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Points Talk®: Your Travel Dreams, Made Possible by Points

40. Travel Mom Squad Explores Washington, DC: Flights, Hotels, and Must-Dos

Points Talk®: Your Travel Dreams, Made Possible by Points

Alex, Pam and Jess

Places & Travel, Education, Society & Culture, How To

4.9734 Ratings

🗓️ 5 September 2023

⏱️ 36 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Hey fellow travelers! It’s Alex, Jess, and Pam, excited to share our best Washington, D.C. tips, ensuring your Capital visit is unforgettable! In this episode, we dive deep on everything you need to know when it comes to traveling to D.C. on points a miles. :) Hit play to dive in or keep reading for a sneak peek! 

Logistics can truly set the tone for your trip. Take Alex's recent experience as an example. On her last trip, she flew into Dulles. It was fine, but the more seasoned travelers among us know that Reagan is closer and more convenient. Details like this can truly uplift your entire adventure! 

But a trip isn't just about the airport, right? Just as important is where you choose to stay at night. Washington DC offers a plethora of hotel options. The city's hotel scene mirrors New York's in many ways. No matter the type of points or rewards you've accumulated, you're sure to find a suitable accommodation. Be it Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, or IHG – every major brand has a presence there. This diversity and ease of point redemption make DC a favored destination for many. 

As for the city itself, where do we even begin? There's a world to discover, from the iconic National Mall to those Smithsonian gems. Jess, despite her countless visits, still stumbles upon new treasures every time. If you want a real history lesson, DC doesn’t disappoint. Whether you're standing in awe at the Lincoln Memorial or booking your tickets for the poignant Holocaust Memorial, the city offers a blend of experiences that is unparalleled.

As for navigating the city, trust Alex's word and hop on the D.C. metro to bypass the notorious traffic. And if you're touring with kids, Pam's list of family activities—from interactive museums to bike rides—has got you covered.

So, hit play, and journey with us as we unpack Washington, D.C. one travel trick at a time. 

 

Links For All Things Travel Mom Squad: stan.store/travelmomsquad

 

Links For This Episode: 

  • 00:49 Intro to today’s episode, all about flights, hotels and activities in Washington DC

  • 01:28 The top recommendation to fly into Washington DC is Regan  

  • 02:41 Washington DC has a variety of hotels to choose from for your trip 

  • 03:53 Alex and Pam share their experience at the Grand Hyatt, Washington DC

  • 04:19 Alex and Pam cashed in free night certificates and the location was perfect 

  • 05:59 Jess shares her family’s experience at the bougie Park Hyatt 

  • 06:26 Jess talks about the Hyatt family plan rate, a great option for large groups

  • 08:09 The Park Hyatt is always known for great breakfast and room service 

  • 11:51 Pam shares her love for the unique and quirky Kimpton Hotel Monaco 

  • 16:06 All hotel Monaco’s are built on historic sites, so each hotel is very unique 

  • 17:35 Alex talks about another great option; the Washington Marriott at Metro Center 

  • 18:51 Alex mentions that the Marriott is under renovation in 2023 

  • 19:58 Jess shares how to earn points and get free night certificates for these hotels

  • 21:25 Jess was surprised at how many great activities for families were free 

  • 23:20 Alex talks about all of the historical things you can experience in DC 

  • 28:18 Smithsonian Museums are all along the National Mall and easy to walk to 

  • 29:02 Jess and her family loved the Spy Museum, but it is not free

  • 31:42 Jess shares how her and her husband became members of the Supreme Court Bar 

  • 32:59 Pam’s talks about her desire to do the tour of the White House 

  • 35:27 Overall, there are so many fun things to do in Washington DC and it’s hard to do them all in one visit!

 

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

You're listening to Points Talk with the Travel Mom Squad, previously known as the Travel Hacking Mom Show.

0:05.8

Follow the links in the show notes to stay up to date with what the Travel Mom Squad has been up to.

0:10.4

If you've been wanting to take a trip to Washington, D.C. on Points and Miles, this episode is for you.

0:16.0

Keep listening as we share how you can make that happen, along with our favorite things to do while you're there.

0:22.9

Welcome to the Travel Hackey Mom Show.

0:25.0

We are three moms who've discovered how to leverage credit card welcome offers to get hundreds of thousands of dollars in travel expenses for nearly free.

0:32.8

We've used credit card points and miles to take vacations to places like Hawaii, Paris, Greece, the Maldives,

0:38.9

Italy, and so much more. And the best part, we each still have an 800 plus credit score. Imagine

0:44.6

being able to book a vacation without having to check your bank account. It's totally possible,

0:49.0

and we're here to show you how. Hey, I'm Alex. And I'm Pam, Alex's mom. And I'm Jess. We are travel hacking moms. Today we are heading to the nation's capital. We are going to cover flights, hotels, and activities. So let's get to it. Alex, why don't you kick it off with your favorite ways to get to Washington, D.C.? Okay, so there are two airports you can pick from when you're going to Washington, D.C.

1:14.6

There's Doles and Reagan.

1:17.1

And Reagan is a lot closer.

1:19.9

When I mom and I went and when was that mom?

1:24.1

22, right?

1:25.6

Yes, I think so.

1:27.2

Yeah, so we went, we flew into Dolas and then I think so. Yeah.

1:32.6

So we went, we flew into Dola's and then out of Reagan for our last visit.

1:34.5

And we wished we had done Reagan for both.

1:38.7

Like we didn't realize when we did that, that Reagan was so much closer.

1:45.9

So that would be my advice is if you can, you know, flying to race in and out of Reagan if you can.

1:51.4

But all the major airlines service both airports. And so if you want to like shop around and see which one has the best or like the lower award prices, you can do either one. We have flown when we

1:57.5

went. I flew. Did we, did we fly together? No no we didn't we didn't we just met up at the

...

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