It's time to plan your inauguration trip

So, you want to travel to the U.S. Capitol for the festivities surrounding the January 20th swearing-in of Senator Barack Obama as the 44th president of the United States?

Not interested in snoozing in a friend's tub? Then get busy. Rooms in the D.C.-area are going fast. Many hotels are already sold out and staff members at Destination D.C., the official tourism site of Washington, D.C., say most properties with rooms still available are boosting their prices and imposing minimum-stay requirements up to five days.

But don't give up. Here's a checklist and some insider tips on how you can plan a trip to take in this historic event.