Family-type things to do in DC

May 15, 2008 7:26 AM

What to do in DC for a couple days with kids?

Yes, I'm aware that DC has a plethora of things to do. I'm looking to refine my list and get ideas I haven't thought about (I haven't been there much in the last couple decades).

I find myself in DC with my teenage kids next week (Thursday, Friday and some of Saturday). The kids aren't a problem--they're interested in everything and excited to be going. We'll probably do some monuments and some museums, but which ones? Is the Air and Space Museum still cool? Is the Capitol an interesting place to visit? Are there things to do or see, ideally near the Metro, that tourists tend to overlook? Free or cheap are good but not critical.

(Complicating this is the fact that next weekend is Memorial Day weekend, which I imagine brings crowds and patriotic pageantry that I would rather miss. But we're splitting for Chincoteague on Saturday, so hopefully we'll miss most of that--right?)

posted by rodii to travel & transportation (45 comments total)

Thankfully, it's all free so even if the Air and Space sucks (I think it does, these days), you can roll out after five minutes none the poorer. Smithsonian link so you can check out what's going on at all the museums and if anything is of particular interest.

I was going to suggest the zoo until I read that your kids are teenagers. Might still be fun though.
posted by i less than three nsima at 7:36 AM on May 15

Have each kid pick a 'must-see' museum. For me at that age it was Air & Space, but now I'd probably be more interested in seeing Chinatown or the Museum of American History.

My most recent trip to DC (4 years ago) included my first-ever trip to the Natural History Museum, where I was astounded to see that the Hope Diamond was as big as a silver dollar, and nothing like the 'baseball diamond' from the Great Muppet Caper. :-\

There is a company that does walking tours via segway, which would give you all some interesting shared memories later on.

My only tip is to wear comfortable shoes, you will do more walking than you expect.
posted by Wild_Eep at 7:40 AM on May 15

So I still love the Air and Space Museum, but there's apparently a hanger out in Dulles that's an extension of the DC museum that has a ton of stuff in it, including the Space Shuttle Enterprise. If you have a car, that might be far cooler than the DC building.
posted by olinerd at 7:47 AM on May 15

And by "in Dulles" I meant "near Dulles".
posted by olinerd at 7:49 AM on May 15

The new wing of the Air & Space out near Dulles Airport is very cool. The Space Shuttle Enterprise is there, along with an SR-71 and the Enola Gay. There are free shuttles running from the downtown museum.

My teenage son loved the International Spy Museum. It's very popular so you'll want to buy tickets in advance. It's also a bit pricey, but I thought it was worth it. I learned quite a bit there.

If you are baseball fans and the Nationals in town they have a brand new stadium. Tickets are plentiful, especially during the week, so I'd just buy them at the box office day of the game.
posted by COD at 7:49 AM on May 15

I think a don't-miss option with teenagers is the Holocaust Museum. Humbling for anyone, but especially those who might be in the throes of the navel-gazing, woe-is-me teen years. Lots to talk about afterwards.

Also, go to the National Archives to see the Declaration of Independence before it crumbles into oblivion. And the Constitution before it's made obsolete.

Both of those options will probably have waits to get in. Get in line for the National Archives early in the day (like, crack of dawn early). If it's nice weather, it will be a pleasant wait - you're right in the middle of things.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:51 AM on May 15

If you're gonna go to the Capitol, call your senator or representative's office and book a staff-led tour through them. As someone whose given them, its definitely an easier and more exciting way to get through the Capitol. That's not going to be available on Saturdays or Memorial Day, so plan accordingly.

My favorite overlooked museum is the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery / Museum of American Art. It's right off Gallery Place / Chinatown on the red, green and yellow lines. Its a great combination of historical stuff and contemporary portraits. The building itself speaks of history. Chinatown is also a great place to grab lunch or dinner afterwards.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 7:53 AM on May 15

FYI: The Museum of American History is closed right now, so don't count on getting in. They've moved some of the popular stuff over to Air and Space.
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 7:54 AM on May 15

Oh, thirding going to see the big stuff out at Dulles before the Air & Space near the Mall.
posted by SuperSquirrel at 7:55 AM on May 15

I've never been, but the International Spy Museum seems to be quite popular, particularly with young teens. It is less than one block from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop. A couple of caveats, I think that the entrance fee is kinda pricey and in spite of this there is usually a long line of people waiting to get in during the school holidays. It's also just a couple of blocks from the National Archives, so if your kids have seen the movie National Treasure they might get a kick out of going there. It is free, but the lines are horrendous.

