I think you will be closer to more things you want to see at the Capitol Hill Suites. Friends and family regularly stay there and enjoy it very much. If you weren't so very pregnant, and you had a stroller for the toddler, you could walk comfortably to the Air and Space, Carousel, and Natural History (though walking back is all uphill). However, it would also be a short metro or bus ride (or taxi ride) from the hotel. The metro in DC has escalators and elevators, people take strollers and toddlers all of the time. The bus is actually more of a pain with a stroller. If you do feel more comfortable with the bus, you want want of the 30s buses (34, 36) that runs down Independence Avenue to the Mall attractions listed above. You can get off at 4th Street or 7th Street, depending where you are going. www.wmata.com If you take a taxi, be aware that the hotel is on the edge of a taxi zone (Second Street), it will be a slightly cheaper ride if you hail your cab between 2nd and 1st street, than if you hail it between 3rd and 2nds street. There are many small family-friendly neighborhood restaurants in the neighborhood -- La Lomita Dos is especially fun if you like Mexican, lots of pinatas and other things to attract a toddler's attention. They have a mariachi band on Thursday nights.

The other thing I should mention about the Capitol Hill Suites, in case you decide to stay there, is be sure to note the address of the hotel is 200 C Street SE -- i.e. SOUTHEAST. This caution applies to all addresses in Washington, as the city is divided into four directional quadrants (NE, SE, NW, SW) that form an integral part of the address. However, for reasons that O don't have time to explain, some addresses are more likely to cause confusion that others. In this case, if you only told a taxi "200 C Street" and did not know the quadrant, there are potentially 4 different addresses the driver could take you to. (Spoken by someone who learned this the hard way, on one of my earliest trips to Washington many moons ago.)

When our kids were small, we took them to the Capitol Children's Museum. Maybe your 2 old would like it too?

One other suggestion. Somewhere on the mall is a small sculpture garden, where the kids enjoyed roaming around for a short time when they were little.

travelgirl2 -- alas, the Children's Museum is no more (making way for "luxury" condos.) I believe the sculpture garden you are referring to (there are several) is the one between the National Gallery and the Natural History Musuem -- my toddler nieces and nephews love it too, particularly the chance to sit on the edge of the large fountain and splash their feet when it is warm.

Oh, Moongirl, that is so sad. It was a charming older museum. Thanks for the update.