Going to Baltimore and Washington D.C. This Summer. Looking for Hotel Recommendations.

[AutoMechanic]

Hello,


For vacation this year I will be going to Washington D.C. and Baltimore to see some baseball games. We are looking for hotel recommendations. Want to stay as close to the ballparks as possible especially in Baltimore since I’ve heard it’s a very dangerous place. I’ve only been thru Baltimore before never stopped. When I went to D.C. in 2008 we stayed at a Holiday Inn I think it was. We are looking for like $150 or less per night and indoor swimming pool. We will also be seeing the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore too so it can be close to there or Edgar Allan Poe museum as well. Not really into anything like AirBNB because I like hotels it makes it feel more like vacation to me. We also get a discount on hotels through my work but just want to choose a decent one at least. I can get any hotel there with my discount.

Also what routes do you recommend coming from southwest Virginia? I know there are a few different routes so just wondering which one would be the best and likely least congested especially entering Baltimore with the bridge gone. It has been quite awhile since we have been up that way.

Thanks.

 

[GMBoy]

I am was born and raised in Baltimore before moving to Texas in 2005 - it is a very dangerous place but really I think you would be better off staying in hotels outside of the city- but then that also makes an unsafe situation with driving to/from and parking etc. As far as I can see you might have the best option of hotel near the places you want to visit with would be the hampton and its right between the ballpark and Babe's house.

Here is the address -
Baltimore Downtown Hampton
550 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230•(410) 685-5000

No need to worry about the Key Bridge as you are coming from a different area and the traffic situation won't effect where you are going. But if you can enter the city off of I83 it would be easy to get where you need to go.

 

[mr_boring]

My house is going through a restoration (had a leaky slab pipe and mold was under 4 floors in my house and in my kitchen cabinets.) Insurance put me in a Home2 Suites by Hilton. Nice room - huge. As Hilton does, it has those nasty wall mounted refillable soap dispensers in the shower, but I just took my own.....

I don't know if they are all that nice, but this one is nice.

 

[AutoMechanic]

I am was born and raised in Baltimore before moving to Texas in 2005 - it is a very dangerous place but really I think you would be better off staying in hotels outside of the city- but then that also makes an unsafe situation with driving to/from and parking etc. As far as I can see you might have the best option of hotel near the places you want to visit with would be the hampton and its right between the ballpark and Babe's house.

Here is the address -
Baltimore Downtown Hampton
550 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD 21230•(410) 685-5000

No need to worry about the Key Bridge as you are coming from a different area and the traffic situation won't effect where you are going. But if you can enter the city off of I83 it would be easy to get where you need to go.

Thanks. I was looking at that one on Priceline. I can get it reasonably priced thru my work discounts. Never stayed in a Hampton Inn so that might be a nice change.

 

[Jdeere562]

What ever you do, book directly through the Motel, not some discount place online.

Much easier if you have any disputes or have to cancel.

 

[Speedbird001]

CLOSE to the stadium is going to either be WAY over your budget or a sketchy dump. Suggest Crystal City or Reston Town Center area = lots to do and ~40 uber ride to Nationals Stadium. (Metro to the stadium sucks; takes 2x as long to save like 50% vs drive and park or Uber)

More important, 100% skip Baltimore and Orioles... only another ~90 minutes north and you're in Philly. Not even close; your going for an experience... a Phillies home game is it

 

[AutoMechanic]

CLOSE to the stadium is going to either be WAY over your budget or a sketchy dump. Suggest Crystal City or Reston Town Center area = lots to do and ~40 uber ride to Nationals Stadium. (Metro to the stadium sucks; takes 2x as long to save like 50% vs drive and park or Uber)

More important, 100% skip Baltimore and Orioles... only another ~90 minutes north and you're in Philly. Not even close; your going for an experience... a Phillies home game is it

Why would you skip the Orioles? Is it just the city or something else? Just curious. I’m not a Phillies fan at all but my goal is to eventually get to every stadium. Philly is on the list for next year or sometime in the future. Everyone says Camden Yards is the best park on this side of the US.

 

[Speedbird001]

Why would you skip the Orioles? Is it just the city or something else? Just curious. I’m not a Phillies fan at all but my goal is to eventually get to every stadium. Philly is on the list for next year or sometime in the future. Everyone says Camden Yards is the best park on this side of the US.

Orioles are fair to poor on even a good day... MAYBE if they were playing someone else you liked as well. Camden Yards is nice. Baltimore is not so nice... some ok stuff but a lot of bad stuff.

Seriously, if you're not dying to see the orioles, definitely do the Phills. It's about 90 minutes from DC/NOVA to Baltimore and only another 90 or less to Philly. Even if you're not a big Philly fan, Citizens Bank Park is usually a great experience. The prices are about the same, distance is negligible, do CBP

 

[GMBoy]

Thanks. I was looking at that one on Priceline. I can get it reasonably priced thru my work discounts. Never stayed in a Hampton Inn so that might be a nice change.

