Traveling to DC for vacation

[BCGroup]

My boyfriend and I are taking his son (age 11) to DC for a week (a thank you for them taking care of me after the shoulder surgery). My congressman has arranged for us to see the Capitol, but no luck on Bureau of Engraving, Pentagon, Library of Congress, or the White House. We had about 6 weeks notice, which wasn't really enough. We plan to do all the standard stuff, plus the spy museum and I found a cool walking tour linked with Ford Theatre. We're staying downtown on Vermont Avenue. Looking for any suggestions or local tips, and any ideas for a skateboarding park for the 11 year old. Thanks!!

[blazindw]

As far as museums go, I would definitely check out the Newseum. It's $20 for adults, but WELL worth it. In my opinion, the best museum in this town. After that, obviously do Air & Space and the newly renovated American History Museums. The Holocaust Museum is very powerful as well. Really, you could spend the entire trip on the Mall and not see everything. Enjoy the trip, and let me know if you need anymore local suggestions!

[hurleyfor3]

I thought the BEP was free and you could just go in anytime you wanted. Or maybe you wanted to do a tour of the floor or something. Or maybe I did it in 1986 or so which was a long time ago now.

The kid (and you) would probably enjoy the Museum of American History, which should have reopened by now.

[weezie]

The Udvar-Hazy annex to the Air & Space is out near Dulles airport and extremely cool if you think a space shuttle is a cool thing to walk around, along with what seems like hundreds of old planes. A single destination, though, since there is nothing else in the neighborhood.
Mount Vernon near Alexandria is interesting, too.
Oh, and if you see a Five Guys burger joint anywhere during your travels, go in and chow down. Their burgers are great!

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

I've taken numerous school groups to Washington. The kids loved all sorts of museums there. The postal museum near Union Station is interesting and often overlooked. They all loved Union Station.... lots of shops and restaurants.... food court offers lots of choices. The Peacock Room in the Freer Gallery comes as a surprise to most people who think only of "The Artist's Mother" when they think of James McNeill Whistler.

It takes a little while to get out to Arlington Cemetery, but it's worth the time. Make time to stop at Arlington house. Walk out to the doorway which faces Washington..... what a view!

[allenmurray]

Go to the Washington Monument early (first trip of the day). Talk to the ranger. Often in the early afternoon one of the rangers will lead a tour. You take the elevator to the top and you can walk back down to the bottom with the ranger (they no longer let anyone walk to the top). The walk down is fascinating - each block of the monument was donated by a different state or group and on the inside of the monument the blocks are carved/engraved. I took my son when he was about 11 and it was one of his favorite things.

Go to a Nationals game.

Go to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian. The cafeteria there is the best place on the mall to eat.

Go to the Lincoln Monmument AT NIGHT. There is something special about it at night. Trust me on this one - it is great by day - but almost magical after dark.

Even if you don't think the kids will enjoy an art museum, the East Wing of the National Gallery and the Hirshorn are both great physical spaces. The kids will love just walking around in those buildings and you'll have a bit of time to view the exhibits.

[-jk]

If you can't get up early enough for a ticket up the Washington Monument, the Old Post Office Tower (http://www.nps.gov/opot/) is pretty cool.

-jk

[hurleyfor3]

You take the elevator to the top and you can walk back down to the bottom with the ranger (they no longer let anyone walk to the top).

WHAT!? I did the equivalent of eight National Monuments just Sunday (and at elevation). Taking the stairs should be the only way to get up there. Might put a dent in our national Body Mass Index.


Go to a Nationals game.

Actually, don't. They suck.


Even if you don't think the kids will enjoy an art museum, the East Wing of the National Gallery and the Hirshorn are both great physical spaces. The kids will love just walking around in those buildings and you'll have a bit of time to view the exhibits.

And if you and junior are into contemporary art, check out the both their sculpture gardens too. Both the National Gallery and the Hirschhorn have impressive Alexander Calder collections. The Mall is positively crawling with Calders, including a secret one that's kind of tucked away.

[DevilAlumna]

A couple of votes here for Museum of American History (the 11 yo will appreciate "silly" things like Mr. Roger's sweater), and the Museum of Natural History (bugs, dinosaurs, etc.)

You might try get over to the Kennedy Center for a cultural event - there's always a free concert of some sort at 6PM on the Millenium Stage; or see "Shear Madness," which both you and the youngster will find entertaining and funny. Though, if the symphony, Pops, or other theater performance is on, I'd prioritize those.

On the Friday or Sat. nights, there's also usually a free military band concert either at the Capitol, the stage near the Washington Monument, or the Naval Memorial. On one night midweek (not sure which) the Marines do a great Drum & Bugle Corp performance at the Iwo Jima memorial (also a great site to see at night - incredible views back into the city.)

[DevilAlumna]

Re: the pentagon tour -- looks like you can try and request a time online as well:

http://pentagon.afis.osd.mil/tour-selection.html

It's a lot of walking and military history - not sure how much the 11-yo will enjoy it, but as someone who interned there, it's *really* impressive just from a size/scale perspective if nothing else. And there's plenty else to see/appreciate, especially after 9/11.

[Jim3k]

I know the Holocaust Museum does not qualify as 'fun,' but it is fascinating, even for an 11-year old. When I went through it in June there were all kinds of school tours there.

