Washington DC

[Clonefan32]

Definitely beware of the weather. It will likely be VERY hot and muggy in July.

If you are there on the 4th, the fireworks on the mall are unbelievable. Also, I think the FreedomFest is on the mall during all of July (or something like that). It has food and cultural booths from 3 different heritage groups (they did Appalachia the last time I was there).

The new(ish) visitors center for the Capital is very cool, as well as all of the museums and monuments on the mall of course.

The Metro in DC is very nice, and can get you probably anywhere you want to go.

One thing I didn't see mentioned here is the Holocaust Museum. It's definitely a favorite of mine, it is very well done.

The Holocaust Museum is very informative and well done, but if you are going to take an 11 year old and two 8 year olds there prepare to do some explaining. A lot of what I saw was uncomfortable for me, as an adult, to see, let alone for kids that age. An important part of history and perhaps a good teaching point, but maybe not something for 8 and 11 year olds to see.

 

[k123]

MUSEUMS
-- Focus on the Mall. Great museums, obviously. History/Air & Space/Natural History. If you have the interest, the bigger and smaller art museums are cool too (e.g. Freer and Sackler have interesting asian art on the south side). All Free.
-- One cool "pay" museum is the Spy Museum. I was impressed it was more than James Bond, e.g. espionage during Civil War, etc.

DAY TRIP
--Take a trip south either to Mt Vernon (45 minutes on scenic George Washington Parkway) or Colonial Williamsburg (2.5 hours).
--On way back, stop in cool "Old Town" part of Alexandria. There is a good restaurant called Bilbo Baggins right near the Potomac, as cozy as the name sounds:
http://www.bilbobaggins.net/#!location/c14xr

BUILDINGS
--If you like architecture, the Library of Congress building near the Supreme Court is very cool. Same with the National Cathedral (closer to Georgetown) or the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, on the Catholic University of America campus.
--Arlington Cemetary...not a building, but as others said, great.
--Monuments, as others said, are great at night.

Have a great trip!!

 

[carvers4math]

For food, it is a good opportunity to branch out a little. If you are in the Adams Morgan area, they have a lot to choose from including several Ethiopian places.

 

[cycloneryan]

I have been to Ford's Theatre several times and it is great, there is a museum in the basement that has a lot of artifacts from the night Lincoln was assasinated. After that you can walk across the street to the house where he later died. It's an incredible experience.

 

[TOFB4ISU]

So much to see, so little time. Beyond incredible place. The Metro is your friend.

 

[GWad]

eat at 'founding farmers' - great food and wine

 

[norsemen]

Great area for a vacation....most great attractions have been mentioned.

We always stay out in the suburbs but near a Metro station to save a bit on hotel costs. The Metro is a very clean and efficient way to travel.

A day trip to see Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello was a great choice. The house and gardens sit atop a mountain with great views. Nearby Charlottesville provides the opportunity to walk the University of Virginia campus which is very nice and historical.

If the kids have enough energy, walk the mall at night. Lighted memorials are beautiful and have a different sense after dark.

 

[carvers4math]

I have been to Ford's Theatre several times and it is great, there is a museum in the basement that has a lot of artifacts from the night Lincoln was assasinated. After that you can walk across the street to the house where he later died. It's an incredible experience.

Peterson House creeped me out a little. I was there in the 1980's and they had the bloody pillow. Don't know if they still display that or not.

 

[F5cy]

Seems like most everything covered. Just remember everything will be expensive.

Where will you be staying? Metro definitely nice way to get around, might be worth familiarizing yourself with it a little in advance; if not, you'll fit right in with all the other summer tourists at the stations looking at the routes and trying to figure it out in a busy/crowded environment. You'll likely receive more help from some locals than the metro employee at the booth, just fyi.

Other than that, stay off the green line east of the ballpark (Nat's games are fun too) and you should be fine.

http://www.wmata.com/rail/maps/map.cfm

 

[bawbie]

eat at 'founding farmers' - great food and wine

And specializing in food grown on family farms! It's actually owned by a farm organization from North Dakota. But you'll need a reservation. It's the most booked restaurant in DC.

The same group also runs another restaurant in Georgetown called 'Farmers, Fishers and Bakers', I think. It's been recent redone after being wrecked by a flood.

 

[KnappShack]

Peterson House creeped me out a little. I was there in the 1980's and they had the bloody pillow. Don't know if they still display that or not.