One place off the beaten track that I've been meaning to explore is the Society of the Cincinnati. You can read more about it on their website, but it is a society begun after the Revolutionary War by American and French Army and Naval Officers. It is housed in a stately Dupont Circle mansion and has exhibitions of art and Revolutionary War memorabilia. I believe that admission is free.

Finally there are two relatively new museums on the Mall that might interest you kids: the National Museum of the American Indian and the Newseum .

Have fun!
posted by kaybdc at 7:55 AM on May 15

Spy Museum and the Natural History Museum. Spy Museum has listening devices and you can crawl through ventilation duct and Natural History has an awesome insect zoo and prehistoric mammal skeletons.
posted by electroboy at 7:59 AM on May 15

Natural History Museum: the display on the evolution of horses' hooves, and the lives bee's hive upstairs. Then the National Zoo, primates and naked mole rats.
posted by orthogonality at 8:02 AM on May 15

There's a new live butterflies exhibit at Natural History, which, while not free, is not that expensive, and is supposed to be really incredible. I will add my voice to the chorus about going to the Air & Space annex at Dulles Airport. My family goes there all the time, and we love it.
posted by cerebus19 at 8:05 AM on May 15

Georgetown C&O Canal Boat rides - small charge, walkable from Foggy Bottom on the Orange/Blue Line, near lots of shopping and food.

Theodore Roosevelt Island - walkable from Rosslyn on the Orange/Blue Line, go down to the bike trail, turn right, cross the footbridge.

Spy Museum - not free, but nice, walkable from Gallery Place/Chinatown.

National Portrait Gallery and American Art at Reynolds Center - right beside the Spy Museum, be sure to visit the Kogod Courtyard and splash a bit in the water effect pools.

National Zoo - walkable from Woodley Park on the Red Line, if you're feeling adventurous with a couple of hours to spare, try hiking the Melvin Hazen Trail from near Cleveland Park Metro and then walk down the bike trail to the back of the zoo.

Artomatic - walkable from New York Ave Metro on the Red Line, nice if any of your teens are into graduate art school turtleneckery.

On preview: yes, do the butterflies at Natural History! Also check out the mammals.
posted by brownpau at 8:07 AM on May 15

Oh, yes, and the National Building Museum is a great place to go if you're even slightly interested in architecture. It's literally across the street from the Judiciary Square (red line) Metro station.
posted by cerebus19 at 8:11 AM on May 15

The Spy Museum is relatively expensive, but definitely fun.

Food-wise, Union Station has pretty much the ultimate food court and is a neat stop anyway, with stores and people watching. DC has some decent sushi place, decent restaurants of all varieties really. Some good cheap eats are Potbelly's and Julia's Empanadas, which are all over.

Not For Tourists is an excellent line of books, and they are nice enough to put the whole thing online for free, even if in a weirdly clunky PDF-per page format. I'd suggest getting the book just for the detailed maps.

The Washington City Paper is another source to check out once you get here, free on almost every corner.

The Zoo is a lot of fun, and if you don't mind walking, you can wander around Dupont Circle and just take in the sights.

Alexandria is just a metro ride away and another fun area to wander about in (check out Hard Times Cafe).
posted by JeremiahBritt at 8:13 AM on May 15

Just came back from DC with my 9 yr old son. We had a great time. Bureau of Engraving - seeing money being made is mesmerizing. This and all limited access sites like the Capitol, The Washington Monument, The Holocaust Museum...require a ticket to access given the day of only. The tickets are handed out starting @ 8:30am get a coffee and a paper and get in line by 7. Finally use the Metro.
If you can pack a lunch - 2 slices and one Coke 18.50 at the Smithsonian. The Spy Museum and Newseum are 20.00 bucks per.
posted by pianomover at 8:16 AM on May 15

One place that always gets missed by tourists (and is free) is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on 14th and C, just around the corner from the Holocaust Museum. Its kind of cool to watch the money being printed and see stacks and stacks of cash
posted by worker_bee at 8:21 AM on May 15

My top 3:
1. Air and Space Museum
2. Holocaust Museum
3. National Gallery of Art (for some reason I really like the cafe there).
posted by mattbucher at 8:21 AM on May 15

sorry for the double post on pianomovers comment, checking the web address means I get in second!
posted by worker_bee at 8:22 AM on May 15

We went this past summer, and as mentioned above, the Air and Space has selected items from the American History Museum. These items were the hit of the day for my kids, so definitely visit there.

I have to say the Zoo was kind of a dissappointment for us, after seeing San Diego and others. Plus we went in August and were nearly dead after walking around in the heat. Fortunately, they had intermittent misters on the walkways which helped.

