A Football Fan’s Definitive Travel Guide to Washington, DC

American Football

Washington, DC, is home of the Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). The Washington Redskins play at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland. Here’s is a complete travel guide for visiting Oakland Raider fans.

The Oakland Raiders will face the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Landover Maryland, on Sunday 24 September 2017.

Washington Weekend Weather Forecast

A hot and humid but fair weekend is predicted for Washington, DC, as the Raider Nation prepares to Black Out the Nation’s Capital.

• Friday – 85 degrees high; 63 degreeslow; 60% humidity; zero chance of rain.
• Saturday – 85 degrees high; 64 degrees low; 54% humidity; zero chance of rain.
• Sunday – 86 degrees high; 68 degrees low; 60% humidity; zero chance of rain.
• Monday – 86 degrees high; 68 degrees low; 70% humidity; zero chance of rain.

The Raiders go into the game following a convincing 45 to 20 victory against the New York Jets on 18 September at Oakland’s notorious Black Hole.

The Boys in Black defeated the Tennessee Titans by a score of 26 to 16 the previous week at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Washington Redskins go into the game following a 27 to 20 win against the Los Angeles Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on 18 September.

The Redskins lost to the Philadelphia Eagles by a score of 30 to 17 on 11 September  at FedEx Stadium. The Raiders are undefeated in regular season play. The Redskins have a one-one record.

The two football teams last met at the gridiron at the Oakland Coliseum in 2009. It will be the first time the Raiders play at FedEx Field since 20 November 2005, when the Silver and Black prevailed in a close game by a score of 16 to 13.

Raider Nation Gets Set to Black Out the Nation’s Capital

The Washington, DC, metropolitan area is flush with Raiders fans, and that includes three very active fan clubs: the DC Metro Raiders Club, the North Virginia Raiders Booster Club, and the Hampton Roads Raiders Club.

Several events are planned for the run-up to the show-down with the Washington Redskins.

• There will be a Meet and Greet from 6 pm to 10 pm on Friday 22 and Saturday 23 September at Tap Sports Bar at 101 MGM National Avenue in Natural Harbor, Maryland.
• The DC Metro Raiders will hold their 15th Anniversary Party on Saturday 23 September, cruising on the Potomac from 9.30 pm until midnight.
• There will be a party at Nick’s Riverside Grill at 3050 K Street Northwest, Washington, DC, from 8.30 pm until close.
• There will be an Oakland vs. Washington Tailgate on Sunday 24 September in Lot D Green of FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland.
• There will be a Game Watch Party on Sunday 24 September at O.T.I. Restaurant at 9421 Largo Drive, Largo, Maryland.
• There will be a Greet and Eat on Sunday 24 September at Cove Tavern at 711 Lakefront Commons, Newport News, Virginia, from 7.30 pm.

Top 10 Tourist Attractions in the Nations Capital

Washington, DC, is a fascinating city that is full of monuments, memorials, and museums. Best of all, many of them are free!

If you’re heading to the nation’s capital to watch the game against the Redskins, why not arrive one or two days early and take in the sights?

Here’s a short list of DC’s most popular tourist attractions. Click on links for more information.

1. Lincoln Memorial – a monument in marble to the 16^th president of the United States. Go after dark for an especially spiritual experience! Location: on the western end of the National Mall.  
2. U.S. Capitol – home of the United States Congress and seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. government. Location: at the intersection of Constitution Avenue and Independence Avenue, Washington, DC. 
3. White House – official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC.
4. Washington Monument – a 555-foot marble obelisk towering over the nation’s capital. The elevator might be temporarily of service until the spring of 2019, but it’s still a great spot for selfies! Location: No. 2 – 15^th Street Northwest, Washington, DC. 
5. Jefferson Memorial – a monument to the author of the Declaration of Independence and the second president of the United States. Of all the beautiful monuments and memorials in Washington, I think this one is the most beautiful. Location: 16 East Bacon Drive Southwest, Washington, DC.
6. World War II Memorial – a memorial to the Americans that served their country in the second world war. Location: 1750 Independence Avenue, Washington, DC. 
7. Vietnam Veterans Memorial – the names of the more than 58,000 Americans that made the ultimate sacrifice in the Vietnam War are inscribed in marble at this touching memorial. Location: 5 Henry Bacon Drive Northwest, Washington, DC. 
8. Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial – a tribute in stone to the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., and his non-violent struggle for social justice. Location: 900 Ohio Drive, Washington, DC.
9. United States Botanic Garden – one of the oldest and best botanic gardens in the United States. Location: 100 Maryland Avenue Southwest, Washington, DC. 
10. Smithsonian Institution – a collection of 11 museums and galleries that would take several days to visit. Location: along the National Mall. Another six museums and the National Zoo are located in the metropolitan area.

Where to Eat

I asked Oakland Raiders fans living in the DC Metro area to recommend their favourite restaurants. Here are some of their recommendations. Message me if you would like to add to the list!

