Washington DC Vacation Help

[allieoop]

We are trying to plan a trip to DC this summer, and have the choice of two weeks - either June 13-18 or July 25-30. Anyone who lives in DC have any opinions about which is better? I know July will be hotter, but crowd-wise any ideas? Are there special events either week that we need to avoid?

TIA for any help.

 

[Hoodie]

July can be brutal. Hot, sticky and thunderstorms. Of course, that can occur in June too!

That week in June is the US Open I think. Shouldn't really affect the tourist areas though.

 

[bdcp]

Neither is really better weather-wise. It can be just as hot and humid for both. The only thing about June 13-18 is that most schools in the DC area and most of the north aren't out for the summer yet so crowds could be a little lower. I guess because we grew up here, we don't really pay much attention to crowds downtown. We just go when we feel like it (and we drive so parking can be an issue if not there early). It can be crowded year round because lots of school groups are here during the school year.

 

[luvmyfam444]

We went last July28 & had a BLAST! It was extremely hot 98 degrees the day we were at Arlington Cem. And we were theere with the 25,000 boyscouts
Sure it was crowded, but nothing like WDW. We stil could see all the exhibits we wanted - we actually - the President's dresses we couldn't - IMO they have it laid out in a crappy way & it was really tight moving & tons of stuff crammed in the cases - so people want to stand there & read everything & the line doesn't move. And you're missing other cases scattered thru the room

Shoot me a message if you want any other info - or if you want someone (or lots of someone's) to tag along - I could convince my family to go back in a heartbeat! (If only we could afford it) it was our best vacation ever.

 

[allieoop]

Thanks everybody. It sounds like one week isn't really any better than the other as far as crowds go. I know it's going to be hot either time. But I'm born and raised in Tennessee so I guess I'm use to it and it doesn't really bother me like it does most people.

 

[wvjules]

Neither is really better weather-wise. It can be just as hot and humid for both. The only thing about June 13-18 is that most schools in the DC area and most of the north aren't out for the summer yet so crowds could be a little lower. I guess because we grew up here, we don't really pay much attention to crowds downtown. We just go when we feel like it (and we drive so parking can be an issue if not there early). It can be crowded year round because lots of school groups are here during the school year.

This!

Personally I would go with the June dates. I think the later in the summer you go the more crowded and hotter/humider it will be.

 

[Christine]

Go in June.

Weather is so weird here though. It can be blazing in June. And cool in July. My DD was born on July 29 and my parents were wearing jackets to the hospital--it was cool and rainy.

You just never know. But June, overall, will have less humidity.

 

[lovegrumpy]

Go in June. The kids well all still be in school intell the end of June.

 

[allieoop]

Go in June. The kids well all still be in school intell the end of June.

I read in a guidebook or somewhere that the kids are still in school, but that's the time of year that most of the schools take field trips. Does that sound right to y'all? I guess when I read that I pictured a bunch of not-very-supervised kids like we've run into at WDW.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think the weather would be more tolerable in June. We are in Prince William County and to just give you an idea--schools here end June 17, but I have no idea if it includes snow days or not.

I can't imagine local schools taking field trips (ETA: I meant the last week of school). But I moved from Florida where school ends at the end of May, beginning of June. So I could see schools that are already out doing educational tours at that time. Kids tend to remain relatively chaperoned.

 

[bdcp]

Schools absolutely do field trips to DC. Local and out of town groups. When my boys were growing up we did many field trips to DC (monuments, museums and the zoo) at all times during the year. A lot of out of the area schools go to DC as their end of the school year trip too.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Schools absolutely do field trips to DC. Local and out of town groups. When my boys were growing up we did many field trips to DC (monuments, museums and the zoo) at all times during the year. A lot of out of the area schools go to DC as their end of the school year trip too.

Well, it helps if I wrote the rest of my sentence. I meant for the very last week of school.

I really don't know what school field trip protocol is up here, but where I used to live, the last week of school didn't have field trips. That was what I meant.

 

[MomToPirate&Princess]

I'd vote for July.

We live just outside DC. Each of the grades in our school K-6 took field trips in the month of June last year, as do most of the local schools. The museums are swamped with groups of kids.

July is much hotter than June, but so many of the museums and things you will likely be touring are indoors. If you try to schedule outdoor attractions like Monuments, Arlington, and the National Zoo for early and/or later in the day and hit the indoor Museums during the peak heat, July is definitely doable.

I guess it really depends on what is likely to be more stressful for you and your family - touring around groups of kids or dealing with high temps.

Have fun. There is so much to see and do in DC.

 

[Christine]

Well, it helps if I wrote the rest of my sentence. I meant for the very last week of school.

I really don't know what school field trip protocol is up here, but where I used to live, the last week of school didn't have field trips. That was what I meant.

Agree, I don't think my kids have EVER had a field trip during the last week of school or even in June for that matter.

 

[lovegrumpy]

I have never had any issues with school groups.

 

[LaraK]

Our kids get out of school somewhere around June 15th. In July it will be hot as blazes and you have a higher potential for thunderstorms, but all the locals will stay the heck away, we go to the beach then.

 

[luvmyfam444]

You didn't ask - but I HAVE to tell ya the best thing we did the entire trip (Really!) We took the sights at night bike tour. it was well worth our money - we did it the first night we were there. My kids asked everyday if they were going to do it again (I wish we would have rented them on our own again).

 

[Teacher03]

Another vote for June, just because of the heat and humidity. I know June can be hot, but July is unbearable. DD lives in DC, and my summer visit is always as early in June as I can manage.