This past weekend our family took a trip to Washington D.C. to visit family and take the kids to some museums. My family lives outside of the city, so we decided to stay closer to them for this trip. (We have taken many D.C. trips and it is somewhere we will continue to visit.)
Where We Stayed
Our family recommended an area called Rio Lakefront, which is about 30-45 min outside the city by Metro or car (depending on the time of day and traffic). It was our first time staying in this area (Gaithersburg, MD) and we absolutely loved it! Not only were there plenty of things to do with the kids within walking distance of our hotel, but it was far enough outside of the city to not have to deal with all of the constant traffic.
There were a few other things that made the location a positive. Number 1 was it had a massive playground that Graham could go burn some energy at night before bed. There was also a carousel that had unlimited rides for $6 a person. A snow cone truck right next to carousel (Graham continues to refer to it as the “Cup of Ice Truck”, completely adorable so we haven’t corrected him), that he talked us into getting for him, TWICE. Number 2 were a lot of restaurants to choose from. Our favorite was Uncle Julio’s which has amazing authentic Mexican food, including a smoky salsa that is my favorite ever. Finally, the atmosphere was very relaxing and there was plenty of space to walk and enjoy the weather.
Getting into the City
Usually we choose to just drive into the city to have the freedom to make our own schedule and with the pandemic it made the most sense for keeping the kids safe. But, this weekend we decided to change it up and use the Metro.
The hotel was a five minute drive to the nearest station, and it was the last stop, which meant for most of the ride there weren’t many passengers. The metro is free for kids under five so that was another plus! Also, anytime I don’t have to drive and worry about navigating the roads and the crazy drivers I consider it a win. Finally, with the Metro website you can plan your trip out so you know exactly how much money to put on your SmarTrip card and know exactly what stop you need to get off at. If you enjoy not having to deal with the traffic or navigating the many streets of the city, I highly recommend commuting on the Metro the next time you visit D.C..
Things to Do
Did you know, a lot of the attractions in Washington D.C. have free entry? There are 17 Smithsonian Museums, a zoo, about 160 different monuments, the White House and many other attractions, parks, and walking trails in the nation’s capital. Be sure to check out each individual website before you go to see if they still require timed entry passes. Our favorite things to do with the kids, are the National Zoo and the Natural History Museum.
National Zoo
One thing we make sure to never miss when we take a trip to the capital city, is a visit to the Smithsonian National Zoo. You can’t pass up a free walk through of exotic animals! You will do a lot of walking, so make sure you wear comfortable shoes. The temperature was close to 100 degrees while we were there, so make sure to check the weather before you leave. We made sure to have plenty of water, snacks, and Jocelyn made sure to pack the kid’s stroller fans. – check out what else we brought along with us too!
Graham was so excited to go see the sea lions fall off the “ledge” (a plastic floating island in the pool) because he watched them do it the last time and it made him crack up. Unfortunately, the ledge was not there this time. But we made it through because he got to see a gorilla eating popcorn out of a Kong ball and that made him laugh too!
Museum of Natural History
The other place that is a must see for our family is the Smithsonian Natural History Museum. Dinosaurs are a big hit in our household so it’s always nice to take the kids to see some “real life” dinosaurs. It’s always amazing to see the kid’s eyes light up as we walk through all of the exhibits and they begin to learn about the past. If large extinct animals are not your thing you can check out some replicas of current living animals, both land and sea, including the origins of humans. Or, you can head up to the second floor and check out the massive gem and rare stone collection. In addition, they have a butterfly exhibit where you can walk with the butterflies. Two of the other exhibits on the second floor are ancient Egypt and live insects. No matter what your interests are you are sure to find something to enjoy at the Natural History Museum.
And of course you have to stop at one of the ice cream trucks outside afterwards!
Next Time We are in D.C.
Overall, I would consider this a successful trip. Between the hotel, and all of our adventures we had an amazing time. We’re already planning our next trip back this summer; where we are hoping to visit the Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum and take the kids to walk the mall. Make sure to check back for a later post where I share Grahams first up close look at airplanes! Thanks for being a part of this adventure with us.