We have been weighing our options as far as summer vacation this year. One place we thought of was Washington D.C. We could go to a few museums and of course do the usually sightseeing stuff, without boring the tears out of the kids

We know that some areas around there are not safe, and we don't want to end up staying in a hotel in those areas. If you have been there, and have stayed at a nice hotel in a nice part of town, could you point me in the right direction?

Also, i have no idea what is even near or around Washington D.C. So if you have any ideas of what else we could do if we went there, that would be really really helpful!

By Ginny~moderator on Monday, January 15, 2007 - 07:37 pm:

Of course, all of the museums on the Mall - the Space Age Museum, a couple of art museums, the Smithsonean, the outdoor sculpture displays, and the merry-go-round. But also, the National Cathedral - depending on the ages of your children - because kids should like the gargoyles all over the place, and there is a little museum showing how it was built and how some of the workers were depicted as gargoyles. The National Zoo, of course.

I find the Vietnam Memorial incredibly impressive - mind-blowing - every time. The Korean War memorial is also heart-catching, with the statues of soldiers of all races going across the field. The Lincoln Memorial is not to be missed.

There is just so much to see in Washington. I'm sure we have members living in that area, but I will also ask my niece, who works in D.C. and she and her husband live in Arlington.

Your six year old might be too young to enjoy a lot of these things, so you should plan around that child, in my opinion. And, summer in Washington can be very hot and muggy - bear that in mind.

By Kate on Monday, January 15, 2007 - 07:45 pm:

I don't know your religious views, but a new Creation Museum is opening in Cincinnati around June. It sounds awesome! Here's the addy:

http://www.answersingenesis.org/museum/

I think DC might be boring for the kids if they aren't up to speed on government and such....I find it fascinating but will wait 'til my kids are both older so they aren't whining and rushing us through things we want to see and linger over.

By Yjja123 on Monday, January 15, 2007 - 08:00 pm:

My children could not get enough of the Smithsonean. In fact, we are going again this year. The first time we went they were 8 and 10.
No advice on hotels, but wanted to say that we were NOT bored at all visiting Washington!

By Jjb on Monday, January 15, 2007 - 08:55 pm:

We live a few hours from DC and know several families that have visited. I've been there but haven't taken the kids yet (in fact we were supposed to go there today, but my children weren't behaving so we didn't go- tough love). Our friends kids have loved it… naturally they like the simple things such as the metro and the monuments. I’ve heard great things about the Museum of Natural History, and just walking along the mall is impressive for everyone. The zoo is fun…the panda’s are adorable. There is a new Air and Space museum in Chantilly near Dulles that is supposed to be really cool- you can go in an air traffic control booth and watch the planes land and take off (I haven’t been there but I’ve heard it’s great). The best thing about DC is that all the museums are free (sometimes you have to pay for parking), which saves a lot of money. The downside is that it’s very crowded in the summer and can be hot and humid. Like any city you have to tiime your arrival and departure due to the traffic.

Places to stay…I once stayed near the white house at the Capital Hilton. The rooms were nice but small. It was a very safe area. You can find a one bedroom suite in Tyson’s Corners for a very reasonable price (I believe my friends stayed at the Embassy Suites and raved about it for months). Tyson’s Corners is in Northern Va. but is on the metro. We have good friends who like to get a one bedroom suite at the Raddison in Crystal City (near the Pentagon and also on the metro line). Good luck!

By Dawnk777 on Monday, January 15, 2007 - 09:57 pm:

My family went to DC, when I was 18, way back in 1978. I loved the Smithsonian and wouldn't mind going back. I loved going up in the Washington Monument and seeing the sights. I loved seeing the Jefferson Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial. Mount Vernon and Williamsburg were nice, too. The tour through the White House was boring. You don't really get to see too much.

We stayed in a hotel in Virginia, but it was really far away. So, we got stuck in rush hour traffic every morning, while we drove to DC. Alexandria wasn't as close as my mom thought it was.

I can't remember if we got to one of the zoos or not. I would have liked that.

By Sandysmom on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 01:47 pm:

I am dying to get there soon. Possibly this spring. It's been years and there is a train station 20 minutes down the road that can take me right there.

By Cat on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 02:05 pm:

My mom and I went back in 1998. Besides what's already been mentioned we found the FBI headquarters to facinating (sp?). It's right around the corner from the Ford Theater (where Lincoln was shot). We didn't take the kids with us, though (they were only 4 and 6). There really is a lot to see. Traffic is horrible so plan for it.

By Kay on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 03:02 pm:

The last time we visited Washington, DC (this past summer), we stayed in Georgetown at a really nice suite hotel. We took a bus into DC, and there was some great shopping near our hotel in Georgetown.

By Kaye on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 03:50 pm:

WE went when my kids were 6, 8 and 10. They were far from board. The musuems have a lot of hands on stuff. They didn't love all the memorials, but really you go and look at them and aren't there long. I loved seeing the changing of the guard, but my youngest didn't really..LOL.

I don't recall where we stayed, but we were near the metro. We didn't rent a car, we just used mass transit the whole time. It was very nice. Our hotel had a shuttle that took us to the metro stop and picked us up.

By Rayelle on Tuesday, January 16, 2007 - 06:05 pm:

I live near dc, about 2 hours away, so most of the time I have gone it was a day trip. I won a contest and went to nationals. Part of the prize was a hotel stay at the Hilton. It was nice. I've gone to the memorials and Smithsonian alot. We took the dks when they were little to the zoo. I personally was interested in the Holocaust museum. There are areas there not recommended for kids under 13. When my mom and I were there for the contest, part of the package was bus tours to places nearby, like Mt. Vernon and a Naval show. I wonder if they offer those kind of things all the time. The bus came to the hotel. Our schools here take the kids to D.C. in 5th grade. I remember thinking the crystal White House was really cool and the dresses of the First Ladies. When we took our kids it was 2002. There was a big merry-go-round somewhere outside the Museum of Natural History I believe. They loved it.