Frommer's Washington D.C. Day by Day [With Foldout Map]

I purchased this book recently from a B & M store when I decided at the last minute to take a trip to DC. The content and layout is quite different than other guidebooks I've had in the past. It tries to organize it's content based on "day tours" of the sites. You identify a category you're interested in (i.e. Washington D.C. with Kids), and it maps out a step-by-step procees for seeing the appropriate sites for that group, in the most efficient way possible. Many of the suggested tours overlap, and it's relatively simple to piece different sections together to create your own custom tour. Overall, I really liked this format for a quick weekend trip where I wanted to see as many sights as possible without trying to figure out on my own how to most efficiently do that. But this format does have it's shortcomings. Most noticeably, since a popular sight may be part of multiple touring plans, the information about that site is spread across many different pages. For example, the paragraph about the Air and Space Museum in the "Washington DC for Kids" section only focuses on the things that kids would like in the museum. You have to locate (in the index) other entries for Air and Space Museum, and read them all in order to get the full picture of what the museum has to offer. More traditional guidebooks have one master listing for each location. This annoyance wouldn't stop me from purchasing this book again, but it's important to point out this key difference. And finally, a few notes about the outdated nature of the content. As you can see above, print date for this book was 2007. As such, MUCH of the content is out of date. They don't mention anything about the American History museum because it was undergoing a complete remodel at the time. The fold out metro map in the front was invaluable, but several of the outlying stations are missing. If this book was updated in a new edition, I would highly recommend it with 5 stars. It may not be your most detailed guidebook, but it doesn't try to be, and it fulfils its purposed very nicely. That's why I think it would be eligible for 5 stars. Pros: Small, compact format. Carried in my pocket the whole trip. Includes guidebook, Metro map, "downtown" city map, and full detached city map. Content layout with times and suggested step-by-step guides for your visit Cons: Grossly outdated content in some regards. Organization of content can be confusing for those new to this kind of guide All in all, I'd still buy this book if I were to do it over. Just know the things I mentioned above when making your decision if this is the best fit for you as well.

I bought his for our one-week trip to DC. I used it constantly. The metro guide and map it has in the front cover are very useful. The information on neighborhood walks and day tours are perfect. Great buy!!! I totally recommend it.

Frommer's has several DC guidebooks and I own two: a heavy-duty guidebook and this "lighter" version. This "Day by Day" version is pared down and geared towards which sights to see instead of focusing on which hotels are best. I live in St. Louis but I spend a lot of time in DC with my husband (he has an office there). Our stays range from 2 days to 3 months (so we've covered quite a bit) and this book always comes with me on the plane. I would rate this book 5 stars except I don't think it could be used as a sole means of DC info. Imagine this book being a shopping catalog - you look at the pics, read a brief description, and based on those you know if you are interested in the product. Well, for me, when I find something interesting in this book my next step is to break out the heavy-duty Frommer's DC to get more/related info. Also, I always use my Streetwise laminated map. It is superior to any that I've used from guidebooks. I recommend that this book be used as a "highlights" of the more in-depth Frommer's DC. These Frommer's guides will certainly steer you in the right direction and you'll be armed with the info you need to enjoy your visit.

Very convenient pocket size. Not to heavy to carry all over town, especially in DC where you walk a lot. Information and itineraries suggested very good. Restaurant, hotels and bar reviews accurate.