our oldest two. We got a hotel right downtown without realizing that Washington DC practically becomes a ghost town after 6:00 (except for a very small percentage of fast food places and the bars where younger DC types go to hang out after work). We saw the Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials at night. For the most part, though, we hung out in our hotel room wondering what to do with ourselves.

Back then it occurred to us that if we ever did it again, we should get a hotel in a relatively nearby suburb (Crystal City? or somewhere) and ride the metro in each morning. Two questions on that front:

1. Where would be a good location (we're looking for somewhere with chain restaurants, chain hotels - better than Motel 6, but we don't need much better, movie theaters etc)?
2. Related to #1, how expensive would taking the metro in to DC be every day?

Also, even though I've been to DC with my oldest two and a long time before that, what are cool things you've seen or done and would recommend to others? Or tips for how to do things?

TIA