Washington DC

[TeamTinkerbell]

I second Mount Vernon! It was very interesting. The gift shop is great too!

We visited D.C. and Virginia for the first time a year ago. My oldest dd was an ambassador of the People to People leadership program that spent a week in D.C. She did her thing and the rest of the family went and made a vacation out of it. It was one of the best we have had! I want to go back so bad because we didn't even get to see everything in a week.

All the monuments are so surreal. Have fun and take lots of pics! Another thing I did was buy a guidebook from all the places we went. I can later look at them at home, slowly. There is so much to take in, with 4 kids with us, not alot of time to concentrate on things, kwim?

HAVE FUN!!


The most memorable moment for me was visiting Iwo Jima. It was a beautiful, breathtaking, huge monument. Seeing it on tv doesn't even come close to what it looks like close up.

Yes, definitely Iwo Jima. My great uncle was one of the first to land there. We'll just have to hit the high points and then plan another trip to get the rest. I've heard that there is no way to do everything in one week.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

If you do the zoo, I always recommend going by the National Cathedral. It's not too far from the zoo and They offer tours, but you can also wander around (as long as there isn't an event). Also, you can go up in the tower and have a decent view of the city. There is a self-guided gargoyle tour which is kind of fun for kids. Sort of a giant search and find (try to find Darth Vader. I still haven't found him).

If you are looking for something outside the city for the day, Mt. Vernon, the Dulles branch of the Air and Space museum and a few civil war battlefields are around (Manassas). Also, a good day trip is up to Baltimore to Ft. McHenry (where the Star Spangled Banner was written).

The Spy Museum is great for older kids (and parents) but can be pricey. Personally, I think the admission is worth it, unlike The Newseum which is interesting, but WAY overpriced IMO.

How far is the zoo and National Cathedral from everything else?

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

We went to Great Falls last weekend. I'd put that on a to-do list. It is one of the most amazing waterfalls I've ever seen. Going in October(?) would make it even more beautiful. There is a trail that goes along the ridge and it has some amazing views, you can see rock climbers too. I hate "hiking" but this one was totally worth it.

I'll have to check that out b/c we love waterfalls. Where is that exactly?

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

Thanks to everyone who has given me great advice. Please keep it coming. Planning this will get me through the winter!!

 

[wvjules]

It is in McLean. http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm

The Zoo and National Cathedral are a metro ride away from the Mall and monuments.

 

[bamagirl@hrt]

When planning, I bought 2 tour books: The Unofficial Guide and Frommer's (I think!). I got a lot of great info from the Washington DC forum on TripAdvisor. There are a lot of locals who are very willing to share info with visitors. That's how I learned about DC by Foot, to eat at Founding Farmer's restaurant (very good!), and about getting tickets for the Washington Monument in advance. It's almost as good as the DISboards are for WDW.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

Great Falls it is. I'll just have to figure out which day to go.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

When planning, I bought 2 tour books: The Unofficial Guide and Frommer's (I think!). I got a lot of great info from the Washington DC forum on TripAdvisor. There are a lot of locals who are very willing to share info with visitors. That's how I learned about DC by Foot, to eat at Founding Farmer's restaurant (very good!), and about getting tickets for the Washington Monument in advance. It's almost as good as the DISboards are for WDW.

Thank you. I'll check that out. It never hurts to have a lot of info.

 

[CruiserMom2096]

deleted - posted under wrong screen name

 

[CruiserMom2096]

Cruisermom, were you on the Wonder last month? Anyway, I went to DC on an 8th trip too many years ago to count. My DD (12 by the trip) has not been, but enjoys history. Thanks for the info on the metro. I hear it's easy to use and inexpensive.

No, but I have been on the Wonder a couple of times. I cruised in Sept on that really big ship on that other cruise line (starts with a "Freedom" and ends with a "Seas", LOL!")

Your DD will love DC. My DD is 11 also, and a big history and museum buff. My DH works in DC, so we visit there several times a year. In fact, we are going back over Thanksgiving holiday. I'm so glad someone mentioned the National Cathedral, that is one place we've never visited but always meant to. I think we will try to go on this trip. We are also seeing the Terra Cotta Warriors exhibit at the National Geographic museum this trip.

 

[disfan07]

We lived 20 minutes outides of DC until last may for 20 years...there is so much to do there...
I can't help with the hotels but I can help with what to do while there..


How long are you planning on going for?

