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Capital Savings in Washington
The Travel Tightwad · July 12, 2002

The nation's capital is the only city in which I almost always end up getting lost, no matter how many maps or Internet driving directions I carry. It doesn't matter that I've been a regular visitor to Washington since 1975, or that I lived just a short drive away, in Annapolis, for four years.

D.C. confuses me.

Bargain-hunters often feel the same way. Washington is a tourist town but it's not dependent on the visitors for its livelihood to the same extent as Orlando or Las Vegas. So the deals can be harder to find. The Web makes that task a little easier. Although moneysaving Internet sites aren't as evolved as they are for some of the bigger destinations, they are nonetheless useful guides for travelers looking to trim their expenses.

Here are my favorite URLs:

  • Free museums. The best thing about a Washington vacation is that if you play your cards right you can do almost everything for free. Yes, free. Thanks to your tax dollars at work, many of the museums and exhibits don't cost a dime. One of the most comprehensive guides to the Washington museum scene is published online by the Washington Post. You can get details about everything from the Art Museum of the Americas to the Woodrow Wilson House on the Post's museum listings.

  • Paper reduction act. TravelCoupons is a very basic site that offers a list of printable coupons for hotels. It's not much to look at, but the offers for D.C.-area properties are pretty impressive. If you aren't too picky about the place you want to bunk down - you'll find no five-star accommodations here - then you could save a bundle. Sample rate: a night's stay at the Days Inn in College Park for $57.95 per person. (But pay attention to the expiration date on the bottom of to coupon.)

  • Reduced-rate accommodations, Part II. Richard Wong, a regular visitor to Washington, surfs over to a site called Washington, D.C. accommodations which offers hotel discounts of between 30 and 50 percent. "I like the prices," he says. But the real selling point is the selection. The lower rates apply to more upscale properties such as the St. Gregory Luxury Hotel & Suites and the Monarch Hotel, so you don't have to sacrifice your standards to save money.

  • Transit for the masses. True, Washington doesn't have the same public transportation system that New York, Boston or San Francisco does, but it's still not bad. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority site tells you how to get around town without losing your shirt on a taxi cab. And take it from someone who's had to take a cab in town: that's going to save you a bundle. You can buy a $30 Bus/Rail Fast Pass, which is valid for one week of unlimited rides on all Metrobus routes and Metrorail, on the site. There's even a RideGuide, which helps you plan your trips within the city by offering the fastest routes.

  • Official sites. If you've been following my series of columns on destinations throughout the year, then you know that I disdain "official" Web sites because they often promise so much but deliver so little. Not necessarily so with the Annapolis and Anne Arundel County Conference and Visitors Bureau's page. Alright, I'll admit my bias up front. If you visit Washington without also stopping by Annapolis, you're missing out. The United States Naval Academy is one of the most beautiful (and interesting) campuses I've ever seen. On a walking tour or pub crawl of Annapolis, you might also stroll through the equally picturesque campus of St. John's College. Both are completely free.

Washington can't be distilled into a few Web sites. But when it comes to saving money, there are a few tried and true addresses you can turn to. For best results, use them in conjunction with a trustworthy travel agent and a good dose of common sense.

And don't forget to bring directions.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator based in Key Largo, Fla. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion.