Washington, D.C. transportation with kids
 

We are going to Washington, D.C. over Easter weekend and are prepared for the crowds. We are now trying to decide the best way to get around the city with our two kids (4 & 6). We're staying downtown near a metro stop as well as a Big Bus stop. Would the Big Bus price (almost $250 for 48-hours + the night tour) be worth it (for transportation as well as entertainment value) vs. the metro? I'm hesitant to cab too much without car seats, but would be willing to if needed for short distances.

Thanks in advance for the help. I may be back with more questions regarding our itinerary when we start narrowing down our to-see wish list.

Stick with the Metro. Walk as much as you can and then ride the Metro back to your hotel. http://www.wmata.com/
I doubt that you will spend even $100 on the Metro over 3 days.
I'd start with the Capitol building and work my way west seeing the WWII memorial, several Smithsonians, the Washington Monument and ending with the Lincoln Memorial which is getting a face lift this summer.

We were in DC last year. We used a combination of our feet and the Metro.

One surprising thing about DC is that things are farther apart than you'd expect.

If I remember correctly, I bought two Metro cards with a certain amount on each. At the end I sent them back and was refunded the remainder.

Each person has to have their own card. You can't use one and pass it back. The reason is that there is a different charge for different lengths of rides. So a start and end is required for each ride to determine how much is charged on your card.

We arrived pretty late by train from NYC and took a taxi to our hotel that was no more than a couple of blocks from the White House.

When we left (returned to South Florida) we took the metro from a block away from our hotel to DCA airport. We had a bit of a walk from the metro station to our terminal but it was fine. Before doing it we checkout out the metro station to make sure it had an elevator (luggage).

The Metro is good, fast and no auto traffic.

I think Easter weekend falls during the cherry blossom festivities this year so that is mixed news -- more to see but more people seeing it. And ultimately that is a good reason to not to pay for a Big Bus tour. Longer waits at stops and possibly more crowded buses. Most of them are not AC'ed. I think the entertainment value for 2 and 4 YOs might evaporate pretty quickly under those circumstances.

Stick with Metro and its DC Circulator bus which includes a route around the National Mall, the Jefferson Memorial and the tidal basin. (http://www.dccirculator.com) Because of heavy car and pedestrian traffic, the memorial route is sometimes suspended during the busiest days of the cherry blossom season so check the website. Circulator is still a useful way to get around in other parts of the city. $1 a ride.

Metro is paperless now so you'll need to get a pair of SmarTrip cards available at all metro stations (or in advance). Card works on trains and buses.

Two children, four and under, can ride free on Metro with an adult paying full fare. So you're good there.

Also, if you Uber, DC is (I'm almost certain) one of the few cities that has Uber Family with drivers and car seats. There is a surcharge but it might be worth it in some situations. Don't know where you're staying you can also ask the concierge about the availability of town cars some of which have car seats. The ones I have used had a flat fee, $20 a ride. Haven't done it in a couple of years tho so my pricing may be off.

$250 would buy you way more than 48 hours of cabbing around DC. Do not use the big bus for transit - it's very inconvenient. Recognize that walking long distances with 2 little ones can be an issue - but I would hop a cab rather than wait forever for a bus (and subways may be too far for little ones).

The OP mentioned a hesitancy to use cabs b/c of the lacks of car seats, a circumstance most parents traveling with young children eventually face. Not something you've ever had to sort out I'm guessing.

And getting in a cab in a congested part of the city heading possibly to another congested part of the city isn't smart or cost effective.

If the OP returns with some thoughts on an itinerary perhaps others can make some specific transportation suggestions. Walking, cab, bus, or subway may be preferable depending on the destination.

Thanks for the replies!

I think we'll stick mostly to the Metro and walking, skip the Big Bus (except maybe a night tour? Thoughts on that?), and take a cab only when absolutely necessary. I will have a cab # with us as well as check out Uber Family, which I've read is in DC.

We're being very loose with our plans as we aren't sure how overwhelmed the kids will get with the crowds, walking, etc. We're hoping to walk the majority of the National Mall, see the White House, visit the Library of Congress, and tour some Smithsonians. We also want to tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. We may add the National Zoo in if we have time and have exhausted ourselves downtown. We are probably going to skip Arlington National Cemetery this trip.

When you say "see the White House", do you mean from the outside, or did you request a tour? (Either way is fine, but the tours are a bit of a logistical nightmare, and not interesting for such little kids, IMO.)

Re: the Library of Congress, try to join a docent tour. They're free, and they're a really great experience.

NewbE - I just mean outside. We did not request a tour, but the kids do want to see the president's house from the outside. :-)

That makes perfect sense! And I think they'll enjoy seeing it because it looks exactly like it does in pictures--easily recognizable. Have fun!

Just an update and a thanks for all those who helped!

Our trip was a success. We ended up walking over 7 miles each day, the kids held up very well!

We did use the Metro and cabs and were happy to not be sitting in traffic on the buses. The Metro was efficient and easy and the cabs were plentiful.

We hit all the major sites we wanted to see, lucked out with awesome cherry blossom viewing, and were even able to add in some last minute additions we weren't planning on. One of our highlights was going to the top of Washington Monument. The kids also really enjoyed the museums (Air & Space, Natural History, American History). The tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was just so-so. Our tidal basin paddle boat reservation was cancelled due to high winds, which was a bummer, but we were able to add in a short trip to the zoo and saw the pandas, which was fun.

Anyway, thanks again for your help!