jeninok Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 We are going to be able to take DS to D.C. in June, I am thrilled as it is one of my favorite cities, and I love museums!!! I am also hoping it will help history and civics and all those things he hears on the news seem more real. It has been years since I was there, twice in high school, and I had nothing to do with planning those trips....anyone want to help me? It will be myself, DS who will be 12 my parents who are in their early 60s but "young" for their ages with only some minor arthritis in my mom's knees. DH may be able to go depending on work, but as of now I am not planning on it. I plan on looking for a hotel this week, it needs to be close to everything, nice enough for my parents, and I would love a decent breakfast to cut down on having to find it somewhere else everyday. I assume we will do the on and off bus thing for the monuments, we did this in London and it was a great way to get around. I know we will want to see the American History, Natural History, and Air and Space museums, I'm sure a few others too, but I'm not sure which, or how long we should plan in each? I would also like to hit the Ford's Theatre, and of course the Capitol, but am I missing any must see places? Mount Vernon is high on the list too, but we won't have a car, so I need to do some figuring out about that! Any ideas anyone wants to share would be super helpful, If it was just DS and I we would just get our room and head out exploring a lot more, but with my parents going as well I am trying to nail down as much information as possible. Plus we need to make reservations soon, June will be here before we know it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaChicken Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 The highlight of our 2 day trip last summer was Air and Space Udvar Hazy at Dulles. I wouldn't miss it! http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/floorplans/uhcmap.cfm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Definitely plan on taking Metro or the D.C. Circulator around. You can get a daily or weekly pass on Metro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funathome Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 WOW! You have good things planned and will have a great time. :drool5: We used to live in DC at Bolling AFB, several years ago. You "hit" on the main places to go and see. One thing people tend to not know is that the Smithsonian is all together on the Mall. So>>> You walk out of Amerc Hist, down to the next building which is Natural Hist, Freer Gallery of Art, Air and Space (large one you have to go out near Dullis Airport but worth trip), Smithsonian Castle,etc. At one end of the Mall is the Capitol and the LIbrary of Congress is behind that. People often miss the L of Congress. It is absolutely gorgeous!! Like a Castle on those History shows! All that marble and as you go up the stairs you can feel the uneveness of the tread from so many people walking them. aahh... The Washington Monument was closed after our "earthquake" last year due to a crack. Not sure if it is reopen. Metro is a great idea, clean and very easy to use. Colored lines of Orange, red, Blue & green. And will tell you what is on the stop, Say Natural history mus or the Smithsonian Castle. I am not sure about Mt Vernon as we had a car to get there but it is very nice to go and see. We had a pass and went often. The best was to do the Mall is to start at one end and walk around till you complete the oval shaped circle. Makes for all day and next though. There are Metro's all around and easy access. HTH. :grouphug: Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funathome Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I would also like to hit the Ford's Theatre, and of course the Capitol, but am I missing any must see places? Oh yes! Fords Theatre is a must. It is so tiny in size. You don't realize it from pictures in a book. The decor is the same (of course) and my kids were fascinated to be able to sit and then look over left to the actual place where Lincoln was shot. The capital is like another American Castle. We lived in D.C. when Reagan's funeral took place and he lay in rest in the Rotunda Again, beautiful inside, lots of marble and gold, paintings on the walls that you only see in history books. Good gift shop. Get a Christmas ornament. They usually have them there for tourist to note of the year you were in D.C. You planing on seeing the constitution? It is cool how it is in a darker room and all under glass. I would rec getting there and in line first. See it, then do things like the Smithsonian where there are no lines to wait. Just people. :lol: Amy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I think Lincoln Memorial is a must-see. The Korean War Memorial is quite interesting, too. I also like the Awakening Statue near Jefferson Memorial. It's a giant rising out of the ground from a sleeping position. Kids really like it. You probably can't do it, but if you can squeeze in a trip to Charlottesville, Monticello is a must-see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Note that the Awakening statue was moved - it's nowhere near the Jefferson Memorial anymore. I know I'm a broken record about this in visiting DC threads, but if you like art, consider visiting an art museum. We have many, many of them, many with amazing pieces of art, such as the only Da Vinci painting in North America. But I know most people skip art here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Check out the spy museum! I always go to art museums, I promise! