Plan Your Trip
Everything you need to know to travel and attend the conference!
Review travel tips and what passes will be available for participants.
Travel
Getting To Guide
Download goDCgo's Getting To Guide for information on the rail, bus, and bike share stations closest to the Marriott Marquis.
Local Airports
If you are flying to DC, you have a choice of airports to fly into. Click here for details on getting from these airports to the Marriott Marquis.
DCA (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) is a 25 minute ride on the Yellow Line to the Marriott Marquis.
IAD (Dulles International Airport) is about an 80 minute ride on the Silver Line from the Marriott Marquis.
BWI (Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport) is farther out— up to two hours on public transit.
Transit
We're excited to share that WMATA is providing free 7-day transit passes for all participants! They will be available for pick up in the registration area on May 28.
Prior to the start of the conference, you can download SmarTrip card to your mobile wallet here.
Click here for more information on transit options near the Marriott Marquis.
Bike Share and Scooter Share
Capital Bikeshare, Lime, and Veo will all provide attendees with complimentary passes for use throughout the week of the conference. Look out for details on how to claim these passes in your email.
Bike Parking
Riding your own bike? Take advantage of the secure bike parking we have arranged with Bike Valet DMV at the L Street entrance to the Marriott Marquis (920 L Street NW, Washington, DC).
Hours of parking are:
5/28/25 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM
5/29/25 7:30 AM - 5:30 PM
5/30/25 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
You must bring a bike lock. Learn more about secure bike parking at the conference here.
What to Do In DC
WorldPride
WorldPride events are happening in DC between May 17 and June 8! Check out their calendar of events here.
Baltimore Bike Party
The Baltimore Bike Party is a monthly ride that attracts thousands of riders—and there's an event taking place on Friday, May 30, beginning at 7 pm! Maryland DOT and Baltimore DOT staff recommend staying the night in Baltimore and joining one of the Baltimore WalkShops on Saturday morning. Check out Hotel Revival for a local lodging option.
Other Local Recommendations
Need recommendations for what else to do before, during, and after the conference?
Check out this list from our Conference Welcoming Committee for everything you need to know, including:
> Restaurants (plus recommendations for different dietary restrictions!)
> Outdoor activities
> Museums
> Events and entertainment
> Sponsor happy hours
Community Well-Being and Safety at Designing Cities
Creating a Welcoming Environment
NACTO is committed to creating an engaging, inclusive, supportive, and productive atmosphere for the conference, and we ask all of our participants to contribute to this effort.
We pride ourselves on creating a safe, welcoming environment of belonging for all attendees, which we attribute to robust planning and coordination, as well as the intentional participation in creating this space from our host partner and all conference participants.
All attendees at Designing Cities have agreed to follow NACTO’s Event Code of Conduct, which outlines expected behavior as well as unacceptable behavior. If any participant witnesses behavior that does not support an inclusive environment and free exchange of ideas, NACTO staff should be notified. NACTO staff will immediately take any action deemed necessary, up to and including removing the offending participant from the event without a refund.
Health Measures
NACTO no longer requires masking at our events. If you feel ill, please refrain from attending out of consideration for others at the event. Participants should plan according to their own health needs and comfort levels and plan to bring their own mask if they choose, take meals outside or to their room, and take breaks from the event if needed.
All participants on bike and scooter WalkShops are provided helmets, and WalkShop leaders have a safety protocol should a medical incident take place.
Washington, D.C., has numerous world-class hospitals and health facilities for any medical emergency.
Physical Security
We recognize that many people are being marginalized and sometimes even targeted verbally or physically in the United States. NACTO condemns violence in all forms and wants our attendees to feel supported. In addition to the above measures, we note that DC has a long tradition of being a place where people come to make their voices heard and hosts many large events of all kinds. Our co-host, District DOT, is also committed to our values of creating safe, inclusive spaces.
In addition, all conference venues—including the host hotel—have seen and unseen security measures, and all conference attendees are clearly identified as such, with bright, visible lanyards. All WalkShops will be staffed by multiple leaders who have been briefed on safety protocols. All WalkShops will have been practiced in full before the conference, with an eye to the highest-quality participant experience, including safety.
If you are planning to travel around D.C., it can be a good idea to make sure your phone is charged, research and plan your route ahead of time, and consider planning to travel with a buddy or in a group.
NACTO believes that the risk of physical harm to any attendee, while not zero, is low.
If you have any questions or recommendations about safety and well-being at NACTO’s conference, please email our team at events@nacto.org. For any more immediate needs, please find a NACTO staffer or conference volunteer at the event.
Additional resources include:
What Else to Know
Dress code
For the majority of conference activities in the hotel, we recommend business casual/professional attire. For WalkShops, we recommend whatever is comfortable for physical activity and the weather of our host region. We recommend active wear and sturdy closed-toe shoes.
What you should bring
Please bring a reusable water bottle (extra important for WalkShops!), a notebook, a pen, sun protection, and whatever else helps keep you sustained through travel, mobile tours, and a busy week of conference programming!
Professional Credits
After the conference, visit the American Planning Association website to register for AICP CM credits for the plenaries, breakout sessions, workshops, and WalkShops that you attended!
For other professional credits, fill out this form. You are responsible for filling out the form and sending it according to the protocols of the professional organization.
Hotels
Designing Cities 2025 will take place at the Marriott Marquis at 901 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC.
We offered a room block at a pre-negotiated rate of $259/night before taxes, and it has sold out. If you have questions or issues with your reservation, please contact the hotel directly. If you are looking for a place to stay, we recommend inquiring at a nearby hotel, such as Westin DC Downtown or Courtyard/Residence Inn Downtown/Convention Center.
How to contact us
If you have any questions, please contact us at events@nacto.org. Kindly note that we are a very small team and due to the volume of emails we receive, we are not able to reply to every message. The best way to ensure you have all the information you need is to read through this website and the emails we send out.
Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter for information on registration and program announcements.