Obama's 2nd inauguration to draw smaller crowds

WASHINGTON (AP) -- With second inaugurations tending to draw fewer spectators, finding a place to stay in Washington this year won't be nearly as difficult as in 2009. Inauguration-goers have a range of lodging options -- from crashing on a friend's couch to reasonably priced rooms to ones that cost thousands of dollars a night.

 

City officials are expecting 600,000 to 800,000 visitors for the Jan. 21 inauguration, far less than the 1.8 million people who flooded the National Mall four years ago to witness the inauguration of America's first black president. Back then, some hotels sold out months in advance and city residents rented out homes for hundreds of dollars a night. This time, rooms are still available and prices are at or slightly below where they were four years ago.