Buildings (8 buildings) are located. Forget straying in any direction off the Mall. Georgetown is really cool (and expensive), but no parking and only way to get there is by bus. The manhole covers are stilling blowing off the sidewalks,there, and no one seems to know why! The best shopping is the beautiful and upscale Pentagon City Mall, just one Metro stop from the hotel. Washington D.C. is VERY hot and humid in the summer. Make sure everyone has comfortable shoes, hats and sunglasses. You'll be buying a lot of water and sodas! There are food vending carts along the Mall. There are two cafeterias in the Museum of American history, 2 in the Air and Space, 1 in each art gallery. I think you can now get tickets in advance for the White House and the Washington Monument so you don't have to wait hours in line. You need to see your Congress person (visit their office) to get passes into the Senate and House of Representatives. Happy trails! Carol Beigel Greenbelt, Maryland 10 miles East of the White House
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