It is a great vehicle for discussing World War II and how it had an affect on our society today. You have to allow about 2 hours. I think we just bought our tickets at the door, but maybe you can do it on-line (or maybe reserve the time on-line).

The spy museum will be great for a kid his age. And, IIRC, the Air and Space Museum has an IMAX show that is outstanding.

[bjornolf]

The zoo is pretty cool. My kids love seeing the pandas and watching the elephants get fed and bathed. The Amazon house is cool too, with all the pirhana and stuff.

Depending on the 11 year old, you might want to take a weekday to drive down the road an hour or so to go to King's Dominion. They have a TON of awesome roller coasters, plus a full water park. If he hasn't been to a lot of amusement parks, that would be a blast. www.kingsdominion.com Roller Coasters: Anaconda, Flight of Fear, Volcano, Backlot Stunt Coaster, Dominator, Shockwave, Grizzly, Hurler, Ricochet, Rebel Yell. Plus they have the Xtreme Skyflier, which is basically a GIANT swing where they strap you in and drag you up about 100 feet in the air and let you go. They have the Drop Tower, the largest free-fall drop ride in North America at 305 feet. They also have several of those rides where they load you in a big tub and it swings around, I think they call them pendulum swing rides. Some go upside down, some don't: Berserker, El Dorado, and the Crypt. They also have some old fashioned water rides outside the water park: White Water Canyon and the Log Flume. They have all the old favorites too like the Scrambler (which swings you around real fast in a little cage) and the Flying Eagles (you get in a little cage and it swings around up in the air and you control which way it goes a little), the Carousel, and the Ferris Wheel. They have two different places where kids can drive cars (not including the bumper cars, of course) if he'd enjoy that. They have carnival games. They have a theater with interactive seats that bounce you around to a 3D show (when we went a month ago, it was a Spongebob show). They also have the Avalanche, which isn't a roller coaster, but both my kids and my wife and I loved it. It's kind of like a roller coaster, but you're riding in little bobsleds down a curved path with no tracks, so it's free rolling through the curves. So, depending on the weight of the passengers and the prevailing conditions, every ride is different. Anyway, just a thought. Don't know, maybe your kid gets to go to amusement parks all the time and it wouldn't be worth it. When we went, my wife said she thought they had more action stuff than Disney World. Obviously, they don't have all the Epcott stuff and all that, but just for thrills, it's hard to beat King's Dominion. Just a thought.

[whereinthehellami]

The US Arboretum is about 15 minutes outside of DC but is a hidden gem because its a little out of the way. There are a ton of beautiful gardens and paths but the Koi ponds, bonzai collection, and herb garden (have to see it to believe it) are the show stoppers. A great place for a picnic and a run or bike ride.

[cspan37421]

You mention a spy museum. I'm not sure which one you mean, but this one, right outside of DC, is excellent:

http://www.nsa.gov/about/cryptologic_heritage/museum/

It may be geared more towards grown-ups, though. The one you link to ... kind of reminds me of Alex Rider.

The Holocaust Museum is sobering, to say the least. Not sure what age is appropriate.

In my experience the main mall museums - Air & Space, American History, Natural History, are incredibly crowded and the exhibits a little tired. Of the 3, American History may appeal most b/c of the artifacts. There is a planetarium now at Air & Space that has an extra cost show that is cool.

I agree with the nighttime visiting of the memorials and would suggest Jefferson's is great for this too, so long as safety is addressed.

Sorry, no idea on skateboarding, though I did a bit of that around Q.E. Hall in London when I was 11!

[bjornolf]

Just one more thing about King's Dominion. Their down day is Sunday, so they have a special of $31.99 a person that day online. That saves you like $20 off the regular ticket price. If you have time and are a member, AAA has pretty good discounts on tickets for every day of the week.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Does the FBI still give tours? I found the tour fascinating as a youngster.

[allenmurray]

WHAT!? I did the equivalent of eight National Monuments just Sunday (and at elevation). Taking the stairs should be the only way to get up there. Might put a dent in our national Body Mass Index.

Actually, don't. They suck.

And if you and junior are into contemporary art, check out the both their sculpture gardens too. Both the National Gallery and the Hirschhorn have impressive Alexander Calder collections. The Mall is positively crawling with Calders, including a secret one that's kind of tucked away.

There are a lot of people in this country who think they are in better shape than they actually are. The park service got tired of the mid-climb emergency calls.

If you are 11 any trip to a major league ball park is a good thing.

[bjornolf]

I agree about the ball park, but I think I'd rather drive up to Camden Yards.

[BlueDevilBaby]

Also, the museum across from Ford's Theater where Lincoln died recently reopened.

[allenmurray]

I agree about the ball park, but I think I'd rather drive up to Camden Yards.

An excellent point. A great, great ballpark. Crab cakes. The view of the Bromoseltzer tower just beyond center field. Boog's BBQ. Walking distance to the National Aquarium. Fort McHenry (I've never known a kid who didn't love being turned loose there). Did I mention crab cakes? Plentiful parking (local businesses that close down at 5:00 offer good parking deals). You can even take the train from Union Station in DC to within blocks of Camden yards. And by the way, you can get great crab cakes. Or go to Altman's deli http://www.attmansdeli.com/ and get a great corned beef sandwich and take it right into the stadium with you (yes, the O's allow that).

Camden Yards - what a great place.

