Trip Report - Washington DC (First Solo Trip)
This was my first solo trip, albeit a short one and it was a domestic trip.Destination: Washington DC around Memorial DayMe: 32/M. It was a domestic trip so there were not any language barriers or lost in translation moments.Length of Travel: 3.5 days (Arrived in the afternoon on Day 1, had full days on Day 2 to 4 and departed early on Day 5)Budget: No hard budget but I was not planning to stay in a hostel and Washington DC proper is not cheap, especially around Memorial Day. My expenditures broke down as such:Flights: $119.60Food & Drink: $197.48Accommodations: $738.44Parking: $48.00Tours: $39.20Transportation: $52.63Tips: $12.00Accommodations: Pod DC Hotel. It’s a micro hotel in an area of the city with many restaurants and a metro station within walking distance. I had a corner room on an upper floor that gave me two windows with views of alleys. My AC was also loud and would regularly turn and off to maintain temperature.Activities:Day 1 — National Mall: I booked a group bicycle tour for the evening. The tour lasted 3 hours and covered the majority of the major monuments and memorials located on the National MallDay 2 — Smithsonian Museums: I visited the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in the morning Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in the evening.Day 3 — U.S. Capitol Hill Area: I had a mid-morning tour of the U.S. Capitol. My afternoon consisted of exploring the Library of Congress as a “researcher” and then meandering around the Supreme Court.Day 4 — Library of Congress and “You'll Never Walk Alone”: The morning had me return to the Library of Congress to participate in a guided tour and my afternoon had me watching the Champions League final with some fellow Liverpool fans I met.Day 5 — Departure: Not much to say since I caught a morning flight back home.What Went Right: Transportation! Washington DC is one of the few American cities that are truly accessible to tourists without renting a car. Navigating the metro system was a breeze. Free activities! I could have spent many more days in Washington DC before I ran out of free things to do.What Went Wrong: The tour groups! When you are a solo traveler going on a guided tour, it can be quite hit or miss on the makeup of the group taking the tour with you. I had some ill luck with the composition of my tour groups.Recommendation: Go! Many free things to keep you occupied even if you limit yourself to places accessible by public transit or bike. With the exception of certain tours that require guides, better to self-explore as you can really absorb the things you want to see without all the extraneous noise.Final Verdict: I’m still not completely certain that solo travel is right for me. There are advantages of solo travel, e.g., being seated quickly without reservations, freedom to explore and meeting other travelers. However there were still moments I wished I had someone to explore with and maybe even split the cost of accommodations.Another part of me wonders if it’s the American culture. It seems to make room for the solo business traveler much more than the solo pleasure traveler. However, I do have an extended solo trip planned for Japan later this year so locale may very well be a difference maker. via /r/solotravel http://bit.ly/2KiGD40
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