VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C.
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Very Close to Washington, D.C. Consider taking a quick trip to D.C. after the conference! D.C. is only a 45-minute train ride away! Read on for travel tips, museum information, and food picks!GETTING TO D.C. MARC Train
- MARC Schedule and Timetable
- Tickets can be bought in advance online or at the station. You will have to purchase tickets each way. It’s $8 each way from Penn Station-Baltimore to Union Station-Washington, D.C. The MARC train leaves 1x or 2x per hour until 9pm.
Drive
- 1 hour. Driving to D.C. is recommended after or before rush hour. Rush hour is typically 7-10am and 3-6pm on weekdays. Street parking in D.C. can be tricky around the National Mall, Capitol Hill, and Georgetown so garage parking is recommended ($25-50 for 6hrs+).
GETTING AROUND D.C.Metro Rail or Bus: Residents and commuters frequently take the Metro Rail or Bus. Metro Rail fares are determined by destination and time-of-day (peak hours are 5am-9:30am and 3-7pm), starting at $2.25. Metro Bus is a flat $2 fee for each ride. Metro Rail runs 5am-11:30pm (M-Th), 5am-1am (Fri), 7am-1am (Sat) and 8am-11pm (Sun).All riders need a MetroCard. Cards can be purchased (cash or credit card) in any Metro station and costs $5 minimum with $4 to spend immediately (there’s a $1 fee for new cards). These are plastic cards and can be refilled at any station. Ronald Reagan National Airport is accessible by Metro Rail. Take the Yellow Line towards Huntington. All station managers are eager to help D.C. visitors so they’ll answer any questions you may have!D.C. Circulator: $1 flat-fee bus service along certain routes in D.C. Check the routes and schedule to see if it goes where you’re going. They accept MetroCards. Insider Tip: Take the National Mall route to enjoy a ride around the monuments for only $1. Capital Bikeshare: Find a docking station (they’re red and everywhere) and start biking! A 30-min ride costs $2 without having to sign up for a membership. Or you can buy a 24-hour pass for $8. Pick up a bike from any docking station, start biking, and return it to any docking station near your destination. Insider Tip: These are great alternatives to walking along the National Mall. Electric Scooters: You’ll find these everywhere in D.C. You’ll need the corresponding App to use any of these. Brands include Lyft (convenient because you can use the Lyft app), Spin, Skip and Jump. You can base your decision on whichever you see first on the sidewalks or pick one, download their App, and locate one nearby. Or you can look on Google Maps to see if one, of any brand, is nearby. Insider Tip: Stick to wide sidewalks otherwise use bike lanes.Walk: D.C. is a very walkable city and if the weather is nice, I highly recommend walking! Cars: D.C. is flooded with Lyft and Uber options. Costs depend on time of time (meaning traffic) and popular areas. When it rains in D.C., everyone rushes to their Lyft and Uber Apps so costs will surge suddenly. There usually is no cost difference between Lyft and Uber. Cabs: There are plenty of cabs around town especially near the Mall and airport. These will add up quickly if there’s traffic but can also cost the same, just depends on where you go. They accept cash and credit cards.STAY IN D.C.If you want to extend your stay after the conference, there are plenty of hotel options in D.C. and most, if not all, are close to a Metro stop. Some popular options that D.C.’ers even choose for staycations are the Conrad Hotel in City Centre and The Line Hotel in Adams Morgan area. Don’t forget that Arlington and Alexandria make great alternatives to D.C. and both are only 10-20 minute Metro rides away from downtown D.C. Check out AirBNB for opportunities to stay in a historic Capitol Hill townhouse or apartment with a view of the Washington Monument.WHILE IN D.C.D.C. is home to plenty of one-of-a-kind museums! There’s plenty to see and do during the day ending with a plethora of great dining options. Smithsonian Institution: The Smithsonian Institution is made of 19 museums, education and research centers and a zoo! All museums are free and open 364 days of the year. Here are just a few:
- National Museum of African American History and Culture - The newest museum on the mall! You will need to reserve passes ahead of your visit (free!) if you plan to visit before 1pm on weekdays otherwise there will be entrance lines. Same-day passes are available at 6:30am Mon-Sun or ahead of time the first Wednesday of each month. Click for more info about passes. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line).
- National Museum of American History - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of Natural History - The newly renovated Dinosaur Hall is a must-see! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Federal Triangle Metro Stop (Blue Line) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of African Art and Freer & Sackler Galleries - These two museums and galleries are next to each other and below the Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- Smithsonian Castle Visitor Center - A great way to start your Smithsonian adventure. Check-out a sampling of each museum’s collection in the west wing gallery or pick-up some souvenirs. Open Mon-Sun, 9am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or Metro Center Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden - Experience modern and contemporary artwork inside and outside the Hirshhorn. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Coffee shop available indoors. Smithsonian Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver Lines) or L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines). (Our Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden tour is currently full, but what’s to stop you from going on Friday, too?)
