paperclip

Seeing that some of you attended Gallaudet or live in DC, I thought this might be an appropriate location to ask this question.

I am going to Gallaudet for a conference (Thursday) next week (is anyone here going?). The plan was for me to drive to DC on Wednesday, attend conference, and leave DC Friday at 8 am. I am staying at the hotel on campus or something like that for Wednesday and Thursday evening.

Here is the problem, I'm terrified of high traffic city/highway driving. I refuse to drive on the beltway. I'm more of a single lane or double lane highway, none of those 3 lane deals.

Anyway, I have a few ideas floating in my head.

1) Drive into DC after midnight so there isn't any traffic (?) and park in the parking garage on 6th street. However, but the hotel is booked with another girl who is attending conference that I don't know and I don't want to go into the room while she is sleeping. It also means I might not be fully alert on Thursday. I could sleep in my car?

2) Drive outside of the city, Twinbrook or Rockford (?) and park at a metro station and take the metro into the city. I don't know if I can park at the metro station overnight though. The impression I got from the website is that it closes. I also need to be back at my car at 8 am on Friday. I'm heading south-west after conference, so I would be open to other metro stations also.

3) Drive to an airport (Baltimore?) and park there since it would be ok if I did overnight parking. And take public transportation into the city.

Does anyone else see any other options? Or details I missed in the consideration of these options?

thanks!
a girl who gets lost easily.

Deafness

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LoveBlue

Check out MARC or Amtrak for train stations (including BWI) with overnight parking (if you haven't already). Either would take you to Union Station where you can catch the Metro.
I'm only familiar with taking Amtrak from Delaware and have only done it a few times.

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dereksbicycles

Do you have an Iphone or android based phone? If you do, you would use GPS(avoid highway). You can plan it on GPS to not use highway. I was in DC last month. Trust me, Beltway is not THAT bad to use if no rush hour.

authentic

Been in DC for 9 years, try to avoid rush hour and drive through major street like New York Ave, Pennsylvania Ave, Wisconsin Ave (Georgetown) and (Dupont Circle). DC are famous for Circle street that might cause you to confuse which lane and street to exit.

Best to park your car at Gallaudet University's visitor parking area then get a permit pass from Dept of Public Safety (tell DPS you are staying at someone's house for weekend or something) then put it on your car's dashboard then you can go anywhere you want.

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Frisky Feline

yes and i would think it is wise to be with someone else if you guys plan to walk outside of the gallaudet campus.

like authentic said, right avoid the rush hours from 330 to 630pm authentic does it sounds right to you??

subway is a very nice if you do familiar with but better to be with someone else.

authentic

DC rush hour start about 3 until 630.... no wonder commuters in the DC area waste the second most amount of time sitting in their cars. (Los Angeles comes with first).

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Foxrac

Yup, that's true an we got struck in traffic for 2 hours on I-95/I-395 from Woodbridge, VA to DC in the morning. It is just 2 hours for 25 miles.

I drove around Beltway (I-495) during weekend and it isn't bad but still very busy.

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paperclip

Thanks for the responses so far. At the moment, I am seriously considering driving. What is the best time to drive to have minimal cars on the road? 3 am, 4 am? It looks like I won't be on the belt way. Google maps tells me to go on 295 to 50 to get to Gallaudet.

Another option is to go to Baltimore-Washington Airport and book a super shuttle to get to campus. http://www.supershuttle.com/ However it request a flight number to reserve.

Jiro

I've driven thru DC few months ago at around 4am and there was absolutely NOTHING going on. completely deserted. It was eerie.

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deafbirk

Lots would depend on. Which day you plan to drive into the city. During the work week like you willl be heading in is way different from weekends. Would seem lots better to go to a train station and get to the school that way.
Is the crime rate still bad outside the school. Grounds? I was there years ago and was unaware. And walked at night.

Frisky Feline

right but its better to be with someon elese when you are new to DC. Don't drive into southwest. But I left 2000. i guess over 12 years can change eveyrthing. BUT it's ok to drive northwest, southeast some of southeasst is good like 11 street and east capitol hill where the lincoln park there that dogs usually hang out but i dont know if they are still doing since 1990s/ I used to live on east capitol and 11 for in around 96 to 2000. east market on weekend is very nice and small but cute!

union station is the one i used to hang out a lot duing my college life. LOL.

dereksbicycles

I was on Gallaudet campus last month. It still looks trashy off campus. Not sure about crime, but I wouldn't suggest anyone walking off campus alone.

Foxrac

The surrounding neighborhood of Gallaudet University isn't safe at night because of most robberies happen during night, however during day is questionable and just need be careful.

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Frisky Feline

or mugging someone else that can leads to the complicate crime.

Frisky Feline

couple of times, I was walking alone on 8th street N.E. and some kids threw rocks at me. So i had to run faster as much as I can.