How to Plan a Summer Vacation in Washington DC

The country’s capital, Washington DC, isn’t very large; but it has culture, character and charm to spare. By planning your summer vacation in Washington DC carefully, you can see so much and enjoy each day, no matter how few or how many times you've come already to the District of Columbia. Follow these steps to start planning your trip.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A pencil or pen and paper
• An Internet connection
• A telephone
• A credit card

1. Plan to fly into either Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) or Baltimore Washington International Airport (BWI).

2. Arrange to rent a car and enjoy a road trip on your way to Washington DC if you have the vacation time. You could also take Amtrak, if you like to take the train.

3. Plan to take the dependable and clean public transportation system unless you don’t mind fighting for a parking spot everywhere you go.

4. Search the Washington DC calendar of events to help choose the days you'd like to be in the capital.

5. List amenities you find most important in a hotel or accommodations.

6. Consider your budget to decide how much you can afford to spend on your hotel stay, airfare, attractions, meals and tips.

7. Search Hotels.com (see Resources below) for hotels, motels and inns that meet your criteria of price, location and amenities.

8. Ask your travel agent or search your favorite online travel broker for packages including transportation and a hotel stay that fits your bill.

9. Purchase your tickets.

10. Print out your itinerary to bring along with you.

11. Check the weather a couple days before departure to allow you to pack properly.