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 Note that the Awakening statue was moved - it's nowhere near the Jefferson Memorial anymore. I know I'm a broken record about this in visiting DC threads, but if you like art, consider visiting an art museum. We have many, many of them, many with amazing pieces of art, such as the only Da Vinci painting in North America. But I know most people skip art here. I love art, its what I do! Any tips on your favorite place for great art? I'm not sure the rest of the crew wants to see as much as me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeninok Posted March 29, 2013 Author Share Posted March 29, 2013 I love art, its what I do! Any tips on your favorite place for great art? I'm not sure the rest of the crew wants to see as much as me! And where is the awakening statue? I've never seen that and DS would probably love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 I love art, its what I do! Any tips on your favorite place for great art? I'm not sure the rest of the crew wants to see as much as me! And where is the awakening statue? I've never seen that and DS would probably love it. National Gallery is the big art museum. The East Wing (more modern art) is closing soon for several years. I’m not sure if it will be closed by June or not. The West Wing is more of older masters. I really like the Sculpture Gallery in the West Wing. The Sculpture Gardens are also very nice. There is one between Natural History and the National Gallery, it also has a cafe there. The cafe is a nice place to eat, although on the pricey side (as is pretty much everything on the Mall itself). The Hirschorn is the big round modern art museum. We recently went and my kids were very engaged in many of the exhibits. They also have a Sculpture Garden. We also really like the American Art Museum and the National Portrait Gallery, they really function as one museum with a courtyard in the middle. The courtyard is a lovely place to hang out. It has a cool water scrim you can walk though and also has a cafe that is surprisingly good. American Art/Portrait Gallery are across from the Spy Museum and would be a separate Metro stop or ride from the Mall. But they are in a fairly fun neighborhood with good restaurants and things to see. (Including a fantastic cheese store, Cowgirl Creamery). Ford’s Theatre is not far fro there either so that could be a good day. I really like the Spy Museum, I wouldn’t say it’s a must see but I’ve always had a fascination with spies. I could imagine that an 11 year old would really enjoy it. It does cost $ which is always a bummer in DC where so much is free. The Corcoron Gallery is another great art museum, near the White House. It also costs $ to go in but in the summer they have some free days, I believe on Saturdays. I could be wrong about that. Another of our favorites is the Renwick Gallery which is craft but I think it’s also closing soon or already closed. The Renwick is about a block from the White House. Not art but if you are on the Mall my recommendation for a lunch option is the Museum of the American Indian. The collections themselves are just ok, in my opinion. There isn’t a lot of depth. But the restaurant, Mitsitam is very good. And the building is really beautiful. The Awakening is now at National Harbor in Prince George County. It’s fun to see but really the only thing else that is there is a big shopping area. There is a huge hotel, a Gaylord National Resort that is kind of amazing inside. But I don’t think I’d go there given all the other things to do in DC. I’m also not entirely sure if you could get there by Metro. We took a water taxi from Old Town Alexandria which was fun. Old Town is also a fun place to go if you want to venture out of DC. If you are going to be here in June you might overlap with the Smithsonian Folklife Festival which is held on the mall. It’s fun but very crowded, just so you know. You might want to plan your visit knowing that.http://www.festival.si.edu/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
almondbutterandjelly Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 There's a website on National Harbor that mentions National Children's Museum. We are fans of Children's Museums in general, although we haven't been to that one specifically. Just mentioning it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 That childrens museum is for very little children. Like preschoolers. Definitely not for 12 year olds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lilaclady Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 If you want to visit the White House or the pentagon, you need to contact your senator like yesterday. They are free but you need to have tickets and they are sometimes out months in advance especially if you are going in the summer as it gets quite busy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathleen in LV Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 As far as hotels, as noted above, you can reach a lot of places by metro, so you don't necessarily have to stay in the heart of DC, which can be pretty expensive. We used to live in Crystal City in Arlington, which is right across the Potomac. There are a bunch of nice hotels in Crystal City with very easy access to a metro station (many of which are the kind where you can get breakfast ). The metro ride into DC is about 10-15 minutes depending on your destination. There are also a ton of places to eat within walking distance. And if you need a cab to get to one of your destinations, there are always tons at the Crystal City hotels. When we went to a wedding in DC a few years back, we chose to stay in Crystal City and it worked out great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 National Gallery is the big art museum. The East Wing (more modern art) is closing soon for several years. I’m not sure if it will be closed by June or not. Thanks for posting this info. I'm not the op but I am also planning a trip to dc. If anyone needs it, here's info about the closing: http://www.nga.gov/press/2013/eastbuilding.shtm We are planning to see roof by Andy Goldsworthy and it looks like that will remain on exhibit...yay! