capefamily

Hi. We are driving from Cape Cod to Myrtle Beach for April school vacation week, leaving on a Friday and plan on staying in D.C. Friday and Saturday night. We are a family of 4. Kids will be 10 and 13. Looking for advice on the best time to leave to avoid traffic and what not to miss while we are in D.C. We have one full day there on Saturday.

Dukey1

DC rush hour runs anywhere from 2-2:30 PM to 7-7:30 PM. You have one advantage in that the traffic will be going OUT of town while you are traveling in the opposite direction.

A lot might depend on the route you take. I am not convinced that leaving I-95 in Northern Delaware (at Rte 896 South) and connecting with 301 South and then Rte 50 West over the Bay Bridge would be better. BUT you would avoid Baltimore and even though the speed limit on 301 is lower it is a MUCH more pleasant ride.

Gretchen

And they will be leaving on Sunday so traffic shouldn't be bad--or as bad.
Our DGS LOVED the spy museum at a tween age of yours.

obxgirl

You didn't say when in April you are traveling but if it's during the first half you will be in DC during the Cherry Blossom festivities which is both good and potentially complicating news. There are lots of special activities going on many of which are very family focused. But you also won't be alone and therefore shouldn't wait until the last minute to secure a hotel.

If your kids haven't been to DC before, I would focus on the National Mall and what is available to see there. You could start with a walk by of the White House, visit a couple of the monuments (and cherry blossoms if timing is right) and then check out some of what the various Smithsonian's and the National Gallery of Art has to offer. It's a lot of walking but if you break up the day with snacks and lunch you can pack a lot in to your short visit. The kids are old enough to choose ahead of time what things are most interesting to them.

There is more than you can possibly see in a day but if you plan ahead you can get a great overview of what is special about DC as well a glimpse of many of its iconic images.

Lmw_20

I often take road trips from NJ to The Cape so my worry is always traffic in New York. I was stuck in traffic once and I never let it happen again.I leave my house around 3-4am and it takes us (depending on how many breaks I take)about 6 hours to make it at least to Hyannis.
It is worth the effort to have everything ready the night before. I put my luggage and anything else I can in the car the night before. I do all last minute things and then I get six hours sleep and I am out the door. This makes for a very pleasant drive with nobody on the roads. It is the only way to be sure you will not sit in traffic.

capefamily

Thanks all for the tips, very helpful!
Now where to stop on the way home.