Chris, welcome! I'm also in the DC area. If you need a good LR mechanic, I know two great ones on the northwest side of the beltway.
I just posted
THIS thread on a rack that works well for me.
When I travel to the beach I usually have a family of 4 and a dog... the dog means I can't pile luggage in the back area which required me to look for other options. I have a Yakima Skybox up top AND a hitch tray behind.
If you only need one, get the Skybox. That thing is easy to put on and off just about any rack, and it holds a lot of gear. Has a great warranty but I'd buy it from REI as if you ever have an issue, they'll just swap you out for a new one.
If you need a hitch tray, than read
THIS thread. I have the UWS tray mentioned, the dual hitch extender to keep it from dragging on the ground, and some anti-wobble pins U-Haul makes which work great to keep it all solid.
The hitch tray, overall, is kind of pain in the *ss to deal with, but gets the job done for family vacations. I use it for the drive down, and then take it off the truck when I get to the destination. The Skybox stays on for the week and I find it's great for tossing sandy wet things as needed.
Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.