Thanks for the tips, Travis, CAJ, & Annie. So, if I am looking at places in Arlington, which area(s) would be the best? Capt. Steve, that question is for you (or anyone else familiar with the area) based on Annie's recommendation. Also, is parking available at the Metro stops?

Rosslyn, Clarendon, Ballston -- all good -- the key is to be close to the Orange Line Metro - that line runs thru the heart of the best of Arlington and direct into DC. These areas are also very walkable -- lots of shops & restaurants close together - especially Clarendon.

In the areas I mentioned above, there isn't parking reserved for the Metro stops. Your hotel will have parking, but ask the price, it can be steep. You can park on the street for free from 6pm to 8am, so you can play that game too. Daytime the spots are on a meter. Arlington is notorious for harsh parking enforcement, and so is DC. They are about the same in that regard.

You can look for a hotel a bit further out (East Falls Church or West Falls Church) - probably cheaper. Also, those Metro stops have large lots. They are $4.50/day. Falls Church is barely 10 mins further out, so worth a look.

Thanks for all the info, Steve. Arlington sounds like a great option but, I'll tell ya, I'm not down with all those parking fees, restrictions, etc, and worrying about availability. I'd almost rather pay the ridiculously high parking fees at a DC hotel and just walk everywhere so as not to worry about getting ticketed or towed. Meh... well, thanks again!