Photo used under Creative Commons license from commons.wikimedia.org
This past weekend, a bunch of my friends took a trip to Washington to see the cherry blossoms and go to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo. For those of you familiar with the area, those aren’t exactly close to each other, and they were looking for a quick way to get from place to place without cramming onto the Metro with a thousand other hot and sweaty tourists. I had one word for them: Pedicab.
Pedicabs are essentially the American answer to the Chinese rickshaw and may be the greatest transportation invention ever. You sit in a seat with wheels attached to a cyclist driver. I repeat: you don’t even have to do your own biking.
Not only is this the ultimate lazy man’s way to get around Washington, but it’s also a great way to travel downtown without going underground and missing the sites.
Pedicabs can take you almost anywhere in the city because you use them just like a regular cab. The cab usually sits three people with a little room at the bottom for bags. It’s worth the squeeze because more people can mean less cost per person.
You have three options when looking into using D.C. pedicabs:
• Book a tour: Pedicabs are a great alternative way to tour popular parts of the city. Cut through the crowds and save your energy while still seeing the best of the National Mall or Capitol Hill. When you book your tour in advance, one option breaks down to $8 per person for a group of three.
• Make a reservation: The easiest way to ensure a ride when you need it is to book one in advance on a pedicab website. Rates vary by route length and terrain. Also, the further in advance you book, the cheaper it is.
• Text on the go: To get a ride on the go, text the number on the website and a driver will pick you up wherever you are in the city. These rates are usually more expensive because they factor in how far the biker is from you. You should also allow more time if you text for a ride because all of the cabs may be busy.
It took about a half-hour for my friends’ cab to get to them on the National Mall and another 15 to 20 minutes to bike over to the zoo. I’ll definitely consider one for my next trip to D.C.
