Trip Hacks DC

Covid-19 has significantly disrupted the 2021 inauguration. Unfortunately that means the excited crowds, the parade and parties from past inaugurations won't really happen this year. Instead, we rounded up some of our favorite stories from past presidential inaugurations to give you a sense of what a more typical inauguration is like. Some of these stories are pretty wild!

In this episode Rob is joined by Aaron Killian from Historic America. Check out the Historic America website and see the multi-sensory DC tours that they offer. Aaron also hosts Dead, White and Blue, a YouTube show about the final resting places of prominent Americans. And he is the host of A Place in Time, a podcast which places you in a historic American location at a remarkable moment in time and brings it all together with a compelling true story.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

After months of closures and travel restrictions, some are starting to get back out and explore. Washington, DC is slowly but surely reopening tourist sites and attractions. However, it's extremely important to set realistic expectations and research every detail of your trip. You don't want to be disappointed or caught of guard once you arrive the nation's capital.

In this episode Rob is joined by Mark and Jocelyn Wolters. They are half of the Wolters World traveling family. Keep up with their travels on YouTube, Facebook and their website. Or follow Jocelyn and Mark on Instagram. Pick up some cool merch (including face masks) at the Wolters World store.

2020 is a rough year for the Washington, DC travel industry. Halfway through the year, it's clear that tourism is not going to be the same because of Covid-19. As a result, it's time to discuss the future of Trip Hacks DC.

In this episode Rob takes the mic for a solo podcast. He takes a behind-the-scenes look at what the decline in tour revenue has meant for the company. And what the future holds for the Trip Hacks DC podcast, YouTube channel, and tour company.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

Whether you're looking for something to watch during the 2020 quarantine or trying to get inspired for an upcoming trip, these Washington, DC movies will provide hours of entertainment. Washington, DC doesn't have nearly as many movies set here as New York or Los Angeles, but there are still plenty of gems.

In this episode Rob is joined by Ronald Young Jr. He is the owner of OhitsBigRon Studios and the host of the Leaving the Theater and Time Well Spent podcasts. Follow him on Instagram and Twitter.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

What is Washington, DC tourism going to look like post COVID-19? We don’t know! No one does. Rather than guess wildly about the future we thought it would be more useful to look back for lessons from how things changed over the past few decades. How did 9/11, government shutdowns, new sports venues and Uber change the way that visitors experience Washington, DC?

In this episode Rob is joined by Tim Krepp. He is the author of Capitol Hill Haunts and Ghosts of Georgetown as well as a veteran DC tour guide. Pick up one of Tim’s books online today or visit East City Bookshop to support a local business when you visit.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

The Washington, DC tourism industry is upended because of Coronavirus. In fact, that's true every where in the world as there is currently nowhere that safe for travel. There were many hints that a crisis was coming, but the damage happened quickly and painfully.

In this episode Rob takes the mic for a solo podcast. He describes the first three months of 2020 from the perspective of a small tour company owner. He also talks about what happens next and what COVID-19 means for your own trip to Washington, DC.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

Accommodations is one of the most important decisions that travelers make. Airbnb and other home rental websites like Vrbo offer an alternative to standard hotel stays. Are they better? What do travelers need to know before they book one? We've got a few Airbnb tips to share.

In this episode Rob is joined by Jocelyn Wolters. She is a member of the Wolters World traveling family. Keep up with their travels on YouTube, Facebook and their website. Or follow Jocelyn and husband Mark on Instagram.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

Washington, DC visitors spend a lot of time on the National Mall, a National Park Service unit that gets more yearly visitors than Yellowstone, Yosemite and the Grand Canyon, combined! Park enthusiasts won't have to spend all of their time on the Mall. There are plenty of other great National Parks near DC.

In this episode Rob is joined by Danielle Jacobs-Erwin. She is the host of Everybody’s National Parks, a podcast dedicated to family adventure in our national parks.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.

Washington is the capital of the United States and the seat of federal government. But it’s also DC, a city where lots of regular people live and work. In this episode Rob is joined by Alex Baca to breakdown what it's like to live in “DC” and how visitors can experience it when they come to visit “Washington”. 

Alex is the Housing Program Organizer at GGWash. She previously worked in journalism, bike advocacy, architecture, construction, and transportation. After growing up in Maryland she lived in San Francisco and Cleveland before returning home to DC. Check out her article It's Not Cool to Argue About Whether D.C. Is Cool which inspired the topic for this episode.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website. 

If you're an Abe Lincoln history buff, this is the episode for you! Rob is joined by Rebecca Grawl, a local tour guide, and history to talk all about Abe Lincoln Historic Sites in Washington, DC. Rebecca is a veteran tour guide with Free Tours by Foot and A Tour of Her Own. One of her favorite tours to lead is the Abraham Lincoln Assassination Tour in the neighborhood around Ford's Theater.

Full show notes for this episode are available on the Trip Hacks DC website.