Posting here on this discussion board is a good way find out if there are any shared travel or lodging arrangements that can be made, also you can check out the forums at the Reason Rally website.

Tickets- will be in DC Friday night around nine, will probably met up with some friends that live in Manassas VA.
Hotel- Hyatt Bethesda, just a few metro stations from the American Atheist convention. The convention hotel is full.
Transportation- Bought a Metro unlimited 7 day ticket online. They are mailing it to me. Ticket is stamped after first use. The metro runs from about 5 am to midnight, till 3 am Friday and Saturday nights(might be the most interesting time to ride the subway)

Meeting up at the Smithsonian Station Saturday morning, before the Reason Rally, would be my suggestion. Driving a car down there might be a big hassle, unless you have a reserved spot. I wouldn't recommend a car. Who else is going to the American Atheists Convention?

I'm considering it.

Thanks for the tip on the metro ticket Tim. I will have to look into that.

Oh the Metro is no problem to use, use it just like a bus system if you want. you can actually enter any station and walk up to an automated system and put money on a ticket and each time you use it it will say on your ticket how much money you have left. Just google Metro rail and you can see the map of the each line they have, their are four lines that will take you just about anywhere in the DC metro area and their are stations all over the Mall. I'm not sure how many of you are used to..

to using a tram/subway system but it's super easy and the Metro is one of the most convenient systems in the US to use. I would never drive a car in the DC area. If your hotel is not in walking distance of a Metro station just figure out which station has all day parking and leave your car their. It's a very simple and safe system to use. I just buy my tickets at the station with my debit card.

*there...oops

I will have my moms car. With her handicapped sticker. :) i think the only night we'll be in DC is sat.

I think using the bus would be the wisest thing to do.

Alex, I would recommend doing a park and ride on the metro, that way you wont have to hassle with a car. Sure it might be a 20 - 40 minute trip into DC on the metro, but you wont have to find a parking spot. Ask your mom, I'm sure she knows better than I do.

I'm fairly sure then Smithsonian Metro Station is the closest station to the Reason Rally location. It starts at 10AM, so if we meet up around 8-8:30 we can get a bite to eat and/or something to drink together before the rally. Or we could meet up with Susi at the National Atheist Party booth. I bet it there will be few if any seats, I would expect to be standing most of the day. Are we going to dinner as a group after the rally, which ends at 4PM?

David and Jessica, the tickets for the American Atheist Convention, the Sunday and Monday after the Reason Rally, are $199 dollars, if I remember correctly. If you are a student, there is a discount. I also purchased a ticket to see Sam Singleton's new show.

Ga'kuct, I don't know if I will be going to the Atheist Convention or not. At the moment I am still looking for ride sharing or hotel sharing to cut on cost. I have been to the DC area a few times and feel pretty comfortable getting around the area, the Metro is user friendly and there are several metro stations surrounding the Mall/ Smithsonian area. If you are planning a meetup before the rally and breakfast, a good place to meet may be Union Station, it's about a 15 min. walk from the ...

Capital and the Smithsonian area is straight West(?I believe direction wise) of the Capital. In the basement of Union Stations there is a huge foodcourt area, and I believe in the main street level area of Union Station there are restaurants.

@ David, if you take one of the rally buses it is seriously a "round" trip, you get on the bus the day before the rally and make it to the Washington Mall area an hour before the Rally begins, then you load up to go home one hour after the Rally ends. You will not have time to meetup with the group or do anything other than the Rally in the DC area. It may be financially the cheapest route if you can not find someone to ride share or room share though. However if that is my only option I ...

I would rather not go. Seriously if anyone would like to go I believe I can take my car and take at least four people and room with two to three other females and that would cut cost considerably.

I have a room at the Bethesda Marriott. If someone is on a tight budget and wants to crash there for a night or two it would be ok.

It is a long two days to get there via I-70. I just don't have the time to drive. I think all the other women that are going to DC are staying with friends and family there. My airline tickets were around $400. Gas will probably cost you around $300, (2,500 mile round trip @30 MPG @ $3.50/GAL.) and at least 3 more days of travel (and the cost of a hotel those nights$!$). Fly, it's cheaper.

I can ask around to see if anyone from nearby groups is planning on driving there.

I just booked a hotel in Herdon near Dulles International airport for 60 a night and a Marriot Courtyard, the Metro is not far from there and to park for the day is 4.50 and about a 35 min ride to Smithsonian area. I hate flying as I have severe pain issues and we need to make a trip to Boston or Baltimore when we are there regarding some immigration issues, so the car will be needed, and I absolutely love road trips. I've driven this trip before and it's a fun one......so am super excited!

Oh not that anyone cares, the pain issue is sinus and nerve damage, I really like being able to get out of the car.

I wish I could drive as well. But I wouldn't take I-70, I would probably take a southerly root and it would probably take three days to get there. Hopefully you will only have to go to Baltimore, it's closer then Boston.