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Agreed that the Children's Museum should be skipped. I have literally not heard a single positive thing about it since it opened. And I second the National Gallery (east or west) and the American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery as the two best places to dip in for some art in DC. I also especially like the Phillips and the Sackler... my kids love the Hirshhorn best. The National Gallery's Sculpture Garden is... disappointing at best, but it's nice to stroll through and hard to miss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 We're also planning a trip to dc. We want to see the National Cathedral and some monuments that are new since dh and I visited as kids. I was hoping to see the awakening statue and the Einstein statue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Agreed that the Children's Museum should be skipped. I have literally not heard a single positive thing about it since it opened. And I second the National Gallery (east or west) and the American Art Museum/Portrait Gallery as the two best places to dip in for some art in DC. I also especially like the Phillips and the Sackler... my kids love the Hirshhorn best. The National Gallery's Sculpture Garden is... disappointing at best, but it's nice to stroll through and hard to miss. Thanks for posting! From a quick search it looks like Phillips and the Sackler is Asian art...is that right? What is the Hirshhorn collection? (I'm late and can't find it quick enough! ) tia! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted March 29, 2013 Share Posted March 29, 2013 Thanks for posting! From a quick search it looks like Phillips and the Sackler is Asian art...is that right? What is the Hirshhorn collection? (I'm late and can't find it quick enough! ) tia! Yes, the Sackler and the Freer are mostly Asian art. Hirshhorn is contemporary (think all the weirdest stuff) and sculpture of all sorts. They have a much cooler, but smaller and quieter sculpture garden than the National Gallery one. Unless you're a serious artophile, you can probably skip them... I know people have big agendas when they come to town. The Einstein statue is worth a detour... it's just across the street from the Vietnam Wall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeymama07 Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We love the mall. We spend many days wandering the museums and having picnic lunches :) We also like the spy museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbbulliv Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We like the American Indian museum. The food there is interesting too. The Archives are nice to see the Constitution but can have long lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbbulliv Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We like the American Indian museum. The food there is interesting too. The Archives are nice to see the Constitution but can have long lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbbulliv Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 We like the American Indian museum. The food there is interesting too. The Archives are nice to see the Constitution but can have long lines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 No white house tours right now due to sequestration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairy4tmama Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 Oh I am sooooo jealous DC is such an amazing place to visit and I have yet to take the kids. Its been a long while since I have been there and I agree with the suggestions you have received so far, I would add don't miss the holocaust museum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kari C in SC Posted March 30, 2013 Share Posted March 30, 2013 My kids loved the Marine Museum. It has all sorts of military interactive things for them to do. It is right out of DC right off an exit on 95. And it's FREE! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hedgehogs4 Posted March 31, 2013 Share Posted March 31, 2013 Make sure you plan in advance and get passes from your senator or representative's office for the tour of the Capitol. You cannot just go and see. Also, the spy museum is a blast! I second that. The Marine Corps museum is really great, but is about an hour south of DC, not accessible by metro. It is worth it if you have a car to get around. Udvar-Hazy Air and Space museum is also really great, as you can see the the Space Shuttle, as well as some really great pieces of aeronautic / space history, but you have to figure out transport out there. It is near Dulles airport. I agree that you should get in an art museum--they are wonderful. Since we live here and can go anytime, my kids' favorites are the Air and Space museum on the mall, the Natural History museum, the American history museum, and the Spy Museum. The Spy Museum is not free, but well worth the money. You can find deals online for tickets. For the best burgers, fries and milkshakes in. the. world. check out a restaurant called "Good Stuff Eatery"--you won't feel like you've poisoned yourself, and you get a good look at the locals. Just a few stores down from there (at the Capitol Hill location) is a toy store called Labyrinth which is a wonderful break for the parents. The people who work there will sit down and play games with your kids and show you all kinds of cool toys and games that are good for the brain--a homeschooled kid's paradise. My son asks to go to those two places every time we go into the city. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happi duck Posted April 1, 2013 Share Posted April 1, 2013 Yes, the Sackler and the Freer are mostly Asian art. Hirshhorn is contemporary (think all the weirdest stuff) and sculpture of all sorts. They have a much cooler, but smaller and quieter sculpture garden than the National Gallery one. Unless you're a serious artophile, you can probably skip them... I know people have big agendas when they come to town. The Einstein statue is worth a detour... it's just across the street from the Vietnam Wall. Thanks for the information...sounds great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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