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Taking the Twins:
Destination—Washington D.C.
Did you know that Washington D.C. has more spies wandering its streets than any other city in the world?
After my family and I learn that intriguing tidbit at the International Spy Museum, one of the city’s newest tourist attraction, we view everyone with skepticism—our hotel concierge, the camera-clad tourist at the Jefferson Memorial, heck, even the guy selling hot dogs in front of the Smithsonian. They are all possible secret agents in our eyes.
Spies aside, Washington D.C. is a great family destination. There’s a little bit of something for everyone like dozens of kid-friendly museums, outdoor monuments, and wide-open spaces for the little ones, as well as many fine hotels, four-star restaurants, and fabulous antique shops for the rest of us. Although any time of year is a great time to tour our Nation’s Capital, typically spring is best time—the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, and the weather, often hot and sticky come summer, is usually balmy and pleasant during April and May.
Begin your planning by perusing a few good family-oriented tour books like Fodor's Around Washington, D.C. with Kids (Around the City with Kids) and Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids (Frommer's With Kids) . Next, find a great hotel. After careful consideration, we choose to stay at the Loews L’Enfant Plaza (480 L’Enfant Plaza SW; phone: 202-484-1000) for its close proximity to the Air & Space Museum and a Metro station, plus its kid-friendly climate. While the outdoor pool (enclosed in winter), reasonably priced breakfast buffet (kids under 5 are free), and high level of service get two thumbs up, the building is smack in the middle of an industrial area. If you want to eat anywhere other than the hotel’s restaurants, window shop, or even take a stroll, you’ll have to grab a cab or hop on the Metro.
If you’d prefer to be in the thick of things, however, try staying at another great family-friendly spot—the J.W. Marriott (1331 Pennsylvania Avenue NW; phone: 202-393-2000). Although the rooms are a bit smaller (and the Loews were not that big to begin with), there’s lots of action happening in this large downtown hotel—make sure the kids have their allowance money on hand for The Shops at National Place, located at one end of the lobby.
Like many kids, my boys want to begin their tour at the Washington Monument (15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW), that tall, slender obelisk seen peeking through the trees from nearly every corner of the city. When I was a kid, I remember taking the elevator up to the top and then counting the steps all the way down as my dad and I descended hand in hand. Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. First, you’ll need timed tickets available free through the National P ark Service website (www.nps.gov). Next, be prepared to stand in line for a while, as you’ll need to pass through a security checkpoint. And no more taking the stairs—you’ll have to use the elevator going up as well as down. Although all these post-911 changes bother me, they have no impact on my kids. They gush at the views of the White House, the Capital, and the banks of the Tidal Basin dressed in pink blooms. They regale me with facts, too, “Hey, mom, did you know that there are 50 flags surrounding the monument? Bet you can’t guess what they symbolize.” (Of course I feign that I don’t.)
That afternoon, we spend a few hours at another kid favorite—The National Air and Space Museum (Independence Avenue and 6th Street, SW). Just a short walk from the Washington Monument, it’s one of several free museums bordering The Mall—an expansive rectangular park great for strolling, picnicking or just relaxing. If your kids are older, linger at the Museum and read all about the Wright Brothers’ first flight, World War II aviation, or Apollo missions to the moon, but if you have younger ones, simply meander and just gaze at the dozens of aircrafts suspended from the ceiling like models in a toy store. But keep an eye on the kids—the world’s most popular museum gets very crowded and it’s easy to lose sight of them. (Try dressing your kids alike in the same bright color t-shirt to help you keep track of them more easily.)
A great family trip needs a bit of downtime, too. So before venturing out to dinner, we detour back to the hotel for a little rest and relaxation. After a leisurely swim and a bit of Cartoon Network, we’re back out the door, this time to a Washington legend—Old Ebbitt’s Grill. (675 15th St., NW; phone: 202-347-4800. Reservations strongly recommended.) There’s plenty of atmosphere here—lots of Capital Hill-types crowd the long, wooden bar. Roomy leather booths topped with working gas lanterns fill the center of the room while large, colorful murals of our nation’s younger days decorate the walls. The food including homemade pasta, an extensive wine list, and a modestly priced kids’ menu, coupled with great service are a hit with my family.
