Washington DC

I recently received a subway map of the METRO in the DC area. You can also look it up on line but this map looks quite handy. You can virtually land at Reagan National on the Potomac and take the rail all throughout the DC area. It's been years since I last took the rail, around 1979 or so. When I lived in the area in the late 60's and early 70's, the subway was in the process of being built. I remember them finding old canon balls left over from the Civil War days. I was wondering if anyone has been that way recently and experienced the metro rail system there. I see the red line takes you as far as WHEATON. That place had a shopping area called WHEATON PLAZA, but they enclosed the plaza into a mall, the last time going there in early 90's or so. Times have changed but the area still looked the same somewhat.

I took my daughter there for a daytrip about a year and a half ago. The Metro is very convenient from DCA. Washington DC is surely one of my favorite destinations in the US.

One more thing...........make sure to have change or small bills because they don't give change at the DCA station.

I've recently done the DCA/Metro for passport and visa services. Hands down, even if you're not accustomed to subways or mass transit, the Metro is easy to use and if you need help, there's almost always someone to assist--staff or locals. I think I broke a record getting from the Passport office to my gate in under 25 minutes but I'm not sure--it's all a blur!

The airport Metro station, compact terminal layout, and proximity to downtown DC, is really what makes DCA such an awesome airport. I think it makes up for the lack of transcon and international flights. Wheaton Plaza is a decent mall but not in the best of areas anymore. It's really not at all worth the metro ride out there. Other closer and better malls with metro access are Pentagon City Mall, White Flint Mall, Georgetown Plaza (with a little walk), and probably some others. Even just walking through the Chinatown or Georgetown areas. It's my home airport and my home town so if you have other Q's about DCA i'll try to help out.....not to mention my airline shares the CO gates and ops area there!

I'm a Silver Spring guy from way back. Redskins are my team. I used to like DUCK PIN BOWLING in Wheaton. I remember WHITE FLINT MALL but I went to that mall years later on a visit. Don't even know if it was around prior 1973. I used to like KEMP MILLS area too. So tell me, if you had a day and maybe a night, how would you spend it? I think I'm going to try it in Jan so I can get a shot of some cold stuff. Houston weather is cold one minute but warm the next. Today it was 77 last I checked. I'm getting cheated out of some fall weather here. Thank you all for your comments.

Is there a simple way of getting around from IAD? I'd like to take a day trip to DC as well. I'd like to hit all of the typical spots, White House, Washington Monument, etc. Do they offer some sort of rail from Dulles as well?

According to the subway map you take the ORANGE line to ROSSLYN, then take METROBUS 5A to Dulles. So I figure from Dulles, you must take some bus to the metro area. But no direct rail to Dulles according to Metro map. But something does seem to be in the works. Read this... http://www.dullesmetro.com/stations/

Read this too. http://www.yelp.com/biz/metro-bus-5a-rossl...-line-arlington

Not that you have all this transportation info, I expect to see you in Washington DC having a FOGGY BOTTOM ALE.

Metro rail to Dulles has been debated back and forth for years and even if agreed upon soon, still won't be operational for maybe a decade. I've flown into IAD then hopped on the bus to the orange line but it takes much, much longer to do this. Dulles is OUT THERE.