Washington DC in early May

[JoJosMom]

I'm looking for help from the Hive.

 

We will be in Washington, D.C., likely from May 6th through May 15th.  Several days will be pre-scheduled, but we will have3-4 days to explore.  What are some must sees?  More importantly, where should we stay that won't put us into bankruptcy? Those hotel prices are scary!

[tmstranger]

I'm in MD, so I don't ever stay in the district and can't help you with that.

 

All of the Smithsonian museums are fantastic.  I think my kids' favorite is the Air & Space Museum.  The Smithsonian museums are free, so that's a big plus!

 

We also like the Spy Museum (NOT FREE). 

 

I'm not sure if you'll be driving anywhere, but Mount Vernon is about 15 miles away.  http://www.mountvernon.org/

 

There are plenty of monuments in the area, too.  Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr., Washington Monument, etc. etc.

 

Unfortunately, I don't take enough advantage of how close I am to D.C.!! Have fun!

 

 

[Rachel]

There are a couple recent threads on the Chat board you may want to search for.

 

We are going in early April and staying near Dulles Airport, hotel prices seem reasonable there My husband is taking a class for work so we need to be in that area.

[PeachyDoodle]

We're going in a few weeks. Here's what's on our schedule:

 

Walking tour of the Mall area (on our own):

Washington Monument

WWII Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

Vietnam Memorial

White House

American History Museum and/or Natural History Museum (depending on how much time we have and dd's interest)

National Zoo (pandas!!)

Guided tour of the US Capitol (booked through our senator's office)

Library of Congress

National Gallery of Art

Bureau of Engraving and Printing (dd is looking forward to this the most)

National Archives

National Air & Space Museum

 

All of these are free. You can request a tour of the White House through your senator's office as well, but we've never been able to get one. They say you need to ask about 6 months out to have any chance, but I always figure it never hurts just to submit the request.

 

If we are lucky, we may get a tour of the Supreme Court, but that's being arranged through a friend of my sister's, who is a clerk there, so not really a public option. We might visit Mount Vernon on our way in or out; that will run us around $30.

 

My sister lives in the city, so we're staying at her place. I'm no help on hotels, unfortunately.

 

[Earthmerlin]

I'm looking for help from the Hive.

 

We will be in Washington, D.C., likely from May 6th through May 15th. Several days will be pre-scheduled, but we will have3-4 days to explore. What are some must sees? More importantly, where should we stay that won't put us into bankruptcy? Those hotel prices are scary!

 

Try the Natural History museum & Renwick art gallery--the latter has an over-sized interactive exhibit.

[beth83]

You MUST book a tour of the Capitol through your representative. We live just outside DC and this has been one of our favorite things. It was a private tour where we could move along at our own pace with a wonderful staff member from the reps office. There is a museum in the Capitol and we saw a lot of behind the scenes stuff. Plus, it was all free!

Edited March 19, 2016 by beth83

[cmarango]

I would skip the American Indian museum.

 

The Washington Monument would be quick to do and you can reserve tickets ahead of time. It's also right in the thick of things as far as memorials go. I also wanted to mention that the circulator bus is fantastic for visiting all of those places not covered by the metro.

[fourisenough]

We visit each year in September while my husband attends a conference (mooching off his wonderful hotel room!). Our favorite thing to do is a bicycle tour. They're pricy, but we always see things differently or learn something new. The best one we've taken was the monuments at night. They're so stunning when lit up and viewed against the night sky. You can even do a bike tour down to Mt. Vernon; that's our plan for next fall.

[Sdel]

If you want to go up to the top of the Washington Monument you must be at the ticket office an hour before they open or the tickets will be gone. Tickets are free, but limited and same day only. Same for the mint.

[cmarango]

If you want to go up to the top of the Washington Monument you must be at the ticket office an hour before they open or the tickets will be gone. Tickets are free, but limited and same day only.

You can now reserve tickets to the monument online, and that's a fantastic improvement imo.

 

I didn't enjoy the mint tour very much, but that was many years ago so perhaps it's changed. I believe that's the same year I toured the Pentagon (so it's been some time) and that tour was also uninspiring, but I don't know if that is an option any more.

[Rachel]

You can now reserve tickets to the monument online, and that's a fantastic improvement imo.

 

I didn't enjoy the mint tour very much, but that was many years ago so perhaps it's changed. I believe that's the same year I toured the Pentagon (so it's been some time) and that tour was also uninspiring, but I don't know if that is an option any more.

Best I can tell they only let you buy the tickets online up to three months in advance and they are sold out though June. At other time of year it may be easier though.

[Farrar]

Go see Wonder at the Renwick before it's gone. :)

 

Above is all the good standard advices. Depends on your kids, your interests as to what you should see. If you have younger kids, do the zoo, do the Building Museum, hang out at Natural History and Air & Space a bunch, maybe see the Botanic Gardens, run around the monuments but skip the Spy Museum and don't do too many tours - the White House and the Capitol are fine from outside for an ooh and aah. History buffs should definitely do Ford's Theater, which is a great stop and we like some of the tours - Frederick Douglass House and Lincoln's Cottage for example, and an excursion to Mount Vernon.

 

Really, you can make a full week just out of being on the Mall though. Someone above said to skip American Indian, but the food is very good there - the buffalo chili and fry bread is yum. One of your better Mall options.

 

 

[cintinative]

bumping. We are also interested in going. It has been many many years since I have been. The last time we went we stayed in Pentagon City and Arlington (different trips) and took the Metro into the city.

 

I am also wondering if anyone has experience doing D.C. with a Celiac. I am pretty scared about eating there with our limitations. 

[dragonflyer]

My kids loved the spy museum and museum of natural history.

The Holocaust museum is intense - highly recommend for older kids.

[Targhee]

May is the best month (maybe tied with October) to be there!

 

Library of Congress

Natural History

Air and Space

Walk the capital mall monuments

(all the above are free)

 

I don't know about hotel prices, but I can bet it's cheaper to stay in Md than VA or DC. Just get a hotel near the end of a metro line (cleanest, most efficient subway I've been on), and you're set. We used to live 4 blocks from a red line stop in MD (just outside the district lines) - easy in and out of town.

[Farrar]

bumping. We are also interested in going. It has been many many years since I have been. The last time we went we stayed in Pentagon City and Arlington (different trips) and took the Metro into the city.

 

I am also wondering if anyone has experience doing D.C. with a Celiac. I am pretty scared about eating there with our limitations. 

 

As a decent sized city, there seems to be plenty of restaurants that are catering to the gluten free crowd - at least, it seems that way to me from the outside. Friends with celiac and serious gluten issues seem to do okay eating out around here... I'm sure that getting options on the Mall specifically is a pain (food on the Mall is generally a pain), but if that's the only limitation, I think you'd be okay, especially eating out in places with more options. 

[JoJosMom]

Thank you all for your replies!  I appreciate all of the information.  I had a work deadline on Friday and tomorrow is Easter, so I've not been posting here but I am truly grateful for your input.

 

Serious trip planning begins next week, so I may be posting follow-up questions, if that's okay.

 

The hotel has been taken care of.  We are going for an event and the hotel extended the group rate for our entire time there, so that's a relief.

[Amira]

If you're here on one of the first two Saturdays in May (the 7th or the 14th), then I highly recommend visiting some embassies.  Here's a link about all the different events going on in May.  We weren't in DC the last couple of years, but in 2013 I went to the EU embassies with my then-5yo and he had a great time. Go early or go to some that aren't on Embassy Row because those can get crowded.  The embassy open houses is the biggest event I have been looking forward to this time in DC.

[beth83]

bumping. We are also interested in going. It has been many many years since I have been. The last time we went we stayed in Pentagon City and Arlington (different trips) and took the Metro into the city.

 

I am also wondering if anyone has experience doing D.C. with a Celiac. I am pretty scared about eating there with our limitations.

Oh my goodness, are you in luck! There are tons of places to eat gluten free. Two of our favorites are Rise Bakery (fully-dedicated gf bakery with the most amazing bagels, empanadas, croissants, etc -- yes, you read right!) and Legal's Seafood (I don't know if y'all like seafood, but they offer everything fried gf and have amazing gf rolls at the beginning.) There are tons of other options, but these are two we love to hit up. Do you have the "Find Me Gluten Free" app? It will give you a good idea of all DC offers. If y'all end up going and want more suggestions, just let me know!

[cintinative]

Oh my goodness, are you in luck! There are tons of places to eat gluten free. Two of our favorites are Rise Bakery (fully-dedicated gf bakery with the most amazing bagels, empanadas, croissants, etc -- yes, you read right!) and Legal's Seafood (I don't know if y'all like seafood, but they offer everything fried gf and have amazing gf rolls at the beginning.) There are tons of other options, but these are two we love to hit up. Do you have the "Find Me Gluten Free" app? It will give you a good idea of all DC offers. If y'all end up going and want more suggestions, just let me know!

 

this is SO encouraging. Thank you. It is really hard for us to eat out normally because even if there are gluten free options, sometimes there is a cross contamination issue.  My son was glutened a couple of weeks ago at a restaurant because of cross-contamination and he was sick for two weeks. =(  That bakery sounds amazing!

[Faithr]

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing tour is great.  I've been on it at least 4 times.  Whenever we have visitors from another country, we take them there.  They are fascinated!  And we, the natives, always enjoy it too!

[Mrs Twain]

Must see:

Washington monument (you don't have to go up to top)

WWII memorial on the walk over to the reflecting pool and Lincoln Memorial

Air and Space Museum.

 

There are lots of other places you could add according to your interest, but I would not skip any of the ones above.

 

Personally I loved going to the National Archives Museum to see the original Declaration of Independence and Constitution among other documents, but that may not be exciting for the kids.

 

You could take a bus tour around the city as a quick way to see lots of sites and get info.

 

The national zoo is also fun for kids and free (except for parking).

[Mrs Twain]

One more idea--

The National Gallery of Art is fantastic. They have a kids' scavenger hunt you can find online and print (or I think you can pick it up from the information desk when you get there). Each item on the list is a small part of a painting. They tell the kids which room it is in, and the kids have to go to the room and try to find which painting it is. There are about ten or so of these in the scavenger hunt. in this way you can see have a chance to see the museum without boring the kids. :)

[Rachel]

We just returned. I really enjoyed the Udvar-Hazy Air and Space Museum, it isn't the museum on the mall, it's out near Dulles Airport. That was probably the one activity our entire family enjoyed the most. The National Gallery of Art was wonderful too, they have guides for children that really added to the experience. My 8 year old loved the Spy Museum but my husband said it was kind of pricy for what it is (just the two of them went so I can't say if it was worth it). They do have coupons, look online or in your hotel lobby.

 

I took my younger two kids to the American Indian Museum, there is a children's discovery area I believe on the 3rd floor, it was perfect for my 3 and 6 year old. They got to participate in a beading activity which they both enjoyed. They also have passports to stamp and my 3 year old thought that was awesome.

 

At the kids request we ended up going to the zoo, it was nice although it's a lot of walking and many of the exhibits were closed for cleaning. We did get to see the pandas which was neat.

 

Overall my kids' favorite parts or our trip were riding the Metro, especially when it went underground, and swimming at the hotel. I enjoyed the Archives, WW2 memorial, and the National Gallery of Art the most. Udvar-Hazy appealed to everyone. We did a lot in the week we were there and still missed a ton. I wanted my kids to have fun though so we went at their pace.

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

Of course, there is the Smithsonian, which could take a week in and of itself. American History museum is my

Personal favorite. The Air and Space Museum is great for hands on science stuff. Unless you are a big fan of seeing planes and aircraft, I don't think the one by Dulles is worth the drive or the parking fee.

 

You can contact your Congressman for staff led tours of the Capitol, tickets to tours of the White House, etc. the Washington monument is fantastic. My favorite memorial is Lincoln, and there are several others right near there. I'd plan to get to the Washington Monument early one morning and then meander over to Lincoln, Vietnam, WW2, etc. in one day. The Lincoln is also beautiful at night.

 

The Library of Congress is gorgeous inside! You can see that the same day as a Capitol tour.

 

The Holocaust Museum is very moving, esp. for older children. The U.S. Mint is a ticketed tour that is really, really cool. Your Congressman can help. Contact them in as much advance as possible as tourist season is starting.

 

My personal favorite, cannot miss place in the DC area is Mount Vernon. It may be my favorite place on earth, even more so since I was engaged there. The hands on museums and farm life are excellent for kids with interactive theaters etc. the house tour is cool, and the property is gorgeous. Old Town Alexandria is beautiful with some great restaurants too.

 

I'd look for hotels with metro proximity in Alexandria or Crystal City or Arlington. The further out you go, the cheaper they will be. If you want to stay in town, look at the Tabard Inn on N street. Very charming and decent prices for DC, although still not cheap.

 

Enjoy!