Trip Hacks DC

Accommodations is one of the most important decisions that travelers make. Airbnb and other home rental websites like Vrbo offer an alternative to standard hotel stays. Are they better? What do travelers need to know before they book one? We've got a few Airbnb tips to share. In this episode Rob is joined by Jocelyn Wolters. She is a member of the Wolters World traveling family. Keep up with their...

Washington, DC visitors spend a lot of time on the National Mall, a National Park Service unit that gets more yearly visitors than Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, combined! Park enthusiasts won't have to spend all of their time on the Mall. There are plenty of other great National Parks near DC. In this episode Rob is joined by Danielle Jacobs-Erwin. She is the host of Everybody’s Nati...

Washington is the capital of the United States and the seat of federal government. But it’s also DC, a city where lots of regular people live and work. In this episode Rob is joined by Alex Baca to breakdown what it's like to live in “DC” and how visitors can experience it when they come to visit “Washington”.  Alex is the Housing Program Organizer at GGWash . She previously worked in journalism,...

If you're an Abe Lincoln history buff, this is the episode for you! Rob is joined by Rebecca Grawl, a local tour guide, and history to talk all about Abe Lincoln Historic Sites in Washington, DC. Rebecca is a veteran tour guide with Free Tours by Foot and A Tour of Her Own . One of her favorite tours to lead is the Abraham Lincoln Assassination Tour in the neighborhood around Ford's Theater. Full...

Visiting local coffee shops is a fantastic way to explore a new city. Washington, DC has a robust coffee scene and everyone can find a few shops that they enjoy. Rob is joined by Austen Brower to talk about drinking great coffee in Washington, DC. Austen is founder and host of Drip: A DC Coffee Podcast . His podcast is designed to brew community by being deliberately curious about coffee and coffe...

Professional sports are a big part of every city's identity and culture. Washington DC has professional teams in almost every major sports league. Rob is joined by Dave Murphy to give our best tips for checking out one of these games. We cover the Nationals (MLB), Wizards (NBA), Capitals (NHL), United (MLS), Redskins (NFL), Mystics (WNBA) plus a handful of others. Dave is Dave is an Army veteran,...

Every visitor wants to know: what are the very best Washington, DC restaurants? It's a tough question, not because there aren't good places to eat, but because there are so many! Even if you ate at a new restaurant every single day, it would take years to sample all of the DC dining options. Rob is joined by Jessica Sidman to talk all about food and restaurants in Washington, DC. Jessica is the fo...

Washington, DC is a city with four seasons. Visitors will get a different experience depending on the time of year they come. Don't let Washington, DC weather catch you off guard! Rob is joined by Jason Samenow for an in-depth weather discussion and advice for visitors. Jason is the Washington Post’s Weather Editor. In 2004 he founded CapitalWeather.com which has grown over the years from a one-ma...

Nobody is perfect. Even the most seasoned travelers occasionally make mistakes. Don't stress! In this episode, Rob is joined by Ali Zeller, a world traveler and Washington, DC tour guide to talk about the mistakes that they see Washington, DC travelers make. More importantly, they have some tips to help make sure you don't make these mistakes when you visit.  Full show notes for this episode are a...

Washington, DC is a major concert destination and stop for many artists as they tour the east coast. You can find concerts large and small and the perfect venue for every act. Rob is joined by Brad Garrigues to talk tips for attending concerts in Washington, DC. Brad is an engineer in the Navy who has lived in several different U.S. and international cities and loves live music. Brad shares some o...

Pennsylvania Avenue is an iconic street in Washington, DC. In a few short blocks visitors can see the Capitol, White House, National Archives, U.S. Navy Memorial, and Old Post Office. However, this area wasn't always such a grand avenue. For much of the country's history it was actually a crime-ridden slum. To discuss the evolution of the street, Rob is joined by Carolyn Muraskin from DC Design To...

Taking a bike ride is a great way to see the sites in Washington, DC. The city is well suited for biking because most of the major things to see are located downtown near the National Mall. In this episode of the Trip Hacks DC Podcast, Rob is joined by Brian McEntee to talk Washington DC biking tips and some worthwhile rides outside of downtown. Brian is a bicyclist and social media bike influence...

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the kickoff to spring in Washington, DC. The festival begins on the first official day of spring (March 20th) and runs through mid-April. In this episode of the Trip Hacks DC Podcast, Rob is joined by Nora Strumpf to talk about visiting Washington, DC during cherry blossom season. Nora is the Communications Coordinator for the National Cherry Blossom Festiva...

Families with kids make up many of the millions of Washington, DC annual visitors. DC is a family-friendly destination but it’s not Disney World or a place specifically designed around fun for kids. In this episode of the Trip Hacks DC Podcast, Rob is joined by Austin Graff, one of the only dad bloggers in the city . He loves exploring "off the beaten path" Washington, D.C. with is 2-year-old daug...

Visitors love riding DC Metro, but those who don't have a lot of experience with public transit have a lot of questions about how it works. In this episode of the  Trip Hacks DC Podcast , Rob is joined by Matt Johnson, a transportation professional and DC Metro expert. Matt tweets from @tracktwentynine and posts the popular "whichWMATA" Metro photo contest on Greater Greater Washington . Rob and M...

Happy holidays from the nation’s capital! On this special seasonal Trip Hacks DC Podcast , Rob is joined by Rebecca Grawl, a local tour guide, historian and museum educator. She also runs Top Things To Do DC on Instagram and YouTube . Rob and Rebecca discuss what visitors can expect when they come to Washington, DC in December. Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC we...

Rob is joined by local armchair historian Eric Fidler for this episode of the  Trip Hacks DC podcast . They developed a list of cool off the beaten path things to see and do in Washington, DC. These are perfect for anyone who has been to DC before and is looking for something different, or for a true urban explorer.  Check out some of Eric's writing on Greater Greater Washington and follow along h...

In this episode of the  Trip Hacks DC podcast , Rob is joined by Nicole Glass of Nicole Glass Photography . They discuss a range of photography topics, from some of the coolest Instagram spots to ways to spice up your Washington, DC photos. Check out Nicole's YouTube channel and the photos that she has available to purchase on Shutterstock , many of them landscapes of Washington, DC. Full show not...

In this inaugural episode of the Trip Hacks DC podcast, Rob is joined by Carolyn Muraskin from DC Design Tours to discuss the life cycle of monuments and memorials on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Learn about who decides when to build a new memorial, how it gets designed and the often controversial process of choosing a location in the capital.  Check out DC Design Tours for information abo...