Insiders guide to the DC Metro

So you have been told that you should stand near the end or the front of the train to make exiting the metro station easier at your final destination. But as you stand on the platform you are not sure which way the train will come from, making it difficult to know where is the front of the train.

Here is the secret… If you are standing on a platform where the trains run in the middle then the train will come from the left. That makes the front of the train to your right. If you are in a station where you stand in the middle and the trains come from either side then the train will come from the right. That means the front of the train will be to your left.

Not sure what I mean by the trains run in the middle? If you have to go over or under the platform to get to the other side of the platform for a train in the opposite direction, then the trains are running in the middle. If you can just walk across the platform to catch a train in the other direction then the trains are running on the sides.

Hope this makes your travels just a little easier.

3 Ways to Plan a Romantic Getaway on a Budget

1. Stay Close to home.
   

When we think of getting away from it all we often think we must be on a beach half way around the world. Though that can make for a great vacation you can easily getaway from it all without leaving your home city. Stay in the Downtown area of a nearby city and save on airfare and time. Downtown areas usually have really low weekend rates because they mostly cater to business professionals. You can get upgraded suites and rooms at times for half what they would cost during the week.

1. Splurge on Dinner and save on other meals
   

Try to choose a hotel with a full breakfast included and then grab something quick for lunch. You can easily find something quick and under $15 if you stay in a centrally located area. Then make your dinner the big special event. Eat somewhere that you can get a little more dressed up and look at each other over candlelight.

1. Do inexpensive things you used to do when you first started dating.
   

If you have gotten into the routine of your relationship you may not go on many dates anymore. Use your weekend as a chance to do the things you usually never have time to do together. Go see a movie or a play, play a round of miniature golf, or even just walk along a scenic area of the city. If the weather is nice ask the hotel to pack you a lunch or buy food from a local market and have a picnic in a local park. Most of what makes a romantic weekend perfect is the ability to have uninterrupted time to spend together. Even if it seems like the activity is something you could easily do at home try to remember the last time you actually did this activity together. If you can’t remember or it was too long ago to really count then it is not something that you would do normally and can be included in your weekend.

  

 

 

 

Is the low fare worth the high cost of stress?

I found a great fare on Spirit Airlines to the Caribbean for a last minute getaway with a friend. We were traveling over the Fourth of July holiday which meant that we were extremely lucky to find a reasonable fare at all. We arrived and checked in with no hiccups or concerns for our late afternoon flight out of DCA in Washington DC. A few things that should have made us realize a bargain is not always a bargain when we booked with Spirit include… 

1. You have to prepay $5 per bag for your checked luggage. 
2. You have to pay for everything but water on your flight including soda, juice, and snacks. 
3. There were only two flights in and out each day. If that flight is delayed or cancelled you are stuck! 

Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood Airport is the hub for Spirit Airlines. The terminal at that airport where most Spirit flights arrive and depart has very few services. Try to bring food with you before arriving in Ft. Lauderdale unless you are a Nathan’s Hot Dogs fan! On our return flight we had a 5 hour layover and ended up going to another terminal to find food. 

 

1. You can really save to some fun international destinations. They often publish fares as low as $2 dollars each way. 
2. The seats are pretty big with enough legroom throughout the coach cabin. 
3. If you are carrying-on and live in the Ft. Lauderdale/Miami area the entire Caribbean and many other destinations will be very inexpensive for you to visit. 
4. Your luggage tends to make it with you. I am the Queen of lost/delayed luggage but have never heard or experienced problems with Spirit losing luggage. The same is not always true for the big airlines. 

But let’s not get too excited and buy our tickets just yet. 

On our return flight from the Caribbean we had a five hour layover. This caused us to have to go to baggage claim in Ft. Lauderdale, get our bags and re-check in at the ticket counter. After getting on a 6 am flight, the last thing you want to do is get back in the ticket line and go through security for the second time in one day. Note to self: remember to check more closely the arrival and departure times for ALL flights.  

At the ticket counter the kiosks were in the same place as the line for people who needed to talk/see an agent. The person providing direction to passengers was rude and not very good at providing clear instructions. People dragged their luggage through the very tiny space around the ticket counters and tried to get checked in with very little space between customers. Once checked-in, you still have to drag your luggage back to the screening machine! By the time we were checked into our flight and our luggage was being screened we had both vowed to never fly Spirit again. The stress was not worth it! 

 

Episode 1: Girlfriend Getaways Escape to New York

Listen in to the premier episode of the EscapeTogether Podcast. We discuss how to plan a memorable trip to New York with your girlfriends.

« Previous Page — Next Page »