D.C. with kids-help!
 

Hi We are thinking of traveling over SPring Break to DC with kids ranging from 7-16. I know there are lots of museums and wonderful sites to see but thought there may be a few that your kids loved to do more then others. Any ideas would be helpful, my 16 year old is complaining it will be boring. Anything outstanding? Any fun tours etc.
Thanks so much!

I hear the new Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (Udvar-Hazy?) near Dulles is very cool. Of course, it's not downtown, so you may have to rent a car or maybe there's a shuttle.

The Spy Museum seems really cool, too.

Took an 8yo and 12yo to DC last summer. The 8yo was a little tough - not enough hands on stuff to keep her interest. The Hands on History at the American History Museum was great for her but you are only allowed 30 minutes. There was a similar exhibit at the science portion of the museum but the tickets were gone for the day when we got there.

Both kids liked the walking tour down the Washington Monument. My 8yo just said she liked the zoo the best. And the pizza at Pizza Paradiso.

Is your 16 yr old boy or girl. If the latter they may be more into shopping than museums. Some great shops in Georgetown and Pentagon City Mall. You could do a.m museum and later shopping and keep everyone happy.

Show your kids (especially the 16-year-old) some travel guides - I especially like the Doris Kindersly (Eyewitness) guides because the pictures are very good - and have them pick out what looks interesting to them.

Two years ago, we took our 4 and 7-yr-old kids. The Air and Space Museum (the one on the mall) was the biggest hit, for all of us. The 7-yr-old also loved the Spy Museum. We also spent time at the National Gallery (believe it or not, the 7-yr-old is into art); visited the gem display at the Natural History Museum; some, but not much, time at the American History Museum (and this is the place that I thought we'd spend a lot of time). Never made it to the museum of modern art. Arlington Cemetary effected them more than I thought it would. We spent half a day visiting all the monuments. I think they liked (appreciated?) the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and the FDR memorial the most. The post office museum is best for younger kids. I don't think they got much out of the tour of the capitol (tour obtained through our Senator's office), though I liked it.

We also ate dinner at an Ethiopian restaurant one night - that was a big hit - they got to eat with their hands!

As we left the city, the cabbie drove us by the statue of Albert Einstein - my 7-yr-old was thrilled!

FOR KIDS THAT AGE: Or any age! the Smithsonian Air and Space museum (restaurant with burgers, etc. on site) Takes at least 4 hours to see well, then there are many other Smithsonian branches like Natural History, etc. A half hour or so walk to the SPY MUSEUM, A MUST!!!! Great fun for kids and adults alike and very 'HANDS ON'. Plan to time it (at least 2 hours) and have a delicious dinner at Zola on the premises. High end food and great bait for adults to get through a day of tours-CHIC but casual.Would take a couple days but most important walks to the war memorials:
WWII, Korean, Viet Nam are walkable, but not close. All these will give kids and adults a great feel for the sacrifices for our country. The Department of Engraving, where the money is printed is a fun and very interesting. Check out your tour magazines that list all the museums and important monuments (Lincoln, etc.) A good variety of these can be covered in a day on foot or with a little help from the local tourist trams or taxis.
In town, I don't recommend renting a car under any circumstance. Of course a look at the Capitol and White House is important. Check with your local legislature to get into the White House.

Kids (and adults) can get over-museumed after a while. Try to mix outside things (like big monuments) with various Smithsonian Museums. Let them look on-line at various Smithsonian options before you go and let them pick. We had a car that we did not use except to take our own driving tour of monuments at night - we were there in August, so there was seemingly no one else in the city. The zoo was a big hit.

I personally did not like find Spy Museum all that great, but most people do - especially our 16 year old son. While others may scoff at the shopping suggestion, we find that our vacations with kids improve if we do not try too hard to cram continuous history down their throats. Our son still talks about it being cool to do his daily run along the Potomac by several monuments/memorials.

My kids thought the private tour with our Rep's aide of Capitol to be boring, but they loved the idea that we got a private tour - and for some reason they loved the tunnel from office building to Capitol.

We also found that lunch and dinner were diversions that made the day (or killed it!). Unfortunately for parents, that sometimes involved chain restaurants - but if it made them more willing to history-on, it was worth it.

I agree that older kids can do a lot of research on their own. Provide a few basic links like the Smithsonian, and a map, and let them put their formal education and their internet skills to work.

My own kids have researched many of our trips, including a couple to DC. They have never shown any interest in the Air & Space Museum, which admittedly one of the most popular. Just goes to show that everyone's taste is different.

Breaking up the museum runs with trips to the ESPN Zone or the Hard Rock -- if you can stand them :) -- can give those who THINK they might be bored something else to look forward to.

Also, a visit to Mount Vernon is fabulous, but gives those easily bored a chance to stretch their legs outdoors in a wide open space.

Plus, the Mall is a great place to give a 16-year-old independence in 3- 4-hour blocks. Just tell them they can't leave the Mall -- he/she's a good kid because they're yours right?

If the teen passes that, you can reward him/her with the same thing at Union Station, where's there's shopping, a huge food court and movies.

Been to DC a couple times in the last few years with my kids (10-15)and a group of my 15 year old's friends....here's what they liked, pretty much in order...Spy Museum (and get your timed ticket ahead of time or you'll be waiting), Museum of American History, Hirshorn (Modern Art), Washington Monument, walking around all the other Monuments and Memorials, Air and Space (skip that food court...it's like McDonald's on amphetamines...very stressful), Natural History Museum and National Gallery (depending on the show they are having. I'm not big on chains, but we ate at ESPN Zone (we don't have one where we live) which was a great break and another time at Union Station. Your kids may also love Georgetown. The only thing we really disliked was our hotel....the Embassy Suites near Georgetown....way too crazy.

A tip about the Air & Space food court: there is a place with panini, lattes and gyros offerings on loft area that a lot of people miss. It's usually a bit saner than the mcdonald/bostons market scrum on the main floor -- but on some days it's so busy there's no respite anywhere.

For museum dining that breaks the mold, though, check out the wonderful fare at the new American Indian Museum next door.

If they are into sports... check out the MCI Center to see if the Washington Wizards are playing.

There is a shuttle from the downtown Air & Space Museum to the one near Dulles Airport. The shuttle costs $7 per person roundtrip, and the museum is free. It will take about 1 hour each way via the shuttle, so plan your day accordingly.

Do they like animals? The National Zoo is wonderful - it's very parklike so it's great to walk around. The zoo has the pandas, of course, and also new cheetah cubs who are just adorable.

Karen

In addition to the museum thing when we visited DC several years ago, we took in a play at Fords Theater. Maybe you could look into that.