Family Travel

A ‘Capital’ Idea
Washington D.C. for Families

By Marie Sherlock

Washington D.C. is a tourists’ Mecca. With its countless monuments, museums and memorials, it probably has more sightseeing spots per acre than any other American city.

So when my family visited the nation’s capital during spring break, we certainly came as tourists, armed with cameras, maps and walking shoes. But we also came, as most people do, as citizens. We wanted our kids (and Mom and Dad) to witness our federal government in action – or at least see where the action takes place.

And all four of us also came as students. With science and history museums, art galleries and historical sites, D.C. is an ideal place to soak up information – through concerted efforts to learn or simply by osmosis.

Here are highlights of what we saw, learned and witnessed in our roles as tourists, students and citizens.

The Smithsonian

How can you not love the Smithsonian?! There’s something for everyone in the 14 (plus) separate museums that make up the Smithsonian’s web. In just about all of them there are special children’s areas and programs. For example at the Museum of American History, you’ll find both Hands-On History and Hands-On Science rooms. The Hirshhorn Gallery (the Smithsonian’s modern art centerpiece) hosts “Young at Art” programs allowing kids to create their own masterpieces. The Natural History Museum (basically one big kid magnet!) has the Discovery Room. The Air & Space Museum offers a child-friendly How Things Fly exhibit as well as a planetarium and IMAX theater. And, of course, the National Zoo (also part of the Smithsonian) is home to those kid-pleasing pandas.

One of my family’s Smithsonian favorites was the National Museum of American History where our military history-inclined teens particularly enjoyed The Price of Freedom exhibit which chronicles America’s military history from the War of Independence to the current conflict in Iraq. We also loved the Museum of Natural History, an amazingly diverse place with everything from dinosaur bones to the Hope Diamond on display. This museum’s Insect Zoo will fascinate you, even if the little critters give you the creeps. For those less squeamish than I, tarantula feeding demonstrations are available and you can actually hold Madagascar hissing cockroaches (yuk!). Request the pamphlet “Planning Your Smithsonian Visit” before you go; www.si.edu.

The sheer quantity of trivia that you pick up roaming around museums all day is shocking. Did you know that insects outnumber humans 200 million to one? Or that Robert E. Lee was George Washington’s step grandson? That more Americans died in the Civil War than in any other conflict? And did you know that …

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing.

…

those fives and tens in your wallet are not actually paper? They’re made of fabric, a blend of 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen. That’s just one of the many fascinating things your family will learn when they visit the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. We all enjoyed this tour, full of fascinating factoids about money and a bird’s eye view of cash rolling off the presses. www.moneyfactory.com

International Spy Museum.

The FBI Building is currently closed for renovations (through spring 2007). Fortunately, for families who want to experience a bit of espionage, the International Spy Museum is open for business. It’s one of the few spots in D.C. that charges admission – and it’s well worth it. The museum has plenty of fictional spy stuff – think James Bond and Maxwell Smart – but the bulk of the exhibits are, in essence, a history of American espionage, arranged chronologically. Highly recommended for families with kids old enough to read independently. www.spymuseum.org.

Holocaust Memorial Museum

You can’t really say that you “liked” or “enjoyed” this attraction, but I can state sincerely that it’s the museum that I felt the family got the most out of. The museum’s main exhibition, called simply The Holocaust, chronicles the rise of anti-Semitism in Nazi Germany during the 1930s through World War II and the liberation of the concentrations camps. At the start of the museum, each visitor is given an “identification card” – a short pamphlet that “tells the story of a real person who lived during the Holocaust.” I knew that the museum was going to be a heavy experience when I read the last line in my person’s story: “Anna was deported … to Auschwitz, where she was gassed two days later.” The final stop in the main exhibit is a video of concentration camp survivors telling their stories. Except for a few folks softly crying, you could have heard a pin drop in that room.

The museum’s main exhibit is not really appropriate for young kids (museum officials recommend it for ages 11 and up), but there’s a separate smaller exhibit that was designed specifically for children of all ages called Remember the Children: Daniel’s Story. An added bonus for the children’s exhibit: you won’t need timed entry tickets to visit it. You will, however, need them for the main exhibit. You can get them online by paying a small service charge (www.ushmm.org or www.tickets.com).

Capitol Hill

This is really the heart and soul of the city and the primary reason why we came to D.C. – to allow the kids to see how the legislative process works, perhaps taking the mystique out of it for them a bit. Because I’d expected so much from our Capitol Hill tour, it ultimately was the most disappointing part of our trip, at least for me. A big factor was that the Capitol building was incredibly crowded; lines were long and tempers were short. But we had expected that; after all, we’d come at the busiest time of year with both spring break and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in full swing.

What frustrated me most was that the tour focused more on the architectural and historical aspects of the building than on the function of the Capitol as the place where our laws are made. I guess I was expecting at least a very basic civics lesson on how legislation is passed. (Maybe they could play that cartoon from our childhoods’? Remember? The one with the anthropomorphic piece of legislation singing and talking? “I’m just a bill, just an ordinary bill and I’m sitting in committee up on Capitol Hill…”)

Instead, once we’d learned some of the history of the building, we were herded into the Senate chamber. I thought we would be able to sit and take in the debate – the immigration bill was the topic – but we were ushered out after no more than five minutes.

Having missed our civics lesson during the Capitol Hill tour, we were glad that we planned to attend Senator Gordon Smith’s weekly “meet and greet” session in his office in the Russell Senate Office Building. (Senator Wyden holds his weekly “meet the constituents” session on Tuesday afternoon at 5 p.m.; we were flying into Dulles just about then.) We enjoyed talking with Senator Smith’s staff and having our photos taken with the senator.

