But if you can’t get an EZ Pass, you either toss money in a receptacle, which is common on bridges or small exits, or you grab a ticket from a machine as you get on the highway and then present the ticket to a person in a booth along with your money at the exit. They will make change for you. It’s always good to have a supply of quarters handy.

EZ pass is by far the best option.

if you are renting a car, get the toll package. Some areas no longer have toll collections or booths. They use cameras to take pictures of your plates and you receive a bill in the mail. If driving a rental car, your rental company will bill you a few weeks after the trip. Usually with extra fees.

It's amazing how they find you for the tolls. We have an EZ Pass on our US car, but it doesn't work in Ontario. So when we travel on the toll road near Toronto, sure enough, a few weeks later we get a bill, complete with fees. I tell ya, law enforcement can take some notes from tollways and college alumni associations to track people down.

We always ride Metro (subway) when we’re in the DC area. It goes out into several towns in VA, and there are also Metro buses in the ‘burbs. You buy a farecard at your first station then you can reload it when needed. It’s very easy to get around and way, way less stressful than navigating all those traffic circles and dealing with the horrendous traffic.

Donna

Thanks, that helps a lot! Donna, I'm an intrepid driver, so am not worried about that. I'm more worried about getting to/from a Metro station from my hotels. Several blocks on concrete sidewalks can do my joints in. I bought a rolling walker thingy for a recent trip and it helps immensely but I don't want to have to be negotiating that thing through a subway!

Oh, one more question, does a toll package on the car work in DC, VA and MD? Or do I need something different for each area?

We used to stay in Old Town Alexandria, easy to park at that Metro station and take the train into DC. It's also a charming place to be for dinner after a day in DC.

If you're renting a car, then I agree with the others -- do ask about toll packages.

As for getting around to the museums in DC, there is a lot of walking, as the Mall is huge, as is the Smithsonian. There are some Hop-on/off buses and there are some trolley tours, but I've never used them.

Here is some information onaccessibility in DC. If you have a disability tag from another state, you can use it there, per this information.

My favorite place to go in DC is the Library of Congress. It's stunning inside!

EZ Pass works for the whole area, I think. Here is more detail.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ZPass

I would take the Metro to the nearest location you want to visit then get an Uber or Lift. There are also regular taxi's. Parking is very expensive, traffic is horrible and you will still be taking a car service to your desired location.

Oly, when you say you will be in the Fredericksburg area, are you going from there to DC and back or are there other parts of VA you will be visiting? Depending on the roads you might need to use, you do not necessarily need an EZ Pass (you can pay with cash or exact change). And some roads are express lanes where EZ pass is required but there are parallel lanes (non-express) for those not wishing to pay for the express lanes. Which roads are you seeing along your route as toll roads? It might be possible to avoid them altogether or use cash/exact change if you can be more specific about the general area(s) in VA you are visiting.

What 4 kids said. If driving from Fredericksburg to DC on 95 there are EZ Pass lanes but you do not have to use them. I think the only other toll roads in northern Va are the Dulles Toll Rd (no toll to/from the airport) and the Fairfax County Parkway....you must pay toll to drive on them, but there are different routes you can take to avoid them. The beltway (495) has EZ Pass lanes but like 95 you do not have to use them.

Note: During normal hours traffic almost always snarls in Fredericksburg so allow extra time for that. It can also snarl in Springfield with all the interchanges....there’s a reason it’s called “the mixing bowl.”

Thanks 4kids...it's all kind of up in the air. Will be in a hotel in DC for part of the time, and will use Lyft or similar to get to points of interest from the hotel. Then for some part of the trip, we will probably have to be in a hotel near as possible to Quantico. When we are in DC we may need to get to Quantico for a day trip or dinner or? Then, when we are at a hotel near Quantico for the rest of the trip, we will likely want to get from Quantico to DC for some sight seeing several times. I really think I need a car! And new hips and knees!

Another question for those in the know: I've found some hotels that say "smoke free rooms". I haven't stayed in any hotel for years that allows smoking anywhere, not just in certain rooms. I do see some smoke free hotels, too. But are there really hotels around there that allow smoking in some rooms?

Joaniepoanie, I don't believe the Fairfax County Parkway, Route 286, is a tollway.

Regardless, traveling from Fred to DC, there are no toll roads, just toll lanes you can opt to avoid.

Olychick, your system makes sense - use the car to travel between Fred and DC, then taxis/Lyft/Uber to get around DC. Although, I should point out that it is only about 40 miles between Quantico and D.C. It may be easier to pick a central location and go north and south from there.

Many but not all hotels have a smoke-free policy.

The metro system is super in DC...I think you'll use it more than you imagine..

Fun trip, always...

Yes, there are hotels in DC that gave smoking rooms. There are many international travelers and smoking is still prevalent in many countries. Call and confirm that the hotel is totally smoke free before booking.

Thanks everyone. This is so helpful! The person we'll be visiting in Quantico won't have a car, so a central location between it and DC is not really an option. I'd be driving all the time, one direction or the other.

When things get firmed up, I'll likely be back for recommendations of places to stay/eat/see. A no smoking, no dogs/pets, indoor pool hotel (we won't be there when the outdoor pools will be open), seems to be a rare thing, but I think there must be some!

graywings is correct: 286 is NOT a toll road. EZ pass does not work west of Dulles Airport (Dulles Greenway or some such name) and it's a toll of +/- $5.65.