[Jarhead]

This is going to take me a while, so be patient. The DC area is where I grew up, so I know something of how to find your way around. It is my theory that the place in which yoou learned to drive is indelibly imprinted on your brain. I lived there until I went away in the Marine Corps and college, and at the end of my working life, I returned to live there for a ten year stint before retiring to North Carolina. One of my favorite things to do while working there was to take family and friends on the tour. Sometimes it took two or three days, but I could do a hasty version in one day.

My guess is that you are staying at the Washington Plaza Hotel. It’s a pretty nice choice. It is right at Thomas Circle, and is smack dab in the middle, several blocks north of the Federal Triangle. That’s where a lot of the attractions are, and you should figure on riding the Metro to see most of them. That would be the museums of the Smithsonian (a Metro stop is right in front of the main Smithsonian building), the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial (the Korean War and Viet Nam War memorials are right in front), and all of the other attractions along the Mall. There are a few other attractions you can access via the Metro, but I’ll get to them later. Your hotel is convenient enough to be a good choice.

For several of the top attractions you will need a car. If you hadn’t planned on a car, you should. Even some of the attractions on the Mall are better accessed by automobile. I’ve always been able to find a parking space, but that may be because of my familiarity with the town. For example, early in the day (around 9 AM) parking spaces open up all along Constitution Avenue. You can try that for access to the Lincoln Memorial , Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, and both the Korean and Viet Nam memorials. There is parking available at the Jefferson Memorial, and you can walk around the Tidal Basin to get to the FDR Memorial.

Another advantage with your hotel, it is right on 14th Street which will take you easily south to the 14th Street Bridge if you have a car. Just a block west is 15th street which is the best access south to get you to the Jefferson Memorial. Take 14th street for your access to the Virginia side of the Potomac. If you stay straight on that route you will be on I395. That’s fine if you want to go to some sites farther out in the suburbs, but as soon as you reach the Virginia side, you can turn off on to the George Washington Parkway. That gets you to a bunch of places, such as the Arlington National Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial to the north. To the south will take you to the National Airport, Alexandria and Mt Vernon. King Street in Old Towne Alexandria is a good place to find a restaurant (as is Georgetown several blocks west of your hotel on M Street).

Getting back to the District, let me get you started on your first day. First, make sure that you have a map. Then get up early in the morning, and go to the Old Post Office Building at 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue. Go up in the Tower, and you will find an excellent panoramic view of the whole city. There are map displays in all four directions that point out key locations. It is the best way to orient yourself to the layout of the city. Basically it is laid out in a grid pattern with streets north/south having letters or names, and east/west streets have numbers. The same pattern is matched in all four quadrants of the city. All streets at an angle are named after states, all fifty of them. Vermont Avenue is an example. The named or lettered streets are in alphabetic order going north, and there are several sets of them. They start out with single letters in the first alphabet, followed by names in the second, and so on. After you leave the tower, go to the Washington Monument and find one of those Gray Line Tour trams. A trip around the Federal Triangle on one of them may help you set some priorities.

Earlier posts in this thread give good suggestions, and you should consider them in your planning. Some key places have been overlooked. As mentioned, the Marine Silent Drill Team, Color Guard and Drum and Bugle corps hold a Formal Guard Mount at 7 p.m. from the last Tuesday in May to the third Tuesday in August, but there is also an impressive ceremony known as the Sunset Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Streets in Southwest Washington on Fridays each summer. It includes the Marine Band and Drill Team, but tickets (free) are required. Another very impressive ceremony is the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. That should be high on your list. Great for an 11 year old. Mt. Vernon was mentioned, but I’ll add to that with a must see rating. Another must see site is the National Cathedral on Wisconsin Avenue. It is in the tradition of the old European cathedrals, and it took almost 100 years to build. It is huge, and awesome. It is an Anglican/Episcopalian church with a main nave and several smaller chapels. Children get a thrill out of trying to find all of the chapels. From there you can go directly down Wisconsin avenue to the heart of Georgetown and the Georgetown University Campus, another impressive site. Don’t bother with the University of Maryland Campus. I would call it WPA modern in construction. Then you should consider the National Building Museum. I’d put it ahead of the Newseum mentioned, but you shouldn’t exclude either except for time constraints. I wouldn't bother with a ball park visit in Washington, and I'd save Camden Yards for your a visit to Baltimore, if you ever go there.

If you get the time, and would like to get out of town for a bit, head down I395 (becomes I95 at the Capital Beltway) to the Triangle Exit. That puts you right at the Marine Corps Museum, a brand new military museum just off I95. While there have lunch in Tuns Tavern which is modeled after the Philadelphia tavern where the Marines were first organized on November 10, 1775. As you leave, there are Marines in the lobby who would be glad to accept a donation for the foundation that will soon be building an addition. Every penny helps. No appropriated funs have been used in this construction.

Don't bother with Kings Dominion. It is at least 2 hours away, and traffic down I95 can make it seem much longer. Save it for a separate trip to Colonial Williamsburg. You would go right by Kings Dominion, but I understand that Busch Gardens in Williamsburg is better than Kings Dominion. You should have Williamsburg, especially Colonial Williamsburg, on your must visit list. Colonial Williamsburg is right next to the College of William and Mary campus

This is getting a bit long, and it is proving difficult to review what I have written in this small window. I’ll give it a read after I post it to see what edits I should make. I strongly suggest that you make use of Google Search to check out all of the places mentioned. Every one of them gives a ton of hits.

