"Holiday Road" - The Official Vacation Thread

[Count Walewski]

My wife made it clear she wanted to leave the DC area for President's Day and I booked us two nights at a nice hotel...in Baltimore. (Hey, the nicest hotels in Baltimore are way cheaper than the nicest hotels in other cities we could drive to!) We're taking our 4 year old kid with us. Hopefully we don't get shot or stabbed.

We're staying in the Inner Harbor at the Marriott Waterfront. We're going to do, at the very least, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Zoo, and the B&O Railroad museums. We're probably going to do Medieval Times on the way back down and I am seriously considering paying the $25 to get myself knighted.

Tell it to me straight, how safe is the Inner Harbor area to walk around? It's an 11 minute walk per Google Maps from the Marriott to the Aquarium...safe to do with a small child?

[Five Banners]

My wife made it clear she wanted to leave the DC area for President's Day and I booked us two nights at a nice hotel...in Baltimore. (Hey, the nicest hotels in Baltimore are way cheaper than the nicest hotels in other cities we could drive to!) We're taking our 4 year old kid with us. Hopefully we don't get shot or stabbed.

We're staying in the Inner Harbor at the Marriott Waterfront. We're going to do, at the very least, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Zoo, and the B&O Railroad museums. We're probably going to do Medieval Times on the way back down and I am seriously considering paying the $25 to get myself knighted.

Tell it to me straight, how safe is the Inner Harbor area to walk around? It's an 11 minute walk per Google Maps from the Marriott to the Aquarium...safe to do with a small child?

Even with family up there, we generally only go to the city to funerals since 2015, having written it off for entertainment destinations. There’s enough lists of inner Harbor incidents since then; here’s one from last year:

https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/family-identifies-teen-killed-in-inner-harbor-double-shooting/

And this is from someone who is also getting very strategic and limiting about Nats Park etc. given what has been observed and has been said by people down there. Everything could be fine. I’m just tired of having to juggle such concerns and wonder what the level of enforcement du jour is when it comes to entertainment options, especially when it involves others and I’m the main organizer.

[imref]

We hung around inner harber last year after an afternoon O’s game and had no issues. Tons of people around. Fells point is still a really popular place and the little Italy area is nice. I wouldn’t want to be out in Baltimore anywhere after dark though.

Your kid might enjoy the USCGS Taney too.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Sir Walewski?

We're probably going to do Medieval Times on the way back down and I am seriously considering paying the $25 to get myself knighted.

[1995hoo]

It wasn't a vacation—I was in New York this week for work—but I was at Columbia University on Tuesday and I noted that a certain landmark was five blocks from where I was, so my colleagues and I made a point of stopping to take pictures (our boss went along despite being baffled about why we were so eager to stop outside this particular place):

[imref]

did you get the big salad?

Here's a recommendation for the DC-area folks: Belle Grove Plantation in Port Conway is a really nice B&B with tons of events. We attended a murder-mystery dinner a few weeks ago with a paranormal theme and had a blast. The House dates back to the early 1800's and sits on the birthplace of James Madison (it was his mom's family property). It is on the banks of the Rappahanock River.

https://www.bellegroveplantation.com

We plan to attend their sprits festival in September (alcohol, not ghosts) - https://www.bellegroveplantation.com/spirit-festival

[JCA-CrystalCity]

It wasn't a vacation—I was in New York this week for work—but I was at Columbia University on Tuesday and I noted that a certain landmark was five blocks from where I was, so my colleagues and I made a point of stopping to take pictures (our boss went along despite being baffled about why we were so eager to stop outside this particular place):

(Image removed from quote.)

have they kept the interior?

IIRC, the Bada-Bing was actually a club in New Jersey, and the Sopranos had a deal where they couldn't renovate it until after the series was over (which they did).

[1995hoo]

We didn't go inside. The interior has never been like what you saw on the show—the show only used the exterior shot. The "inside" scenes were filmed on a set in Los Angeles.

[imref]

We didn't go inside. The interior has never been like what you saw on the show—the show only used the exterior shot. The "inside" scenes were filmed on a set in Los Angeles.

Ever notice how Jerry’s apartment is physically impossible?

[Natsinpwc]

Ever notice how Jerry’s apartment is physically impossible?

Kramer turned his shower into a kitchen so anything is possible.

[imref]

Kramer turned his shower into a kitchen so anything is possible.

And a dresser into three beds.

[English Natsie]

Asleep at the wheel...

