"The more you can prepare to be on your feet all day, dressed warmly, and be prepared to fend for yourself, the better," said Rebecca Pawlowski, communications director for Destination DC, the city's tourism office.
The inauguration is the center of a days-long celebration of unprecedented proportions: Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden will host an afternoon welcoming event on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial on Jan. 18; volunteers will take part in a day of community service throughout the region Jan. 19; and formal balls and casual parties begin Friday, Jan. 16, and continue through Inauguration Night on Tuesday.
With two weeks to go, thousands of people are at work on everything from the parade route to portable toilet placement. Strict security measures prohibit ticketed guests from bringing coolers, backpacks, strollers, umbrellas, and many other items into the restricted areas near the Capitol and the parade viewing stands. Those gathered on the National Mall will be able to carry more, though officials have yet to detail prohibited items. The city is issuing 500 additional vendor licenses, in hopes street food will be plentiful. Yet no one can know exactly how smoothly things will go for what is expected to be the largest gathering in Washington's history.
And then there's the weather, which can often be rainy or snowy, with an average temperature for Jan. 20 of 37 degrees.
"We're used to big crowds," said Kenny Burns, a guide who has led tours in the capital for more than 20 years. "But with even 3 or 4 million people, this is going to be interesting. You can't camp out on the Mall all night. You can't camp out on Pennsylvania Avenue. So you're going to have a lot of people descending on the Mall at 7 and 8 a.m."
Yet Obama's campaign of hope and change has inspired many who wouldn't miss the chance to see the nation's first African-American president sworn into office. Burns, who has stayed at home in the suburbs during past inaugurations, is eager to forge into the fray this time.
