Best places to visit for kids in DC

[katie111]

Stopping in DC this week for two nights on our way to Hilton Head. I just decided this morning to do this so I haven't done much research at all and I haven't been to DC since I was a kid. We'll have about 48 hours total in DC and are staying at a hotel near the zoo. Definitely want to do the zoo one morning but what else did your kids really enjoy? My kids are 6, 9, and 10. Thinking of the the Smithsonians and the monuments but not sure which ones. Also, maybe the Newseum? Or Fords theater? Open to any other suggestions of things to do or places to eat.

 

[msd1776]

Hands down, I would suggest spending a day at Mt Vernon. I have been there 2 times and the museum that they added is the best I have seen. I have heard that they had imagineers help with the design and they run the museum without any public funding. Your kids are at a great age to introduce them to a marvelous man to who our country owes much. A visit to MV includes the house, outbuildings, his tomb, farm, and museum.

 

[Shea&Van]

Hi there!

We like the Spy Museum and Air and Space. Lots of cool things to do in town. My kids like the zoo too, but it can be HOT so be prepared with nice cool clothes and drink plenty of fluids. The zoo is very hilly but really fun for kids.

Have a wonderful trip!!

 

[Eureka]

I would stick to the museums on the mall if you only have a couple of days. Natural history, Air and Space and American history are all there and have plenty for kids. We went to the spy museum a few years ago when the kids were maybe 8 and 6 and a lot of it went over their heads. Plus the spy museum is not cheap, it's one of the few museums you have to pay for. The zoo is fun for animal lovers, but not really near anything else (relatively speaking) and it's a lot of walking, especially in the hot weather. Although they do have misting stations throughout. If you drive to the zoo, get there early because parking fills up very quickly. There is a fee for parking but I don't know what the current rate is. If you stay around the mall, you can also walk to many of the monuments. Again, lots of walking if it's hot (although we have been getting a respite of sorts recently with very low humidity) but very pretty along the reflecting pool. My 12 year old is the only one who has been to the Newseum, it was a 6th grade field trip. He liked it and the rest of us would like to go. Not sure how appropriate it is for younger kids. And it's not free either.

Edited to add that Mount Vernon is nice too. My kids both went there for field trips in first or second grade. The hands-on room in the visitor's center is good for that age, but the movie and the house got a little boring for them. We have been back several times as they have gotten older and they have enjoyed it more.

 

[MyPeanut&Bug]

We were in DC last summer when my kids were 6 and 7 and Air & Space and the Natl. History Museum were 2 of my their favorites. They also really enjoyed the American History Museum - don't know if it was a temporary exhibit or not but they had the actual flag that Francis Scott Key saw when he wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" and they were both pretty impressed by that. (It WAS very cool!)

They tired of monuments pretty quickly (and it WAS in the 90's and very hot!) but both also really liked paddle boating in the Tidal Basin by the monuments as well.

 

[ssawka]

I agree with PPs. With just a couple of days, I would focus on the zoo and the mall, and in particular the museums. Also, there is a carousel on the mall that is fun.

Also, just a warning! Do not try to do it all, and make sure you have good walking shoes. DC is a very spread out city and you will do quite a bit of walking. Also, make sure you used the Metro to get around. The Metro is DC's subway, but it is fairly safe and relatively clean. It is the best way to get around town, but try to avoid it during rush "hour". Rush hour is about 7:00 - 9:30 AM and about 3:30-6:30 PM. The trains are very crowded during these hours.

 

[crisi]

Since you have a car (I'm assuming), I'd do the zoo and then drive to Udvar Hazy - its part of the Smithsonian, but since it isn't on the mall, its hard to get to. Or the Baltimore Aquarium (I haven't been, but I hear its very good).

Are your kids museum kids? - my daughter is and always has been - my son, not so much. The Smithsonians are AMAZING, but they are museums, and get boring to people who don't like museums - particularly kids who don't have context for "Lincoln's Hat."

 

[drcmk]

Since you have a car (I'm assuming), I'd do the zoo and then drive to Udvar Hazy - its part of the Smithsonian, but since it isn't on the mall, its hard to get to."

