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As Trump inauguration is moved indoors, tourists in DC say they just ‘wanted to be a part of it’

Watch the Inauguration Day ceremonies live on WTOP.com

[connatix_element_embed script_id=b34c4c9062f54f89a48e869a73990922 player_id=7bc491b4-922b-4e8d-b1b1-150648e80442 video_id=4db50fc8-8236-4b5b-8c84-5afb750f971c align=right]More than a quarter of a million tickets were handed out for President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration Monday.

Due to the expected freezing temperatures, the 60th inauguration was moved inside the U.S. Capitol and the inaugural parade will now be taking place at Capital One Arena.

Now, hundreds of thousands of people are not only looking for things to do while they are visiting the nation’s capital, they are also hoping to find the perfect spot to view Trump take the oath of office.

If you are wondering why some don’t scrap their plans and watch from home, money may be an issue.

Madison Jones and her friends traveled from North Carolina for the inauguration. Jones told WTOP that she is paying $1,600 for a two-night stay in D.C. She hopes she will be able to attend Sunday’s Trump rally at Capital One Arena.

“Main thing is listening to him speak and sightseeing,” Jones said.

While a lot of those that call the D.C. area home only visit the tourist sites in D.C. when they have friends or family in town, Brandon Moore and his friends from Ohio fit in a year’s worth of sightseeing.

“We went to the Capitol and walked around. The Supreme Court, the Library of Congress, the Bible Museum. Just about anything we could get to we went inside,” said Moore.

Moore hopes the inaugural tickets he received from Vice President-elect JD Vance’s senate office will get him into the Capital One Arena. If not, Moore said he and his friends will make the best of it.

A lot of the folks in town are taking in the Memorials and monuments, including Stacey Rayford. He and his friends came to town from Louisiana after snagging inaugural tickets from the office of Majority Leader Steve Scalise.

“It’s going to be a historic event on multiple levels, and we wanted to be part of it,” Rayford said.

While he is not sure where they will watch the swearing-in ceremony, Rayford told WTOP he knows the type of place he wants.

“We’re going to find somewhere warm and some good food to eat, and hopefully have an opportunity to socialize with some of the people we have things in common with,” said Rayford.

An hour after their plane landed, 21-year-old LeBron Maverevedze and his father wanted to witness Trump become the 47th President of the United States, which may be surprising to some, considering they are both Canadian.

“The United States President is considered the president of the world, since it’s a superpower. So, we all have to support whoever is gonna be inaugurated,” Maverevedze said.

Things to do in the DC area: Travel & Adventure Show, Restaurant Week … and more!

The year may have just started, but it's already time to start planning your next vacation. With the help of the Travel & Adventure Show, guests can learn more about their ideal destinations with the help of travel experts and other representatives, including "travel celebrities" like Rick Steves, the host of TV show "Rick Steves’ Europe." The Travel & Adventure Show has taken place in the District for over 10 years and is the largest travel event in the region. This weekend, from Jan. 17-18, expect more than 300 destinations from around the world exhibiting and offering exclusive show-only deals and trip giveaways.
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