If you haven't seen the Capitol building, that was one of the best tours we took. Get there early and you get right in. And the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was quite nice for us as well, and was set up by our Songressman's local office.
posted by genefinder at 8:29 AM on May 15

And by Songressman, I mean to say Congressman.
posted by genefinder at 8:29 AM on May 15

Bring kites, frisbees and some food and do a picnic on the National Mall. There are lots of vendors, the people watching is great, and you can stroll over to sooooooo many things.

For some spectacular scenery with a dose of history , head for Great Falls. Lots of neat trails, the C&O Canal (you can even ride in an authentic canal boat).
posted by Patapsco Mike at 8:29 AM on May 15

Do a bike tour! I did a bike tour of the monuments at night from this company, and it was a lot of fun (and if you buy tickets through goldstar, you can get them for half price).

This section of the Post should give you a good run-down of interesting exhibits at the museums. They also have a visitor's guide.
posted by amarynth at 8:30 AM on May 15

I second the Spy Museum (especially the Operation Spy thing). It's not cheap, but I hear it is super badass. (One of these days, I'm going to go do it, but I don't want to go by myself.)
posted by sperose at 8:40 AM on May 15

Seconding the National Building Museum. I usually just gloss over winded exhibit text and move on to the next point of visual interest, but their exhibits were absurdly interesting. Everything about development and city planning down to neat little architectural points. They don't really have a static collection, just big exhibits with themes, so you can split up or pick and choose according to taste. (Reasonable and interesting gift shop, too. And right at a metro stop.)

The Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is also one of my favorites. Quick and easy tour. Best fountain in the city outside.

The Nat. Botanic Garden is nearby, too. Reading is purely optional. Just go and meander and be filled with delight.
posted by cowbellemoo at 8:45 AM on May 15

Riding on top of the double-decker bus is a great thing to do on your first day, it really helps you get the lay of the land, and may show you some things you'd like to investigate further.

The new Nationals ballpark is really cool, and I think the team is in town over that weekend. You can totally buy tickets at the stadium, and it's right on the metro.

The Udvar-Hazy Air & Space museum (out near Dulles) is super-cool but not at all Metro-accessible. The "ordinary" Air&Space museum is worth a stop (and it's free).

FWIW, Wild_Eep, Chinatown is no longer Chinese in any sense of the word, since the Verizon center moved in it's all Legal Seafood, Ruby Tuesdays, Urban Outfitters. You can skip it.

If the teenagers want to do some shopping, go walk around Georgetown for the afternoon.

Here are some other good recommendations in a similar vein.
posted by nkknkk at 9:34 AM on May 15

You needn't wait in line for Holocaust Museum tickets (and maybe some of the other venues); you can order tickets online.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:35 AM on May 15

There's a brand-spanking new set of exhibits at the Library of Congress--Jefferson's original library, early drafts of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, a couple of giant, really old maps, and the venerable Gutenberg Bible. Plus, it's a really neato old building.
posted by MrMoonPie at 9:40 AM on May 15

If you're driving and have time on either end of your trip, I really recommend a trip to Monticello.
posted by phunniemee at 9:48 AM on May 15

I wouldn't do it ON memorial day (the President will likely be there and you might not even be able to get in) but Arlington National Cemetary was a place I liked visiting a lot as a teen. And they'll have "flags in" for Memorial Day. The highlights include the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (see the changing of the guard), the Custis-Lee mansion, JFK's and RFK's tombs, and the fact that we're still burying soldiers killed in battle there every week (something important to remember however you feel about the war).

On Capitol Hill I used to eat at the Pizza place next to the Heritage Foundation (214 Massachusetts Ave NE), which had a pizza and salad bar all you can eat at dinner some nights and the Tex-Mexish grill across the street. There are a bunch of other restaurants just up the street there (German and Mexican come to mind) all close to Union station but not a food court (though some of the actual restaurants in US are very good, if pricey.)

If you're religious (or like big churches) consider visiting the National Cathedral or the Basillica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, both of which are amazing (unless you're from NYC or London, in which case you might be less impressed.)

There's a nice view of the city from the top of the National Cathedral (elevator to the top).

I still enjoyed the Zoo even when I was a teen (and its free, but it's not as good as some others in the U.S.)

The Jefferson memorial is overlooked.

There's a Naval History Museum and a ship you can tour at Washington Navy Yard. Check out their website though... There have been some security changes there.

I felt the Bureau of Engraving and Printing was kind of a letdown, if you've seen it on TV you've seen it (but I had a class in school where we got factory tours and got up close w/ big machinery, so I might be somewhat spoiled when confronted with the catwalk view you get at BEP.)
posted by Jahaza at 10:02 AM on May 15

Oh my gosh--how could we forget Rolling Thunder?!?
posted by MrMoonPie at 10:47 AM on May 15

One of my favorite things to do when I have friends in town is take them to the Canadian Embassy, which just so happens next to the Newseum. I've never actually been in the embassy proper, but there is an awesome echo chamber built into the building. You can't miss it, and is always a surreal experience once you enter it and start talking or start stomping around!