If you have the car, I second the Udvar Hazy--the space shuttle Discovery is there, along with countless historic aircraft, including the Enola Gay and hot air balloons and early aircraft, apparently composed of leather and wood! Seeing an aircraft that had actually been in space was awe-inspiring to us. I did not expect to be as fascinated as I was by the aircraft--military, commercial private-- as I was. My whole family loved it. The hangar is almost incomprehensibly hug.

We spent our entire DC vacation going from one Smithsonian to another until our feet gave out and we didn't see a third of what there is to see.

 

[ssawka]

Since you have a car (I'm assuming), I'd do the zoo and then drive to Udvar Hazy - its part of the Smithsonian, but since it isn't on the mall, its hard to get to. Or the Baltimore Aquarium (I haven't been, but I hear its very good).

Are your kids museum kids? - my daughter is and always has been - my son, not so much. The Smithsonians are AMAZING, but they are museums, and get boring to people who don't like museums - particularly kids who don't have context for "Lincoln's Hat."

If you have the car, I second the Udvar Hazy--the space shuttle Discovery is there, along with countless historic aircraft, including the Enola Gay and hot air balloons and early aircraft, apparently composed of leather and wood! Seeing an aircraft that had actually been in space was awe-inspiring to us. I did not expect to be as fascinated as I was by the aircraft--military, commercial private-- as I was. My whole family loved it. The hangar is almost incomprehensibly hug.

We spent our entire DC vacation going from one Smithsonian to another until our feet gave out and we didn't see a third of what there is to see.

The Udvar Hazy is another great option, just be cognizant of the time of day you go as traffic in and around DC can be horrendous. Also be aware that although the Udvar Hazy museum, like all Smithsonian museums, is free. There is a $15 parking fee at the museum. Still, not a bad deal, but often visitors are caught by surprise with the fee.

 

[Fratthouse]

DC is such a fun place! Your family will have a great time, and as you can tell from PPs - there will be plenty to fill your time for two days!

Of the Smithsonian Museums, my favorites are the Natural History and National History museum. If you have boys, they may also like the air & space museum - there was a pretty cool star wars exhibit when we were there (that was several years ago, so it may or may not still be around). I would suggest looking ahead of time at what is at each museum so that you can just hit the highlights when you are there - they are massive and you could easily spend an entire day at each one.

The monuments are pretty amazing ad worth seeing - I would definitely recommend Lincoln and Washington if you don't do anything else. Mt. Vernon is also very cool, but far out from everything, so you will have to decide if it's worth your limited time.

Just another tip - DC has a great subway system that can be much easier to navigate than trying to find parking down by the mall. Plus, your kids might just find it fun to ride in a subway (if you're not f rom somewhere that has one. It will take you right down by the mall where the smithsonian museums, monuments, and the capital are. From there, you can walk to any of these sights.

Have a great time!

 

[Becc1]

I agree with the previous posters, I would go with the museums on the mall, Natural, American and Air and Space on one day and the zoo another. We like to get to the mall early so we can find parking right there on the street, go to one museum, have a picnic lunch on the mall and then hit up the other 2. My kids are 17, 10,9 and 6, they all love the museums and we do this every year.

As for the zoo, for us it is an all day thing, you are going in the middle of the summer and it will be hot, like another poster said they do have misting stations so that helps, also take advantage of the indoor exhibits with air conditioning! We are usually so wiped out by the end of the day, if I were you I would go back to the hotel to rest and clean up (because you will be sweating, lol) and then go out to dinner and maybe go over to see the memorials at night. That is our favorite time to go to the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorial.

 

[Dancemomof3]

Hands down, I would suggest spending a day at Mt Vernon. I have been there 2 times and the museum that they added is the best I have seen. I have heard that they had imagineers help with the design and they run the museum without any public funding. Your kids are at a great age to introduce them to a marvelous man to who our country owes much. A visit to MV includes the house, outbuildings, his tomb, farm, and museum.

I'm going to second this. My friend and I insisted on going to Mt. Vernon when our families took a trip to D.C. over Spring Break. Our husbands did not like the idea but went along for the ride. They are dairy farmers so they found the farm aspect absolutely fascinating. We were not too sure about the kids but they loved the whole thing, especially the scavenger hunt because they each got a pressed penny at the end. Our 10 year olds were in the same class last year and their teacher had them do a "top 10" list of their Spring Break. Number 1 on each list was Mt. Vernon

 

[Eureka]

don't know if it was a temporary exhibit or not but they had the actual flag that Francis Scott Key saw when he wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" and they were both pretty impressed by that. (It WAS very cool!)

