We are planning a group of 12 trip to DC over Spring Break. Some Questions:

1: Any suggestions on booking a flight for the 12 and getting cheapest deal? One person is paying for all the flights if that makes any difference.

2: Which airport do you guys recommend flying into?

3: Which hotel is best to stay at? For this, we are searching either for something close to all the DC area attractions (Lincoln Memorial, Smithsonian, White House, etc...) OR we are searching for a hotel that has a free shuttle for our group that'll drop us off every day where we wana go. Breakfast included would be nice.

4: Two people in our group will need wheelchairs. One is a senior and one is slightly disabled and cannot walk long distances. How do you guys recommend getting those there?

5: What kinda weather can we reasonably expect around mid March?

6: Any other group advice you might have!

TIA!!

2. DCA hands-down. It's easy to navigate, close-in, and has a Metro stop. You can ride the yellow or blue line from the airport into DC and transfer to other lines which will get you just about anywhere you need to go.
3. See #2. Stay somewhere close to a Metro stop and you'll have no issues getting around.

Agree with AKAggie on #2&3.
As for the airfare, I'd book as soon as possible. Don't get suckered by Spirit on a cheap fare - they incrementally charge the heck out of you for everything.
AA offers group booking rates for groups of 10 or more. Probably the same for most legacy carriers. Just go to their site and under plan travel their will be a link for groups.
Also a recommendation for groups, don't check any bags. It saves money, hassel and time. There's nothing you need that won't fit in a carry on.
In regards to transport from DCA, just take the train directly from the airport.

herding 12 cats including 2 senior citizens in WCs on the metro is a goat rope for a group not familiar with the metro system......just saying......lots of sites aren't 'close enough' to metro stops for your folks that need help. i.e Lincoln, WWII mem, etc.....

and no downtown hotel runs a shuttle to 'take you where you need to go each day'.

you might see if you can hire a 15pax van with driver.......may be expensive but your group sounds like that may be your best bet......

Ya, i think we are going to go the 15 passenger van route. We have 2 wheelchairs we need to keep with us and putting em in and out of cabs will be hard. We'll just pay for parking at the property. That said, how is parking around DC itself? Around the attractions? Is it tough? Can I use a disabled parking hanger issued in Texas over in DC?

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That said, how is parking around DC itself? Around the attractions? Is it tough? Can I use a disabled parking hanger issued in Texas over in DC?

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Freaking horrific. D.C. brings in about $9 million a year in parking fines alone. Tow trucks circle like vultures. You need to pick a designated driver/parker who is healthy enough to drop everyone else off, find parking, and walk back to join the group. Parking garages will be very expensive. We were at one in the Georgetown area that was $40 a night.

I'd Google the D.C. city government web site in regard to the handicapped placard.

We were there this summer. What a great trip.
Try to take a night tour of the monuments, it was just great. Your hotel can set it up for you.

With the group you described I would avoid the metro.
You almost need to hire a driver to pick ya'll up after you finish each attraction, I can't imagine parking. We took cabs and used the Metro (never again when we go back) just was not my thing.
There is no parking that I remember, everyone uses charters, taxi's or walks...I don't recommend walking with old folks, many attractions are far apart.

We stayed at the Hilton Garden Inn downtown, it was nice but nothing special.

Metro will work for wheel chairs except anywhere near rush hours. Don't even try it then. Find out when congress is not in session and go then. Hotel prices fall tremendously. If you have it in your budget stay at the jw Marriott or the Willard. From there you can get by foot and wheelchair to white house, Washington and Lincoln memorial, ww II and viet nam memorials. Yes it is not like it is across the street but could be done with out hiring a driver, if you have help with the wheel chair pushing(sounds like 10 people are ok to help). It is also just a couple of blocks to a metro station and you can head easily to Arlington cemetery. they have busses that I am sure allow for wheel chairs. You do not want to be pushing wheel chairs very far at Arlington cemetery. It is hard enough to walk those hills. I think the closet Smithsonian is the American history or the portrait museum. may need to taxi to those. taxi fares are very reasonable although they do charge for handling baggage or I assume wheel chairs. the Hilton garden mentioned in post above is also just fine and also right across street from mc pherson station of the metro.
That is a lot to see. Not sure how long you all are staying, but that would be a satisfying trip and see some nice history in DC.

which part of DC is considered a great center point (not too far from anything ) but is also close to a metro station? someone told me Foggy Bottom but not sure.