If your kids like nature, the National Arboretum on New York Avenue (may be a small hassle to get there) is absolutely gorgeous. Not sure how much teenagers would be into it though. They do have a mind numbingly awesome bonsai and penjing collection, though. It's a great place to hike as well.
posted by tittergrrl at 11:24 AM on May 15

Holy crap, I knew I was going to get good information, but this is a massive hoard of it. Thank you all, I have a lot of processing to do here.
posted by rodii at 12:00 PM on May 15

Nthing Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery / Museum of American Art. It really is overlooked. It has one of my favorite things in all of D.C.: the throne room made for the return of Christ, made out of tin foil. Photo here, but it doesn't do it justice.

Also, my kids and I like the Hirshhorn and the Freer & Sackler, modern art and Asian art, respectively.
posted by pasici at 2:03 PM on May 15

pasici, we've discussed The Throne of the Third Heaven over on the blue. My 12-year-old daughter loves it.
posted by MrMoonPie at 2:18 PM on May 15

The United States Capitol is absolutely a must if no one has had the chance to do so. I'm also bias, I worked there as a tour guide for half a year. The visit to the rotunda is always amazing for the first time visitor, I saw plenty of kids gawking at the experience.

You have two options when doing this:

1)Take the public tour by getting tickets from the ticket booth on the southwest corner of the grounds near the Peace Circle. The tour guides for these tours come straight from the official Capitol Guides, which was established back in the late 19th century. The bonus is that you will get the most factually correct tour of the building, and a good chance, by someone who's been doing it for years and has an awesome tour built after all those years of practice.

Furthermore, tickets are handed out for tours at specific times on a first-come first serve basis. Forty tickets to a tour, so if eighty people are in line, then two tours will be handed out within five minutes, etc...etc. What this means is that you could come (all family members need to be present), get a ticket and depending on where in line you are, have time to go somewhere else (like the Botanical Gardens across the street), then come back for your tour. When I worked there, tours Monday - Friday ran every 5 minutes, on Saturdays, it was every 10 minutes. So the first forty get tickets for the 9:00am tour, the next 40 get the 9:05 tour, and so on, until the very last tour that runs in the late afternoon.
I strongly recommend trying to get one of the first tours (get there early). If you can get into the Capitol on a tour in that first hour or so, thats when the building is most empty (especially on Saturdays!) and makes for the best tours where guides don't have to scream and the rooms aren't packed full of other tours.

Drawback:
You will not get to see the basement area corridors. You will likely be in a tour that will range from 20 to 40 people. There is a chance you'll get a temporary guide, but even then, you'll still get a pretty factual tour. The wait after getting a ticket and getting in the line to go through security at the worse of times will generally border on anywhere from thirty to forty minutes. The Capitol Police, unfortunately, don't always choose to operate all the metal detectors, and this can slow things down.

2) Contact your local congressman's or Senators' office, and look into getting on one of the Congressional staff tours. The bonus of the staff tours is that the group is limited to no more than 15 people, not counting the staffer leading the tour. Since it counts as a private tour, theoretically, the staffer can take the group to the basement area if they want or have the time to. What you see down there are hallways of painted brick, often with open ceilings with pipes and what not running. As well as the a small post office, and two dining areas for people working on the hill. Its neat, but not an essential part of experiencing the building.

Drawback: Staff led tours all have to get in line and wait to be let into the building. These lines can even be stopped by the Capitol Police and the Capitol Guides if there's too many people in the building. The real danger is that many of the Staff lead tours are done by summer interns and staffers, who don't receive a good education on the building or even get wrong information. Thats not to say that you can't get a staffer who doesn't know what they're talking about, but there's a good chance you could end up with someone who doesn't. The only other problem is that it may be too soon to your holiday to get on one of the tours, depending on how booked they are.

To do regardless of either option:
On the day you visit, go to a Congressman's or Senator's office and ask for Gallery Passes for both the House and the Senate. These passes will let you get into the Capitol and go to the gallery to watch Congress in action. Most offices carry both, but you may have to go to one and then the other. Even if you can't get on a tour, you can still do these. Or if you do the tour, you can do these, and see more of the Capitol than most accomplish.

Here are two links for the US Capitol Guides.
posted by Atreides at 3:25 PM on May 15

as far as Smithsonian goes, I love the Freer and Sackler and they're rarely as crowded.

