From: jeh@aplcenmp.apl.jhu.edu (Jim Hubbs)
Subject: MOW hotel and travel arrangements
Summary: Rehash of article on MOW travel arrangements
Organization: Johns Hopkins Continuing Professional Programs
Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1993 07:22:53 GMT


The following information comes from an article on the front page
of the January 8th Washington Blade by Russell Cate.

'No room at the inn' May Be Greeting Marchers

"The 1993 March on Washington for Lesbian, Gay, and Bi Equal
Rights and Liberation is still more than three months away, but
those working to get marchers here and put a roof over their
heads warn that now is the time to make travel and housing
plans."

"Washington, D.C. Accommodations, the official housing bureau for
the April 25 march, has blocked off about 5,000 rooms at 35
hotels in the D.C. area for people coming to the March.  Half of
these rooms are already booked...."

The article goes on to say that these rooms are expected to be
completely booked by the beginning of March.  Other organizations
have blocked off rooms in the DC for the March, too.  Another
official hotel agency called Starlight Holidays has 2,500 rooms
blocked out for the March.  Room rates with these agencies run
from $65 to $130 for one to four people.

Hotels with fewer amenities and those located in the DC suburbs
still have plenty of rooms left at even lower rates in some
cases.  The national March office is also working on matching
people who need housing with people willing to open their homes
here in the DC area.  (Sorry folks, but my couch and the other
2/3 of my bed are already spoken for.)

The other important issue discussed in the article relates to
travel to DC.  Regardless of the demand there will only be the
standard number of scheduled airline flights into DC that week.
One of the official travel agents was quoted as saying that a
fare war is just not going to happen in advance of the March, so
holding off on ticket purchases could leave travels with no way
of getting here.

Some areas are setting up special bus and train services into DC
that week, so those options should be explored.

No mention was made of campgrounds, but since Washington, DC is a
tourist city it has plenty in the area.  I am not sure if there
are any official campgrounds for the March, a call to the
national office might answer that question.

I have one suggestion for those of you who do not know the DC
area.  The Metro (DC's subway system) works very well, and it
is accessible from several outlying areas.  Hotels near Metro
stations in Maryland and Virginia may be just as convenient as
those in DC.  If you will have a car here, then most of the outlying
Metro stations also have parking available.  Metro will probably
be a better alternative than driving into DC on the day of the
March.

The organizations listed in the article include:

-Washington, D.C. Accommodations which is the official housing
bureau of the March at (202) 289-2220 or (800) 554-2220.

-Starlight Holidays which is an authorized March hotel agent in
Alexandria, Virginia at (703) 519-0081.

-Capital Travel which is an authorized March travel agency in
Albany, NY at (800) 800-9009.

-Confident Travel which is an authorized March travel agency in
Burlingame, CA at (800) 872-7252.

The National March on Washington office can be reached at
(202) 628-0493 for people who have housing in the DC area to
share with marchers and for marchers looking for community
housing.

See you there.

Jim Hubbs
Johns Hopkins University
Applied Physics Laboratory
Laurel, MD