Hamptons are nice.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Orioles are fair to poor on even a good day... MAYBE if they were playing someone else you liked as well. Camden Yards is nice. Baltimore is not so nice... some ok stuff but a lot of bad stuff.

Seriously, if you're not dying to see the orioles, definitely do the Phills. It's about 90 minutes from DC/NOVA to Baltimore and only another 90 or less to Philly. Even if you're not a big Philly fan, Citizens Bank Park is usually a great experience. The prices are about the same, distance is negligible, do CBP

Yeah the reason for picking Baltimore and Washington the same week is they are playing my favorite team the Padres that week. I’ve always heard the sports environment in Philly was toxic but I don’t know for sure.

 

[GMBoy]

CLOSE to the stadium is going to either be WAY over your budget or a sketchy dump. Suggest Crystal City or Reston Town Center area = lots to do and ~40 uber ride to Nationals Stadium. (Metro to the stadium sucks; takes 2x as long to save like 50% vs drive and park or Uber)

More important, 100% skip Baltimore and Orioles... only another ~90 minutes north and you're in Philly. Not even close; your going for an experience... a Phillies home game is it

Been to a few Phillys games over the years - it's a total craphole there as well so don't see the point of going to another dump vs Baltimore which is IMO much nicer and a better team and the stadium is way nicer as well.

 

[Speedbird001]

Life is short, do all three. It can be done in 3 days easy; south to north or vice-a-versa. Ballgames vary, but a good life experience for sure. Suggest you skip the Snap-On truck beef jerky and spend your money on good seats. (Singles off of Stub-Hub are easy pickings.... $150 to actually smell the grass and hear the ball hit the glove is well worth it imo).

 

[Kira]

In Washington we stayed at the Days Inn on 4400 Connecticut Ave. 'Twas exceptionally well priced.
The hotel was perfectly clean and the parking was clean and secure.
It's 1.5 blocks from the RED LINE of the Metro.
Alas, the Godsend of a restaurant directly across the street has closed.

Ha--I went to the 6th home game at Orioles Park.....at Camden Yards.

I went to a ball game in Phillie at the "old Vet" in 1986. The Vet was a complete bowl which retained all the cooking grease vapors.
It was actually rancid. The people there were just fine. I want to see the new joint.
There is a difference between football fans -angry, violent drunks- and baseball fans -dopey, flaccid wads like me.

Check if the D.C. Metro has tailored its service after games.
Those fools didn't accommodate the passengers and left thousands of people waiting forever for post-game trains.
I've always heard that D.C. is strictly a "9-5 town", so they might not care.

In NYC you can see the subway trains cueing up to clear either stadium after a game.

 

[zzyzzx]

I would also stay outside the city and commute in.

 

[GMBoy]

Life is short, do all three. It can be done in 3 days easy; south to north or vice-a-versa. Ballgames vary, but a good life experience for sure. Suggest you skip the Snap-On truck beef jerky and spend your money on good seats. (Singles off of Stub-Hub are easy pickings.... $150 to actually smell the grass and hear the ball hit the glove is well worth it imo

That is a good point. I do have to say whenever I did go to a Philly's game (and the last time was like 2000) it was very inexpensive and each time I had seats right on the grass next to the right side outfield player and came close to getting some balls and enjoyed talking to the players. It was a good experience and the drive was not too bad as I recall.

 

[AutoMechanic]

Well managed to get free tickets right behind home plate for the Orioles game that day thru a connection so for sure going to Baltimore now. I might try and find somewhere in between the two places but not sure yet. But with the free tickets that gives me more money for the hotel which is great.

 

[zzyzzx]

I might try and find somewhere in between the two places but not sure yet.

The hotels near Arundel Mills. Great food options, convenient, and if you want to gamble, there is a casino there.

 

[Vil_Riker]

I stay at the Embassy Suites when in DC. Very close to the White House and touristy areas. Clean and well run hotel.

 

[PF52]

I wonder if there is a forum member in the area who could put you up at their home?

 

[racer12306]

From Roanoke, IMO, your best bet is 81 to 66 to get to DC. Once you're near DC, it's all about how traffic is treating you that day. Same with Baltimore.

Use Waze and take it all in stride.

When I travelled for work I stayed at Hilton properties exclusively. I don't think I ever stayed at a bad one, however, I'm sure they're out there. Hilton Garden Inn was my first choice because almost all of them had a restaurant and then based on price after that, usually that's a Hampton. I have stayed in Home 2 Suites and they're nice as well. I made the switch from Choice Hotels to Hilton because I felt the stays were consistently better.