h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

that there is indeed a metro stop called Foggy Bottom.

I've got a good tip to travelers, if someone can remember where I parked.

When I lived an hour from DC (for about 6 months), my friends and I would take day trips every once in a while to DC, the National Mall area, visit the Smithsonian, that kind of thing. Anyway, driving and parking in that area can be impossible, but there was an enormous mall on the outskirts of town with a subway station right below. The enormous mall also had an ample parking garage, and nothing could be more convenient than parking there, taking the elevator down to the subway, and then taking the subway to the national mall. I can't recall the name of the mall though... the word "Crystal" keeps popping into my head for some reason, though, if that's any help.

The mall is Crystal City. One thing that should be added to this entry is the fact that a station in one of the most useful areas, Georgetown- where all the bars are, was never built due to rich types complaining it would bring the wrong element in. The only place where one can see the Georgetown metro station is in the movie "No Way Out" where Kevin Costner uses it to get away from the Russian (or American?) nasties who are chasing him.

That's a fairly common practice, and there are a few malls that can be done from.

1) Springfield Mall -- There is a shuttle to the Franconia/Springfield station, southern terminus of the blue line, from its main parking garage. They also never have and probably never will charge for parking. Unfortunately, though, it is a longer ride to the mall from Franc/Spring and back again, which means a higher ticket price.

2) Fashion Centre at Pentagon City -- This is a huge parking garage that does have hourly rates. If you don't park for too many hours the price is right, but if you stay for about 6 hours the cost of parking goes from $3 to $10 to keep people from parking there all day who work in the District.

3) Crystal City Underground -- Not as large of a parking area, but it does correspond with the "Crystal" that you remember. This is also a very popular destination on the Metro, as it has some more upscale shops and restaurants (may I suggest Hamburger Hamlet? No, oh, sorry.) There's also something cool about it all being underground...and not just that they can keep the temperature 72 degrees year round.

Foggy Bottom..right by George Washington U.

I haven't been there in awhile..

Yeah, I know this thread is two years old, but man....now I'm homesick. I used to use the Foggy Bottom stop to get to Tower Records when I was in high school. *wistful sigh*