Thanks, I wasn't asking about any specific roads because I'm not sure where we'll stay or how to get where we'll want to go, but just general information about how toll roads work. I've used them in CA and just put $ in a receptacle, but was curious about them in the area around DC. I know some of my friends recently traveled somewhere in the East and had some kind of debacle regarding toll roads.

When you rent a car, the EZ Pass option won't cost at all of you don't use it. Get it. And then don't worry. You don't have to use it, but the costs are really not much considering the rest of your trip.

From DC to Quantico is a PITA. Factor in the traffic and try to avoid rush hour in the afternoon. Going in the morning is somewhat better, but 395 to 95 is very often backed up no matter what.

No tolls on that trip.

I have used my EZ Pass on the Greenway west of Dulles with no problem, but if it has changed in the last six months...I don't know.

My favorite hotels in the city are the Hay Adams and the Omni Shoreham, but they don't have indoor pools. Both are non-smokling hotels, but neither has an indoor pool. The HSoreham has a heated outdoor pool, though.

The Toll roads (or pay to use the HOV lane as a single) here in the LA/Orange county areas do not have any $ receptacles any more. If you don't have the transponder, they take your car/plate photo, but expect you to log in to their website and do a one time payment for having used the toll road. They have big signs explaining what to do.

cyn - I've used it twice in the last 6 months and got snagged. Apparently, the Dulles Greenway requires enrollment in a VIP program that you can join by logging into your EZ pass acct, twirl 6 times, bow to the east, blah blah blah.

Chispa, it's been quite a few years ago but I took a road trip (one of many, I've taken to CA) to visit friends and family. From Oly to Carmel, to San Luis Obispo area, to Santa Barbara, then back up. I left my friends' in Carmel trying to get back to someplace in Oregon for the night, maybe Eugene - a long solo drive in one day) and took a route I hadn't taken before (looked more interesting than cutting over sooner to I-5). My friends (pre gps) warned me there was a little toll bridge close to San Francisco, so I was prepared with exact change on the driver's seat. Got to the bridge, tossed in my $ (I don't recall a person, but maybe there was one) and was on my way. I drove and drove and drove and then happened to notice a sign for a town that had the same name as one I'd already passed through near SF, which I thought was odd - two towns with the same name? But then I realized that I was coming up to the SAME toll bridge again! I'd made a wrong turn somewhere! So, I scrambled to get more $ for the toll, went through again, but then had to try to figure out what I'd done wrong, as I had NO idea where I'd turned in the wrong place. I was so fearful I'd drive another 2 hours through SF traffic and end up at that toll bridge again! It felt like Groundhog Day movie. I really almost cried because I'd been driving so long and had so far to go in order to make the drive in two days. Maybe I did cry. But I got the right route the 2nd time and my 9 hour drive was more like 12, I think. I wrote an essay about it called: Travels of the Geographically Challenged.

So I have a little bit of hold-over toll road anxiety. :-)

Graywings and Delilah....my bad about Fairfax Cty Parkway. DH used to drive that way occasionally for work and thought it had a toll. Thanks for the correction. We used to live in Northern Va in the 70’s and 80’s but it’s unrecognizable now compared to then....Tyson’s Corner....oy vey!

Toll roads:

Dulles toll road. If you are going to/from Dulles airport, you travel on the toll-free Dulles Access Road lanes, which are inside the toll lanes.

I66 inside the Beltway in rush hours, 6:30m to 9:30 am to DC, free for HOV-2 if you have the HOV transponder that switches from HOV to non-HOV, and highway robbery for single passenger or without the transponder. Tolls have been as high as the high $40's. In the pm the road is a toll road from 3:30 to 6:30 going from DC. I think I have the correct times, but you should check.There is an app that will tell you how much the toll is at the time you look at the app, but the signs as you enter the road will tell you how much the toll is to three exits.

Toll lanes:

Beltway (I495) in Virginia has Lexus lanes where the amount of the toll varies according to traffic congestion (HOV-3 is free if you have the transponder that switches from HOV to non-HOV). The toll lanes are parallel to the non-toll lanes and run from Braddock Road to where they join up with the regular lanes at the American Legion Bridge to Maryland. Traffic is at a standstill at that point from about 2 pm onward.

I95 also has those HOV-3/Lexus lanes, but they are reversible, going to DC in the am, from DC in the pm.

You need a transponder to travel the Lexus lanes and I66 when the toll is on. The Dulles toll road can accept ez pass, coins and has an attended toll booth if you don't have ez pass or exact change.

Delilah, the VIP pass is a frequent driver money back program. The EZ pass should work on the Greenway without it.

Well, I am going to have to be studying some maps and local vernacular I see. Thanks for the great info. I have a dear friend who lives in Alexandria and has offered to help with transport; maybe I'll just have to take her up on it, lol!

Make sure your rental company includes the EZ pass for free. I rented a car in Chicago and it was $15 per day plus the cost of the tolls to use the transponder. I didn’t even know the holding case had opened until the toll collector told me as I wasn’t planning on using it.

i think you can order an EZ Pass transponder for $10 or buy one at most rest stops. That may be cheaper if the car rental place is trying to rip you off.

good tip, thank you!