For the last 3 inaugurations, starting with the 2009 inauguration of Barack Obama, I have been lucky enough to be in attendance! This year, I had planned to go, but with COVID, pregnancy, our upcoming cross-country move, and political protesting going on, I felt like it wasn’t the safest idea for me to go.
Given my many years’ experience attending inaugurations, I’ve put together some travel tips & day-of tips to help you experience this fantastic event! Just a note for 2021 – President-elect Biden has discouraged people from coming to the inauguration with COVID-19 in mind. Make the decision that’s best for you, and if you do decide to travel, take proper COVID-19 precautions to keep you and fellow travelers safe.
Airport & Flying Tips
There are three airports in the DC area: Ronald Reagan International (DCA), Washington Dulles International (IAD), and Baltimore/Washington (BWI). In my experience, DCA is the easiest airport to fly into, given that the metro has a stop at the airport. For the other airports, you would need to take another form of transportation to get to the nearest metro stop.
I also highly, highly recommend taking a nonstop flight, if possible. Given that the inauguration is in January, and weather can be a factor when flying through certain areas, it’s probably best to do a nonstop flight so you don’t risk the chance of running into weather-related delays.
As far as when you should fly in, it’s really up to you, but I would encourage you to arrive at least one day prior to the inauguration. This way, you give yourself a little bit of wiggle room if your flight is delayed, and if you need to pick up inauguration tickets, you have some time to do that as well.
Where to Stay & How to Get Around
It can be difficult to find a reasonably-priced hotel in and around DC, even during non-inauguration times. During the inauguration, prices inflate quite a bit! In my experience, the best bet has been to stay in the Crystal City area. Technically this is located in Virginia, and what I like about it is that it is conveniently located near a couple of Metro stops, and it is a little quieter – it’s mainly a commercial office area with some light residential, so this part of the city really winds down once the sun goes down. Another cool aspect of this part of the DC area is that much of the city’s shops and restaurants are underground. There is an extensive network of underground walkways leading way to small offices, shops, and restaurants. It is a very walkable area even in cold or snowy weather!
As far as transportation goes, I avoid traveling by car as much as possible. The metro system is very easy to figure out, and driving/parking in Washington DC is a serious pain (and expensive!). Save yourself the money on a rental car, parking fees, gasoline, and save the stress of driving in an unfamiliar, crowded city.. take the metro!
The metro is very easy to navigate. Below is a map. Let’s say you were staying in Crystal City. Its stop is located off both the blue and yellow lines. Let’s say you wanted to go to the Smithsonian stop, located in the center of the map off both the blue and orange lines. All you would need to do is hop on the blue line heading towards Largo Town Center and get off at Smithsonian. Or, you could take a yellow line train towards Fort Totten, and transfer onto an orange line train at L’Enfant Plaza heading towards Vienna/Fairfax, and get off at the Smithsonian stop. To get back to your hotel in Crystal City, reverse the route. It is VERY simple to figure out, even for those who are directionally challenged! The larger dots indicate transfer stations as well as regular stops. The smaller dots are just regular stops.
Inauguration Tickets & Viewing Tips
One thing many people aren’t aware of is that inauguration tickets are free! That’s right, free! All you have to do is find your Senator or Representative from Congress and request tickets. However, tickets are EXTREMELY limited, and many Congress members have some sort of lottery to decide who gets tickets. One year, we were placed on a “backup” list for those requesting tickets, and were told to wait outside our Representative’s office the morning of the inauguration to see if there were tickets left. Luckily, there were!
If you can’t manage to get tickets through your Congress member’s office, don’t worry! Up and down the National Mall there are plenty of places to watch the inauguration from – giant jumbotrons line either side of the mall. By the way – the National Mall isn’t an actual mall, it’s more like a giant park that stretches through the heart of Washington DC. It’s actually a really great place to walk and enjoy looking at the monuments!
What to Bring
First of all, make sure you bring the basics – wallet, phone, keys, hotel key card, metro pass, camera if you’d like, and a backup phone charger.
Secondly, dress appropriately! We have been lucky enough that every inauguration we’ve gone to, we haven’t had any snow! However, temperatures are often in the teens or 20s, and for us southern California natives, that’s extremely cold. Dress in layers, wear a warm hat, scarf, touchscreen-compatible gloves, thick socks, and appropriate shoes. One thing I’ve found that’s really helpful is a product called HotHands. These are small, chemically-activated heaters that fit inside pockets or in shoes, providing extra warmth to those areas. They have been a lifesaver for me!
Lastly, bring SNACKS. Plenty of snacks. I cannot stress this enough! The inauguration is an early morning and a long day, and there’s no guarantee that restaurants will be open. And, if they are open, expect them to be very busy. Each time I’ve gone, we’ve been in a ticketed area, and I don’t believe there have been any places to buy snacks. Grab water or another beverage of choice before you leave, too!
Do NOT bring weapons or anything that looks like a weapon. Expect to go through a thorough security checkpoint – one year I remember having to strip down to my most basic layer of clothes. I also recall security having me remove the lens cap from my camera, turning it on, and peering through to make sure that it was actually a camera nd not a weapon disguised as a camera.
What to Expect
I have been fortunate enough to secure tickets for each inauguration I’ve been to, and I can’t speak to the experiences of those who don’t get tickets and are in the general population area. However, these tips should come in handy for anyone planning to attend!
If you have a ticket, you’ll see information about where your assigned area is, as well as where to enter for security. You’ll want to be on the first metro train of the morning. Seriously. I know it’s early, but the crowds have been downright dangerous in the past at the metro stops (more on that later). Certain metro stops are closed for security reasons the day of the inauguration, so get off at the stop closest to your security entrance.
Locate the end of the line for security. Sometimes it’s not super easy to tell where the end of the line is, but do your best and ask those around you if you’re a little lost!
Once you’re through security, be prepared for a lot of standing… a lot. In some of the ticketed areas there are a few benches, but if you’re not first there, they go really fast. Or be prepared to sit on the ground (with a cold butt).
Take lots of pictures! Ask people to take pictures for you. Make friends with those around you. Seriously, it’s a fun day and everyone is there to celebrate.
Gradually, as inauguration time approaches, you’ll hear some applause and general excitement from near where the motorcade is arriving. That’s when you know the fun is about to begin!
While the ceremony is going on, be respectful to others who are trying to see and hear. Applaud when appropriate! The inauguration includes a 21 gun salute, which I was not prepared for the first time I went. It scared me a little, so don’t be surprised when you hear guns go off in the distance.
When the ceremony is over, it is really tempting to get back on the metro, back to your hotel, to take a hot shower and warm up. However, I advise against this, as the metro stops are extremely crowded immediately following the ceremony. At Obama’s first inauguration, the metro stops were dangerous – there were points where there were way too many people, and my body was crammed against others’. If I wanted to stop walking I couldn’t have. It was a mass of people pushing towards the train. It was quite scary. For this reason, I suggest taking a walk around the National Mall and trying to find a place to eat (even if it’s a couple blocks away from the mall). Another great place to find some food and warmth is at the Smithsonian museums – they are all free to enter and typically open on inauguration day!
After you’ve had some food, and done some wandering around, the metros should be much easier to navigate. If you’re ready to be off your feet and head back to the hotel, this is a great time to do so. If you wanted to catch the presidential parade, double check the parade route and try to find a spot. Another option is to wander through the Smithsonian museums. I suggest the Smithsonian Museum of American History. After all, what better day to celebrate American history than on inauguration day? There is something very moving about being able to explore important pieces of American history the same day a new president is inaugurated.