The museums and Monuments are amazing...
Washington Monument
Jefferson Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
FDR memorial
American History Museum
Natural History Museum
National Air and Space Museum
Newseum---i love this place
Spy museum---good for older kids...and adults
Archives
The Postal Museum (go to the top)
Building Museum
Ford's Theater

And of course the capitol--tickets are required for tours and have to be obtained either through your congress member or through visitthecapitol.gov


Also...National Cathedral, Kennedy Center
the zoo is okay....i really don't think it's anything special but if you have kids who like animals it might be worth it if you have time

The library of congress is really cool as well

The White House---unfortunately, you havent been able to buy tickets for tours for years now BUT you can still get tours BUT they have to be made through your congress member
(since you can't get public tours, the white house visitor center is a neat place to go and just learn about teh white house adn it's history and architecture, etc.)


Within about a 1 to 1 1/2 hour drive of DC...
Virginia:
Arlington National Cemetary
Natinal Air and Space Museum- Dulles Annex
Mount Vernon
Gunston Hall

Maryland:
Baltimore
Ft. McHenry

Theres is so much more than this but this is what I can remember from memory right now

 

[DancingBear]

How far is the zoo and National Cathedral from everything else?

The zoo is easy to get to on the Metro Red Line. The Cathedral is harder to reach by public transport.

As noted above, you can get timed tour tickets for the Capitol reserved on-line. Same for the National Archives and Washington Monument and Ford's Theater. Extra cost, but you can also buy ahead on-line for timed tickets to the Spy Museum and to the IMAX shows at the Air and Space Museum (and Udvar-Hazy annex) and the Natural History Museum, as well as for the planetarium show at Air and Space.

Would be helpful to know ages of who is in your party, how long you are planning to visit, and whether you will have a car.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

The zoo is easy to get to on the Metro Red Line. The Cathedral is harder to reach by public transport.

As noted above, you can get timed tour tickets for the Capitol reserved on-line. Same for the National Archives and Washington Monument and Ford's Theater. Extra cost, but you can also buy ahead on-line for timed tickets to the Spy Museum and to the IMAX shows at the Air and Space Museum (and Udvar-Hazy annex) and the Natural History Museum, as well as for the planetarium show at Air and Space.

Would be helpful to know ages of who is in your party, how long you are planning to visit, and whether you will have a car.

It will be myself and 12 year old daugther going. We plan to stay in Colonial Williamsburg for a night or two and then 5 in DC. I'm not sure yet if we'll drive or fly.

 

[DancingBear]

I assume that one way or another you'll probably have a car for the Williamsburg portion of your trip. If so, I suggest you try to include a visit to Jamestown. They built a really nice visitor's center for the 400th anniversary a couple of years ago, then they have the recreated indian village, fort and ships, with reenactors. It would make for a nice morning or afternoon.

If you do not have a car while in DC, I'd probably cut out things that aren't easily accessible by public transportation, like Mount Vernon and Great Falls. Iwo Jima is also not the easiest place to get to without a car, although possible. On the other hand, 5 nights is a fair amount of time in DC and will give you a chance to get beyond the Mall a bit, like exploring Georgetown, the National Cathedral, Dupont Circle.

At your daughter's age, you might consider the Newseum and/or the Spy Museum, although those are not free. The Kennedy Center has free short performances each evening, and a beautiful view from the roof. Consider the art museums including the African and Asian museums under the backyard of the Smithsonian Castle, or the National Portrait Gallery/Museum of American Art, which are co-located in the old Patent Building directly across from the Spy Museum. The Patent Building was the site of inaugural balls in its day (including Lincoln's)--another building which has hosted many of those, and still does, is the National Building Museum.

The Smithsonian museums close fairly early that time of year, so you'll want to plan some evening activities. In October you might catch the NHL Capitals or NBA Wizards at the Verizon Center. Or check out a concert or play or musical at the Kennedy Center, National Theater, Shakespeare Theater or many other venues (even Strathmore, which is in the Maryland suburbs, is easily accessible on Metro's Red Line).

Old Town Alexandria is easily accessible by Metro and a nice place to wander, window-shop and dine.