Downtown DC

• Old Ebbitt Grill – 675 15th Street Northwest, Washington. Telephone: (202) 347-4800. “Near national monuments and landmarks, easily accessible, and great food!” – North Virginia Raiders Boosters Club. 
• The Hamilton – 600 -14th Street Northwest, Washington. Telephone: (202) 787-1000. “Near national monuments and landmarks, easily accessible, and great food!” – North Virginia Raiders Boosters Club.
• Founding Farmers – 1924 Pennsylvania Ave Northwest, Washington. Telephone: (202) 822-8783. “Near national monuments and landmarks, easily accessible, and great food!” – North Virginia Raiders Boosters Club.
• Clyde’s – 675 – 5^th Street Northwest, Washington, DC. Telephone: 202) 347-4800. “A good sit-down joint, great dranks and wings.” – Doc Marrow.

Southern Maryland 

• Sammiches – 8411 Old Marlboro Pike, Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 967-0960. “Dive joint …  bomb ass food!” – Doc Marrow. 
• Legacy Carryout and Catering – 10909C Livingston Road, Fort Washington, Maryland.  Telephone: (301) 292-2180.“They have bomb ass wings and sandwiches.”- Doc Marrow. 
• Crab Boss – 14125 Brandywine Road, Brandywine, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 503-2575. “Seafood on point!” – Doc Marrow.
• Keith and Sons Soul Food Cafe LLC – 5948 Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy, Seat Pleasant, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 925-2235.  Recommended by Doc Marrow.
• Jaspers – 9640 Lottsford Road, Largo, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 883-9500. “Great drinks, good soul food menu!” –  Peggy Holmes. 
• Famous Dave’s – 880 Capital Center Boulevard, Largo, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 350-2600. “The Boulevard: a nice food court, great BBQ, good mixed menu at decent prices!”  – Peggy Holmes. 
• Mission BBQ – 885 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 444-5574. “Smoking TX BBQ with nice side dishes!” – Peggy Holmes.  

Northern  Virginia

• El Pollo Rico – Kenmosre Street, Arlington, Virginia. Famous for char-broiled chicken. Recommended by Mauricie Dozier. 

Please leave your recommendations in the COMMENT box below!

Where to Stay

There are many hotels at various price points to choose from. One consideration is whether you want to stay in town or near the stadium.

The following 10 hotels are situated closest to FedEx Field. They are all within 3.5 miles of the stadium.

1. Courtyard Largo Capital Beltway – 1320 Caraway Court, Largo, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 925-1400. Distance: 0.9 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
2. Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Largo/Washington DC – 9100 Basil Court, Largo, Maryland. Telephone: (855) 605-0318. Distance: 1 mile to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
3. Residence Inn Largo Capital Beltway – 1330 Caraway Court, Largo, Maryland. Distance: 1 mile to the stadium. Telephone: (844) 631-0595. Check guest reviews on Hotels.com
4. Holiday Inn Express and Suites 1-95 Capital Beltway-Largo – 9101 Basil Court, Largo, Maryland. Telephone: (310) 636-6090. Distance: 1.1 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
5. Hampton Inn – Suites Glenarden Maryland – Washington, DC – 2901 Campus Way North, Glenarden, Maryland.  Distance: 1.1 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on Hotels.com
6. Country Inns and Suites by Carlson, Washington, DC, East – Capital Heights, Maryland – 8850 Hampton Mall Drive, Capitol Height, Maryland. Telephone: (844) 875-3801. Distance: 1.4 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
7. LaQuinta Inn and Suites DC Metro Capitol Beltway – 55 Hampton Park Boulevard, Capital Heights, Maryland. Distance: 1.4 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on Hotels.com
8. Courtyard New Carrolton Landover – 8330 Corporate Drive, Landover, Maryland. Telephone: (310) 577-3373. Distance: 2.7 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
9. Holiday Inn Express Washington  DC – BW Parkway – 6205 Annapolis Road, Hyattsville, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 8636-6090. Distance: 3.3 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com
10. Wyndham Garden Washington DC North BW Parkway – 5811 Annapolis Road, Cheverly, Maryland. Telephone: (301) 779-7700. Distance: 3.5 miles to the stadium. Check guest reviews on TripAdvisor or Hotels.com

If You’re Flying …

The Washington/Baltimore area is served by three major airports. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is the closest airport to the station.

Located in Arlington County, Virginia, Reagan National is 18 miles from FedEx Field. In normal traffic, the drive takes at least 28 minutes.

A hub for American Airlines, Washington National Airport only serves travel destinations within 1,250 miles of the nation’s capital.

Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marhsall International Airport is served by 15 airlines with 680 daily flights to 90 domestic and foreign travel destinations. The airport is a hub for Southern Airways Express and a focus city for Southwest Airlines.

Baltimore/Washington is located in Baltimore, Maryland. It is 29 miles from the stadium. In normal traffic, the dive takes at least 32 minutes.

Washington Dulles International Airport straddles Dulles and Chantilly, Virginia.

A hub for United Airlines, Dulles International serves mostly long-distance domestic travelers. It is also a major international gateway for the Washington metropolitan area.

Dulles International is 44 miles west of FedEx Field. The drive takes between 48 and 55 minutes, depending on traffic.

The following Accidental Travel Writer airline affiliates serve Dulles International:

• Air France
• British Airways
• Emirates Airline
• Etihad Airways
• Jet Airways
• Lufthansa German Airlines
• Qatar Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

Your Input Wanted!

Do you live in or have you visited the Washington area? If so, please comment on sightseeing attractions, restaurants, and/or hotels  in the COMMENT box below.

Your input will be much appreciated!