Did I exercise my rights as a constituent at this meeting? Let me just say this: It’s much easier to recite a speech on those issues you feel strongly about to your family in the comfort of your home than to the legislator himself in his office on Capitol Hill. I did, however, write down my concerns on the information sheet we were asked to fill out when we had our photos taken.

The White House.

When we arrived for our tour of the White House, the entire area had been cordoned off due to a “security threat.” Fortunately, the threat proved baseless but it was a reminder of how tight security is in this town. The White House tour itself – self-guided; basically walking through the various rooms (red, green, blue, etc.) that are open to the public – was interesting but not captivating, unless you’re really into presidential décor. If you don’t have a White House tour reserved (see “Tips” on page **), you can view a 30-minute video tour at the White House Visitors’ Center. www.nps.gov/whho.

The National Mall.

The National Mall stretches from Capitol Hill to the Potomac River and includes many D.C. “must sees” like the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial (as well as the World War II and Vietnam War memorials and others), and many of the Smithsonian’s museums. It’s a great spot for picnicking, picture taking, people watching and just taking in the ambience of the nation’s capital.

Arlington National Cemetery.

Along with the popular gravesites of John and Robert Kennedy (another somber experience), you can visit Robert E. Lee’s home (Arlington House) which sits on the hill overlooking the cemetery (be sure to visit the small Robert E. Lee museum off to the side). Arlington is also a photographer’s paradise, promising incredible shots of the National Mall, Capitol, White House and Lincoln Memorial from across the historic Potomac River. www.arlingtoncemetery.org.

I’ve mentioned only a handful of the many fascinating D.C. attractions families can enjoy. There are many other museums, art galleries and historical sites and a slew of day and side trips (Mt. Vernon, Monticello, even Gettysburg) as well. Do your research, consider the ages and interests of your family members and then choose those that are “must sees” for you.

Tips for Traveling to D.C.

1. PLAN AHEAD. Probably the most important travel tip for visiting the capital is to plan ahead. If you don’t, you’ll find that the White House and other tours are either not available to you or you’ll have to stand in line at the crack of dawn while in D.C. and hope you can get coveted tour tickets.

To schedule tours of the White House, Library of Congress, the National Archives and other places of interest ahead of time, contact your congressional representative or one of your senators. We made the decision to travel to D.C. about six weeks before our departure. By the time we’d contacted our legislators, all of the prized tours had been taken. We lucked out with a White House tour cancellation but had to stand in line to get tickets for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. Also, check with your representative and senators on whether they hold a weekly “meet and greet” time for constituents (both Wyden and Smith do; Blumenauer does not).

Planning ahead also helps in avoiding disappointments about closures. There’s always some attraction under renovation; the FBI, National Portrait Gallery and American Art Museum were all closed when we visited. Checking Web sites is the best first step.

2. Wear good walking shoes. Even if you plan ahead and have your tours booked, you’ll be standing in line during summer and spring break, the most likely time for families with school age kids to visit. Wear comfortable shoes, bring snacks and water – and a sense of humor.

3. Don’t overdo it. Playing tourist is exhausting work! Tired kids (and parents!) will have a difficult time enjoying and absorbing the many attractions D.C. offers. Don’t try to do too much on each of your trip days. On one of our D.C. days, all four of us were tired and grumpy. We did the smart thing and made it a down day, getting up late and only visiting one attraction. With a good rest, we were able to really enjoy the balance of trip.

4. Choose accommodations with care. Stay close in or near a Metro (D.C.’s underground rail system) stop. Because we stayed relatively close to the action while in D.C., we walked most places – and we highly recommend it. Everyone gets some exercise, you have ideal opportunities for cherished family conversations and you get to see Washington on foot, including the Georgian, Queen Anne and other styles of architecture of its many neighborhoods. We took Metro to reach a couple of spots and found it fast, efficient and easy to use.

A couple of accommodation recommendations: The DC Guesthouse, a bed and breakfast located within easy walking distance of most of the area’s major attractions, welcomes kids of all ages – despite the valuable artwork on every surface. We stayed here our first few trip days and it was our two teens’ first B & B experience. They loved it. The hosts were gracious, the food scrumptious and we met some fascinating folks each morning at breakfast. www.dcguesthouse.com.

Hotel suites. Many of these also include breakfast. Our room at the Embassy Suites came with a full American breakfast buffet and a hosted happy hour (!) each night. www.embassysuites.com.
And we spoke to one Portland family that had wisely arranged a home swap for their week visiting the nation’s capital, bringing their housing costs down to zero. While they weren’t within walking distance of the attractions, they were close to a Metro stop. And they saved A LOT of money.

Resources for Planning Your D.C. Trip

Web sites:

www.washington.org. You’ll want to start here, the official Web site of the Washington D.C. Convention and Tourism Corporation. Ask them to send you a packet of information on family trips, including their Official Washington DC Visitors’ Guide and their handout “Washington DC: A Capital Place for Children.” Visit their “Travel Update” page for information on closures and tour availability. 800-422-8644.

Wyden.senate.gov; gsmith.senate.gov; blumenauer.house.gov; etc. Check your congressional representative’s Web site as well as your U.S. senators’ sites for information on D.C. tours.

Books. Forget any book with a copyright of 2002 or earlier – they won’t reflect the enormous changes, including closures and tour requirements, made after 9/11/01. Here are a few possibilities:

Washington, D.C. with Kids by Sandra Burt and Linda Perlis (Fodor’s Travel Publications; Third Edition, 2006)

Frommer’s Washington D.C. With Kids by Beth Rubin (Wiley Publishing, Seventh Edition, 2004)

Around Washington D.C. with Kids by Kathryn McKay (Fodor’s Travel Publicaitons, Fourth Edition, 2006)

Marie Sherlock is the editor of Metro Parent.

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