I’m going to DC for a conference in November and thought I’d stay a couple days extra. The conference is in Crystal City which I’ve read doesn’t have a lot in the area but I don’t think I’d have time to do anything those days anyway.
I booked a hotel for the extra days via Priceline’s Name Your Own Price feature and got the Capitol Skyline Hotel, a 2.5 star level hotel. I wasn’t expecting to get this hotel; for those of you unfamiliar with Priceline bidding, you can choose your star level and area and if your bid wasn’t accepted, then you can pick a different area and/or star level. I had been trying for 3 stars or above unsuccessfully for the last few days in the Dupont Circle, Georgetown, White House Area, or Capitol Hill areas. The message board I was referencing (bidfortravel.yuku.com) didn’t have a 2.5 hotel listed in any of these areas so I was trying to get another attempt at a bid at a 3 or above. But caveat emptor, I got this hotel which I can’t cancel since it’s an prepaid charge. It doesn’t look awful but I’m certain I could’ve gotten a better deal.
I read the reviews on trip advisor and some people mentioned that the neighborhood was a little shady but others said it was fine if you use common sense. The hotel is by the baseball stadium. Can anyone confirm or deny? I’m a young woman travelling by myself so I want to be cautious but not excessively worried. The Navy Yard Metro station is about a 5-10 minute walk away, should I be concerned about walking from there to the hotel after sunset? I assume it’s safe during the day. I read that taking a taxi from the Mall to the hotel or vice versa is $8-10, should I do that instead? How dangerous is DC in general? The only other big cities I’ve done some travelling in is Montreal and London and both are way safer than DC and I wasn’t worried at all.
Thanks for your help. Any recommendations on what to see are appreciated also. I will be reading the earlier DC treads from September as well.
A friend of mine lives two blocks away from that hotel. That area has changed dramatically in the last six years.
The area is still being built up so it will feel slightly dead. I’m not sure of the walk from the Navy Yard Metro station but the walk to the Waterfront Metro is ok. You’ll be fairly close to the Smithsonian. My friend walks to the museums from his place. It may be better to cab back from where you are coming from anyhow since Taxis in DC are regulated and fairly cheap.
I’ve lived in D.C. for more than 40 years and there are very few places I would recommend for a lone woman to walk after dark. The area around the ballpark is not one of them.
OTOH, I just returned from DC yesterday from a conference/visit with my friend, and I walked around alone at night without incident. This was in Columbia Heights; I don’t know how it compares to other neighborhoods. It reminded me somewhat of where I used to live in Chicago.
I think you will probably be OK, but make sure you stay on the stadium side of the river. The waterfront neighborhood is improving due to the development around Nationals Stadium, but crossing the bridge takes you into Anacostia, a place you really don’t want to be wandering around in as a tourist.
I live in DC, and I certainly do walk around alone at night. If I didn’t how would I be able to work, go to school, grab a late dinner, etc.? It’s not like every single woman in this city is under house arrest after seven.
Like most cities, the majority of crime is between criminals. If you are planning on encroaching on a drug dealer’s turf or pimping someone else’s girls, you might get in trouble. If you are doing normal tourist stuff and taking reasonable precautions (take a taxi if it is super late or you have been drinking, don’t flash money or expensive toys around, etc.) you are unlikely to have any problems.
I’ve been meaning to go over there myself (I live on the Hill) because Spike Mendelsohn (of Good Stuff Eatery and Top Chef fame) flips burgers on their rooftop pool deck all summer - it’s a few bucks to get in, but it was apparently one of the hottest “underground” summer things to do in DC. The bar there is a very middle-class local hangout - lots of repeat business traffic of the government contractor variety.
I wouldn’t worry about the neighborhood any more than you would any other city - take the same kinds of precautions you would anywhere else and you’ll be fine. During the day I wouldn’t hesitate to walk around, or find a bike share station and rent a bike - you will be very close to the Mall, Eastern Market, Capitol Hill etc. At night, take cabs - no city is really safe at night for a woman unfamiliar with the territory, just because we (women) tend to look more like easy targets when we’re a little lost.
Have fun - you’re in my neighborhood, basically, and I love it.
Quoted for truth - I have lived here for almost 20 years, and I am very rarely concerned to walk/bike around after dark virtually anywhere in DC (including many of the dreaded “across the river” parts). HOWEVER, that comfort level was earned - and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend that someone unfamiliar with DC (or any city) not take a few extra precautions such as taxis after dark. It’s just common sense.
I lived in Fairfax for 7 years. The only thing I learned was when to actually try to drive anywhere. Rush hour last well over 2 hours and it doesn’t rush anytime. The back roads are often the best way to get places. During morning rush and PM rush tell your GPS to avoid the beltway. Other than that its just another burb that pretty much has everything you could ask of one. The public schools are top notch, the population is diverse, the average income is high.
DC-area public transporation is one of the best in the country. Naturally, service is more frequent around the Mall than it is in places like Fairfax, and it doesn’t operate 24/7 like other large cities.
Vienna/Fairfax Metro is the last station the Orange Metro line. It takes about an hour to get from there to Union Station, obviously it’s closer to the stops on the west side of DC than the East. It’s very convenient to places like Rosslyn. I know you pay quite a premium for living within walking distance of the station, even though it is not really the nicer part of Fairfax to live in (not that there’s anything wrong with it, it just isn’t that close to restaurants/shops, and it’s near the highway). I’ve always found the DC-area buses a bit inscrutable – what’s with not posting the route map & timetable at the bus stop? --but I bet they’re fine once you get used to them. That said, I would not try to live in that area without a car.
Fairfax (and Vienna) are pretty much the very image of bland anywhere-USA suburbia – fine if you like that sort of thing.
Have to second not relying on public transportation in Fairfax. I have a car but paid a hefty premium to live within walking distance of the Metro and bus stops in the hopes of being able to sell it, but it is simply not a viable option. The bus lines operate for like 15 minutes (if at all) on weekends and their routes are apparently based on the phase of the moon, because it seems like they’re different every day. I can’t tell you how many times I looked up a timetable and waited for the bus that never showed up. It’s much better now with Nextbus though.
I grew up in Fairfax and have friends who live there. I would not want to live there without a car. I suppose it can be done, but it won’t be easy. It isn’t really designed for pedestrian traffic. and the pedestrian crossings are few and far between. Public transportation can be iffy is you can’t walk to a Metro station. It gets worse the further away you go.
Here is a link to the DC Police crime map application. I searched within 1000 feet and found 10 violent crimes had occurred within the last year. For comparison, I plugged in Dupont Circle and the report was 57 violent crimes.
I looked up the same thing, but the major difference between DuPont Circle and I Street SW is that nobody walks around I Street SW. If you’re walking there at night, you’re almost certain to be walking down empty streets in a strange, semi-industrial area that isn’t particularly well-lit. I think a good number of people would be uncomfortable walking through this kind of area, regardless of what city they are in.
Thanks for the advice, everyone. The above is pretty much what I figured already. I’m pretty frugal and would rather take the Metro everywhere or walk versus paying for a taxi but it makes sense to do so after dark if I’m not in a crowded, well-lit area.
Move to Arlington/Alexandria rather than DC or Fairfax. All the benefits of both DC and Fairfax and none of the disadvantages. Well, be careful where in Arlington, otherwise you’ll be surrounded by knob-ends, but in general the rule stands.