obxgirl

Googs, if you're headed from the Smithsonian metro toward the Lincoln memorial with the intention of seeing all of the memorials you've listed, it doesn't too much matter whether you go on the north or south side of the reflecting pool. It's pricey for a family of 4 but have you considered doing this at night?

A friend has an inflatable booster seat for her 4 year old that they use for traveling.

Flem04

You have way to much planned for each day. Pick what you are really most interested in and save the rest for another day. For example, you can spend an afternoon in the Museum of Natural History. Your plan has so much walking and running around everyone will be grouchy and tired...not to mention your kids.

Googs

I've heard the view from the cafe at the Kennedy Center is grand. Since there's no Washington Mon view and the PO may be skipped, thought a good alternative view would be Kennedy. I'm also awaiting the Millenium stage schedule for April, which has nightly free performances. ....I know, I need a new itinerary item like I need a hole in the head.

The inflatable boosters we saw at Target were $40. Tempting but we travel every other year. Might be worth it after I reconstruct our itinerary.

Night touring of monuments seems calm and beautiful.

Has anyone been to Sakura Matsuri (Japanese Street Festival)? I'd hope it would be a nice break from the museums and monuments.

yestravel

Well, perhaps I'm jaded because I live in DC, but I don't think the view from the Kennedy Center is worth a special trip. If you get tixs for the Millennium stage, but otherwise I would skip it with the busy schedule you already have. Food is just ok, not terribly good and the view is nice, but not like the Washington Monument.

Haven't been to the Sakura Matsuri Festival, but I agree it would provide a nice break for you. Expect crowds

obxgirl

I've never been to the Sakura Matsuri but would love to hear about it if you go.

I think the city view from the KC's terrace is very pretty but agree it's not worth a trip on its own in your itinerary. The KC is a bit of an outlier in terms of the other things you are seeing, maybe a 10 minute walk from the nearest Metro (Foggy Bottom). Definitely not worth it for the food!

The PO Pavilion is great for the view and closer to your other destinations. Why not go there just for the view? If it fits your schedule and the weather cooperates, there is a great French bakery nearby, Paul, which has fresh baguette sandwiches and wonderful pastries. They have some interior seating but you could enjoy an outdoor lunch at the fountain & plaza next to Paul or a couple of blocks away in the National Gallery's sculpture garden.

Googs

Thank you all for helping me prioritize my itinerary items. Unless Millennium has a show that fits our family, we will skip.

Does anyone have an opinion about The Airport Shuttle (Go shuttle) versus the blue SuperShuttle? Will be taking from BWI to Sofitel.

Googs

How far of a walk from the Arlington Cemetery Metro to the Tomb of the Unknowns? Google maps shows it at almost a mile. How do pedestrians with small children do it?

obxgirl

They take the tour bus. It's not that pricey and worth it not to make the long walk. With hills.

Googs, I sympathize with you planning this trip recalling our own adventures with younger kids. There are places we knew we wouldn't likely get back to for years so we wanted to see as much as possible. But we had to make accommodations and trade off's for younger legs and more limited attention spans in order to prevent family melt down. And it didn't always work.

I've never used the Go shuttle. Have used the SuperShuttle before w/o issue.

yestravel

I just Google mapped from Arlington Cemetery Metro to Tomb of Unknowns and walking it shows it 3/10's of a mile. That said, u still may want to do the tour that you can take with the bus inside AC. It stops at all the major sites and you can get off. DC requires a lot of walking. If you don't want to do any of the tours, you will be walking a lot. I don't recall the exact age of your children, but if they don't like walking, you really will need to think about distances. I've got grandkids who live in NYC and they don't bat an eye at all the walking. My other grandkids who live in CA aren't as thrilled with all the walking.

5alive

I went when it was 100 degrees out, so I have a slightly biased view. But with young children, I'd take a taxi to the entrance and I'd take the shuttle bus. It was an open air shuttle and very quick on/off. You will be walking so many places in DC and this is one of the few that is convenient to sit a bit.

Googs

obxgirl, I was melancholy this morning thinking how I've failed as a trip planner and a mother as I cannot show my kids everything in DC that I wish. Your sympathy gave me a reality check….if this is the worst thing in my life, I’m doing pretty well. : )

Does anyone know the tour length of the shuttle at Arlington Cemetery?

kayd

Since you'd probably get of at one or more of the stops--Tomb of the Unknowns (nearly everyone takes this stop, I think), Kennedy gravesites, Arlington House--and would then board the next shuttle that comes by after you've seen as much as you like, allow a couple of hours. To ride the loop without getting off would be less than an hour.

tenthumbs

If it makes you feel better Googs, I have made 8 one week long trips to DC, and I'm just beginning to feel satisfied in what I've seen and done!

tchoiniere

Assume 2-3 hours for Arlington. Depends on if you spend a lot of time at each site. Take the tour bus. Saves a lot of walking uphill and you get decent commentary / history.

Googs

Funny tenthumbs!
Thank you kayd and tchoiniere.

I'd like to post my revised itinerary next week on a new thread. I welcome your insight and reality checks. ; )

suewoo

Googs, I am a child therapist. Your kids will be fine

I lived in DC for a decade and still didn't see everything. It's wonderful. I know you'll enjoy it.

Googs

Haha suewoo! Thanks for your support.

suewoo

You are welcome. When I lived up there, I often saw parents dragging cranky little kids to yet another museum. I say take it easy. They'll thank you for it.

CaroBird

As an Australian we visited there 3 years ago. Definitely take the 2 days Hop On & Off Trolley Bus - every driver has a different, great story. We paid $34 for 2 days. They do not recommend it, but we did the whole circuit first to get an overall feel of it. Outer places like Arlington Cemetery & the National Cathedral - non denominational - we stopped at on 2nd day. Also doing circuit twice you go down Embassy Row twice - right XX country, left XX, so more ready for countries' embassies second time around. Were sick of museums and churches, but that church a must. Walking was very easy. We started at Lincoln Memorial & took in sites along the way as bus driver pointed out eg Vietnam etc Memorials. Walk from Lincoln>Reflection Pool through park- all flat to Washington Monument - walked to next street each time we passed to see White House - two different sides of it - through all the lovely parks on the way until Congress. Definitely take the free tour and visit the Library - all for free. I could walk this every day of my life. Husband saw Aviation & I liked Modern History Smithsonian with First Ladies' dresses and stories. Do not normally do Hop On & Off, but very cheap for what we got. We were there on 4th July. We took Amtrak through to NY and Boston & back to NY. Great train rides. Would love to redo it all.

lmichael

Googs, please post revised itinerary. And after! We will be in DC for 4 days in June, kids 11 and 14 though, and need all the help we can get! Have loved this thread since the start. Thank you all, you will see our itinerary in about a month.
As for booster seats, I know in CA the cabs are exempt.
All the walking considered, we are still leaning towards the night bus tour of the Monuments. Not sure if this would be too late for your children, but you stop at 9 Monuments in about 3-3.5 hours and you are not walking to all of them. Pricy, yes, break from walking and seeing the Monuments we want, think it is worth it.
Hope you have a wonderful trip!