I haven't blogged about the inauguration in a while. I'm not going. I do know that. I tinkered with the idea briefly, but as DC has inched toward total lockdown with bridges closing, roads closing, 10,000 tour buses parking up the mall, I've rethunk it. The thought of being trapped with all those people gives me hives in weird places. Even if I do have a special, commemorative Inaugural FABmap to guide me to safety.

It's practically too late anyways for most folks, except cycling enthusiasts. I think MTA has sold out of train tickets unless you want to leave at 5 a.m. or drive to Frederick. You could also relocate to Virginia and take their train, which still has availability. Amtrak also has some seats available. The Metro station at Greenbelt (and other locations) will have parking available for transit riders - which was in question at some point. So it may be possible to get there, especially if you go early. Like in the middle of the night. But you have to plan to stay late.

For some people, it's a rush. For example, the folks at this fun site want to help you crash the Inauguration - now known as the Woodstock of Washington. This level of enthusiasm may explain why so many DC-area residents are searching for a tropical hideout for Jan. 20. Escaping the inauguration has become its own cottage industry, with Washington folks swapping houses with people from Texas to Tanzania. Hotels on Amelia Island (near Jacksonville) are offering discounts from 20-45% to residents of Maryland, DC and Virginia for stays Jan. 18-22.

Photo: Scene from President Bush's inauguration for his second term om 2005. Officials are expecting a lot more people to attend Barack Obama's inauguration on Jan. 20. Getty Images.

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The Obama family, just back from a vacation in the Hawaiian tropics, are ready for their big move to Washington. The kids have to start school, but since the inauguration is still a few weeks off, the family will set up house temporarily at the historic Hay-Adams Hotel. The Associated Press reports the Obamas will have a suite at the hotel, which offers guests Italian linens, plush bathrobes and nightly turndown service.

The hotel has a Presidential Suite (where else would Obama stay?) that's a penthouse with a living room and master bedroom offering a "spectacular view" of the White House. Of course, with family in tow, he might be better off with the Federal Suite, which has two bathrooms. Junior suites start at about $1,500 a night. The Hay-Adams does have other rooms available with packages starting at $399 per night. That's still a bit steep for most Americans, but for our president we should spare no expense.

Photo: Associated Press

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If you're planning to head to Washington for Barack Obama's inauguration, then you're planning to take the Metro at some point. And they know it. That's why the D.C. Metro is prepared to swipe your cash in exchange for a keepsake SmarTrip card. The plastic swipe cards will be sold in advance for $10, about twice the price they usually cost. And none of that fee will earn you a ride. No, you'll have to pay extra to add money to the card. Figures.

If you're feeling cheap - and really who isn't - the paper farecards will also feature Obama's smiling mug. Those can be had for as little as $1.35 - the cost of a one-way trip - but you'll have to add some extra if you don't want the turnstile to keep your card when you exit. The SmarTrip cards will be available online beginning in January, however, the paper farecards may be in machines as soon as next month.

Metro officials are also planning to publish a commemorative walking guide and station map illustrating the various locations of Metro stops to the inaugural events. Up to 1 million of the guides will be distributed at Metrorail stations. And that's probably still not enough.

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Everybody wants to be in Washington on Jan. 20. And with the MLK holiday falling on Jan. 19, everybody will probably be there for more than one day. Barack Obama's historic inauguration is turning out to be a travel bonanza for the DC-area, including Baltimore. It will probably be bitterly cold, but you'll have millions of people to keep you warm.

If you're still looking for a place to stay - and I know you are - a new Web site has sprouted for those who want to rent a house for the event. It's InauguralHomes.com and there are hundreds of houses listed on the site, from Virginia to DC to Maryland. Each listing has color photos and info about amenities. The cost seems to range from $25/day for a room to $25,000/day for an Embassy Row mansion with 7 bedrooms.

The cost is $9.95 to list your house, but I don't know if there are other fees. The founder of the site, Andre Butters, says the plan is to donate 10% of what they make to charities that benefit the homeless. But remember, you still have to be careful about who you join up with. For the inauguration period, DC's mayor has suspended local housing rules that usually require a license to rent a house. So keep your cold, hard cash close until you seal the deal.

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Millions of people are headed to Washington for Barack Obama's historic inauguration on Jan. 20. How are they getting there? Well, several airlines are aiming to make it easier by adding extra flights during that week to/from Washington's surrounding airports, including BWI Marshall.

Southwest is adding 26 flights, 16 of those to BWI, from Jan. 17-22 in key cities, including Birmingham, Austin, Houston, St. Louis, Kansas City, Chicago and San Diego. Last week, AirTran announced it was adding flights to BWI from Atlanta and Milwaukee. Delta is adding flights too, as well as using bigger planes. So come one, come all.

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Here's another overlooked option for an Inauguration stay: Bed & Breakfasts. I talked this morning with Robert Zuchelli, president of the Annapolis Bed & Breakfast Association, and he says many of the local B&Bs and inns have rooms available for Inaugural goers.

Zuchelli is owner of the 1908 William Page Inn in downtown Annapolis. Inaugural rates at his B&B start at $250 per night and include breakfast, wireless internet and parking. Now, that's a deal considering the inauguration inflation that's set in. Meanwhile, the Historic Inns of Annapolis, which includes the Maryland Inn and Governor Calvert House, say they are getting close to capacity, but are still taking names for reservations-in-waiting.

So before you go chucking money at a stranger on Craigslist, you might consider checking out a few reputable innkeepers in the Maryland-DC corridor. You can find a listing by region at the Maryland Bed & Breakfast Association.

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From the stories I've heard, every hotel is booked for the Inauguration from Richmond, Virginia to Aberdeen, Maryland. Demand is so high that folks are turning to Craigslist and HomeExchange.com or couchsurfing.com to get a room or a bunk bed or maybe a sleeping bag in a crawl space. Even Baltimore hotels are getting hit hard. The Baltimore tourism folks have set up a Web page on their site touting the city's historical presidential tie-ins, including the first monument to George Washington and, of course, his teeth at the National Museum of Dentistry. 

But the folks over at ShermansTravel.com say they've found a few hotels that may have been overlooked amid the patriotic frenzy. One is the Days Inn Baltimore Inner Harbor starting at $135 a night. Hurry, tell your inlaws. And here are a few others: Doubletree Hotel Bethesda - $299/night; Georgetown Inn - $429/night; Hotel Monaco Alexandria - $442/night. Of course, by the time you read this the rooms may already be gone.

(Photo by Associated Press) 

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I'll have more about the inauguration in the weeks to come, but for now, Expedia is the first out of the gate (or into my mailbox) with a page dedicated to making travel plans for the upcoming inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama.

The important thing to know is that you may already be too late. Although there are still some D.C. hotel rooms available, a lot of them will book up faster than you can read this sentence. If you need to stay overnight and want an affordable hotel, expect to stay on the outskirts of Washington: Bethesda, Arlington, Falls Church, Silver Spring. Look for a hotel a safe walking distance to the Metro. You're gonna want to be car-free.

While you will need for tickets to attend the inauguration, the inaugural parade is usually come one come all. And by the way, the tickets are free and available through your U.S. congressional rep or senator's office, so don't go paying some ridiculous price for a "fake." There are about 250,000 tickets available to the public. And they can only be picked up in person about a week before the inauguration.

The folks over at Destination DC have tips and updates. This is the official inauguration planning site, where you can check history, sign up your marching band or get email updates etc.

(Photo by Getty Images) 

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