Twenty FAQs for C20 in D.C.

We hope that the following information will be useful to you in deciding your vote. If you have any additional questions, please don't hesitate to contact the co-chairs at c20@frostmarch.com.

How do I get to Washington, D.C.?

Washington, DC has three major airports in the region:

  • Dulles International Airport (IAD) in Virginia approximately 26 miles from downtown DC,
  • Baltimore-Washington International (BWI) in Maryland, and
  • Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA), which is the closest one, just across the Potomac River.

You can also arrive by train at Union Station, or from points north by Chinatown bus, or from various places by Greyhound bus. If you wish to drive, the hotel has underground parking for $35 per day.

How close is the hotel to the airport(s)?

  • Dulles Airport – 30-45 minutes directly (will take longer on shuttle).
  • National Airport – 10-15 minutes via cab. Also Metro accessible, but you will have to transfer lines.
  • BWI – about 30-45 minutes directly (will take longer on shuttle). There is also a commuter train from BWI to Washington DC on weekdays.

I have kids. Should I bring them?

Absolutely! Washington, DC is such an educational city where they can learn about history, government, culture, and science. The hotel is family-friendly. We will host an "All-Ages Dance Party" just down the hallway from Recessions. If your gothling is old enough to stay in the hotel room alone, but not interested in the dance party, the venue is in the basement of the hotel so you won't be far away in case of emergency.

How do I get around Washington, D.C.?

  • Walking
  • Cabs are plentiful
  • Our subway system ("Metro") – the hotel is within two blocks of the Red, Blue, and Orange lines
  • Capital Bikeshare
  • Open Bus Tours
  • ZipCar or similar service

How close is the hotel to the sightseeing?

You can see from this map that the National Mall – monuments, memorials, Smithsonian museums, etc. -- is central to sightseeing. Some things to help you understand DC street layout:

  • The horizontal streets are in alphabetical order
  • The vertical streets are numerical
  • Diagonal streets are names of states, e.g., Massachusetts Avenue
  • The city is divided into quadrants by the Capitol

We are in the Northwest. The hotel is on L Street between 18th and 19th Streets, south of Dupont Circle and north of the White House.

What are some examples of "daytime excursions"?

In some cases, advance planning may be required for logistical purposes, such as group tours (Segway Tours is a good option for those who don't like to walk a lot but you will need advance reservations), or places a bit further away from the hotel such as the National Cathedral or the Rock Creek Cemetery (both of which would be excellent excuses to dress up Victorian).

However in most cases we can simply offer some suggestions (e.g., walking tours of the memorials, cool museums, the National Zoo) and people can gather on their own initiative, or we could establish a meeting place/time for anyone who wants to join.

Can I take a tour of the Capitol?

The Capitol Visitor Center is open Monday through Saturday. Please note, the Senate and House galleries are open to visitors whenever either legislative body is in session, however the galleries are not included as part of the U.S. Capitol tour. Passes are required to enter either gallery at any time. Visitors may obtain gallery passes from the offices of their Senators or Representative.

Can I take a tour of the White House?

In 2013, the White House closed its tours because of the "sequester" (mandatory budget reductions). We are hopeful that the tours will be reopened by September 2014.

Will the Washington Monument be reopened by then?

You may have heard that we had an earthquake back in 2011. This caused some damage to the Monument and it is currently covered in scaffolding. However, it has been announced that it will be reopened in early 2014. It goes without saying that the views of the city from the top are spectacular.

Does the hotel have wifi?

All rooms in the hotel have FREE wifi and there is also free wifi in Recessions as well.

Is the hotel non-smoking?

Yes. The Quincy is 100% non-smoking.

Wheelchair accessibility of the venue/hotel?

Recessions is wheelchair-friendly (with ramps) and the hotel is too. Your room at The Quincy will be an elevator ride away from the venue.

Where is the closest bank/ATM to the hotel?

There are several ATMs on the same block as the hotel. Nearby banks include Wells Fargo, Bank of America, PNC, Capital One, etc. You will have no problem getting cash anytime you need it.

Are there fine food/drinking establishments near the hotel?

Oh yes indeed! All C20 attendees would be provided with a restaurant guide. We can only scratch the surface here. And with all of the embassies from around the world in DC, you can believe that international cuisine is well represented.

Here are some good ones within a block or two:

Some of our favorites in Dupont Circle:

Beer lovers will appreciate this one, also walking distance:

There are also numerous good restaurants in the Chinatown district, of all kinds of cuisine, which might be a convenient place for lunch or dinner depending on where you do your sightseeing.

Rest assured that we will provide you with our best recommendations around town!

Where is da booze?

There are several liquor stores for your hotel room party needs nearby, some of which are known for good selection. The ones listed below are a sample. If we win the C20 bid, we'll, uh, start "researching" right away!!

  • Barmy Wines and Liquors
  • Bell Wine & Spirits
  • Imperial Liquor
  • Barrel House Liquor (a bit far but they have a parking lot if you want to drive there and load up)
  • Seven Eleven on 19th Street around the corner

I have special dietary needs (vegan, gluten free, etc.). Will I starve in DC?

Washington, DC is all about political correctness and food is no exception. In fact, the C20-DC Committee includes members who are vegetarians and gluten-free members, so we can attest that Washington, DC has what you need. We will be sure to take special note in our restaurant guide of restaurants that have options for vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, paleo, raw diets, etc. As one example, Elizabeth's Gone Raw (on L Street just a few blocks away from the hotel/venue) is a one night a week (Fridays) experience where the venue is transformed into a fine dining establishment offering a Six Course Vegan/Raw Foods Tasting Menu.

I'm on a limited budget. Are there cheap things to do in DC?

There is no shortage of free things to do in DC: the Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, the memorials and monuments, the Capitol, etc. There are also inexpensive food options near the hotel.

I'm a potential vendor. Tell me more!

The vendors will be in Recessions with spillover space in the large conference room down the hallway depending on the number of vendors. The registration room will be in the conference room next to Recessions and we will strongly encourage the attendees to check out the bazaar next door. Recessions will be serving drinks and food during the day on Saturday and Sunday, so it will be very convenient for the vendors and customers alike. For the average size table (sorry, no dimensions yet but it will be comparable to other C*), we are considering charging $75 per day. For those vendors who need more space, we will leave it up to our vendor coordinator to develop a plan that is fair to everyone. Vendors who need electricity can work with the coordinator to be placed near electrical outlets. When all else fails, there are extension cords. Free wifi is available in Recessions. At C19, we noticed that most vendors were using Square to process orders so we realize how important it is.

I'm a potential designer/model for the fashion show. Tell me more!

The fashion show will be held at Recessions, so preparations (hair, makeup, etc.) can be made in the conference rooms which are in the same hallway. The hotel rooms above in the Quincy are also good places to prepare because they are spacious and have large floor mirrors. The ceiling is low in Recessions so there will be no catwalk, but the bar is raised such that there will probably be good viewing positions. We will also arrange chairs to create a pathway for the models, as was done in C19.

I like turtles!

We have several options: Smithsonian Natural History Museum, the National Zoo, or you could go to Rock Creek Park -- you are likely to find some there.