Washington DC-Going from Union Station to RFK for a Washington Nationals game [help!] (1 Viewer)

This is one of the few baseball stadiums that I haven't been to. I plan on taking Amtrak from NYC to Union Station on Friday 7/6, catching the game that starts at 7:05 PM, and heading back to NYC on the 3:15 A.M. red-eye train.

My last DC sporting experience was taking a bus from Port Authority to Union Station to catch a Hornets-Bullets basketball game a decade ago. Literally a few steps after getting off the bus there was a black guy sleeping in the street. In my mind I could hear "Welcome to the Jungle" playing. I know DC was/is a very rough town - and it is tricky because you could be somewhere nice and be in gangland a block away without knowing it. Maybe it's changed since then.

I notice that RFK is only 2 miles away from Union Station and that there is a Metro station next to RFK.

1. Would it be dangerous to walk from Union Station to RFK in the daytime or at night? I would think so, but I thought I would ask.

2. Would it be dangerous in taking the Metro from RFK at night, or taking the Metro in general? I see the Metro is open until 3 AM on Friday nights.

3. Do they have bars inside Union Station where I can have a beer or two while waiting for my 3:15 AM train? Or is there a nice area nearby where I could have a drink or two and not get shot?

4. Do they sell one-day Metro Passes?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Try this link. http://www.wmata.com/

Hope this helps. Enjoy the game.

There are places to drink inside the station but don't know how late they are open. Nearby you can go to the Dubliner on F street. It is a very short walk and a great place. See http://dublinerdc.com/. Next door to the station is the Capitol Brewery. I've not been to the one near Union Station but the one I've been to is great and they make great beer. See http://www.capcitybrew.com/capitolhill.html.

You'll be surprised how much the city has changed. The area around the Verizon Center (formally known as the MCI Center) is nothing like it was 10 years ago. Enjoy the game and DC.

Tomorrow I'm going to Chicago and will be seeing my first White Sox game. The O's will be visiting.

+1 for Capital Brewery near Union Station. Great for HH's after work, game's too

ehhh just curious but coming from NYC, why would a black guy sleeping in the street scare you?

And I'd always take the metro over walking. Pre/Post game it will be packed with sports fans just like you. If you can go north a little to Chinatown I'd rather drink it up there. Clyde's has better scenery from my experience.

Just got back from a DC trip of a few days last week and all we used is the Metro to get around. In my opinion it is the best Mass Transit system in the World. Layed out nicely, easy to use and relatively safe as it is decently lit and there are not a lot of underground areas which do not require a fare where homeless and the like can habg around. Typically on most stops you go down the escalator, buy your fare and then enter the train area.

J

My advice: take a cab. Though someone above makes a good point about the train full of Nats fans being kind of fun on it's own.

Taking Metro is easy peasy - the maps are available at Metro's web site. From Union Station to "Stadium/Armory" is going to require at least one transfer and requires going WAY out of your way.

RFK is an armpit. This coming from someone who has seen countless games over the years at the old Veteran's stadium in Philly. But it is what it is. Enjoy the original prototype of the big ugly multi-use stadiums of the 60s and 70s, none of which ever did justice to any of the sports they hosted. The new stadium is going to be very nice. Trivia: RFK is the fifth oldest stadium in major league baseball. Bonus points if you can name the four older stadiums. It's good you're going to RFK this year because this is the last year for MLB in that old girl.

Advice: if you are buying tickets at the stadium and have a $25 or more budget, try to get tickets on the lower level on the third base side. This is the convertible part of the stadium that is made of steel instead of concrete and famously rocks up and down when the crowd gets really excited. Unfortunately lately the Nats don't give their fans much to get excited about.

Advice: At RFK they allow you to bring food and bottled water into the park with you. Bring your own peanuts and bottled water - the money you save will pay for the cab ride. I usually get hot dogs at the vendors in front of the stadium as well.

NYC doesn't have any people sleeping on the streets?

Let's see:

Dodger Stadium
Fenway Park
Wrigley Field
Yankee Stadium

Well, I survived my trip to DC.

After the game, I ended up going first to the Brickskeller, which claims to have "THE WORLD'S LARGEST SELECTION OF BEER" certified by Guiness [see pic] - although the bartender told me that a bar in Belgium has recently surpassed it. I liked it.



I headed down towards Union Station and I found that the Capitol Brewery was closed at 12:05 on a Friday night. WTF?
I went across the street to the Dubliner, which was fine except that listening to Irish music is like gently rubbing sandpaper on my brain. In my own private hell there will be loud Irish music constantly playing.


NYC is/was Disneyland compared to DC, North Philly, or New Orleans. I was working in Manhattan and I decided to leave early and go see the Hornets vs. Bullets. I took a bus to Union Station and they dropped me off on some side street. I looked like Joe SoftWhiteBoy having to step over a dead/sleeping guy next to Stringer Bell's crew from "The Wire". I jumped in a cab as quick as I could and hightailed it to the USAir Arena.

My review of RFK is here: http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htf/...=173782&page=2