Washington DC

Washington DC is a great family destination. There is so much history and so many great museums. Additionally, a lot of the museums have free entry. See below for all of the best things to do in Washington DC.

The White House

President’s Park encompasses the White House and is part of the national park service. There is a visitor’s center just a block from the White House on 1450 Pennsylvania Ave. Also, it is both a nice air conditioned break in the summer and they have the junior ranger books for your kids to earn the badge.

Be aware that there are large crowds around the White House, as is most of Washington D.C. Also, there tends to be a lot of demonstrators, people with bullhorns, etc. in this area.

If you pass by in the evening, you can get a nice view of the White House lit up. Lastly, they do give tours, but you have to get advance reservations through your congressional representative.

The National Mall

The National Mall houses many of the capitol’s monuments. However, don’t underestimate the length of the mall, it is about 2 and a half miles from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Monument. Some of the top sights on the National mall:

• Capitol Hill Building
• Supreme Court Building
• Library of Congress
• Washington Monument
• Lincoln Monument
• Jefferson Monument
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
• Martin Luther King Jr Memorial
• Vietnam Veterans Memorial
• Korean War Veterans Memorial
• National World War II Memorial
• Smithsonian Institution Building
• DAR Museum
• President’s Park and the White House

Museums

There are so many great museums in Washington D.C. Furthermore, consider the following museums:

• Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
• Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
• Smithsonian American Art Museum
• Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) Renwick Gallery
• Smithsonian National Museum of African American History
• Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art
• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
• Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
• National Gallery of Art
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
• International Spy Museum

The Smithsonian Museums and National Gallery of Art are free admission. However, be aware that some of the museums do charge a fee, for instance the spy museum, but it is fun to visit, especially for James Bond fans.

Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is the home of George Washington, the first president of the United States. Also, you can tour the mansion as well as the surrounding grounds for a look at the way life was 150 years ago.

Arlington Cemetery

Arlington Cemetery and the tomb of the unknown soldier. I went here on a work trip and didn’t bring back any pictures. However, I definitely enjoyed a stop to take in the museum, surroundings and unknown soldier ceremony.

ALSO CONSIDER VISITING THESE NEARBY AREAS

Check out some other sites in the Mid-Atlantic region.