- National Air and Space Museum - Half of the museum is undergoing renovations but plenty of the collection remains on view! Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
- National Museum of American Indian - Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. L’Enfant Metro Stop (Yellow/Green/Orange/Blue/Silver Lines).
National Gallery of Art: Also along the mall and made up of the East Wing, West Wing, and the Sculpture Garden. Open Mon-Sun, 10am-5:30pm. Food options available indoors. Archives Metro Stop (Yellow/Green Lines) or Judiciary Square Metro Stop (Red Line).Library of Congress: Take a free one-hour tour in the Thomas Jefferson Building offered everyday at every hour 10:30am - 3:30pm. Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). National Botanical Garden: Escape the cold and some crowds by visiting the Botanical Garden between the National Museum of American Indian and Capitol. Open everyday 10am - 5pm. Free. Federal South Metro Stop or Capitol South Metro Stop (Blue/Orange/Silver lines). A quick walk north from the National Mall is the National Archives Museum to see the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill or Rights. Free. Open everyday 10am - 5:30pm. In Penn Quarter/Chinatown area is the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery. Free. Open everyday 11:30am - 7pm. Chinatown/Gallery Place Metro Stop (Red/Orange/Silver/Blue/Green/Yellow lines). MUSEUMS - Off-The-Beaten-PathJust south of the National Mall is the newly built International Spy Museum, worth a visit with families and/or kids. $24.95/adults, $14.95/7-12y.o. 's, FREE for 6 and under. Open everyday 9am - 6pm. Get off at L’Enfant Plaza Metro Stop or take the FREE Wharf Shuttle. Don’t miss the National Women in the Arts Museum located in the Metro Center area. $10/adults, $8/65y.o and students, FREE for 18y.o and under. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm and Sun 12-5pm. Metro Center Station (Red line).A 25-minute walk from the National Zoo (FREE, open every day 9am-4p.m) is the National Cathedral where you can take the Self-Guided Tour, Gargoyle Tour, Behind-the-Scenes Tour or catch a performance indoors. Tours and performances may have a fee. Open everyday. FOODJosé Andres is a D.C. celebrity and owns several restaurants in the Penn Quarter area including Oyamel, Jaleo, Zaytinya, and China Chilcano. Stop by Songbyrd Cafe in Adams Morgan for brunch, coffee, record shopping, and some live music up in the Adams Morgan neighborhood.Old Ebbitt Grill is a historic D.C. favorite across from the White House. Go for oysters and stay for a martini or burger.Don’t forget to have a second breakfast at Nellie’s Sports Bar’s drag brunch, in the U Street Corridor, on the weekends.Dupont Farmers Market open year-round on Sundays is one of the largest ones in the district.Eastern Market is an indoor market by Capitol Hill featuring butchers, florists, and The Market Place (great for pancakes!). There is also an outdoor market on weekends.Every D.C.’er has their favorite taco and ramen place so try them all and make your own decision! Tacos: Surfside, District Taco, Taco Bamba, Taqueria Nacional, El Centro, Espita and more. Ramen: Daikaya, Toki Underground, Haikan, Sakuramen Ramen Bar and more. Enjoy D.C.! Contributed by:Julia Murphy, Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
VRA 2020 Baltimore: Travelling to Baltimore and Exploring the City
Baltimore’s location and proximity to Washington DC makes travel easy. Flying? Baltimore Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI) is only 9.8 miles away from the conference hotel, the Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Baltimore, and Baltimore Penn Station (BAL-Amtrak/MARC), is only 1.9 miles away.See the Travel Details page on the conference website for complete information on flying, rail, driving, ride sharing, and parking. Valet and self-parking at the hotel will be available to conference attendees at discounted rates.Would you like to share a ride with other attendees to the conference hotel, BWI (airport), Penn Station, or Washington, DC? New this year, a link to a hotel room and ride sharing spreadsheet will be included with your registration confirmation. Save money and network while you navigate the city.When you’re ready to explore, take the free Charm City Circulator to all of the downtown tourist spots or ride the Baltimore Water Taxi through the harbor to historic Fells Point, Federal Hill, and Canton. Feeling adventurous? Take the MTA MARC Train to Washington DC for only $16 round trip. Feeling not so adventurous? Walk across the street from the conference hotel and investigate all of the attractions in the Baltimore Inner Harbor.
