Well, I wish I could say that going south means getting warmer, but no-can-do this week, as we in the D.C. area have been in a cold spell as of late. At least we're not buried under a few feet of snow like Montreal is.
This upcoming Friday, the Golden Knights will head cross-country, following up a duel in Los Angeles with their only trip to the capital city this season. While D.C. isn't exactly the hockey mecca that Montreal is, it's still a huge hockey town, with the Capitals being the city's pride and joy for much of the 2000s and 2010s.
Believe it or not, despite being a diehard Golden Knights fan, yours truly is actually a native of the Washington, D.C. suburbs. I'm not afraid to admit that the Capitals are my second-favorite team behind VGK, and in an ironic sense, getting into the Golden Knights made me a bigger Caps fan than I'd ever previously been. In fact, this Friday will mark the fourth Caps game of the year for me, having previously seen the Canadiens, Islanders, and Predators in just the last month and a half. As such, I feel pretty qualified to advise other Vegas fans on the D.C. experience, between everyday tourism and the gameday environment itself. Here's what you need to know ahead of another rematch against our 2018 Stanley Cup Finals opponent.
Travel and getting there
Like Jacob in Montreal, I strongly advise against renting a car in the District. While we're not dealing with the snowy weather Montreal is (at least anymore), parking is at a premium, and traffic often chokes the city on weekdays. Beyond that, I'll die on the hill that the Metro is the best subway system in the country.
While there's definitely some gaps in coverage (you can't get to the popular neighborhood of Georgetown), it's generally fast, clean, and affordable, and the Gallery Place-Chinatown stop lets off directly at a corner of Capital One Arena. For any areas not covered by Metro, rideshares such as Uber and Lyft are plentiful and affordable, as are rentable e-scooters and e-bikes if you're willing to brave the cold temperatures.
One night, when you're in DC, rent an e-bike or scooter and ride up and down the National Mall from the Capitol to the Washington Monument. You won't regret it. pic.twitter.com/SOMQ9x0CfN
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 17, 2024
Besides, both airports are now directly connected by Metro to downtown. Though Dulles Airport, our primary one, is a bit far from the city, the metro stop is accessible from the main terminal, and the Silver Line it sits on runs straight into the heart of the city.