[The Gordog]

A lot of great suggestions so far. I would add the Library of Congress to your to do list. It's sort of behind (East of) the Capitol, just down the street from the Supreme Court.

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

This is going to take me a while, so be patient. The DC area is where I grew up, so I know something of how to find your way around. It is my theory that the place in which yoou learned to drive is indelibly imprinted on your brain. I lived there until I went away in the Marine Corps and college, and at the end of my working life, I returned to live there for a ten year stint before retiring to North Carolina. One of my favorite things to do while working there was to take family and friends on the tour. Sometimes it took two or three days, but I could do a hasty version in one day.

My guess is that you are staying at the Washington Plaza Hotel. It’s a pretty nice choice. It is right at Thomas Circle, and is smack dab in the middle, several blocks north of the Federal Triangle. That’s where a lot of the attractions are, and you should figure on riding the Metro to see most of them. That would be the museums of the Smithsonian (a Metro stop is right in front of the main Smithsonian building), the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial (the Korean War and Viet Nam War memorials are right in front), and all of the other attractions along the Mall. There are a few other attractions you can access via the Metro, but I’ll get to them later. Your hotel is convenient enough to be a good choice.

For several of the top attractions you will need a car. If you hadn’t planned on a car, you should. Even some of the attractions on the Mall are better accessed by automobile. I’ve always been able to find a parking space, but that may be because of my familiarity with the town. For example, early in the day (around 9 AM) parking spaces open up all along Constitution Avenue. You can try that for access to the Lincoln Memorial , Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, and both the Korean and Viet Nam memorials. There is parking available at the Jefferson Memorial, and you can walk around the Tidal Basin to get to the FDR Memorial.

Another advantage with your hotel, it is right on 14th Street which will take you easily south to the 14th Street Bridge if you have a car. Just a block west is 15th street which is the best access south to get you to the Jefferson Memorial. Take 14th street for your access to the Virginia side of the Potomac. If you stay straight on that route you will be on I395. That’s fine if you want to go to some sites farther out in the suburbs, but as soon as you reach the Virginia side, you can turn off on to the George Washington Parkway. That gets you to a bunch of places, such as the Arlington National Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial to the north. To the south will take you to the National Airport, Alexandria and Mt Vernon. King Street in Old Towne Alexandria is a good place to find a restaurant (as is Georgetown several blocks west of your hotel on M Street).

Getting back to the District, let me get you started on your first day. First, make sure that you have a map. Then get up early in the morning, and go to the Old Post Office Building at 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue. Go up in the Tower, and you will find an excellent panoramic view of the whole city. There are map displays in all four directions that point out key locations. It is the best way to orient yourself to the layout of the city. Basically it is laid out in a grid pattern with streets north/south having letters or names, and east/west streets have numbers. The same pattern is matched in all four quadrants of the city. All streets at an angle are named after states, all fifty of them. Vermont Avenue is an example. The named or lettered streets are in alphabetic order going north, and there are several sets of them. They start out with single letters in the first alphabet, followed by names in the second, and so on. After you leave the tower, go to the Washington Monument and find one of those Gray Line Tour trams. A trip around the Federal Triangle on one of them may help you set some priorities.

Earlier posts in this thread give good suggestions, and you should consider them in your planning. Some key places have been overlooked. As mentioned, the Marine Silent Drill Team, Color Guard and Drum and Bugle corps hold a Formal Guard Mount at 7 p.m. from the last Tuesday in May to the third Tuesday in August, but there is also an impressive ceremony known as the Sunset Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Streets in Southwest Washington on Fridays each summer. It includes the Marine Band and Drill Team, but tickets (free) are required. Another very impressive ceremony is the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. That should be high on your list. Great for an 11 year old. Mt. Vernon was mentioned, but I’ll add to that with a must see rating. Another must see site is the National Cathedral on Wisconsin Avenue. It is in the tradition of the old European cathedrals, and it took almost 100 years to build. It is huge, and awesome. It is an Anglican/Episcopalian church with a main nave and several smaller chapels. Children get a thrill out of trying to find all of the chapels. From there you can go directly down Wisconsin avenue to the heart of Georgetown and the Georgetown University Campus, another impressive site. Don’t bother with the University of Maryland Campus. I would call it WPA modern in construction. Then you should consider the National Building Museum. I’d put it ahead of the Newseum mentioned, but you shouldn’t exclude either except for time constraints. I wouldn't bother with a ball park visit in Washington, and I'd save Camden Yards for your a visit to Baltimore, if you ever go there.

If you get the time, and would like to get out of town for a bit, head down I395 (becomes I95 at the Capital Beltway) to the Triangle Exit. That puts you right at the Marine Corps Museum, a brand new military museum just off I95. While there have lunch in Tuns Tavern which is modeled after the Philadelphia tavern where the Marines were first organized on November 10, 1775. As you leave, there are Marines in the lobby who would be glad to accept a donation for the foundation that will soon be building an addition. Every penny helps. No appropriated funs have been used in this construction.

Don't bother with Kings Dominion. It is at least 2 hours away, and traffic down I95 can make it seem much longer. Save it for a separate trip to Colonial Williamsburg. You would go right by Kings Dominion, but I understand that Busch Gardens in Williamsburg is better than Kings Dominion. You should have Williamsburg, especially Colonial Williamsburg, on your must visit list. Colonial Williamsburg is right next to the College of William and Mary campus

This is getting a bit long, and it is proving difficult to review what I have written in this small window. I’ll give it a read after I post it to see what edits I should make. I strongly suggest that you make use of Google Search to check out all of the places mentioned. Every one of them gives a ton of hits.

