It's been years since we went to DC with 8 and 10 year old kids. Just recently we were all reminiscing about it. They remember that they loved the Smithsonian's Natural History museum and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Also loved canoeing on the Canal over near Georgetown. Because of the big trees, we couldn't see any modern buildings or roads, and it was easy to pretend we were early settlers.

You can take a boat to Mount Vernon, but, if you do, you get only about 2 hours there. It is not enough time to see everything and I don't recommend it. It is also very slow. On the way back, it seems as if you will never get back and many fall asleep. The scenery on the way back is less interesting because you have already seen it.

The boat you take is one of those run by the Spirit of Washington.

The Medical Museum at Walter Reed has closed because Walter Reed has closed. Hopefully, it will eventually reopen in a more central location than when it was at Walter Reed.

My 8 year old son and our family went to DC for spring break this year. His top 2 favorite places in DC were the Air and Space Museum (we went twice) and Mount Vernon. We had to absolutely make him leave Mount Vernon. He is really into history, though, so that may have a lot to do with it. We did have a car for transportation.