I am at a loss for how to plan a three day visit to D.C. I will be with my two boys (ages 11 & 13). My 11 year-old gets bored/tired rather easily. I want this to be fun & educational for them both.

We want to see:

1. Smithsonian
2. White House
3. Holocaust Museum
4. Washington Monument
5. Lincoln Memorial
6. Zoo
7. Have a tour at Department of Treasury (money) one morning

What should we cut??? Also, we have to have our rental car because we are coming from Hershey, PA & flying out of Baltimore, MD.

Thanks,
wismom3

Do you have a particular smithsonian in mind? There are several. I think for that age probably the best would be the air and space smithsonian. But, the others are great. You can easily spend 1/2 day of so in most of them.

Do you want to "really pack it in" or have some relax time as well?
You can see some of the memorials at night. What you have listed is all worth doing and it a variety. It has been a few years since I have been, so I will let others who are better familiar with it give you an idea for an itenry.

I'm asking this in a kind way but do you think your boys are ready for the Holocaust Museum?

Some powerful stuff.

I recommend buying your tickets to the Washington Monument ahead of time (through the parks dept on-line). Not sure you can do the White House or Treasury Dept without special passes but...the others should not present a problem as they are pretty wide-open. Do not pass up the Vietnam memorial (next to Lincoln) and I would recommend the Spy Museum for your kids (you too).

We lived through the OKC bombing. The memorial there now is beautiful. I don't know how I'll feel at the Holocaust Museum.

Is ther a better time to visit the Washington Monument?

Thanks all,
wismom3

The Holocaust Museum is really intense and, if you do feel comfortable that your sons will be able to handle it, they still may not feel like doing too much right afterward; it's a lot to wrap one's head around.

The White House is not always easily accessible, as far as touring the inside; not the first thing I'd try with an 11 year old with a low boredom threshold.

Many kids are into WWII; that memorial in conjunction with some of the others might be a good idea for part of a day.

The new section of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum (actually in Virginia) enthralls a lot of kids.

Be sure to get his input on this! It's amazing sometimes what kids ARE interested in, and I know that sometimes we adults are so into the planning that the prep time w/the kids can get a bit neglected. (not saying you have, just a thought...)

The Holocaust Museum is very experiential, it's not just a monument. Do a little research and website visiting before you put this on your brief itinerary.

Likewise, go to si.edu and look over the many options that you have among the Smithsonian museums. Technically, the National Zoo is part of the Smithsonian. Most guys the ages of yours would enjoy the Air & Space museum and Natural History.

As a final research tidbit, note that access to the White House is very limited.

You might not need to keep the rental car. The airport you are apparently referring to, BWI, serves both Washington and Baltimore and is located between them. Even taking a taxi from your hotel to the airport would be cheaper than hanging onto the rental car for 3 or 4 extra days. The rental car offices at BWI are off-site and add a hassle and time factor to the airport transfer.

I guess I am confused, because my rental car receipt says in-terminal at BWI.

wismom3

The Holocaust Museum has a children's section if you don't think they're ready for the main part.

Regarding the Dept of the Treasury, do you mean the Bureau of Engraving, where they actually print paper money? It's actually very near the Holocaust Museum so I would combine your visits to those two.

Personally, I would skip the zoo, because there are lots of zoos in lots of cities. If they miss this one, they'll see another some time.

When my kids were younger (actually, now, too, that they're older), we loved the Air and Space Museum and the American History Museum, which just reopened following a remodel. The latter is huge, so you have to pick a few exhibits, but mine liked seeing the American flag that supposedly flew over Ft. McHenry when the Star Spangled Banner was written about it, the exhibit that has things like Fonzie's jacket, and Dorothy's red slippers, but there are so many worthwhile exhibits, I can't wait to go again!

Oh, and don't miss (sorry I'm adding something) the National Archives. It is really something to see the real Declaration of Independence.