You've done a great job of setting the scene for a marvelous trip to DC! I concur with your advice about making separate, independent trips to Baltimore and Williamsburg. Each has much to offer and deserves to be the focus of its own trip.

The truth is, one could spend a week in Washington staying on the go every day from early morning to late evening and still have lots to see and experience. It's a destination loaded with interesting sites and sights which appeal to many age levels and stages of life.

[cspan37421]

I heartily concur with the Library of Congress suggestion. I was there recently with my family and we did a docent tour - a guy named Luco (IIRC), informed and passionate about America, art, and books. Beautiful building too, and the overlook of the reading room is spectacular. You can't wander into the reading room, though, on a tour - I think you need an appointment to use it or something.

[Cavlaw]

My boyfriend and I are taking his son (age 11) to DC for a week (a thank you for them taking care of me after the shoulder surgery). My congressman has arranged for us to see the Capitol, but no luck on Bureau of Engraving, Pentagon, Library of Congress, or the White House. We had about 6 weeks notice, which wasn't really enough. We plan to do all the standard stuff, plus the spy museum and I found a cool walking tour linked with Ford Theatre. We're staying downtown on Vermont Avenue. Looking for any suggestions or local tips, and any ideas for a skateboarding park for the 11 year old. Thanks!!
It wasn't clear from your post whether you just got tickets to the gallery from your congressman or if you have scheduled a tour with his office. If the former, see if you can get a tour from a summer intern or administrative assistant in your congressperson's office or the office of one of your senators. The ID badges they have allow them to jump the line to get into the capital with you, and they are all required to take training on giving tours, so you might learn something. At least, this was the case when I was an intern, before 9/11.

[bjornolf]

Jarhead had some great advice there. I love the Marine Corps Museum.

I would disagree about King's Dominion vs. Busch Gardens, though, for an 11 year old. Busch Gardens is awesome, and if you're going to Williamsburg anyway, it's definitely worth the visit. But King's Dominion has twice the thrill rides and the water park is separate and costs extra when you go to Busch Gardens. For an 11 year old boy, I'd pick King's Dominion over Busch Gardens 9/10, depending on the boy, of course. For an 11 year old girl, I might go the other way, as BG has the clydesdales and more shows and stuff. Also, King's Dominion is right off exit 98 from I-95. DC is basically at the equivalent of about exit 180. If you're going to King's Dominion early in the morning, and going south you'd be going against traffic, and returning late at night, again against traffic, on a weekday, I couldn't see it taking you more than an hour and a half, and that's if you stick to the speed limit. I know google maps isn't the be all end all, but it has a trip from the center of DC to King's Dominion at 1 hr., 27 min., and just under 2 hours in traffic.

I understand that there are a lot of really cool things to see in DC, but, at least for me, I would have gotten bored as an 11 year old spending seven whole days looking at them without a break. If it were me, and I know it's not obviously, I'd plan a trip like to King's Dominion or Six Flags for the middle day, just to break it up for the kid.

[rthomas]

The Viet Nam Memorial is one of the truly moving sites and for an 11 year old it could be a teaching history moment. And I really like the WWII Memorial as well.

But for any 11 yr old - the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum will make his or her day.

[Cavlaw]

I neglected to mention -- try Le Ferme Restuarant in Chevy Chase if you want to splurge. I once had dinner there with a French ambassador. I think that is suggestive of how good the French food there is.

[-jk]

I neglected to mention -- try Le Ferme Restuarant in Chevy Chase if you want to splurge. I once had dinner there with a French ambassador. I think that is suggestive of how good the French food there is.

With an 11 year old?

-jk

[Cavlaw]

Well sure, they don't have a hamburger...

Alright, alright, fair point. But the suggestion is valid for other who might be reading this thread and contemplating dining options in DC...

[HaveFunExpectToWin]

I think the DC touring tips have been pretty well covered.

However, there is an excellent skatepark (http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/scripts/planning/powhatan/ParksRecreationScriptsPowhatanSkatepark.aspx)in Arlington right on Wilson Blvd. It reminds me of something out of the arcade game 720° (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720%C2%B0). It's a serious hike from the Ballston Metro, so I'd plan to drive.

There is also an great mini golf course and batting cage right down the road too at Upton Hill Park.

[Cavlaw]

I think the DC touring tips have been pretty well covered.

However, there is an excellent skatepark (http://www.arlingtonva.us/Departments/ParksRecreation/scripts/planning/powhatan/ParksRecreationScriptsPowhatanSkatepark.aspx)in Arlington right on Wilson Blvd. It reminds me of something out of the arcade game 720° (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720%C2%B0). It's a serious hike from the Ballston Metro, so I'd plan to drive.

There is also an great mini golf course and batting cage right down the road too at Upton Hill Park.
720 was awesome. Don't get stung be the bee swarm!

[kmspeaks]

If you're looking to do an amusement park for a day I would suggest 6 Flags America in MD over the drive down to King's Dominion or Busch Gardens. It has been a few years since I've been to any of them but I remember 6 Flags being my favorite of the 3.

