I'll be traveling with my wife and our 11 year old son. Our 1st trip to Washington, thought it to be a good idea to take our son while he's still young.
I believe we'll be doing alot of sightseeing & would prefer to stay centrally located, a moderate to very nice Hotel is what we are looking for, between $150-$250 a night.
How it the public transportation? I heard traffic is horrible!
What should be expected climate, wise? Long coat, turtle necks and boots, fine? I'm actually more interested, in hotels, One last question, how far drive is it to New York? Planing on renting a car for a day or two! Thank you for any help!

We took our son when he was almost 11. We used the Washington DC City Pack (Fodors book) that had all the essentials and a great map. We were concerned about public transportation, but found the Metro is wonderful. We stayed in a hotel (Crystal Marriott) where the Metro was connected via a mall. It took us 6 hrs to drive from just S of NYC.

The DC Metro is very easy to use. If you're considering a quick trip to NYC, it would be much easier (and faster) to take Amtrak; driving is horrendous in NYC as well, and public transportatio easy to use. It is much too far for a day trip, though. It would be easier to answer your weather questions if you stated when you are going.

By car the trip to NY should only take 4 to 4.5 hours. Taking Amtrak would be much easier but so much more expensive. There are parking garages/lots in NY you just have to look for them. If you plan on staying there a couple of days, then just make sure that the hotel you stay in can accomodate your vehicle. As for DC traffic being horrible, it is.

Felix,

Just spent time this past July in the DC area. Drove from Niagara Falls to our hotel in one day with a tour of Gettysburg on the way. We took our two boys ages 12 and 16. We stayed in (Old Town) Alexandria, Virginia which is right on the outskirts of DC. I would highly recommend the Embassy Suites Hotel. It is well within your price range. It is across the street from a main Metro stop and very convenient after a day of walking. Breakfast is included. The Metro is very clean and safe. Avoid driving in DC.

I would also recommend you buy a day pass on one of the trolley buses. They will drop you off and pick you up at all the major sights saving your feet and time.

A good website for tourist information is: http://seewashingtondc.net

Have a great time.

Have a great time.

Just got back from DC with our family. We did & saw many things, but this site is very good for information. We saw over & over again the recommendation to see the National Air & Space Museum and we were not disappointed. Even if you don't have a lot of time, you can see the Apollo Capsules, Kitty Hawk, Spirit of St. Louis, missiles, the moon rock, etc., all in the main foyer/lobby area. Very interesting.

We traveled with two preteens to DC a couple of years ago in March. The weather ranged from Sunny and 75 to a mild blizzard (they called it a "Nor-easter, as a Coloradoan - we called it a little skiff) Great time! So much to do and almost all of it is free! Get tickets for the Whitehouse and Capital tours from your Congressman before you go. The Whitehouse tour was ok - But there was only our family on the Capitol tour and our kids learned so much.

I second the recommendation for the Trolly tour - We started ours in Arlington Cemetary and spent the day touring the city. It gave us a great overview of everything and we were able to spend the next three days exploring the city in detail.

We were able to get a suite at the Georgetown Suites for $130/night. It was a very nice place with one bedroom, bath, and a Kitchen/Dining/Livingroom combination - it also included breakfast and was convienent to the Metro and terrific Georgetown resturants!

We rented a car the last day and had a difficult time just getting out of the City - Don't drive - The Metro is terrific. If you are able to spend sometime outside of DC - I recommend traveling through Shenendoah National Park to Charlottesville (I'm not quite sure how to spell it) and visit Montecello. We then went on to Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown. THis side trip took two days and on our way back into Washington DC we were able to visit Mount Vernon - another must see! Have Fun and learn lots!

Thanks a million for all your help. I appreciate all information given. Once again thank you, ALL!!!!!!

Felix--I live in Washington, DC. If you want to stay in the city, I highly recommend the Georgetown Suites Hotel, which has a free breakfast in the lobby and a kitchen in every room. There is also a more modest hotel Carlisle Suites, in the city near Dupont Circle. Be sure to visit the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and Rossevelt Memorial at night!! I have lived here over 20 years, and there is nothing like going to the Lincoln Memorial after dark--it is magnificent.

For fun at night, go to Adams Morgan to see the nightlife and many ethnic restaurants. For a culinary adventure, try Fasika's or the Red Sea, both Ethiopian restaurants.

All the Smithsonion museums are free.

This a very beautiful and exciting city, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Your son might appreciate a visit to Arlington National Cemetery. It is very patriotic and will make an impression on him about our nation. The Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns changes every hour, and that is very popular to watch. It only takes a few minutes, and there is no charge.

Felix:
Don't forget George Washington's home at Mt Vernon.
I also like the Embassy suites. Good for your family.
Enjoy your visit.

An too-frequently overlooked sight is the Ford's Theatre, where Lincoln was shot. It is off the beaten path a bit, but my kids really enjoy it. There is a museum with important items involved in the events of that day, such as the clothing Lincoln was wearing. Since kids learn a lot about Lincoln in school, this museum really presents them with something to which they can easily relate.

I was in DC and VA from October 18-23. I also recommend Embassy Suites. They have several locations in the DC area. Try the Alexandria, Crystal City (Arlington) or downtown (N & 22nd Street.) You can book directly at the Embassy Suites web site and save a lot over using the 800 number. Embassy Suites generally gives a great weekend rate, but is pretty high (over $200) at these locations from Monday through Thursday. I tried several websites that promise discount rates, but no one beat the regular Embassy Suites website. And I did a lot of searching over several days.