I've stayed at the Holiday Inn Express near the National Arborteum & Arlington National Cemetary. They have a van than runs to the Capitol to the Grand Central (train station/Metro) hourly during the day. I don't think the van will hold all your group though. The HIE should have AARP rate rooms & complimentary breakfast. There isn't much else right there though. I think there's a McDs across the street. I agree a rental van or vans or a chater service will be the way to go. Your HC plackard from TX is valid with your drivers license there, I think. I use my TX HC plackard or my car with HC license plates out of state with no problems. Most sites are not close together. Yes, parking is horrible! I worked temporiarly in DC a while and never tried to drive; I used the Metro.

Thanks for the help guys. We ended up booking at Residence Inn Foggy Bottom through a bit of a hookup.

The agenda looks like this:

National Archives
Crime Museum
Washington Monument
Lincoln Memorial
White House Tour (we are working a couple of channels for this)
Capitol (got a tour through our rep at 11am)
Jefferson Memorial
Smithsonian (at least 1)
International Spy Museum
Arlington National Cem.
Korean War Memorial
Vietnam Memorial
Iwo Jima Monument
WWII Memorial

Are there 5-6 stops in that above list that are all close enough to one another to knock out in one day? So that we don't have to come back to the hotel in between?

A bunch of the stuff you named are within walking distance of one another. The Mall area has it all. You should easily be able to hit up everything on that list except for Crime Museum, Newseum, Arlington Natl, and Iwo Jima in 2 days. All of its within walking distance to each other but its way too much to do in one day so you'll need to split it in 2 or even 3.

If you do 3, then on day four you can do Arlingoton, Iwo Jima, Crime..etc

Give yourself a LOT of time at Arlington national cemetery. There is so much to see and take in there. It will be super crowded for the changing of the guards and you wont want to miss it. Walking around that cemetery is the most fascinating place in dc (in my opinion)

Also the lines will be long to get into the Smithsonian ( esp. Air and space with spring break) , weather can go either way in march. Will to wait the 10 day, it has snowed in March and set records for heat. You will be doing a LOT of walking so the most important thing will be walking shoes

Dont forget fdr memorial. Most of the memorials take a few minutes to look at but fdr will take about 30 minutes

From your list: (1) Smithsonian then Washington Monument then WWII Memorial then Vietnam War Memorial then Lincoln Memorial then Korean War Memorial Then a cab ride to the Jefferson Memorial.

All that is certainly doable in a day.

Depending on the crowds, wait times and how fast your group can move, you could possibly add the Iwo Jima Memorial (it is outside Arlington National Cemetary) in the late afternoon.

There is so much to see. Pick the main ones you want to see and dont deviate. If you get through with an extra day to spare, here are a few extra suggestions: Holocaust Museum. Ford Theatre (where Lincoln was shot). The Holocaust Museaum will take 1/2 a day. Ford Theatre is a couple of hours (once admitted). Also, Mount Vernon is an option if you have an extra day. Hope this helps. Have fun.

Also, Old Ebbitt Grill (by the White House) has great food. Good stopping point for lunch if you can work it in.

Don't 'drop in' the Old Ebbitt Grill for your party of 12 for lunch and expect a table within 90 minutes.

make a reservation......

Yes indeed. Solid advice on the Old Ebbit Grill reservation.

Note on the Capital tour... if you want to see the chambers, you will need to go to your rep's office and get an additional ticket for that. It's not included in the "basic" tour.

1) Not sure where you are located, but flights out of the Dallas area to DCA have become a lot cheaper since Southwest flies there direct now. Both AA and SW have very good, very competitive rates as long as you aren't booking at the last min. Consider bag fees when you book (if you're checking bags) of course. If you have 1 or 2 people in the group who have airline status, you want them to make the bookings - they can often take advantage of additional perks such as free checked bags or better seats, etc.

2) Fly into DCA. This isn't even a question. Fly into DCA.

3) Stay as close as you can to a metro stop. Like, within a block. Anything near the monuments in DC, west to Foggy Bottom or even a few stops into Arlington VA should be good (but understand that the metro will be overflowing during the morning rush).

4) All metro stations have elevator access.

5) Weather in March? It could be 60 or it could be 6. Or it could be both.

6) Look up some restaurants on TripAdvisor. Old Ebbitt, Founding Farmers and District Commons are a few of my favorites. Make. Reservations..

I think Arling Natl Cem has a "tour" that is an open air vehicle. You might want to check into that in advance. Difficult place to get around for an able bodied person on foot much less WC. Very spread out & the day I was there the heat was miserable & I am very able bodied. Can't imagine "herding" a group of people thru there.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.mil/Plan-Your-Visit/Tours-and-Groups/Tours

great tour. only way to see Arlington.