The Jefferson, FDR, Korean, Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials, and even the WWII Memorial, involve a walk from the nearest Metro station. Consider the on-off buses (Tourmobile and Olde Town Trolley). There are also a couple of bus options that are not particularly well-publicized which can get you places Metro does not go to directly:

http://www.dccirculator.com/DCCirculator.html
http://www.georgetowndc.com/getting-here/shuttle

 

[DancingBear]

The museums and Monuments are amazing...
The Postal Museum (go to the top)

Note I think disfan here is referring to the Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue (a trip to the tower here is a good substitute for going to the top of the Washington Monument), and not the National Postal Museum (a Smithsonian museum) which is located next to Union Station.

 

[TeamTinkerbell]

I assume that one way or another you'll probably have a car for the Williamsburg portion of your trip. If so, I suggest you try to include a visit to Jamestown. They built a really nice visitor's center for the 400th anniversary a couple of years ago, then they have the recreated indian village, fort and ships, with reenactors. It would make for a nice morning or afternoon.

If you do not have a car while in DC, I'd probably cut out things that aren't easily accessible by public transportation, like Mount Vernon and Great Falls. Iwo Jima is also not the easiest place to get to without a car, although possible. On the other hand, 5 nights is a fair amount of time in DC and will give you a chance to get beyond the Mall a bit, like exploring Georgetown, the National Cathedral, Dupont Circle.

At your daughter's age, you might consider the Newseum and/or the Spy Museum, although those are not free. The Kennedy Center has free short performances each evening, and a beautiful view from the roof. Consider the art museums including the African and Asian museums under the backyard of the Smithsonian Castle, or the National Portrait Gallery/Museum of American Art, which are co-located in the old Patent Building directly across from the Spy Museum. The Patent Building was the site of inaugural balls in its day (including Lincoln's)--another building which has hosted many of those, and still does, is the National Building Museum.

The Smithsonian museums close fairly early that time of year, so you'll want to plan some evening activities. In October you might catch the NHL Capitals or NBA Wizards at the Verizon Center. Or check out a concert or play or musical at the Kennedy Center, National Theater, Shakespeare Theater or many other venues (even Strathmore, which is in the Maryland suburbs, is easily accessible on Metro's Red Line).

Old Town Alexandria is easily accessible by Metro and a nice place to wander, window-shop and dine.

The Jefferson, FDR, Korean, Vietnam and Lincoln Memorials, and even the WWII Memorial, involve a walk from the nearest Metro station. Consider the on-off buses (Tourmobile and Olde Town Trolley). There are also a couple of bus options that are not particularly well-publicized which can get you places Metro does not go to directly:

http://www.dccirculator.com/DCCirculator.html
http://www.georgetowndc.com/getting-here/shuttle

Wow, thanks. that is so helpful. There is so much to do and see. I definitely want to go to museums, and the memorials are a big deal in our family with all branches of the armed forces in it. What about Mt. Vernon?

 

[DancingBear]

Wow, thanks. that is so helpful. There is so much to do and see. I definitely want to go to museums, and the memorials are a big deal in our family with all branches of the armed forces in it. What about Mt. Vernon?

Mount Vernon is nice and has a new visitor's center, very well done. However, it's not easy to get to without a car, although it's possible by boat:

http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/plan/index.cfm/pid/825/ (note the boats only run on certain days in October)

or Metro/bus:

http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/plan/index.cfm/pid/824//cfid/26655160/cftoken/72730911

You could combine a daytime trip via Metro/bus trip to Mount Vernon with an evening in Old Town Alexandria, as it is on the way back off the Metro Yellow line.

 

[CTrumble]

We go the DC about once every year.

We always stay at http://www.lenfantplazahotel.com/
It has a metro stop in its basement. The location to the metro and the short walking distance to the Castle and Air/Space Museum make it very convenient.

The metro will take you Union Station, has a great food court with tons of eating options. It is also next to the Old Post office.

Another eating option we love is at the Indian Museum. They have a cafeteria that is AWESOME. The other food options at the Smithsonian are pretty lacking.

I highly recommend taking an nighttime monument tour. The bus will have a tour guide and take you right to each one on its tour. The ease of the travel and the door to door service makes the cost worthwhile.

Other than the nighttime tour, I would recommend purchasing a metro pass and just doing the free stuff. You will spend most of your money on food (which isn't cheap unless you go out of the tourist areas.)

 

[Kirby]

If I did this right, here is a link to another DIS thread about DC.

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2215863

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't think anyone mentioned the Holocost museum - very moving, and don't 12 year old girls read Diary of Anne Frank? I think dd13 did. It much easier to get a timed ticket online ahead of time for a very small amount of money ($1?). I took my dd11.