Have you ever wondered if it’s worth the experience to travel from Brandeis all the way to Washington DC during a break??? Well, having traveled three times to DC within the last academic year, I can tell you it is definitely worth the money and time!! If money is an issue, start saving. What about time? At Brandeis, we have many holidays that give us time off to explore.
Good tip: If you don’t have Friday classes, you have several four day weekends to take advantage of, starting with Sukkot next Thursday and Shmini Atzeret the Thursday after next.
How to get to DC?
I recommend flying since it only takes roughly two hours by plane. Check out http://www.studentuniverse.com for some great deals on flights.
OR
Take a bus.
I recommend Greyhound because they have many times to choose from. Depending on which holiday you decide to take on this adventure, the bus ticket versus airplane ticket prices will vary. For example, the Thanksgiving holiday ticket prices are $300-$400 for plane, while the bus is closer to $100.
Beware: Expect the bus terminal to be packed during Thanksgiving and to miss your second bus since your most likely going to have to transfer to the NYC bus terminal. The bus will take anywhere from 9-12 hours.
Good tip: Plane tickets are around $100-200 for the 3-week winter break, so make sure to take advantage of that!
What to do?
Being a tourist, you have to see all the famous landmarks. Download an app called “NPS National Mall”. It is very convenient because the map of DC is right at your fingertips.
Make sure to utilize the Metro; it is very similar to the MBTA, but prices are usually doubled. However, they have recently switched over to a card instead of paper tickets and essentially by purchasing this $10 card you save $1 each way. http://www.wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm
Another tip is to definitely check out Trip Advisor to get an idea of places you want to visit: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28970-Activities-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html
I must say there are over 500 “things to do” and it would be a waste of time to go through each and every one. Prioritize: I wanted to check out the Lincoln Memorial, the Reflecting Pool, the Washington Monument and the White House. I managed to visit all in one night.
Do not be afraid to visit DC during the nighttime. Maybe even catch a concert at http://www.echostage.com while you are down in DC to get a feel for student nightlife.
Well there you have it! Everything you need to make the trip! So what are you waiting for… you never know, DC may end up becoming your new home after college.