what to do in the evening
 

We will be arriving in DC in the early afternoon (around 4:00)on a Fri. I am looking for suggestions as to what we can do this first evening in DC. We are a group of 10 with kids (9-14). Since it is so late, I'm afraid we won't have time to look around in a museum. We are staying at one of the downtown hotels. Any suggestions will be appreciated.

Why don't you try exploring the monuments on the mall - - Lincoln, Vietnam, etc. It's a nice walk in the early evening - - then loop around the White House. The Roosevelt Memorial is very pleasant - - landscaped rooms with nice views across the Tidal Basin, but it's a fairly long walk from the mall.

Why don't you try exploring the monuments on the mall - - Lincoln, Vietnam, etc. It's a nice walk in the early evening - - then loop around the White House. The Roosevelt Memorial is very pleasant - - landscaped rooms with nice views across the Tidal Basin, but it's a fairly long walk from the mall.

Thanks for the idea!

Joe's idea is a good one and, per some previous threads, safety should not be a concern. <BR> <BR>Two other ideas: First, bundle up the troops and head into Georgetown. It has a very lively street scene until well into the evening; both the adults and the kids should like the goings-on along M St, and Wisconsin Avenue. <BR> <BR>The second idea is to check the dates you'll be in DC against the Resident Associates Program at the Smithsonian (www.si.edu/activity/events/start.htm). While most of the programs are adult-themed, there are also children-specific activities that might appeal. I note also there's an "Art's Night on the Mall" running all summer. <BR>

We arrived about 3:30 p.m. at our hotel and then went to the Metro and stopped at Arlington Cemetery -- you need no more than 2-3 hours there to see the major sights, and the metro is also very convenient. The night tour of the monuments is also a good idea. We did that too on another day and it would work well. Or go to Union Station (another Metro stop) it has shopping and some casual restaurants for kids/adults to enjoy!!!