I would skip the zoo...there are better ones elsewhere. The Declaration of Indepence and the Star Spangled banner (original flag) are musts. Lincoln Memorial & FDR Memorial are fabulous at night. Vietnam Memorial a must (daytime). Arlington a must if YOU have never been to Kennedy's grave. Other ideas all musts. SO MUCH to see, be careful not to burn your kids out...only pick the highlights at Smithsonian. They can always go back when they are adults. I have been to D.C. 3 times & have never gotten in the White House (and I have connections)...you must plan ahead for that (I always travel spontaneously on no notice usually). have a terrific trip!

wismom3,

I found myself in a similar dilema many years ago when we visited Washington with my 14 year old daughter. I finally had to make myself a timeline for each day, centered around the most time-restricted aspects of our trip. In our case those were a tour of the Capitol with a staff member from the office of my congressman, and a tour of the White House.

I'm not sure what it takes (or what arrangements you have made) to "see" the White House, but if it is an actual tour itself, then you will be given a specific day and time that you have to be there. Try to arrange some of the less time-specific things around those that are fixed.

The Smithsonian museums, the zoo, and the memorials (like the Lincoln Memorial are the least time-specfic things in Washington - as you can come and go at your leisure. At the Holocaust Museum, Washington Monument, (and probably at the Bureau of Engraving) you will be given a pass for a specific time to visit. These passes are given out on a daily basis - first come, first served - which can make timing your Washington experience a little tricky if you don't get to these attractions early enough in the day to get a pass for the time of day you want.

Thus, if you have a couple of hours to wait before going up into the Washington Monument, visit one of the nearby Smithsonian Museums like the American History Museum or Natural History Museum.

I agree that the zoo may be one of the venues you may consider cutting, as many other cities have a zoo, and there is so much more to see & do in Washington. Of course, that is going to drpend upon what your kids really want to do.

I'd suggest contacting your Senators or Congressman about getting a tour of the Capitol Building from one of their staff. They'll have you meet them in their office and take you through the underground tunnels from the office buildings to the Capitol itself. In the Capitol Building they can take you places that non-accompanied visitors may not be able to get to, and they are very well versed in interesting trivia about the Capitol building [like.... why John Quincy Adams appeared to be sleeping at his desk on the floor of the House chamber (now Stautuary Hall) during some of the more important sessions when he served as a congressman from Massachuettes after his term as president].

If you find yourself having trouble getting an appropriate time to get up into the Washington Monument, I'd suggest going up into the second highest tower in the city -the bell tower of the Old Post Office Building (corner of 12th & Pennsylvania). It's free, generally uncrowded, you don't need a pass of any sort, and the panoramic view of the city is second only to that from the Washington Monument.

"I guess I am confused, because my rental car receipt says in-terminal at BWI"

Who did you rent from? Here's the airport's own description of their setup.

http://www.bwiairport.com/ground_tra...n/car_rentals/

I rented the car from Dollar online. They even charged a facility charge & concession fee for being at the airport. I will have to call & find out.

Thanks for all your information, everyone. I think we will skip the zoo.

wismom3

Definitely Air & Space!

Wismom3, I have no idea about BWI's setup, but here in SF, you pay a fee for an airport car rental, but it's still not actually on-site -- you have to take an airtrain to get there. BWI may be the same.

wismom,

If you want an actual tour of the White House, you need to request a tour through your member of congress. You can request up to six months in advance, but they schedule the tours a month in advance. Not sure when you'll be going, but the White House may wind up being a "walk-by" destination.

Agree with the other posters re the Holocaust Museum. The only way I can explain it is this -- I've actually been to Dachau in Germany, and while it was intense to be at an actual concentration camp, the museum in DC is slightly more graphic and "in your face." They REALLY work to drive the point home. We needed an hour or two of downtime after our visit -- without kids in tow.

With boys that age I would also recommend the International Spy Museum. My boys (including DH) loved it!

Have the kids do some on-line research and let each select a site that he really wants to see.

Though the zoo is not the flashiest, it is free, so if one child really wants to see the pandas, you can go for a short visit and not feel you have to make it a full day to justify spending $20+/head.

Thanks everyone!

We did not get a White House tour. We were rejected.

The boys' dream is really our trip to Hershey a few days before D.C. I know they will love both. I decided we should go & see the National Cathedral, & we all decided a couple of restaurants to visit. We loved the US Treasury visit in Dallas, so hopefully the one there is good too. We did get a tour for that.

Regards,
wismom3