The next morning we head uptown to the International Spy Museum. (800 F Street, NW; phone: 202-393-7798. Advanced timed tickets recommended.) Only a few years old, its three floors boast the world’s largest collection of international espionage artifacts. The fun begins in the Covers and Legends room where everyone adopts a “cover identity” before entering the Briefing Theater for a short video on the life of a secret agent. We have to memorize our identities—interactive video kiosks at two “check points” question our credentials. (I choose a young Italian travel agent on a secret mission to Hanoi. Her name and assignment escape me now—I wouldn’t have made much of a spy, huh?)
Young kids (the museum doesn’t hold much interest for anyone under age eight) will get a kick out of crawling through the Duct Work Route, a 30-foot long air conditioning vent (very Mission Impossible like), and the Earliest Espionage display featuring under water listening devices and cameras, and of course, the gift shop. Although tempted to crawl along with my kids, I’m drawn instead toward the Ground Truth Theater where photographs and short videos of famous spies tell of their rise in and ultimate demise in the world of espionage.
That afternoon, following a casual lunch at Ella’s Wood Fired Pizza (901 F Street, NW; phone: 202-638-3434) where the mozzarella is fresh and the service accommodating toward families, we duck in for a quick tour of Ford’s Theater (511 10th Street, NW) just around the corner. Any third grader worth his salt could tell you it’s the place where John Wilkes Booth shot President Lincoln in 1865. Hop across the street to the Petersen House, the unassuming boardinghouse now a museum where Lincoln was taken after being shot and where his life ultimately ended the following morning. (The tour will take less than 10 minutes, enough to hold the attention of just about any fidgeting kid.)
So when did we go to the White House, you wonder? It’s been my experience as well as many other parents that I’ve talked to that while a tour of the White House (and Capital for that matter) are interesting to the older crowd, younger kids are bored traipsing through one state room after another—the Green Room, Red Room, Blue Room (“Why can’t we just go to the Oval Office to see the President?”). Your time will be better spent with a visit to the White House Visitor’s Center (in the Herbert Hoover building, 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue) where a host of historic photographs, small-scale models, and video displays give an entertaining overview of its history. Follow it up with a quick amble through the Capital Rotunda.
On our last full day in D.C., I rise early and stand in line to get free, same-day timed tickets for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (14th street, SW between C and D streets; ticket booth located on the 15th Street side), or as my kids call it, “the place where they make the money!” Although the line moves quickly for this very popular D.C. attraction, plan on getting there at least a half hour before the ticket booth opens at 8 a.m. (earlier in summer). The 35-minute tour showcases the three stages of printing bills witnessed through large catwalk windows. Even the very young will find it fascinating to watch all that dough rolling off the presses! Those who are sensitive to smells, however, beware—the scent of fresh ink is remarkably strong throughout the entire tour.
After perusing the gift shop where my kids lay out some serious cash for a million-dollar stash of pretend cash, we take a stroll around the Tidal Basin directly across the street to admire the cherry blossoms. (If you come in late spring or summer, you can rent paddleboats at the Boathouse, phone: 202-484-0206.) For lunch we hop over to the nearby U.S. Department of Agriculture’s cafeteria (the entrance is a bit hidden—an unmarked doorway on the C Street). If you love old bureaucratic institutions, the architecture is pure 1950s modern, and with more than ten food stations to choose from the selection is pretty good, too (lunch for four about $25).
We left Washington without seeing a host of other kid favorites including Arlington National Cemetery, a mule-drawn ride down the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal (yes, a canal in Georgetown), Capital’s Children’s Museum, National Museum of American History or Natural History, the National Postal Museum, and the list goes on. But that’s one of the lessons you learn when traveling with kids, especially in Washington—you simply can’t (and shouldn’t try) to do it all. Instead we’re content with the choices we made and look back at our photographs fondly. And isn’t that what a vacation is all about? Besides, there’s always next time.
—Christina Tinglof, editor
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