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-64641426

[Count Walewski]

My wife made it clear she wanted to leave the DC area for President's Day and I booked us two nights at a nice hotel...in Baltimore. (Hey, the nicest hotels in Baltimore are way cheaper than the nicest hotels in other cities we could drive to!) We're taking our 4 year old kid with us. Hopefully we don't get shot or stabbed.

We're staying in the Inner Harbor at the Marriott Waterfront. We're going to do, at the very least, the National Aquarium, the Maryland Zoo, and the B&O Railroad museums. We're probably going to do Medieval Times on the way back down and I am seriously considering paying the $25 to get myself knighted.

Tell it to me straight, how safe is the Inner Harbor area to walk around? It's an 11 minute walk per Google Maps from the Marriott to the Aquarium...safe to do with a small child?

We survived this and had a great time! My preschooler loved the B&O Railroad Museum, the National Aquarium, the historic ships docked in the Inner Harbor, and Medieval Times and Arundel Mills. The Waterfront Marriott Baltimore was a luxurious hotel with fantastic harbor views and we got it for basically Holiday Inn prices because it was a cold February weekend and, well, in Baltimore.

The Inner Harbor always felt safe and there were lots of other families with small kids around. The Little Italy neighborhood directly east of the Inner Harbor also seemed fine. Once you got north of Pratt Street north of the Inner Harbor, stuff started to get sketchy within a few blocks but nothing bad happened to me.

[imref]

glad to hear Count.

We had a couple of years ago in Fells Point after an O's game and had a great time. It was absolutely packed with people and we never felt unsafe.

[Count Walewski]

I made my worst tourist mistake in decades yesterday: I drove to see the cherry blossoms.

I was checking Google Maps and it said that to drive from Arlington to Parking Lot A near the Jefferson Memorial would be just 30 minutes. Sure, sounds good. Wrong. Ohio Drive SW was a parking lot. It took me 90 minutes to get from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial. Ohio was one way so you had to sit in terrible traffic to make the entire loop back around to 395.

The cherry blossoms were pretty, though.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

the bike commute home along 15th then along tidal basin up to the 14th St bridge was an experience. Peds not looking at the bike traffic when crossing 15th against the light at the GW monument. Queues of rentabikes and crit racers filling the bike lanes and the road up past the little bridge over the exit road by the basin. Cars piled up behind the Jefferson memorial. full side walks. And this is at 6:30 at night.

For those of you thinking about parking in the Crystal City/ Pentagon city area, don't forget that the yellow line bridge is out so you will be routed around DC. That's an extra 15 minutes.  Think about parking over at Arlington Cemetery and walking across the Memorial. Another place maybe to try is the Marina by the Pentagon and walking across the 14th St bridge.

[imref]

I made my worst tourist mistake in decades yesterday: I drove to see the cherry blossoms.

I was checking Google Maps and it said that to drive from Arlington to Parking Lot A near the Jefferson Memorial would be just 30 minutes. Sure, sounds good. Wrong. Ohio Drive SW was a parking lot. It took me 90 minutes to get from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial. Ohio was one way so you had to sit in terrible traffic to make the entire loop back around to 395.

The cherry blossoms were pretty, though.

when I first moved up here I worked near the WH and thought it would be fun to drive in one day, and then drive past the cherry blossoms on my back to Annandale. That was about a 3 hour drive.

[Count Walewski]

when I first moved up here I worked near the WH and thought it would be fun to drive in one day, and then drive past the cherry blossoms on my back to Annandale. That was about a 3 hour drive.

I was shocked to find that there were many parking spots available after my 90 minute drive to the parking lot. Most of the people stuck on Ohio Drive SW seemed to just be passing through with no intent of parking. 3 hours sounds right for a full trip.

[Five Banners]

I made my worst tourist mistake in decades yesterday: I drove to see the cherry blossoms.

I was checking Google Maps and it said that to drive from Arlington to Parking Lot A near the Jefferson Memorial would be just 30 minutes. Sure, sounds good. Wrong. Ohio Drive SW was a parking lot. It took me 90 minutes to get from the Lincoln Memorial to the Jefferson Memorial. Ohio was one way so you had to sit in terrible traffic to make the entire loop back around to 395.

The cherry blossoms were pretty, though.

Good reminder for me to drive up the GW Parkway. All the splendor, no waiting

[Natsinpwc]

I think parking at Hains point is usually the best option. We drive in last Saturday but decided it was too cold and not enough blooms to park and walk around. Go early on a weekend day is my best advice.