I honestly would just get a hotel or wait to leave until like 11 or 12. The Beyoncé concert is also happening on the fourth so the train is going to be very, very, crowded.

Take metro in.

Hang out for 60-90 minutes after the end of the fireworks.

Take metro home.

Regarding Uber/Lyft, here is what multiple drivers told me on a "big game" weekend that I was attending. I was using Uber but not on "the game" day. They both said that few drivers actually work the days of the big events for multiple reasons, but mainly that "too much sitting in traffic" means they aren't actually making money. The higher/surge pricing isn't enough incentive to actually work.

I actually did the "take metro and hang out afterwards, then metro home" many years ago and it worked great.

We decided to book a different, more affordable hotel near theirs in DC so we won’t be taking the metro or waiting for an Uber until the next day. Problem solved. -OP

I would absolutely not take the metro. I too haven't rode on the DC metro since I was 16!!

Hire a driver.

Anonymous wrote:That’s also an option as a last resort. We have not taken the metro in 15 years or so.

So? Even more reason to take it after 15 years. Be prepared for long lines, large crowds in case you forgot. -Different poster

Anonymous wrote:You should take Metro. A lot of roads downtown will be closed = the other streets get clogged with traffic. When the fireworks finish, it's absolute gridlock, because so many people are walking away from the mall that traffic just stops. It's a sea of pedestrians, so police allow them to keep walking against the red light.

I'd do this:

Metro in.
Wait 1 hour after fireworks are over, then metro out.

You'll get home a lot faster and easier via Metro then by car.

This. It doesn’t matter if you are willing to pay whatever crazy surge pricing there is. An uber won’t be able to get to you and when you finally find one it will take ages to get out.

This is OP and DCUM is out in full force today, getting some of you worked up. I am not the one replying to most of these posts. I am not the one criticizing metro, the people who ride it, saying anything about why I won’t ride it or saying I make too much money etc. A few people are having a lot of fun at your expense and I am just looking for any suggestions, real suggestions.

So far, the best I have is to get drinks and wait out the crowds, then take an Uber or metro home.

The rest of you can continue arguing and pretending to be me unless anyone has any actual suggestions to add.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just take metro?

Because it sucks on a good day. Let alone the 4th of July

Wrong. You live in McLean, which tells me you probably take metro twice a year for things like July 4 and it bothers you to have to be shoulder to shoulder with the have-nots. Metro is fine. But nobody should go downtown for the fireworks so who cares.

I’m 50 years old. I have not taken the metro since my 20s or early 30s, I don’t remember. Believe it or not, some of us don’t take the metro. I didn’t want this to be a metro debate and am not opposed to any suggestions. Thanks to all that are giving real advice. Right now it sounds like we should hang out at their hotel, try to get an Uber later and then take the metro if we can’t.

So since you haven’t taken the metro in 30 years, exactly how do you assert that “it sucks on a good day”? Completely useless.

I didn’t write that. -OP

You should take Metro. A lot of roads downtown will be closed = the other streets get clogged with traffic. When the fireworks finish, it's absolute gridlock, because so many people are walking away from the mall that traffic just stops. It's a sea of pedestrians, so police allow them to keep walking against the red light.

I'd do this:

Metro in.
Wait 1 hour after fireworks are over, then metro out.

You'll get home a lot faster and easier via Metro then by car.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just take metro?

It sounds like you have never taken the metro on the 4th of July.

We did that once. Getting in is fine. Getting out is a nightmare.

Anonymous wrote:I would never take the metro, it’s full of idiots.

I haven't taken the metro in about 10-15 years I bet and even then it was full of idiots. I can't imagine now.

Anonymous wrote:Why wouldn't you just take metro?

It sounds like you have never taken the metro on the 4th of July.

You’ll have an easier time getting uber if you take the metro to closest stop. OR schedule the uber now, for the times/dates you want the rides.

You don’t even have enough money to stay in a nice hotel, yet you think you’re better than the average person on the metro?