A Solo Female Traveler Peppers the Frommers with Questions About DC
I want to go to Washington DC. next year. I just bought Pauline's book (Pauline Frommer's Washington DC) so I can start planning/dreaming. Some questions:
1) Is the fall (Oct/Nov) a good time?
2) I am a single female and may need to go alone, but I don't want it to deter me (I've been on several trips alone). However, I've been told by several people that while the Mall is safe, place around me not be, especially if I'm by myself. What is your opinion?
3) Do I have to make arrangements to visit the White House six months in advance?
4) Is it hard to get into the Supreme Court or Session of Congress? When is the best time/day to go?
Thanks so much and keep up the good work.
Terisa from Michigan
Dear Terisa,
Thanks so much for buying the book! Let's get right down to your questions.
1) Since Washington, DC is fairly far south, the weather tends to remain reasonably temperate in October and November, though it can get chilly. So pack layers. But what you really need to worry about is hotel prices during that time. Generally, the town is most expensive when the lobbyists are there, and they're usually there for much of the fall. Visiting on a weekend, or during a holiday period, can cut costs, but then you're unable to see the Supreme Court of Congress in action. A compromise? Plan a trip that includes some weekend and some weekdays in it, so you can take advantage of lower pricing for part of your time there, and see the city bustling with strivers for the rest of your visit.
2) Unfortunately, there are parts of Washington, DC that should be considered unsafe, due to the high crime rates in those neighborhoods. However, they don't tend to be the places most tourists visit. Your friends are right: in general, the Mall is very safe, as are most areas of downtown, of Georgetown, of Dupont Circle, and Adams Morgan (though the last one can get iffy late at night thanks to the large number of bars there; mostly the problems have to do with drinkers getting too rowdy). And these are the areas you'll likely be visiting. I personally love the restaurants along the U Street Corrider and have never had any problems there, but some locals avoid it after midnight. The bottom line: keep your wits about you, as you would in any large city. Don't venture outside of the main areas where tourist go (see above) after 11pm at night alone. And take caution in the non-touristic areas during the day. But do see out Nation's Capitol. It's a fascinating, important city to visit and the fact that you're a single female shouldn't dissuade you from going. I spend nearly two months there last spring and winter, mostly on my own, and I never encountered any problems whatsoever.
3) If you want to get in, you do! Contact your Congressperson or Senator and ask to be added to a tour. If you don't do that well in advance (six months should be fine), you likely will only get to see the White House from the outside.
4) It's much easier to get tickets to the Gallery of the Senate; you can either requests these in advance (a good thing to do as you may be able to wrangle a free tour of Congress from a congressional staffer) or on the day you visit the Capitol. Getting in to hear arguments at the Supreme Court is trickier. Really, it all depends on how important the cases that are being argued on the day you plan to go, are. I've walked in half an hour before the session started and gotten a seat on a slow day; and I've been there on other days when folks started lining up before sunrise to get in. It's really just the luck of the draw. That being said, I HIGHLY recommend sitting in on a case, if you can. It's an essential DC experience and absolutely fascinating.
Have a wonderful time in Washington, DC. It's a place that every American should visit at least once in their lives.
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