The Unofficial Guideto Washington, D.C. (Unofficial Guides) [Paperback]

Joe Surkiewicz (Author), Eve Zibart (Contributor)

Book Description

Series: Unofficial Guides | Publication Date: February 18, 2005

* Guides travelers to Washington's best cultural and historic sights-and offers helpful hints on how to beat the crowds and avoid long waits
* More than 75 in-depth restaurant reviews explain where to find a good meal
* Incisive hotel ratings show how to find the best lodgings at the best prices
* Shows how to get around, how to see the government work, and where to find parks and outdoor activities

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

From the publishers of The Unofficial Guide® to Walt Disney World®

"A Tourist's Best Friend!"
—Chicago Sun-Times

"Indispensable"
—The New York Times

The Top 10 Ways The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. Can Help You Have the Perfect Trip:

1. Information that's candid, critical, and totally objective
2. Hotels reviewed and ranked for value and quality—plus secrets for getting the lowest possible rate
3. More than 90 restaurants and 20 nightclubs reviewed in detail and ranked
4. A complete guide to Washington's cultural and historic sights—with helpful hints for making the most of your time
5. The inside story on where you can watch your government at work
6. Everything you need to know to get around quickly and easily—including complete details on the Metro
7. Tips on exploring Washington's parks and gardens, plus the best places to play golf and tennis, go boating, and work out
8. The best places to shop for souvenirs, bargains, eclectic imports, and haute couture
9. Proven strategies for enjoying Washington with your kids
10. Advice on how to plan and make the most of your business trip

About the Author

Joe Surkiewicz has co-authored five titles in the Unofficial Guides series and written two guides to the best places to ride a mountain bike in the Mid-Atlantic states. Joe is communications director at the Legal Aid Bureau of Maryland. He lives in Baltimore with his best friend and counselor, Ann Lembo. When not traveling or bicycling, they enjoy evenings curled up on the sofa with their black-and-white feline companions, Molly and Trixie, to watch black-and-white movies starring 1930s film divas Kay Francis, Norma Shearer, and Miriam Hopkins.

Eve Zibart, author of several books including The Unofficial Guide to New Orleans, The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World for Grown-ups, and The Ethnic Food Lover’s Companion, is a feature writer and restaurant critic for the “Weekend” section of the Washington Post; she drew on her intimate knowledge of D.C.’s diverse after-hours scene and the area’s vast array of dining spots when writing our entertainment and restaurant sections. Eve also scoped out where to find the best deals for our chapter on shopping.

A native of the Baltimore suburbs, Alisa Bralove is a legal affairs writer for Maryland’s business and legal daily newspaper, The Daily Record. She and her husband, Rich Scherr, live in Owings Mills, Maryland. Alisa personally inspected more than 140 hotels and inns for our accommodations chapter.

Product Details

• Paperback: 428 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 8 edition (February 18, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764575570
• ISBN-13: 978-0764575570
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (41 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,255,265 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #73 in Books > Travel > United States > Washington, D.C.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

68 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable planning guide, April 30, 2007

By 

Joseph Boone (Irvine, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (2008 HOLIDAY TEAM)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

The Unofficial Guide to Washington, DC offers comprehensive information in a clear, concise style. There is plenty of basic information about how to get around in the city using the Metro, what time of year to go, how to stay safe, etc. In addition, you will find hotel ratings and detailed entries on all major attractions inside the city. The hotel section is probably the weak point of the guide. It offers a numerical rating system but only a few basic items of information on the hotel. There is no written description with the pros and cons of each hotel spelled out for you.

The section on attractions is where this guide makes up for the lack of hotel info. It covers all the museums, memorials, monuments, government buildings, etc. Each entry is highly detailed with full contact information, nearest Metro stop, tips on when to go, full descriptions, touring tips, and other things to do nearby. It is literally everything you want to know when considering a visit to one of the many tourist attractions in the city.

While planning my trip to Washington, DC I bought three guidebooks to the area. This is the only one that I used in the latter stages of planning and also the only one I used when I got to the city. It was easily the most comprehensive and useful of the lot once I had booked my hotel. If you're planning a trip to the capitol and can only buy one guide, get this one.

41 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Don't Leave Home Without It, February 2, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Unoffical Guide to Washington D.C. (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

We bought this guide because of our very positive experience using the Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World. This Guide did not dissappoint, although there were a few inaccuracies (i.e. Capitol tours leave every 30 minutes, not every 10; you don't need a time ticket for the White House during the off season). The most helpful information was the detailed description of D.C.'s Metro system. We were pros at commuting by the end of our trip. The restaurant guide was also extemely helpful. We didn't have one bad meal. The Guide also helped us to take a family vote on the sites we wanted to see and plan our itinerary before leaving home (a must). Get this book 3 to 6 months before your trip so you have time to write your congressmen to request VIP tours of the things you want to see. We bought the Guide 2 weeks before we left. Even though we had a great time, our trip could have been enhanced with more planning.

45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice book. Too heavy to carry., August 24, 2000

By 

Seano "seanob" (Quincy, Massachusetts USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Unoffical Guide to Washington D.C. (Unofficial Guides) (Paperback)

Imagine the comprehensive guide to good deals, unfamiliar sites, and transportation options in the Washington D.C. area! This is a great collection of reviews and suggestions, tips and recommendations. Spend some time in advance of your planning to scope out great deals on rooms, tours and seasonal advantages. You can plan a great trip with unexplored opportunities such as breaks to rest in parks and gardens, or ways to avoid long lines and frustration.

There is even a great section for business travellers. A good purchase and a fine resource.

The maps and the guide to the public transportation system are the best I have ever seen.