[devildeac]

I thought the BEP was free and you could just go in anytime you wanted. Or maybe you wanted to do a tour of the floor or something. Or maybe I did it in 1986 or so which was a long time ago now.

The kid (and you) would probably enjoy the Museum of American History, which should have reopened by now.

It is open again-we visited it last month. Impressive but not as much as I thought it would be having been closed for that length of time.

[devildeac]

If you can't get up early enough for a ticket up the Washington Monument, the Old Post Office Tower (http://www.nps.gov/opot/) is pretty cool.

-jk

You are now able to reserve a ticket for this on line for about $1.50PP. Beats having to stand in line early in the AM.

[devildeac]

This is going to take me a while, so be patient. The DC area is where I grew up, so I know something of how to find your way around. It is my theory that the place in which yoou learned to drive is indelibly imprinted on your brain. I lived there until I went away in the Marine Corps and college, and at the end of my working life, I returned to live there for a ten year stint before retiring to North Carolina. One of my favorite things to do while working there was to take family and friends on the tour. Sometimes it took two or three days, but I could do a hasty version in one day.

My guess is that you are staying at the Washington Plaza Hotel. It’s a pretty nice choice. It is right at Thomas Circle, and is smack dab in the middle, several blocks north of the Federal Triangle. That’s where a lot of the attractions are, and you should figure on riding the Metro to see most of them. That would be the museums of the Smithsonian (a Metro stop is right in front of the main Smithsonian building), the Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial (the Korean War and Viet Nam War memorials are right in front), and all of the other attractions along the Mall. There are a few other attractions you can access via the Metro, but I’ll get to them later. Your hotel is convenient enough to be a good choice.

For several of the top attractions you will need a car. If you hadn’t planned on a car, you should. Even some of the attractions on the Mall are better accessed by automobile. I’ve always been able to find a parking space, but that may be because of my familiarity with the town. For example, early in the day (around 9 AM) parking spaces open up all along Constitution Avenue. You can try that for access to the Lincoln Memorial , Washington Monument, the WWII Memorial, and both the Korean and Viet Nam memorials. There is parking available at the Jefferson Memorial, and you can walk around the Tidal Basin to get to the FDR Memorial.

Another advantage with your hotel, it is right on 14th Street which will take you easily south to the 14th Street Bridge if you have a car. Just a block west is 15th street which is the best access south to get you to the Jefferson Memorial. Take 14th street for your access to the Virginia side of the Potomac. If you stay straight on that route you will be on I395. That’s fine if you want to go to some sites farther out in the suburbs, but as soon as you reach the Virginia side, you can turn off on to the George Washington Parkway. That gets you to a bunch of places, such as the Arlington National Cemetery and the Iwo Jima Memorial to the north. To the south will take you to the National Airport, Alexandria and Mt Vernon. King Street in Old Towne Alexandria is a good place to find a restaurant (as is Georgetown several blocks west of your hotel on M Street).

Getting back to the District, let me get you started on your first day. First, make sure that you have a map. Then get up early in the morning, and go to the Old Post Office Building at 12th and Pennsylvania Avenue. Go up in the Tower, and you will find an excellent panoramic view of the whole city. There are map displays in all four directions that point out key locations. It is the best way to orient yourself to the layout of the city. Basically it is laid out in a grid pattern with streets north/south having letters or names, and east/west streets have numbers. The same pattern is matched in all four quadrants of the city. All streets at an angle are named after states, all fifty of them. Vermont Avenue is an example. The named or lettered streets are in alphabetic order going north, and there are several sets of them. They start out with single letters in the first alphabet, followed by names in the second, and so on. After you leave the tower, go to the Washington Monument and find one of those Gray Line Tour trams. A trip around the Federal Triangle on one of them may help you set some priorities.

Earlier posts in this thread give good suggestions, and you should consider them in your planning. Some key places have been overlooked. As mentioned, the Marine Silent Drill Team, Color Guard and Drum and Bugle corps hold a Formal Guard Mount at 7 p.m. from the last Tuesday in May to the third Tuesday in August, but there is also an impressive ceremony known as the Sunset Parade at the Marine Barracks at 8th and I Streets in Southwest Washington on Fridays each summer. It includes the Marine Band and Drill Team, but tickets (free) are required. Another very impressive ceremony is the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. That should be high on your list. Great for an 11 year old. Mt. Vernon was mentioned, but I’ll add to that with a must see rating. Another must see site is the National Cathedral on Wisconsin Avenue. It is in the tradition of the old European cathedrals, and it took almost 100 years to build. It is huge, and awesome. It is an Anglican/Episcopalian church with a main nave and several smaller chapels. Children get a thrill out of trying to find all of the chapels. From there you can go directly down Wisconsin avenue to the heart of Georgetown and the Georgetown University Campus, another impressive site. Don’t bother with the University of Maryland Campus. I would call it WPA modern in construction. Then you should consider the National Building Museum. I’d put it ahead of the Newseum mentioned, but you shouldn’t exclude either except for time constraints. I wouldn't bother with a ball park visit in Washington, and I'd save Camden Yards for your a visit to Baltimore, if you ever go there.

If you get the time, and would like to get out of town for a bit, head down I395 (becomes I95 at the Capital Beltway) to the Triangle Exit. That puts you right at the Marine Corps Museum, a brand new military museum just off I95. While there have lunch in Tuns Tavern which is modeled after the Philadelphia tavern where the Marines were first organized on November 10, 1775. As you leave, there are Marines in the lobby who would be glad to accept a donation for the foundation that will soon be building an addition. Every penny helps. No appropriated funs have been used in this construction.

