Podcast Ep.38 The Fourth of July in Washington DC

June 1, 2022 in Podcast

Washington, DC is a fantastic destination for the Fourth of July. There are major events like the National Independence Day Parade, a Capitol Fourth concert and the fireworks – plus a handful of smaller events. It’s a fun day but important to know what to expect so you can navigate the crowds, road closures and summer heat. In this episode Rob consolidates all of his Fourth of July advice in one place.

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Podcast Ep.37 Where to Stay When You Visit Washington DC

May 1, 2022 in Podcast

When you’re planning a trip, where to stay, which hotel, and what area, is a big decision. It’s why one of the first things I did after I started Trip Hacks DC was create a where to stay guide. In this episode you’ll learn about all eleven recommend areas. What are the pros of each area? What are the cons of each area? And what are some solid hotel choices in each? Plus, what are the areas where you don’t want to stay? The don’ts are podcast exclusive content so stick around until the end of the episode to hear!

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Podcast Ep.36 Newer and Lesser Known Monuments in Washington DC

April 1, 2022 in Podcast

When you visit Washington, DC you will almost certainly check out the major monuments and memorials on the National Mall. Over the past few years, several new monuments have opened around the city. These are monuments both to former presidents and to major wars. Because they opened during the pandemic, their ceremonies didn’t have much fanfare. In this episode Rob is joined by guest Carolyn Muraskin to discuss these new sites, as well as a few other lesser-known memorials they think you should know about.

Carolyn is the owner of DC Design Tours, a tour company that runs historic walking tours with a focus on architecture, design and urban planning, including a few tours that cover sites discussed with Rob.

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Podcast Ep.35 National Cherry Blossom Festival in 2022 and Beyond

March 1, 2022 in Podcast

For the first time in three years National Cherry Blossom Festival events are back in person. This is an exciting development after years of missing out on one of the most anticipated events in Washington, DC. However, it’s important to know what’s changed and how. In this episode Rob is joined by Diana Mayhew. She is the President of the National Cherry Blossom Festival, the nonprofit organization that organizes and implements festival events each spring. Diana has some important tips if you’re planning to visit for the cherry blossoms in 2022 and beyond.

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Podcast Ep.34 Insider Travel Tips from a DC Tour Guide

February 1, 2022 in Podcast

When is the best time of year to travel? What’s the best process to choose a hotel? How do you find the best tours and experiences in a destination? In this episode Rob takes the mic to tackle all of these questions and more. He brings his decade of experience as a tour guide and applies it to how he travels. It’s a different perspective than you’ll hear from a frequent or professional traveler, but hopefully valuable nonetheless!

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Podcast Ep.33 Is Washington DC Tourism Coming Back?

January 1, 2022 in Podcast

Are travelers coming back to Washington, DC? Is the tourism industry recovering? The answer is yes. But also no. It’s complicated. The only way to properly explain it is to walk through what 2021 was like month by month. In this episode Rob takes the mic for a solo podcast. He talks about how Trip Hacks DC tour business fared in 2021 and what the experience was like to own a Washington DC tour business and try to come back from a devastating 2020.  

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Podcast Ep.32 Use this Travel Hack when You Visit Washington DC (or Elsewhere)

December 1, 2021 in Podcast

How do you book your airfare, hotels, and tours? What websites do you use? What would you think if I told you that the websites you use to book your trip could make or break your travel experience? This is an important topic whether you’re traveling to Washington, DC or elsewhere! In this episode Rob takes the mic for a solo podcast. He covers a topic that very few tour industry insiders will publicly discuss – why booking direct is a superior option to booking travel on a third party website. 

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Podcast Ep.31 Tips for Moving to Washington DC

November 1, 2021 in Podcast

Trip Hacks DC is primarily a source of travel content for Washington, DC visitors. But once visitors get here, especially when they sign up for a Trip Hacks DC tour, they have a lot of questions and curiosities about what it’s like to live in DC. If you’re planning to move here, hopefully you’ll find plenty of useful information in this episode. If you’re just visiting, hopefully this episode helps satisfy some of your curiosity.

Rob welcomes John Coleman to the podcast. John is a real estate agent who has dedicated much of his time to perfecting the home buying process. He’s also the host of Coffee with Coleman, a YouTube channel where he loves to discuss Washington DC, real estate, business, and all that good stuff. Make sure to follow along with him on Instagram and Facebook as well.

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Podcast Ep.30 Washington DC Trip Planning Tips

September 1, 2021 in Podcast

At the time of recording there are nearly 200 Trip Hacks DC YouTube videos and dozens of podcast episodes with travel tips galore! But how do you tie all of those tips together into a tip itinerary? This episode’s guest walks you through how he took the tips he learned from Trip Hacks DC and designed an itinerary around them.

Rob welcomes Doug McKnight to the podcast. Doug is a fellow podcaster and co-host of Rope Drop Radio, a podcast by two dads who love Disney. He is an expert on Disney parks and Disney cruises but is also a great travel planner no matter the destination.

Episode sponsor: This episode is sponsored by Rope Drop Radio. Listen on all the podcast apps and follow along with them on Twitter and Facebook. And by travel agent Michelle McKnight, a Destination Specialist with TouringPlans. Whether you want to travel to Disney World or Washington, DC or anywhere in between, Michelle has you covered.

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Podcast Ep.29 Secret Washington DC

July 1, 2021 in Podcast

Washington, DC visitors all know about the major sites – the monuments, memorials, museums and historic places. But there is so much more out there! There is an entire “secret” side of Washington, DC that many visitors, and even some locals, never truly discover. A new book tells the stories of some of the places.

In this episode Rob welcomes Washington, DC based author JoAnn Hill to the podcast. JoAnn is the author of the new book Secret Washington, DC: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. She is an avid traveler and foodie who writes about her global travel adventures on the blog dcglobejotters. She is also an educator, former DC public school teacher and founder of the tutoring company Capitol Teachers. You can follow JoAnn on Instagram.

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