Elliott L . Ferguson II
Credit : washington . org
As President & CEO of Destination DC , Elliott Ferguson spends most of his time traveling worldwide , promoting the attractions of our nation ’ s capital . A seasoned travel pro , Elliott offers tried and true tips for making travel smooth and practical .
“ It ’ s all about making travel less stressful , making the process of getting to and through the airport as easy as possible .” Ferguson has Global Entry , TSA Precheck and Clear , arrives an hour early for domestic and two hours for international , and he typically goes straight to the lounges to wait for boarding . He appreciates the upgraded United lounges at Dulles International and American lounges at Reagan National .
“ My goal is never to check luggage ,” he emphasizes . The frequent flyer has traveled up to three weeks without a checked bag . The key is planning out your wardrobe . “ It ’ s a combination of wearing certain things more than once ,” Ferguson explains . “ It ’ s easy to do when you ’ re on business travel , especially in the summer or when it ’ s more relaxed and you ’ re going to multiple destinations . You can take two suits and wear them four different ways . It ’ s about being savvy in laying everything out and thinking about minimizing the wardrobe and maximizing the looks .”
Another suggestion is buying clothes on the road . “ The reality is that when you ’ re traveling , you ’ re always going to buy something . So , as I say to my wife , ‘ Instead of buying something and packing it and bringing it back , why don ’ t you buy something there you can wear , if necessary , so you ’ re still packing fewer things ?’”
The art of packing a suitcase is an essential skill that can make travel easier . Ferguson uses several hacks to maximize his baggage space . “ Shoes are a great storage space . Make sure to use undergarments made of thin material , not cotton , because you can take four pairs of underwear and put them in one pair of shoes .” He also recommends the rolling method of packing . “ I will roll [ garments ] in one compartment , but with suits , I turn them inside out . I turn the jacket inside out , with one sleeve in the other , and then try to pack it so it will have minimal wrinkles . I only pack suits with wrinkle-free fabric .”
As far as airport outfits , Elliott recommends wearing dual-purpose pieces . “ I wear performance sports pants ,” he said . “ You can dress them up ; you can dress them down . I can wear a blue and a black pair of pants three or four different ways . I can quickly wear them with a blazer and tie .” He also said to be mindful of your pockets and choose pants with zippers to recline in your seat without fear of your pocket contents falling out .
A bit of pre-planning and destination investigating is always a good idea . Ferguson recommends checking out the destination website . “ I go to the city ’ s website or the destination ’ s website . That way , I can check out things to do and concerts and know the lay of the land before arriving . During my visit , I will always find out what ’ s happening in a city .” He ’ s also keen on bus tours and will absorb the city by taking a hop-on-hop-off bus tour .
For visitors to D . C ., Ferguson suggests diving into things beyond the usual museums . He suggests taking the Bike the Sights Tour to ride bikes around the National Mall and monuments . “ I like the twilight tours in the evening because the monuments look uniquely different in the evening than in the daytime , and the crowds are smaller . I think a bike tour is a must-do ,” he said . He also suggests going into neighborhoods like the Shaw neighborhood , named after Colonel Shaw , a Civil War hero who inspired Black soldiers to fight in the war . Ferguson adds , “ I like the boat tours , the Potomac River , and the Anacostia River ; you get a different perspective of the city and how Virginia and Maryland tie into Washington .” To cap off the day , he recommends visiting one of the city ’ s many rooftop restaurants to enjoy cocktails with stunning vistas .
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