Is it possible to drive in Wash. DC on a weekday evening to sightsee?

Question

Or is our best "sightseeing" bet to hop on some kind of tour bus or van? How's traffic in DC on , say a Tuesday evening?

Answer 1

Katherine has given you a pretty complete answer, but I'd like to add this:

Traffic in DC is usually light in the evenings, however,
if you are staying in the area, please consider taking the metro. It's a lot easier than driving in the District (which is full of one-way streets and no left turn signs) and trying to park your car.

The metro runs from as far west as Vienna, VA. You can also take the metro south from as far north as Rockville, MD.
You can get a map of the metro online (http://www.wmata.com/metrorail/systemmap.cfm).

Answer 2

It's possible, and on a weekday evening traveling into the city is much easier than traveling out. Be aware that a lot of parking is not available during rush hour - so you will still have to pay to park, or be very careful where you park.

I think the best option is to take metro in from one of the suburbs if you can.

The museums and the buildings like the Capitol and the Library of Congress and the like are closed, but I think a weekday evening, especially a summer weekday evening, is a great opportunity to walk the mall and to see some of the icons of our government. Take the metro to Smithsonian, or drive in and park somewhere near the mall (L'Enfant Plaza, or Union Station, or on a street somewhere that is not restricted during rush hour). Pick up dinner at a nice restaurant in Union Station or Penn quarter or something. Then from the Smithsonian Metro mall entrance you can see the Capitol in one direction and the Washington Monument in the other. Walk down toward the Washington Monument if you like. The monuments (the order you will pass them is Washington Monument, World War II Memorial, Constitution Gardens, Tidal Basin, Vietnam VEterans' Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Lincoln Memorial) are beautiful at night and they are open. If you are still frisky, you can head south to the Tidal Basin and visit the FDR memorial (one of the most interesting Memorials in Washington) and the Jefferson Memorial.

Alternatively you can cross the mall and head up to PA Avenue at 12th street. Cross Freedom Plaza and check out all the stuff there, follow PA Ave past the historic Willard HOtel. Go around the Treasury Building, maybe visit the Ellipse, and then visit Lafayette Square with the White House, statues and the historic church (St. John's Episcopal), and houses on the square.

So that is what I would do. Of course a tour bus is also an option if the walking is too much.

Answer 3

It's not bad once you get past rush hour. A number of monuments are open or lit up. I'd suggest driving down Constitution Avenue and walking over to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the Korean War Memorial, and then perhaps the World War II Memorial. It's hard to find the Korean memorial, but that's the best one, and you can ask a guide. They're all open all night, and there are lots of people walking around, so it feels safe. Then I'd drive over to the Jeferson Memorial and walk around there, too. I've been there at 11:00 p.m. and there's still lots of people. Everything's very pretty after sundown, with the lights and everything. However, the tours will give you more information.

Answer 4

There is a "Hop On, Hop Off" tourbus--- you buy your daily ticket (or a 2- or 3-day pass) and ride it as much as you want, as far as you want, get off at the attractions that interest you and get back on when you're ready for the next attraction. I'd prefer this over driving because there is very limited parking near most of the attractions; even in the evening-time, it's sometimes very hard to find a parking space, especially when it is nice out. The evening traffic isn't too bad, once rush hour is over, but many of the attractions are close to the 14th Street Bridge--- miss your last chance to turn around and stay in DC, and you will find yourself in Virginia and possibly getting lost.

Answer 5

OK, Traffic is always the bits in DC. But you can get around. Daytime siteseeing is the only way to go. Not much to see at night. The museums are open all day. Not sure what time they close. You'd have to look that up. You can drive there and than they have trollys for siteseeing. You must do that. So much easier to see everything and you can get on and off as many times as you wish

Answer 6

absolutely.

where are you driving from?

i wouldn't hop on a bus. best bet might be to park along the potomac river for free, right across from the FDR memorial. from there, you can easily walk to FDR, Jefferson, Vietnam, WWII memorials, and to the rest of the mall.