Lael Ensor-BennettVice President for Conference Arrangements, VRA Executive BoardAssistant Curator, Visual Resources Collection, Johns Hopkins UniversityJodi Hoover2020 Baltimore Local Planning CommitteeManager, Best & Next Department, Enoch Pratt Free Library
VRA LA 2019: See you in Los Angeles!
The Executive Board and the Local Planning Committee do so look forward to welcoming you to Los Angeles next week! The weather forecast looks fantastic with sun and temperatures around 70 degrees. Please keep reading for some important last minute info, tips, and reminders.
Getting to the Hotel:
For options and details on getting to the hotel from the airport, Union Station, the Little Tokyo Gold Line Station, etc. please visit the recently updated conference site travel page.
Dinearounds:
Looking for an opportunity to meet new colleagues in a relaxed social setting and enjoy local cuisine? Four dinearounds have been planned for conference attendees on Thursday evening, with two group reservations at 7:00 pm and two at 7:30 pm. For a listing of restaurants, see Sched. Sign up at the Registration Table in the Golden State Ballroom Foyer before spaces fill up. Attendees will meet up in the lobby to walk together to restaurants and are responsible for the cost of their own food and drinks.
Tours:
Want to learn about the historical and cultural landmarks of downtown LA from the 18th century to the present? Sign-up for the Los Angeles Conservancy Walking Tour of Historic Downtown on Tuesday at 10:00 am. Be sure to check at the Registration Table in the Golden State Ballroom Foyer for any last minute availability in the engaging tours organized by the Local Committee.
Donate & Win:
For every $5 you donate to the VRA by April 15, your name will be entered to win a year-long membership OR a 2020 conference registration (i.e. if you donate $15, your name will be entered three times). Two names will be drawn, and each winner will select which prize they prefer. The prize is fully transferable, so you can pass along your prize to a friend if you wish!
For every $800 raised, the Executive Board has pledged to offer an additional travel award for the 2020 conference! We have set an overall goal of $2400, with the hopes of adding three additional awards for travel to Baltimore. Please donate to support this initiative and win yourself a membership or 2020 conference registration!
Grocery Stores,Pharmacies, and Print & Copy Centers:
These locations have been added to the conference map.
Fedex Print & Ship Center, 181 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Office Depot (Print & Copy Center), 401 E W 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Little Tokyo Pharmacy, 402 E 2nd St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
CVS Pharmacy, 201 N Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Marukai Market, 123 S Onizuka St. #105, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Whole Foods, 788 S Grand Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Ralphs, 645 W 9th St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
See you soon!
Contributors:
Krystal Boehlert
Local Planning Coordinator, VRA LA 2019
Lael Ensor-Bennett
Vice President for Conference Arrangements, VRA Executive Board
Amy McKenna
Public Relations and Communications Officer, VRA Executive Board
VRA LA 2019: Car-free Los Angeles
Allan Kohl, John Trendler, and Krystal Boehlert at the Bradbury Building
Like a lot of big cities, Los Angeles can seem daunting, especially if this is your first visit. But we want to reassure you that this is a city you can safely navigate with ease.
Little Tokyo, our conference hotel neighborhood, is approximately one square mile of restaurants, cafes, bars and quick-bite stops; shops of all varieties; banks and other services; and museums and other cultural highlights. It is lively, even very late at night, and populated with locals and visitors alike.
Surrounding neighborhoods are also accessible on foot. Many iconic sites are an easy 5-10 minute walk, such as the Bradbury Building, Central Market, and the grand old movie houses on Broadway.
A 10-15 minute walk northwest will get you to the Broad Museum, LA MOCA, Disney Hall, and the Music Center.
In 20 minutes you can walk to the wonderful LA Central Library (and be sure to cut through the Biltmore Hotel across the street for a peek – it was home to the first Academy Awards and there’s a terrific photo of the event in the lobby).
The Arts District covers many blocks, and there are numerous galleriesand murals 5 to 30 minutes from our conference hotel.
Of course as you walk around downtown you will want to stop for a bite or drink – and you will not be disappointed in the variety of options! (More emails to come on this topic!)
If you’re up for venturing further, Chinatown is about 25-30 minutes on foot, and you can visit the beautiful Union Station and historic Olvera Street en route.
To the south is the Fashion District, home to hundreds of fabric stores, vendors selling knock-offs, and the Fashion Institute of Design and Marketing Museum. [Note that it is on the other side of Skid Row, an area you may not be comfortable walking through – but if you take Main Street you can avoid this area.]
There are also many great self-guided walking tours of the city (in addition to the terrific VRA-organized tours on offer), such as this onegeared to photographers.
