The sheer enormity of DC is inspiring, but then when you stop and look at all the details… woah!
We started our vacation with a bit of a miscommunication with Congressman Guinta. His staff invited us to visit and pick up tour tickets on a Saturday – when their offices are locked and they aren’t there. Whoops! Insert every joke about Washington efficiency you can think of here. We did.
Luckily we visited during a low season (psst…September in DC is beautifully empty) so we got in to the Capitol anyway. Their bag policy is STRICT! They have a max size of 18 x 14 x 8.5″ and allow no liquids or food of any kind. Be smarter than us – believe the rules. We were forced to leave behind some things which were immediately pushed into the trash can as we entered the building. Not exactly the best way to start the trip, but luckily that was our worst issue of the week, so not really a big deal.
The underground tunnel to the Library of Congress was a fun way to travel (more corridor than tunnel) and we really enjoyed getting a glimpse of the Gutenberg Bible.
Right next door are the Botanic Gardens. The photo-ops in this town never seem to stop.
The city becomes even more impressive at night. With kids in tow we chose to book a sunset tour with Old Town Trolley, and I’m so glad that we did. The guide was excellent, the sights beautiful, and all those little feet got to rest and relax a bit – and still be back at the hotel at a reasonable hour. 
The Smithsonian museums are just as amazing as I remember them being as a kid, only now there are even more of them to fit in, and they are only open from 10:00 – 5:30. We tried valiantly to squeeze in more than one museum per day, just so that we could see the highlights, and still missed tons.
I could easily spend a month slowly working my way through each and every display. The kids, on the other hand, got a bit museum-ed-out by the end of each day, and decided to spend their time helping to clean the display cases as we made our way through. They had fun, saw the most exciting bits, and helped the staff. I call it a win.
Those notebooks? They are part of the Jr. Ranger program, one of the best free things out for kids traveling to DC (or any national park for that matter). The Parks Service provides free educational material, happily helps the kids out, and then offers badges for completed work. Love this program!
We were blessed with perfect weather for our trip, and clear skies, which made viewing the monuments stunning. The giant hikes necessary when touring the mall are much easier when you are comfy!
This was my favorite moment of the entire trip – spending time talking with the volunteer at the Vietnam Memorial. The kids loved learning about the “code” of dots, stars, and crosses on the memorial, and we were all touched by the items left at the wall: letters, photos, medals, even an old calendar with special days marked in it. It is such a sobering reminder of our own frailty.
A trip to Arlington to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier was harrowing for the kids (long hike, required silence, sad stories) but eye opening. We had a bit of a wait for our train and spent the time learning about the lifestyle of the soldiers who guard the tomb. Fascinating!
I was delighted with the skill of our FREE tour guide from DC by Foot. We took the Lincoln Assassination tour, and had I known the quality of the staff I absolutely would have signed up for another two or three. The kids listened with rapt attention, as did all the adults, as we were led through Lincoln’s last day. It was amazing to hear about all of the lesser-known players in the story. Did you know that at the same time as Lincoln’s shooting, the Secretary of State was stabbed by a co-conspirator and survived because of a carriage accident? I didn’t.
Spy museum, zoo, bureau of engraving, Ford’s theater… yup, we saw it all.
Now that I’ve emptied the camera and spent an hour and a half cleaning the car I can safely move on to the giant heap of laundry – Why is it that we never get to slowly ease back in to real life? It always seems to hit like a freight train.