How Expensive is D.C. Really?

That's right, I'm going back to my roots with this one. One of the biggest “why not's” I hear from people when they talk about traveling to Washington D.C. is the price. It’s too expensive, they’ll say.Well today I’m here to tell you…It’s really not.In fact, I paid for almost the whole trip before we even got there. The flights were $170 per person, the hotel was around $700 for three nights (and that was with a bigger room because it needed to accommodate three people). So let’s break this down.How expensive is a trip to D.C.?

Family fun by the Washington Monument? Free! NASA kite? Price unknown.

Accommodation is Everything

I’m going to warn you right now that this is likely your most expensive aspect of the trip. Getting in a good area costs money, especially if you’re like me and trying to look for a larger hotel room.But Lauren, what about Airbnb’s?Well, you can absolutely do that, but here’s the thing…READ THE REVIEWSD.C., like every city, has some areas that are more tourist-friendly than others. I didn’t know what those were when I was looking. For every place I found in my price range, there were at least a couple reviews that made me wonder if it was worth it.Now, I also should fully disclose that I put this spring-break-bordering trip together within a month of traveling, so that could have played a large part in why my results were what they were.I happened to choose to go with a hotel for this trip. It was a twenty minute walk from The White House, and an Uber to any of the major monuments was never more than $10 or $12.

Got into an honest-to-God argument with my brother over which Spiderman movie the Washington Monument scene was in...I was right, obviously...

“If it costs money, it’s not worth it…”

I was shocked when I heard tour guides and locals say this. But it’s so true. The one exception I heard about consistently was the International Spy Museum.But think about it:The Monuments? Free.The National Archives? Free.The Capitol Building? Free.The Smithsonians? Free.The bus tour in which I was told that things that cost money aren’t worth it? $50.I’m a sucker for irony.In all seriousness, my dad and I got to go watch votes take place in the House and Senate Chambers. FOR FREE. It was incredible.So I’m officially amending that statement to: “If it costs a lot of money, it’s not worth it…”

Every Smithsonian museum is free to enter!

How Much Should I Plan to Spend?

Flights/Train from Boston: $125-$175 -- A train, depending on when you book it, may be cheaper.Accommodations: $250/night -- A peak at Booking.com or Airbnb will show you prices ranging from $100/night to $700/night or higher. I'm not huge on luxury but I like to be comfortable. If you're like me, then this figure is definitely a good gauge.Food: $15/meal -- That’s an average based on the family-friendly restaurants we ate at. Breakfast will probably be cheaper and dinner may be a little more expensive depending on where you eat. If you think Boston food prices and plan accordingly, you won’t be surprised.Transportation: $20/day -- We took an Uber at the beginning of the day to get to our first stop, and at the end of the day to get back to the hotel. Everything else was on foot. Bring walking shoes.Sightseeing: $25 -- The major things you go to D.C. to see are free but, seriously, go to the Spy Museum.

Can you see Lincoln? I can't because my back is to him, but he's there!

So a Four Day Trip Will Probably Cost…

Expect to spend around $1,200 per person.Granted, if you’re traveling with someone else, the transportation and accommodation costs decrease by half (because you’re splitting them with someone else). There you have it folks! In case you skipped to the end, here’s a quick recap of everything above:

• Traveling is (almost) always cheaper with with a buddy
• Once you’re in D.C., it’s relatively inexpensive (the major sites are all free!)
• The hotel will be your biggest expense
• You should 100% go to D.C.!