By Cindy Smith, Greensboro, NC
This past spring we received our granddaughter’s college graduation announcement. Our daughter and son-in-law offered to drive us to Washington DC and suggested that we all stay a few extra days to take in the sights. My husband and I both experience difficulty walking and were concerned that we wouldn’t be able to keep up. Keeping our physical limitations in mind, our daughter got busy; she researched the area and came up with some wonderful solutions.
First, she found the Crystal City Marriott Hotel and came up with a package that included a wonderful breakfast each morning. Unlike your typical complimentary breakfast, the options were endless! She rented electric scooters for us (call well in advance to reserve) and arranged to have the rental company deliver them to the hotel so that they were waiting for us when we arrived. The Metro rail system (DC’s public transportation system) actually ran under the hotel, so public transportation was accessible to us by either the underground tunnel or at ground level directly across the street. This convenience was important since driving in DC can be horrendous and parking extremely limited.
We were lucky; the weather was beautiful during the entire trip. We got to attend our granddaughter’s graduation and see plenty of DC attractions. Just got on our scooters (our spacious rooms made the overnight storing & charging a breeze) each morning, rode them down to breakfast and then headed to the Metro for another day of sightseeing. It was great fun and so easy! We found DC’s public transportation system, sidewalks, and buildings to be very accessible. Still can’t believe how much we were able to experience in just 5 days!