Don't bother with Kings Dominion. It is at least 2 hours away, and traffic down I95 can make it seem much longer. Save it for a separate trip to Colonial Williamsburg. You would go right by Kings Dominion, but I understand that Busch Gardens in Williamsburg is better than Kings Dominion. You should have Williamsburg, especially Colonial Williamsburg, on your must visit list. Colonial Williamsburg is right next to the College of William and Mary campus

This is getting a bit long, and it is proving difficult to review what I have written in this small window. I’ll give it a read after I post it to see what edits I should make. I strongly suggest that you make use of Google Search to check out all of the places mentioned. Every one of them gives a ton of hits.

Fabulous stuff. Could you take me up there this summer or in the fall when you are not Brunchgating?;)

[Jarhead]

Fabulous stuff. Could you take me up there this summer or in the fall when you are not Brunchgating?;)

Which tour do you want, 3, 2, or 1 day tour? And what's your credit card number? We'll haggle over prices at the first Brunchgate. Hey, spell check thinks I mispelled Brunchgate.

[allenmurray]

Jarhead had some great advice there. I love the Marine Corps Museum.

I would disagree about King's Dominion vs. Busch Gardens, though, for an 11 year old. Busch Gardens is awesome, and if you're going to Williamsburg anyway, it's definitely worth the visit. But King's Dominion has twice the thrill rides and the water park is separate and costs extra when you go to Busch Gardens. For an 11 year old boy, I'd pick King's Dominion over Busch Gardens 9/10, depending on the boy, of course. For an 11 year old girl, I might go the other way, as BG has the clydesdales and more shows and stuff. Also, King's Dominion is right off exit 98 from I-95. DC is basically at the equivalent of about exit 180. If you're going to King's Dominion early in the morning, and going south you'd be going against traffic, and returning late at night, again against traffic, on a weekday, I couldn't see it taking you more than an hour and a half, and that's if you stick to the speed limit. I know google maps isn't the be all end all, but it has a trip from the center of DC to King's Dominion at 1 hr., 27 min., and just under 2 hours in traffic.

I understand that there are a lot of really cool things to see in DC, but, at least for me, I would have gotten bored as an 11 year old spending seven whole days looking at them without a break. If it were me, and I know it's not obviously, I'd plan a trip like to King's Dominion or Six Flags for the middle day, just to break it up for the kid.

Very true. Kids have far different attention spans than adults. They will need a break, and an opportunity to do something with their bodies, as opposed to their eyes/ears/minds mid-way through. Everyone will enjoy the trip more if there is a change of pace. If not an amusement park, a half-day canoe trip is easy as there are a number of places within an hours drive.

[bjornolf]

With an 11 year old?

-jk

I did like Mrs. Kay's Tollhouse as a kid. They had some food for kids, and the riddle on the fireplace was fun to try to figure out. http://www.mrsks.com/ It was a tollhouse for carriages back in the REALLY olden days, then for cars in the early 1900's, so there's a LOT of history there. The food there is really good, I think, and they've been serving presidents and other dignitaries for decades.

%%-

[bjornolf]

If you're looking to do an amusement park for a day I would suggest 6 Flags America in MD over the drive down to King's Dominion or Busch Gardens. It has been a few years since I've been to any of them but I remember 6 Flags being my favorite of the 3.

First off, I have definitely noticed from personal experience that girls in the 8-13 year old range tend to prefer six flags and busch gardens to king's dominion. Boys of the same age tend to prefer king's dominion. It just makes sense. Two have a few thrill rides, but more shows and attractions. King's Dominion is all about the thrill rides. Any of them are cool, but six flags lists 11 thrill rides on their website, http://www.sixflags.com/america/. Looking at them in detail, though, five of those rides are NOT roller coasters, and several of them require extra money. One is a go-kart track. One is a big swing thing. One is a drop tower. And two, including Tony Hawk's Halfpipe (you said he was into skating), are water rides.

King's Dominion, on the other hand, as I listed above, has TEN roller coasters of all different varieties, PLUS the drop tower, the avalanche, the go-kart track, the sky flier swing thing, and a full water park with water slides similar to those at Six Flags that Six Flags listed as "thrill rides". Plus they have whitewater canyon and the log flume, plus the spongebob moving theater thing. And the only one of those that I know of that costs extra is the go-karts. Also, Six Flags' water park has about as many things as King's Dominion, but according to their own website, only a couple are high on their "thrill" scale. I can attest to the fact personally that the King's Dominion water park has more water attractions that are higher on the "thrill" scale. Let's put it this way. My 3 year old could only do 2 things at the King's Dominion water park by height. He could do almost half the things at the Six Flags one.