It's a 20 hour drive there, and about 45 min depending on traffic to Baltimore and 8 to Boston. Whereas I want to visit Boston because I've never been there, that could potentially add two extra days to my travel plans.

Any opinions on when we should meet at Union Station before the rally? I am thinking earlier the better maybe 7am.

7am?!? I don't think the sun gets up that early in the winter time. I was thinking more like 8-8:30. The rally starts at 10am.

Sunrise will be at 7:05. 8:00 sounds good to me. Should give us enough time not be rushed and still get non crappy seats. 8:00 would incidentally give me time to ride my bike around the mall "in the dawn's early light. It may not give enough time though for anyone who would want to take a walk around the mall before the event and not be seated in the rear.

If anyone is still looking for lodging there are a few decent hostels in the city. I stayed in one last summer with my brother. Also metro is a must outside of downtown and the mall. But they have an excellent bike rental service with stalls all over town. My brother and I used them for our week long trip. DC is a gentle ride... Mostly. You will be there for the cherry blossom festival enjoy the view but expect a lot of people outside of the rally. I'd love to go... Maybe for the inaugu

If everyone wants to get an earlier start, we could try to meet up between 7:30 and 8. I was not thinking about a sit down breakfast but something quick, and then head to the Mall. Will there be seats?

There are v.i.p. seats starting at $50 after that it's grab a patch of grass. Peg and I have small tripod camp chairs, you can get one at a sporting goods store for about $15. I don't know if I will bring that or something beefier. I do have two larger compact lawn chairs.

If you want a Wichita Atheist's shirt and have not ordered one yet now is the time for action. Be wary of Zazzle's shipping times.

Jessica, I haven't heard back from anyone in the region who might be interested in carpooling, so I doubt anyone else is driving. Sorry.

I think Betty Deitzler said something at Skepticon about possibly driving up but that was a while back.

Great News! Our friends from Westboro Baptist Church will be at the rally to help represent Kansas.

The hours for the Reason Rally have been extended to 10am through 6pm to accommodate for their expanded lineup of speakers and entertainers. I will make the appropriate changes to our itinerary so stay tuned.

I guess I will be driving alone then and staying alone, if anyone wants to tag along their is room. As far as meeting at Union Station we should probably pick a buisness and meet outside of it, since no one is familiar with anything striking to meet at in the building. It's rather large and crowded on the main floor. Been there three times but I can't remember anything that stands out. You can get a list of businesses via the website for Union station, in fact I will check that out now.

How about a place called "The Corner Bakery" It's counter service with seating on street level in the west hall around 7:30am

Capital Gallery
600 Maryland Ave., SW
Washington, DC 20024
202-554-7870
James Lemieux, GM
Bakery
Monday - Friday
7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Saturday
8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
They had good baked good and only a little off The Mall. I'd go there again....8am open time though. It will be hard to travel as a group on the Subways there during the Centennial Cherry Blossom Festival. http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/about/2012-c...

@ Patrick I don't think we are traveling as a group on the Metro but meeting up at a place, I think we had unofficially chosen Union station because it is a metro stop and then we can walk over to the mall from there. I went to the Gallery years ago, when I was 15 and barely remember it, so in case my post wasn't clear "The corner Bakery" is in Union station at street level, so if we all make our destination Union station via the metro it will be easy to find.

Oh and the Cherry blossom festival is a month long celebration so, I wouldn't expect much more traffic that usual. When I was there during the festival it wasn't hard to navigate the metro or the city at all.

But we could get off at the L'efant stop on the metro if we decide this, it's about a two block walk to the smithsonian area of the mall. If I remember right, Union Station is 15 to 20 min walk to the Smithsonian area of the Mall

I am partial to meeting up at Union Station. It is an easy place to arrange a rendezvous and will give us a lot of flexibility, if we need it, for eating arrangements. I will have a list ready of preferred shops but if we need to make a game-time decision that's fine. We will operate under the same thinking for dinner. I am open to any suggestions so if anyone really wants to do something or there is a new consensus we will plan accordingly.

@ Jamar, I agree, it's easier to find, and if people don't want to walk to the mall from Union Station, we can always get back on the metro and take a 5 min to the Smithsonian station which will be right where the rally is along the mall.

@any one going to DC, Please let me know the final plans soon, I will be leaving this Wednesday for DC and will get there on Friday. I guess soon means, tomorrow if possible.

Here is the speaker schedule for the Reason Rally: http://www.reasonrally.org/official-schedule/

Eddie Izzard, James Randi, and Bill Maher will be speaking too!!

Alright I'm leaving for DC, not sure if I will see any of you there, I will be the one wondering around by herself among thousands. I'm sure you won't miss me.

Gosh i so frickin explative wish i could go!!!

I sent an email out Monday with the full details of the trip. If anyone did not receive it they can message me and I can re-send it to them.