Washington, DC Christmas/New Years Week

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Yes, there have been many issues on Metro lately, but it should be okay for your visit.

Please note that the Air and Space Museum is on the mall. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located out near Dulles, which is where they store the larger aircraft.

I recently took my 8 year old grandson to the Spy Museum and he loved it. It has been greatly improved since it first opened.

I would recommend a visit to Mt. Vernon as well. You could also consider the Holocaust Museum if your kids are ready for that. You will want to buy tickets in advance for this.

 

[MommytoaSweetie]

Hi! This is my first post. I live in the DC area. The week after Christmas shouldn't be too crowded. Most schools are back in session so that cuts down on the tourists. The Air & Space museum can be a hike. It is out by Dulles airport.
Have a fun trip!

Just to clarify as another local, the week between Christmas and NY schools are generally still out (as far as I've ever seen), but it's usually pretty cold and we don't tend to go out as often so it's not nearly as busy in touristy areas as the summer. The Air & Space museum on the mall is great, as is the Udvar Hazy center in Chantilly, VA. They both offer different but awesome exhibits! We do often visit one of them over the break, so you never know who's around, lol.

Btw, the Air Force Memorial isn't super exciting for kids, but they can still appreciate it and if you have stories to share with them I'm sure it'll make it even better! My kids like it and love when we drive past.

 

[lluv3971]

I live in the DC area.

DC will not be that crowded after Christmas, until NYE. All the museums you mentioned would be great for your kids to see.
The sculpture garden has ice skating in the winter. You can follow that up by going to Cozi's and roasting your own smores at your table.
Not on a metro line, but very close to DC is Mount Vernon - George Washington's home. The home is beautiful and will be decorated for the holidays. I believe they also have kid activities during the holidays so check into that.
Also, Old Town Alexandria tends to have a family friendly NYE party. It is a quaint, historic little town with shops and great food on the Potomac. They will also be decorated for the holidays and tend to have parades and other things like carriage rides available.

Prepare for a range of weather and temps! I would not count on 50 degree days as someone else mentioned. Bring a heavy coat and maybe even boots for wet weather.

I've read the past threads on family travel to Washington, DC and wanted to see if anyone had travelled there the week after Christmas. I know it will be relatively crowded, but how bad is it? Also, what are some of the recommendations for things to do that week, including New Years Eve? How many days should I plan? Are there bargains I should seek on the non-free attractions, like Spy Museum?

I have a 12-year old son and a 8-year old daughter, both good walkers. I know we will want to go to the Natural History Museum, National Archives, Spy Museum, plus the monuments on the Mall. We will also probably add American History Museum, Air and Space, the Zoo, plus others. Although I am likely too late, I have submitted requests for the White House and Capital tours. (I really want my children to have a Civics lesson as part of this trip.) I am familiar with the area and many attractions, but my experience is from several years ago, and mostly from business travel. I am comfortable using the Metro, and will likely limit the attractions we see to those within walking distance of Metro stations.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations! This Board was a huge help on our Pigeon Forge trip this Summer.

 

[Eureka]

One thing to remember (and I hope you don't experience)...

DC and suburbs does not deal well with snow. Half inch, inch, 6 inches - whatever. We shut down for any and all snow. The mere mention of snow sends people into a frenzy. Don't fight it. And it really doesn't matter if YOU can drive in snow.... many of us have grown up with it and can handle it just fine. But there's something about this area and snow. Some of it is the traffic is horrific - and adding anything that makes driving more of an challenge only makes it worse. Add in it's difficult to forecast the rain/snow/sleet/freezing rain line (the topography really varies across the metro area) and you have fun for all. Just beware......

Yes....we don't have the equipment to deal with it efficiently and as a native New Englander, it's frustrating to see how they deal with snow and sleet here. Hopefully that week will be dry for you.

And for what it's worth, I'm in Southern Maryland and my kids are out from Dec 22 through New Years, so there will be people milling around.

 

[JaxDad]

Thanks everybody for the great advice. lluv3971, I forgot about Cozi's. I definitely have that on the list! I am also currently planning on going to Alexandria on NYE. We probably won't stay for Midnight, but will wander around and check out the festivities. Will the Metro be crazy that night? We will just need to hop from King Street back to Pentagon City. If it is bad, I can call a cab or see if the hotel will shuttle us.

 

[danygirl]

Thanks everybody for the great advice. lluv3971, I forgot about Cozi's. I definitely have that on the list! I am also currently planning on going to Alexandria on NYE. We probably won't stay for Midnight, but will wander around and check out the festivities. Will the Metro be crazy that night? We will just need to hop from King Street back to Pentagon City. If it is bad, I can call a cab or see if the hotel will shuttle us.

I think many locals take off work that week, so it should be less crowded on metro and folks will be friendlier. You might be able to get tickets for a Christmas Carol at Ford's Theater, which is cool. National Harbor is a lot of fun and they have a big ferris wheel now,too. If you are going to the Air Force Memorial you should go to Arlington Cemetery as well. They have wreaths on every grave and there is the Tomb of the Unknown and the Kennedy flame.