phro37 wrote:anyone in the dc/baltimore area. i'm thinking of flying into dc or baltimore on the 11th,12th, or 13th, taking some tours in dc and then heading to ny for the shows. i'm wondering if it would be less expensive to stay in baltimore (hotels, food, etc.) and take a rail to dc when i want to tour, or if it'll be comparable enough to just stay in dc for a couple of days then take a bus to the rest of my journey. i've been looking online but can't seem to get a good idea.... any suggestions for hotels/hostels/b&bs would be greatly appreciated as well. there may even be a pint or two in it for yas!
You can justify either option - there's a wide variety of places in DC and B'more to stay - the commuter rail (MARC) between the two is easy and not too expensive. I used to live in DC and now am a NJ resident, but work requires me to go to the DC office 2x per month, so I stay downtown often (in fact, I'm in the DC office as I'm writing this). Usually I stay at the Comfort Inn - Convention Center
http://tinyurl.com/62sf8t8 which isn't too fancy, but isn't bad either - it's a converted apartment building. I get a discount booking through our corporate travel, but a quick peek for that weekend in March says the lowest rate is $153. Last night I stayed in the oldest hotel in downtown DC, the Harrington
http://hotel-harrington.com/. As one would imagine, it's a funky old place comparable to hotels in Europe (odd layouts, etc.) and a little shabby on the edges, but it's clean and fantastically located for touring DC - a block from the Metro Center subway, walking distance from the Smithsonian Museums/Mall area, etc. Their regular room rates are $125 for a small double (take the word small seriously) and $145 for a small queen (which I stayed in and was quite comfortable).
Can't comment on accomodations in Charm City - I never stayed in a hotel there, just up and back from DC.
Hope that helps.
"I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony