traffic in DC?

It is pretty bad during rush hour - your best tool is going to be timing. If you are staying in DC and using the rental to go out of DC for the day, they you will probably be in decent shape. If you leave DC in the morning and return in the afternoon/evening, you are going to be going in the opposite direction as rush hour traffic, so you will probably be fine.

Use the Metro (subway) as much as possible - you can buy all kinds of different fare cards - I find that the best bet is to buy an all-day card, especially if you plan on going several different places during the day. The stations all have maps and sample fares, so you can easily figure out the most economical way for you to purchase your fare.

I think you have a good game plan. Public transit is one of the best systems I've ever used - it's clean, reliable and takes you just about anywhere you need to go. Even the bus service is good and the Metro (subway) is terrific.

Traffic really can be horrific and with public transit being as great as it is, why stress yourself out driving in a strange city (and DC is hard with all of the oneway streets, and the diagonal streets,etc.) when you can spend less than $2 and take the subway?

You can get a flexcar in DC and rent by the day, or hour. While public transit will get you most places, if you want to go further afield - say Mt. Vernon - you'll need a car.

If you're out late you can always get a cab too, they're pretty plentiful (although I've found they can be expensive).

Have fun!

DC traffic is bad, but it's more the commute from the suburbs than traffic within DC itself that's the real problem. The Beltway, I-95, I-270, I-66, and US 50, to name a few of the roads leading into DC, are the major problem. Not to say that traffic in DC itself is wonderful (it's not), but the major problem is outside of the city.

By all means use our wonderful subway system, called Metro, for traveling around DC. It's part of the experience, and your tax dollars helped to pay for its construction!

Where were you planning on going that you feel you need a rental car? Mt. Vernon is accessible through many of the sightseeing tour companies. Yes, the traffic is horrendous. Timing sometimes doesn't matter. You can get stuck in traffic at 10 am and at 2 pm. It's really a nightmare. I'd metro as much as possible.

It's not that bad if you know the backroads. If you're taking the major roads like I-66, the Beltway, etc. you will spend a lot of frustrating time just sitting in traffic.

Whatever you do, do NOT try to drive from East to West or North to South. Just bite the bullet and take the Beltway around. Traffic is TERRIBLE on the east side of Washington, DC from my experiences. Especially on weekends.

I worked in DC for about six months back in 2006. Traffic heading into DC in the morning rush hour is about as bad as you think. (As is leaving DC in the afternoon.)

The Metro is a great way to get around DC, except that there aren't as many stops as other cities' subways, so you'll have to walk a lot.

You'll defintely need the car if you want to go to Mount Vernon and Alexandria, VA.

it is a nightmare. it is worse than you've ever heard... metro whenever you can, its so convenient and A HUNDRED TIMES FASTER