Saw the bloody pillow at the Reagan Library. A little odd, but it did make history jump off of the page.

Also a little strange was seeing Lincoln's Waffle Shop across from Ford's Theater. Presidential Assassination doesn't get me in a breakfast mood

 

[bawbie]

Last but not least - I like hitting spots for food. One favorite is Ben's Chili Bowl - just off Metro stop (Q Street maybe?). Hole in the wall cafe-joint that has been show-cased on all of the food shows. Chili dogs or better yet, their Half-Smokes (type of sausage) are great.

Ben's Chili Bowl is on U Street, I believe.

I'll second the Ethiopian restaurants in Adams Morgan. Another favorite is Lebanese Taverna (I think there's 3 of them now) and Jaleo (I may have spelled that wrong, its a tapas place near Chinatown).

 

[Cycsk]

When we went to the Washington Monument, a national parks officer showed up in the observatory and asked if anyone wanted to take the stairs down. It was awesome to see it all the way from the inside. Lots of memorial stones from different states. Really cool from an engineering perspective. Still one of my tourist highlights of all time. So if you see a ranger, you might ask.

 

[Cyclonepride]

Allow at least a full day at the Smithsonian

 

[jsb]

Great place to go with a family. One of the positives when we were little was that it is a pretty cheap vacation. Most of the things are free.

1. It will likely be hot. Drink lots of water and don't be afraid to take an afternoon off and swim at the hotel pool.
2. Most likely your best bet will to stay out in the suburbs. We've always stayed in Arlington...particularly at a Holiday Inn out there. Easy access to the Metro.
3. The Metro is easy to navigate.
4. You won't get to see everything but my favorites are the Air and Space Museum, the American History Museum, the Capital Tour and Ford's Theater.
5. If you have access to a car, driving out to Mt. Vernon is well worth it.
6. The National Cathedral is very cool to see, but it requires a bus trip and a transfer. Not hard, but not as simple as the Metro.

 

[Wesley]

If you have the time to move around the area - make sure you hit the National Cathedral and the part of the Air/Space museum out by Dulles Airport - has the SR 71 and other aircraft in a big hangar. Also the Spy Museum is amazing and not well advertised (accidental?).

Will you be out there over the 4th?

A good place to soak it all in is to hit Lafayette park right across from the White House - buy a hot dog and some chips, pull up a tree and have lunch there and consider everything taking place within a few hundred yards around you.

This sounds like what I would recommend as Space Museum is tops. Rare gems and stones are also amazing. Two cathedrals are wonderful. Fireworks for the fourth. The Jefferson and Washington homes are worthy to visit. As usual, go visit Trip Advisor website. Bidens home at National Observatory was also impressive. FBI tour is excellent.


http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g28970-Activities-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html

 

[ZachsterPoke]

Just went there a few weeks ago. Very cool, but didn't get to see nearly enough stuff while I was there. Of course, I only got one good day (and a half) to walk around.

Definitely get a bus tour, it can help you get around a lot quicker if you want to go find places to eat.

Ford's Theater was really cool. Definitely go see that if you like anything Civil War or Lincoln related.

And I haven't seen it really mentioned yet, but if you have the time Madame Tussauds's Wax Museum was kind of neat. We got free tickets for that w/ our bus tour. Their DC location has the Hall of Presidents, so I feel it's worth a stop if you have the time.

Georgetown is definitely an older neighborhood. Very different style with the close proximity. Cool to walk through, and the downtown has some good shops. Georgetown University is a very different kind of university that what we're used to w/ ISU. Much older buildings, and its got some cool architecture.

Wish I had more time to walk around, but when the trip is free, you don't complain much.

 

[pulse]

We're planning on a family vacation in a few weeks to the DC area. I was just wondering what some of the favorite things to do or see while there.

What area are you staying in and will you have a car?

 

[CyFan61]

Everyone's advice has been great so far:

I thought nothing was better than going to the monuments at night. Washington, WWII, Lincoln, and Jefferson just kind of feel different at night. Plus it is not as hot.

 

[Wesley]

See the Victory Garden outside the WH. See the DC Science Fiction Museum. Dine out at Georgetown. See the National Zoo. Climb the Washington Monument for the view. Shop at old shops in Alexandria/Arlington. Tour Rock Creek Park. Drive by of the embassies.