Washington, D.C. school trip food budget

[buffalogirl]

My daughter is going to D.C. with a high school group this weekend. Some of the meals are prepaid, but others are at her expense. She will be paying for lunch at Udvar Hazy Museum McDonald's, dinner at Ronald Reagan Building Food Court, and lunch at the Smithsonian Museum Complex. I have never been to any of these places. I'm guessing the food will be priced higher because this is a tourist area.

Would a budget of $10-$15 per meal be appropriate?

Also, would she be allowed to bring a small backpack or purse, with a water bottle and maybe a granola bar? Would security go through her bag and make her throw these things away? Just want to also budget snack money if these things are not allowed.

Any feedback or advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

That amount of money will be fine per meal. You can bring a backpack with food and water into the museums, but they are searched.

BTW, the best museum food is at the Mitsitam Cafe at the National Museum of the American Indian.

http://www.nmai.si.edu/visit/washington/mitsitam-cafe/

 

[debster812]

My son just got back from his DC trip last night. They left after school Friday, toured all day Saturday, all day Sunday and 3/4 of a day yesterday. We were told to budget between $10-15 per meal that the kids had to pay for. We went with $20, just to have a little wiggle room, and he came back with some money. He had a great time, and says he wishes they stayed longer!

 

[TwoMisfits]

I'd go with $15 per meal plus add on $10-15 total for the trip for snacks/water. $10 will not cover a good meal and drink at the Smithsonian or Ronald Reagan (it will barely cover the McD at Air and Space since that is more an McD at airport prices, not local prices)...

 

[verleniahall]

i went to nyc summer after sophmore year - i would budget about 20 per meal to give some wiggle room - i would also budget about 25-30 for snacks - it will add up after awhile

 

[PlutoPony]

You can usually get a bottle of water through security but food is more problematic. Don't be surprised if she has to toss the granola bar, and it's possible (but not likely) the water as well. The White House and Capitol will NOT let food and water in as well as a lot of other things; if they are touring those sites I would assume the school will give them specifics on what they can and cannot do.

Btw, the current forecast has it getting a little cooler here this weekend like 40's and 50's. Of course that may change by then. Our temps have been really up and down this spring so far

Hope she has a good time. Spring is the best time to visit DC imo

 

[buffalogirl]

OP here, thanks so much for all the helpful information!

 

[Ali]

We were allowed to bring an emptied water bottle into the capital building and we filled it up again inside in the bathrooms. It was very hot in July so we needed water The meals at the Smithsonian food court was surprisingly expensive and we spent 34 for 2 meals.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I could easily eat for under $10-$15 a meal at the Ronald Regan Building Food Court or any of the museums. We aren't talking about gourmet food here!

http://www.itcdc.com/Visitor-Information/Dining/Food-Court.aspx

http://www.si.edu/dining

Again, you can bring food and water into any of the museums. I've done it many, many times.

I am surprised that the OP's child is eating dinner at the RR Food court. I've been there for evening events a number of times and everything is closed down by 6-7 pm.

 

[kymom99]

My son went to DC in January. I gave him something like $100 for 3 days and he came back with more than half of it. They ate breakfast at the hotel and were encouraged by the management to pack snacks from the breakfast bar. Residence Inn Arlington. They ate at McDonalds near the hotel twice and at Mt. Vernon once. They also stopped at a rest area on the turnpike and ate fast food there. They packed dinner for the bus ride there and the school bought pizza for them one night.

 

[hsmamato2]

just got back from dc with a group of kids... eating at any of the smithsonian mall restaurants is expensive.... A small basic green salad at (one of them?) costs about 9.00, a drink is another 3-5.00, etc. The Indian museum has interesting food but it is expensive. (And I eat at Disney!) Food there will run at least 20.00 for a burger,fries and a soda. Plan for 20-25 per meal and you should be ok.(better to come back with $$ than to run out) If he is stuck touring with a group and museum foods, it will be pricier than eating at Disney.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

just got back from dc with a group of kids... eating at any of the smithsonian mall restaurants is expensive.... A small basic green salad at (one of them?) costs about 9.00, a drink is another 3-5.00, etc. The Indian museum has interesting food but it is expensive. (And I eat at Disney!) Food there will run at least 20.00 for a burger,fries and a soda. Plan for 20-25 per meal and you should be ok.(better to come back with $$ than to run out) If he is stuck touring with a group and museum foods, it will be pricier than eating at Disney.

I'm not sure where you were eating, but I live in the DC area and I've never spent that much at these food places. Maybe the soda jacks up the price (I don't drink it)?

 

[buffalogirl]

I could easily eat for under $10-$15 a meal at the Ronald Regan Building Food Court or any of the museums. We aren't talking about gourmet food here!

http://www.itcdc.com/Visitor-Information/Dining/Food-Court.aspx

http://www.si.edu/dining

Again, you can bring food and water into any of the museums. I've done it many, many times.

I am surprised that the OP's child is eating dinner at the RR Food court. I've been there for evening events a number of times and everything is closed down by 6-7 pm.

OP here, thanks for the info and links. The RR Food court dinner is Friday at 5:00 pm, they close at 7 on Fridays, so she should be okay.

 

[ibob52]

IIRC the bottled drinks were about the same price as some theme park / airport prices ($3.00 - $5.00)

 

[SEA333]

My oldest son went last year. The whole $1200, 4 day trip included "meals". What really happened was that breakfast at the hotel was free, dinner was paid for at places like Golden Corral, and the kids were handed a $10 bill as they walked off the tour bus for lunch.

We were told that the kids *might* want some additional spending money in case they want more food or snacks. Ummm....14 year old, 8th grade football players are going to eat WAY more than a $10 hot dog, chips, and soda lunch!

The tour gave each child a "free" drawstring bag and they were able to carry a water bottle and snacks every day.

Lucky me...I get to pay for this again in 3 years, and again 2 years after that....yay.

 

[kymom99]

I paid $350 for 3 nights. Charter bus. 3 to a room.

 

[luvsJack]

We went to DC last year. We just budgeted just like we do for WDW. A quick service meal at about $15 per person and $6-8 a day for snacks/drinks. And then rounded off the total to have money to at least equal one extra meal. Food was fairly expensive. We had to throw away all food and drinks at the Capital but I don't remember anything about it anywhere else.

 

[MinnieForMe]

My son is going in two weeks. They also will be given $10 per meal for anything that is in a food court from the tour company. We were encouraged to send water bottles.

 

[bdcp]

I live 5 miles from Udvar-Hazy and have been to almost all the museums in DC multiple times. They are more expensive, but not as expensive as one poster stated. The McDonalds in Udvar-Hazy is more than any another McDonald's but not twice as much. The Smithsonian museums aren't cheap, but DH and I ate in the Natural History museum last August for lunch and once again, $15 is plenty. The Reagan building food court has a lot of options-more like a shopping mall food court and I'm sure the costs there are only a little more than you would spend in the same restaurants in your local mall.

 

[sheetz]

We visited DC and the Reagan food court was priced much like any mall food court. Most things under $10. Food is more expensive at the museums so we ate at the Chop't Salad across from the National Archives.