And when you are going farther than walking distance, or it’s late and you’re tired, we have a comprehensive list of transportation options for you: public transit trains and buses, ride-shares and taxis, and for the truly adventurous, bike or scooter shares! This link to the Metro public transportation system, for example, will help you calculate the best method to get anywhere. (And if you do decide to rent a car to go further afield, it’s not as bad as you think – your phone’s GPS (Google Maps or Waze) is your friend to help you find the most efficient route, and there are always parking lots nearby.)
We hope you all venture out and explore this exciting, rich city, and please ask any of the VRA LA locals for advice, suggestions or directions!
Contributor:
Jackie Spafford
Local Planning Committee Member, VRA LA 2019
Image Resources Curator, History of Art and Architecture, University of California/Santa Barbara
Point A to Point B: Transportation to and around Los Angeles
First, don’t forget to register for VRA LA 2019 at early bird rates! Second, time to arrange your transportation… Here’s everything you need to know from Krystal Boehlert, Local Planning Coordinator, VRA LA 2019.
Travel to Los Angeles is available by plane, train, bus, or automobile. Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is the largest airport and has direct flights to most major cities. Hollywood Burbank and Long Beach Airports are also options. There are several ways to get to the Little Tokyo neighborhood in downtown where the hotel is located.
GETTING TO LOS ANGELES
By Air:
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Distance from hotel: 19 miles
Drive time to hotel: 30 minutes off peak
Hollywood Burbank Airport/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)
Distance from hotel: 15 miles
Drive time to hotel: 25 minutes off peak
Long Beach Airport (LGB)
Distance from hotel: 25 miles
Drive time to hotel: 30 minutes off peak
Airports to Hotel:
(Sorted by Price Descending)
Taxi & Ride Share
Traditional Taxis & Ride Share Estimates. Many taxis have a flat rate from LAX to downtown.
SuperShuttle
Shared van service from all airports.
LAX Flyaway
Bus service directly between Union Station & Los Angeles International Airport.
By Train and Bus:
Union Station (LAUS)
800 N Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Distance from hotel: 0.7 miles
Drive time to hotel: 5 minutes off peak
Amtrak
National rail operator, connects America with regional and interstate routes.
Metro
Regional bus, light rail and subway.
Metrolink
Heavy rail service between five Southern California counties.
Megabus
Daily express bus service with trips to the bay area and Las Vegas.
Bolt Bus
Premium bus service with trips to the bay area and Las Vegas.
Union Station to Hotel:
Walking (0.6 mile, 15 min). Exit the main entrance of Union Station towards N. Alameda St. Cross the street towards El Pueblo Plaza. Turn left and follow Los Angeles St to the south to the DoubleTree at 2nd St. Google Maps
Taxi & Ride Share
Traditional Taxis & Ride Share Estimates.
Metro
Regional bus, light rail and subway.
LIttle Tokyo Gold Line Station to Hotel:
Walking: (0.4 mile, 10 min) Exit the station walking south towards 1st St. Turn right on 1st St. Turn left on San Pedro St. Turn Right on 2nd St. Google Maps
Taxi & Ride Share
Traditional Taxis & Ride Share Estimates.
Metro
Regional bus, light rail and subway.
By Automobile:
Navigate to:
DoubleTree by Hilton Los Angeles Downtown
120 S Los Angeles St, Los Angeles, CA 90012
Parking is available at the hotel for a daily fee. You can look for other parking options in the area using: Parkopedia or SpotHero.
AROUND DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
Little Tokyo, Arts District, Historic Core and other Downtown neighborhoods are very walking and transit friendly. There are buses, light rail, subway, bike share, taxis, and ride share options available. Google Maps is an efficient way of finding the right bus routes and times, and Metro has an app (iPhone/Android) with real time arrival data.
Taxi & Ride Share
Traditional Taxis & Ride Share Estimates.
Metro
Regional bus, light rail and subway.
TAP cards can be purchased from Metro vending machines. Base Fare $1.75 includes transfers >2hrs.
Metro Bike Share
Rent bikes by the hour.
OUTSIDE DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
There are many points of interest in surrounding neighborhoods and cities in the Greater LA area. Travelling during off-peak times can make a huge difference in travel times. LA’s rush hour usually means high traffic into downtown in the morning hours (7am-9am) and out of downtown in the evening (4:30pm-7pm). Please use Google Maps to estimate distance and time for your desired departure/arrival.
Pro-tip: Google Maps on your smartphone will provide real-time data and traffic conditions. Google Maps in a desktop browser will allow you to predict your journey in advance and choose an optimal time and route.
Contributor:
Krystal Boehlert
Local Planning Coordinator, VRA LA 2019
Visual Resources Specialist, University of California Riverside