The flag is a permanent exhibit.

 

[Eureka]

The Udvar Hazy is another great option, just be cognizant of the time of day you go as traffic in and around DC can be horrendous. Also be aware that although the Udvar Hazy museum, like all Smithsonian museums, is free. There is a $15 parking fee at the museum. Still, not a bad deal, but often visitors are caught by surprise with the fee.

If you go there, try to be there when they are giving free tours. We went in April and the docent gave us a 90 minute tour with tons of information. Otherwise, it's this huge hangar filled with planes but minimal info listed for each one. A little overwhelming if you don't know where to start.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Hi there!

We like the Spy Museum and Air and Space. Lots of cool things to do in town. My kids like the zoo too, but it can be HOT so be prepared with nice cool clothes and drink plenty of fluids. The zoo is very hilly but really fun for kids.

Have a wonderful trip!!

I second this. As a local I can't get enough of the air and space museum. The spy museum is amazing. The rest are good too but you don't have a lot of time. If you can walk around and see the memorials ie Lincoln , Jefferson , Vietnam etc.
Enjoy!

Sent from my iPhone using DISBoards

 

[writersblock42]

One thing to keep in mind is that the museums are free so don't feel like you have to experience the entire museum. Hit the highlights and then move on if the kids are bored. Air and Space Museum, Natural History and American History are my favorites. They have hands on activities in the American History Museum including participating in the lunch counter and you can sign up for science experiments. The Holocaust Museum is an amazing experience but I don't think it is age appropriate for your kids. Others might have different opinions but my son at those same ages was not emotionally ready for it. If you do decided to do the Washington Monument, the tickets go in advance. You might want to get advance tickets or get there first thing in the morning. There might be a fee for advanced tickets but I believe the tickets themselves are free. The zoo is at least half a day if not a full day adventure. I personally think that the spy museum is very overpriced. Mt. Vernon is pretty cool as well. There is also the Botantic Gardens.

 

[ssawka]

If you do decided to do the Washington Monument, the tickets go in advance. You might want to get advance tickets or get there first thing in the morning. There might be a fee for advanced tickets but I believe the tickets themselves are free.

The Washington Monument is closed through 2013 due to damage it sustained from the earthquake two years ago.

 

[crisi]

The Spy Museum and Newsmusem are private museums that DO have a charge. We didn't do the Newsmuseum, but found the Spy Museum fun.

Also, while the museums are free and therefore it isn't a big deal to move on economically, you do a LOT of walking, and the museums can be BLOCKS from one another. Have a plan of attack that doesn't have you spending all your time moving from museum to museum every time one of three children lets out "I'm BORED!"

 

[sharon_wv]

I agree with the previous posters, I would go with the museums on the mall, Natural, American and Air and Space on one day and the zoo another. We like to get to the mall early so we can find parking right there on the street, go to one museum, have a picnic lunch on the mall and then hit up the other 2. My kids are 17, 10,9 and 6, they all love the museums and we do this every year.

As for the zoo, for us it is an all day thing, you are going in the middle of the summer and it will be hot, like another poster said they do have misting stations so that helps, also take advantage of the indoor exhibits with air conditioning! We are usually so wiped out by the end of the day, if I were you I would go back to the hotel to rest and clean up (because you will be sweating, lol) and then go out to dinner and maybe go over to see the memorials at night. That is our favorite time to go to the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorial.

I second this plan. My 18 year old DD and 7 year old DD both would be very happy with this plan. DC is a beautiful city. I work there and envy all the families vacationing there every day. LOL

 

[shortbun]

Seems like they have a new baby panda at the zoo...you'll need a reservation to see that unless you get there really early. I think your children would find Mt. Vernon boring-except maybe the 10yo. The house is hot and there are often very long lines for that tour. You can spend your time on the green space at the mall outside and take in a museum or two. Air and Space is cool for kids and the Natural History museum with the dinosaurs is always a hit too. Don't try to do too much, especially if it's hot. Take a change of socks for everyone so they don't get blisters-Disney people know how to beat foot exhaustion, eh?! Did you notice that the Lincoln Memorial is closed right now due to vandalism? I love sitting in the grass, watching the squirrels on the Mall.