The Museum of the American Indian is right on the mall (end toward Capitol Hill), beautiful architecture and quite new, and has the best food if you're going to eat at a museum, though second to that I'd go to the cafeteria in the downstairs floor linking the wings of the National Gallery of Art (really good gelato there.. and just after is the small US Botanic Garden which is v beautiful and fun, if you want to see different plants and flowers & not trek all the way out to the Arboretum (which you'd have to drive, basically).

you know, if they're teenagers and want to do some shopping & you can't find these places where you live, at Metro Center there is a giant H&M and American Apparel and Zara store.. H&M especially, I'd have killed to have had a chance to go there in high school. Georgetown has a ton of shopping too but if you're downtown at the mall, Metro Center is a lot closer (walkable).

I also really like Old Town Alexandria, you can take a metro to King Street and just walk up or take the Dash bus which is free on weekends.. lots of little shops and restaurants, historic buildings, beautiful town square, and walk all the way to the waterfront and visit the Torpedo Factory art center. That's a great place to visit to get away from the mall.

I don't know about the Spy Museum.. it's pricey to get tickets and gets crowded.. our wonderful Smithsonian museums are free :)
posted by citron at 3:36 PM on May 15

Also, I have not been there yet but the Newseum in Rosslyn has been completely made over and reopened. And if you just want to see some cool neighborhoods w/shops, restaurants, maybe take a metro to Dupont Circle, walk up Connecticut Ave a ways, over on 18th St through Adams Morgan. (Note - do NOT walk through Adams Morgan on Friday/Saturday night, about 30 times its daytime population converges for bars/clubbing and it's really annoying.)
posted by citron at 3:42 PM on May 15

Lots of great suggestions above, I think. Kids (and adults) will love Udvar-Hazy and the Spy Museum. I'll try to throw some others in.

I'm surprised no one's suggested the National Archives.

There's lots of small attractions in Alexandria and Georgetown. I like the C & O Canal for bicycling, and somewhere along there they have mule rides for kids, I think.

The Old Post Office, right off the Mall, has a tower with great views of the city, and much less of a wait than the Washington Monument.

Mount Vernon isn't too far away. In fact, if you can get out of the city a bit, there are a lot of Presidents' houses in Virginia, and many (Monticello, Montpelier, Ash Lawn) are worth visiting - some of them have actors, and they're quite entertaining. Likewise, there are lots of Civil War battlefields in Virginia, many no more than two hours from DC.
posted by me & my monkey at 4:43 PM on May 15

i second great falls. my boyfriend and i went there for the first time today and had a good time except for the multiple snakes we saw all over the trails. international spy museum ftw -- i've never been either but like sperose, i don't want to go alone. or pay $20. the zoo is also a lot of fun, especially the pandas. but also check out the amazonia exhibit with the giant fish. the newseum is also really cool (but i'm a journalist, so i'm biased).

and nthing old town alexandria. i live close to it and love walking to the waterfront. there's a very good fish and chips place there that i can't remember the name of. follow it up with a trip to the dairy godmother for some homemade frozen custard.

my mom is coming to visit me on memorial day weekend and this thread was really helpful to me too as we have exhausted all of the smithsonians. :)
posted by kerning at 4:46 PM on May 15

The Exhausted Smithsonians would be a good, if unwieldy, band name.

Thanks again, everyone.
posted by rodii at 6:53 PM on May 15

Note that the Newseum is no longer in Rosslyn--it's on Pennsylvania Avenue NW in DC, near the Capitol, just north of the National Gallery of Art.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:48 AM on May 16

kerning, the chip shop is Eamonn's.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:49 AM on May 16

We're back and had a great time. We didn't actually get to many of the more off-the-beaten-path stuff mentioned above, alas (we only had two days), but I appreciated the perspective. We ended up largely doing the standard museums'n'monuments thing. Highlights were the Newseum, which I never would have gone to were it not for y'all, the Museum of the American Indian, the Hirschhorn, and (surprisingly) the Jefferson Memorial, which has a calm grandeur unlike the more circus-like atmosphere at Lincoln Memorial.

One of the things that changed the tenor or the trip, which I should have expected but didn't, was the presence of enormous wads of eight-graders on trips, which made it hard to appreciate, for instance, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. Geezus. The other was... motorcycles. Noisy ones. Lots and lots and lots of motorcycles.

We also spent a couple relaxing days on Chincoteague Island and a pleasant night at the Peaks of Otter Lodge in the Blue Ridge, which I recommend if you're up that way.

The kids had a great time. Thanks for helping me make that possible.
posted by rodii at 8:19 AM on May 29