Posted on 03/19/2017 9:36:37 AM PDT by TermLimitsforAll
Planning to take my kids on a trip to DC either late May or Early June.
I'm planning on spending a week visiting the Smithsonian, monuments, and a tour of the White House. Are there any other must see places and would a 6-7 day visit be enough for my family to take in all the sights. Kids are teen and tween with short attention spans like them all at that age.
Any guidance is appreciated. I haven't been to our Nations capitol since I got my drivers license way back in the early 80's.
Try climbing the White House fence. Seems like the SS is letting it happen regularly.
Seriously,have a great time.
Make sure you see the NRA museum in nearby Fairfax VA. It is free and is a great reminder of the need for a 2nd Amendment. Google it.
I recommend you include Arlington Cemetary, Mt. Vernon south of DC and tour busses available
Old town Alexandria is a good place to stay. Transit by the Metro is safe and easy. Shop around for best hotel deal. We also stay in Crystal city. Rates are sometimes cheaper.
On two trips to DC with the kids, we stayed once in the Washington Hilton and once in a Marriott in either Arlington or Alexandria (I can’t remember which). The metro system was safe and easy to get around on. Off the top of my head,some places we visited not on your list: National Zoo, Ford Theatre and the house across the street where Lincoln died, the Pentagon, Arlington Cemetary.
My favorite place is Jefferson Memorial at night.
Yes, Mount Vernon is a good choice. Sometimes you wonder how much kids pick up from various tours...when our electricity went out and I was lighting candles, our young daughter started bringing out mirrors to put behind the candles because, as she said, that’s what they did in George Washington’s ballroom to get more light from the candles.
The Air Museum at Dulles airport is a must see. The Enola Gay is there, a Concorde, a space shuttle and hundreds more all under one roof. Absolutely fascinating, especially for the young ones. Been there 3 times, want to go again.
Go to Nick’s Riverside Grille for lunch (Georgetown) and take your kids on a boat ride! (Foggy Bottom Metro stop)
and some walking but it’s a nice area.
I went about 15 years ago so my knowledge is dated, but, we had no problem riding the Metro/Bus out to see George Washington’s home. Just don’t miss the bus connection or you’ll be sitting as a minority for a few.
We stayed near Dupont Circle and walked or metroed everywhere, took a taxi a few times.
A good current guide book before you go is your friend. I think we used Frommers.
Always take a sit down break around 2:30 or 3, preferably with snacks if you have kids, it will change your life and make it much easier to keep going.
There is a tourist bus that makes a big circle around the Mall and other nearby areas of interests. You can reboard at will. It’s worth the cost.
Get the White House tour, it’s awe inspiring!
Definitely doing the White House. Once we firm up the dates I’ll submit the request to my Senator.
Our plan is to stay in the Tysons Corner area. The hotel looks great and I can use my points for the free stay. If I stay closer to DC the points per night almost double.
Ha. That was already on my wifes list for us. Thank you.
Free tour for all I guess. Couldn’t wait for a proper visit request through their congressman I guess. lol.
Thank you. I think that’s a great idea. Being former military I get it. My kids however will see the gravity of how our brave men and women have fought for our country and the freedoms we take for granted.
all 19 of the Smithsonians and the National Zoo are free...expect long lines though...
The Mall has the Capitol at one end and Lincoln at the other ...that could fill almost a day to walk down and see everything...South of the Mall are the Jefferson and the MLK memorials...
The views of Washington from all 4 sides at the top of Washington monument are awesome...I think its open again...again long lines...
Lincoln’s Memorial is inspiring...
Don’t miss the Vietnam Veterans’ Wall or the WWII Memorial
If you want to go up in the gallery of the Capitol to watch the Senate or the House get tickets from your own congress critter’s office staff before you go..either locally or from the Washington office...you wont be allowed upstairs without tickets/passes..
I don’t know how theyre doing the White House tickets now...we use to have to line up at an outside box office on the Ellipse about 6AM to get them on the day we wanted to visit but Obama changed all that...he locked the people out of their own house...
King Street and Braddock Rd Metro Stations are both in Alexandria. Can just buy day tickets and ride the Blue line to Arlington (Arlington Cemetery), then Farragut West (walk to White House). From the White House, you can just walk to the Vietnam Wall, Lincoln Memorial, along the reflecting pool to the WW2 Memorial. From there to the Washington Monument, then you have all of the Smithsonian museums between the Washington Monument and the Capitol.
There are kiosks serving hot dogs, burgers and beer along the Mall east of the Washington Monument. Decent restaurants are to the North of the Mall. Each Smithsonian has some sort of cafe (the Air & Space has a McDonalds). Bathrooms at the Lincoln, Washington Mon, and halfway in between. Each Smithsonian has bathrooms.
So, you can hop on the Metro in Alexandria and be on the Mall and walking around in 30 minutes or less. Great walking. Can even picnic on the Mall if you want. Good family time.
I assume you know the procedure for booking a tour for the White House. It involves contacting your local representatives and needs to be done well in advance
Well, there is no guarantees with Metro. Considering the time you are going, there should be lots of tourists so you should be ok. Unless it is a tour, I would stay away from buses.
Most of the things you want to see are near Capitol Hill and The Mall, which are pretty safe. Once there you can pretty much walk to everything, unless you have mobility concerns.
Thank you. I didn’t think of the gallery for watching the heathens hiss at each other. White house tours are supposedly a 2 month advance request. But it’s a tour again thankfully. Obama can kma.
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