Your DC Otakon Traditions

[Attendee7000 35]

Since we had the "what do you miss from Baltimore" post, I thought I'd see what new traditions people have started in DC. Two I have off the top of my head:

 

• I've taken to having lunch on Friday at Delizique on 7th street about 2 blocks south of the convention center. It's a lunch place for office workers so it's only open until Friday afternoon and closed the rest of the weekend. But it's a decent price and they slice the meat when you order so you get a good sandwich.
• Sunday after the con, I stop at the National Arboretum since it's on the way out New York Ave. and I'll walk it for about 30 minutes. It's a good way to wind down from the overstimulation of the con before getting on the road. They have a great collection of old bonsai trees too.

[Msprintz 6]

On 6/9/2024 at 2:03 PM, Attendee7000 said:

Since we had the "what do you miss from Baltimore" post, I thought I'd see what new traditions people have started in DC. Two I have off the top of my head:

 

• Sunday after the con, I stop at the National Arboretum since it's on the way out New York Ave. and I'll walk it for about 30 minutes. It's a good way to wind down from the overstimulation of the con before getting on the road. They have a great collection of old bonsai trees too.

Was pleasantly surprised with the Bonsai exhibit at the Arboretum.  I would recommend devoting more than 30 minutes there next time.  Great place for Bird watching.  Have more grounds to cover.  
 

Usually devote a morning to Anacostia Park and associated trails with a highlight being Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.  If you love the Arboretum you'll love Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and its colorful lotus flowers.  

 

 

Edited June 18 by Msprintz

[Nate A.M. 2]

Even though I'm from the area, there are a few places around the WEWCC that I don't usually have a good reason to go all the way downtown to visit. I always end up getting food from Seylou, Shouk, Sundevich, and All Purpose – the latter usually as takeout before going home for the day. Expensive, but good.

It's been a very long time since I've visited the Arboretum. I'll have to make a note of that some other weekend.

[Attendee7000 35]

On 6/17/2024 at 9:10 PM, Msprintz said:

Was pleasantly surprised with the Bonsai exhibit at the Arboretum.  I would recommend devoting more than 30 minutes there next time.  Great place for Bird watching.  Have more grounds to cover.  
 

Usually devote a morning to Anacostia Park and associated trails with a highlight being Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens.  If you love the Arboretum you'll love Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens and its colorful lotus flowers.  

 

 

Oooh, the Kenilworth gardens look interesting, I may have to give that a look this year.

[TomDent 24]

My friends and I always get there on Thursday so we can spend the day before the con sightseeing in DC (did the same with Baltimore all those years).

We also try to eat at different local restaurants, that we can afford, that we don't have back home (though we'll eat cheap when we need to, like at McD's or something).

That's about it. We did the same in Baltimore and we'll hopefully get to continue doing these things for many years to come.

[windseeker 81]

On Thursday we always check into the hotel, do badge pickup, walk to Giant to pick up some food and water for the hotel room, and get dinner from my favorite food spot, Arepa Zone.

[Zeeba Neighba 25]

Time to throw my hat into the ring.  I arrive in DC Thursday before the con, check into my hotel room, head to WEWCC and pick up the paper program and get my 18= wristband, and then treat myself to dinner at Fogo de Chao.  Yeah, I admit it, I'm a big-time carnivore.

[Daniel Perales 108]

Nothing much changed for me when it comes to arriving to Otakon. I would first arrive at the parking garage very early Friday (when I drive in), go to the hotel and see if any rooms were available that morning. If it was, I would go to the room and settled some stuff, then go directly to the convention. If not, I have the hotel store my luggage and have them call/text me when the room is ready, while I'm at the con.

The only change in the routine is that I take Amtrak now. I arrive at Union Station, take a cab or subway (whichever is more convenient or cheaper) to the hotel.

For the first 10 or 15 years of attending Otakon (and other cons) I used to take one last tour of the convention space (at the Hotel and/or Convention Center) while everything is being dismantled. Taking one last look at everything before I leave. Can't do that anymore since the Convention center will start kicking you out if you're not attending the Con's Feedback panel. After the panel, I would hang around briefly with the remaining staff while making my way out of the convention center. Then I will either find someplace to eat or find take-out food then go back to my room for the rest of the night.

 

[Ikano 17]

The first thing that comes to mind is that we actually stay overnight on Sunday ever since it's come to DC.....I don't recall ever considering doing that when it was still in Baltimore.

 

Don't think we do have done anything consistently after/beyond that though......I do say it's cool to see the rest of the congoers who chose to stay that extra night going home on the Metro Monday morning. (Since I'm a staffer I usually head down to DC so early Thursday morning I don't see fellow con-goers on the Metro yet on "day 0" ...or at least, they aren't easy to spot)