At some point in time maybe 9 pr 10 years back, Busboys and Poets became a hip or very in place to go. At that time there was just the one on 14th ST. It has now expanded and there are several throughout the city and in the burbs. I never thought it was any good, but many must of liked it cause it used to be crowded and has expanded. Kramers is a great place for coffee, a drink or a snack. It's fun to browse the books, but the food is just ok. Again used to be an "in" location or hang out in the 80's not so much anymore.

Tryst might be a lot more interesting for a young girl. Just people watching and on weekends AM is very crowded. If you like browsing bookstores and are in AM, checkout Idle Times Books on 18th ST NW.

I agree that the Newseum might be of interest to a young girl. If she is into,spy,,the Spy Museum might be fun for her. for cupcakes, Baked and Wired in Georgetown is very good. And of course georgetown Cupcakes is well known.

DC is definitely not known for it's fashion! But there are all the usual stores.
Have a great trip!

Full Kee is open until 2am and is awesome! http://www.fullkeedc.com/
It is like sitting in a local eatery in Hong Kong

Not sure of hours but nearby on 6th street just below H is another authentic Chinese noodle house. It's the third door down from the corner, facade is painted bright green, and usually there are staff in the front window making dumplings or pulling noodles. Absolutely delicious food, reminds me of places we ate in Beijing with our local driver.

14th street, BTW, is absolutely safe to walk these days, has been gentrified within an inch of its life. Still has enough funk to be chic but ambiance is nothing like the "hookers and heroin" feel that prevailed when I lived there in the 19070's.

Seamus, when I tell my friends who live in DC about 14th St. back in the day, they don't believe me! Do you remember Bennie's Home of the Porno Stars?!

so, we're back, with a quick capsule summary - high points: for our 10 year old, DC cupcakes and the International Spy Museum hands down made the trip worth remembering for her...secondarily on her remembrances list will be the National Mall at midnight, visiting our amazing Memorials and Monuments, dinner at Kramerbooks at 1 am (peach cobbler and simultaneously chicken pot pie), Metro escalators, Hope diamond, Smithsonian, tour of the Capitol and Library of Congress...for the 2 adults: add on our dinners at Zaytinya and Zentan, the original Supreme Court chambers, tour guide at Capitol, ease of Metro travel, TheStrypes at 930 Club...again, thank you one and all for enabling a very full and memorable visit

Great! Glad to hear you had fun!!

Sounds like you found much for each member of your family to enjoy! Thanks for letting us know.

So glad to hear it was a fun trip and that some of our suggestions contributed!

Glad you had a nice trip! My daughter was also impressed with the Hope Diamond . A girl can dream!