I don't know when kmspeaks was last at King's Dominion, but they're constantly adding new stuff. The last time Six Flags built a NEW coaster was in 2001, the Superman one, and it had a LOT of problems the first few years. I don't know how it's done recently. They built all but one of their coasters between 1996 and 2001. The other is from 1986. Since then, King's Dominion has added the Dominator (2008), Ricochet (2002), and Backlot Stunt Coaster (2006), so they have newer, faster, crazier coasters as well as having more. The Hurler was built in the time range of the Six Flags ones, as was the Flight of Fear and Volcano. Anaconda was built in 1991. The Rebel Yell and Grizzly are older. For a while, the Grizzly was the biggest all wooden coaster in the US (not sure if it stills has that title). They even had the Hypersonic XLC from 2002-2005, but they closed it and replaced it with the Dominator cause it was always breaking down. So they even keep up with them and replace them if they aren't up to snuff. Six Flags is obviously limited by its suburban setting, so it can't really expand, only replace. King's Dominion keeps the old stuff that's still popular, and expands. They have one or two MORE coasters slated to be built by 2011.

Google says it's 16.3 miles from Vermont Ave to Six Flags, but they're hard, city miles, so it still takes half an hour. So, the trip is an hour longer to King's Dominion, but like I said, when I was age 11 and lived here, I picked King's Dominion almost every time. If it were the NEW King's Dominion with all the new stuff they have now that they didn't have then, it wouldn't even have been a contest.

And on top of all that, if you go to Six Flags, you're putting money in Dan Snyder's pockets. ;)

Anyway, I certainly understand and respect people that prefer Six Flags or Busch Gardens. Like I said, all three are great parks for kids and you can't lose on any of them. HOWEVER, with only one shot, for an 11 year old boy, I'd pick King's Dominion every time. If you want shows and attractions and cool stuff like that and I'm going to TRAVEL to go there, I'd go to Disney World over Busch Gardens or Six Flags. JMHO.

[bjornolf]

Just to throw in Busch Gardens, its website lists five coasters on its ride list. Only one of them, the Griffon (2007) was built after 1999. The others are from 1978, 1984, 1997, and 1999.

The water park is down the road from Busch Gardens and is separate. Combo tickets can be bought, though are more expensive. I look at Busch Gardens as sort of Disney World lite. They have a few thrill rides, a bunch of shows, and some cultural zones with different countries represented (kind of like a mini epcot).

[bjornolf]

Look, I don't know why I'm even getting into this. You haven't even indicated an interest in an amusement park. I guess it's just because my family just went through deciding which park to take our kids to this summer, and we did EXHAUSTIVE research, and ended up picking King's Dominion over Six Flags and Busch Gardens.

[-jk]

Which tour do you want, 3, 2, or 1 day tour? And what's your credit card number? We'll haggle over prices at the first Brunchgate. Hey, spell check thinks I mispelled Brunchgate.

And it seemed to miss "mispelled". ;)

-jk

[BCGroup]

LOTS of fabulous suggestions and it's really helped us to plan. Never had a doubt folks here would come through. I don't think we're going to go for an amusement park--frankly, given a choice, he'd rather skateboard. I do have tix for the Capitol through my congressman, and we'll get public tix for whatever else we can. The pentagon, which we really wanted to do, does not have tickets available. I'm hoping to get into the reading room at the Library of Congress--one of my books is there, and I think it would be great to see it there. The Newseum was new to me, and it looks great, as well as the annex out at Dulles. We are driving, so we have a car, which will help. Right now, the problem is we have too much we want to do! Thanks again for all the help.

[bjornolf]

Yea, you could probably spend a month in DC and not see EVERYTHING. Heck, you could spend two days at the zoo and barely see it all.

Sorry for wasting your time about the amusement parks, then. Maybe somebody else can use the info, though. ;)

The Udvar Hazy Annex is AWESOME. They have an IMAX theater with cool movies, and the control tower simulator is really fun. They also have an SR-71 blackbird sitting right in front of the space shuttle, both of which are SO cool. They also have the Enola Gay, which dropped THE BOMB in WWII. They even have, for an extra fee, a few "real" flight simulators like the pilots train on. Those are sweet.

[Jarhead]

And it seemed to miss "mispelled". ;)

-jk
Uh, the software must have dropped 9 bits in transmission. That's my alibi, and I'm sticking to it.:D

[BlueDevilBaby]

Did anyone mention the White House tour?

[devildeac]

Which tour do you want, 3, 2, or 1 day tour? And what's your credit card number? We'll haggle over prices at the first Brunchgate. Hey, spell check thinks I mispelled Brunchgate.

1. Deal.
2. Probably the 2 day tour.
3. Beer and bagels? Pastrami and corned beef?
4. No credit card number yet:p;)
5. The only word you mispelled was, misspelled;):rolleyes:

[Jarhead]

1. Deal.
2. Probably the 2 day tour.
3. Beer and bagels? Pastrami and corned beef?
4. No credit card number yet:p;)
5. The only word you misspelled was, misspelled;)
Huh? What? Who, me?
My computer must have done it. As I explained earlier to -jk, the cable from the modem must have dropped some bits into the bit bucket on the way out of the house.:D

[allenmurray]

Did anyone mention the White House tour?

It is much harder to arrange than it used to be. No individual tours - you have to be part of an organized group. That group's tour has to be set up by your congressperson. I did try a while back when I took my son to DC. My congressperson's staff was great - they told me about the "group tour" issue, then said that they would be more than willing to contact the leader of any group they had scheduled to see if we could join their group for purposes of the tour. Unfortunately, there was no group scheduled on the day we had available.

[BCGroup]

We did try for the White House--no luck. Apparently, you really need more than 6-8 weeks notice on that. Our congressman's aide is going to see if there are any cancellations, but she told us not to hold our breath. Again, thanks for all the suggestions-looks like we'll have a great trip!