Washington, D.C.

The capitol of the U.S.A. is filled with fun activities for families and many of them are free! Many of the museums have areas and activities specifically for kids.

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Things to Do

Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall
National Museum of American History
National Museum of Natural History
Air and Space Museum
National Zoo
National Gallery of Art
National Archives
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Gallery
International Spy Museum
National Building Museum
National Portrait Gallery
National Children’s Museum
The White House
The Capitol Building

Places to Stay

Most of the things you’ll be doing are around the National Mall. We recommend staying somewhere in walking distance to the Mall, or close to a metro station. For our fellow Marriott points collectors, we like:

Residence Inn Washington/Foggy Bottom because it is in a safe area and close to a metro stop, offers free breakfast, comes with a kitchen, and has rooms with 2 queen beds and a sleeper sofa so it’s great for families of 4-6.
JW Marriott is near the White House and 2 blocks from the Mall
Fairfield Inn & Suites Washington DC/Downtown is about 2 blocks from the Judiciary Square metro station.

Others in good locations:

Arlo Washington DC – one block from the Judiciary Square Metro station
Holiday Inn Washington Capitol-National Mall – one block south of the Mall and next to the L’Enfant Metro station.

Budget Considerations

Flying: Check the prices between flying into Reagan (DCA), Dulles (IAD), or Baltimore/Washington (BWI). All of these airports offer public transportation that can take you into DC, but Reagan is the easiest since it is connected to the DC Metro.
Car: You do not need a car. If driving to the area, you’ll most likely have to pay to park at your hotel, but then we recommend using public transportation to get around the city.
Getting around: Use the DC Metro! It’s one of the cleanest and easy to use systems in the country! There are also buses that go around the National Mall and a few other popular sites.
Attractions: Most of the things to do in DC are free! There are a few museums with small fees, but nothing crazy.
Food: Food can be expensive in DC. There is not a lot of fast/cheap food in the touristy areas. You will find food trucks around the Mall during some times of day. There are also cafeterias at many of the museums. There are some wonderful restaurants in the area, but they may be expensive so budget accordingly.

Kid-Friendly Places to Eat

While you’re around the Smithsonian Museums around the National Mall, your main sources of food will be food trucks or the cafeterias in the museums. There aren’t a lot of other restaurants in walking distance and your options get even fewer on the monuments side of the Mall. Know that most museums close at 5 so the cafeterias aren’t open for dinner, and most of the food trucks only stick around for lunch.
A non-cafeteria option around the Mall museums is the Pavilion Cafe, next to the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. They have sandwiches, salads, and baked goods. It can get crowded and there isn’t a lot of indoor seating, but on a nice day you can grab your food and go eat outside. It is only open until 4pm.
If you’d like a food court with lots of options, head into the Ronald Reagan Building (walk north from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History or take the Metro to Federal Triangle). There is a food court inside this large building with 17 different eateries.
Dinners have to be outside of the National Mall area. You can head a bit north of the Mall around the National Archives Metro stop, you’ll find several good restaurants that are welcoming to kids. Carmine’s Italian Restaurant is delicious, Oyamel Cocina Mexicana is good upscale Mexican food, and The Capital Grille is a great fine dining option. We were worried it wasn’t very kid-friendly but there were multiple families with kids when we went, just make sure you are dressed appropriately and you have kids old enough to know how to behave in a nice restaurant.
If you’d like some kid-friendly fast food, you’ll find a Chick-Fil-A and a Shake Shack near the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

Tips from Parents

Bring a stroller for little legs! You’ll be doing A LOT of walking!
The DC Metro is clean, safe, and easy to use. Don’t be afraid to use it!
Kids can splash a bit in the fountains at the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden and the World War II Memorial. Come prepared with a change of clothes or if it’s hot just let them get wet and dry in the sun.
DC can get really hot in the summer and the National Mall is really long and spread out. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, and maybe some fans like these.
Use the DC Circulator Bus to get around the National Mall. You may think you can walk to the Lincoln Memorial from a museum, but trust us, it’s longer than you think, especially with little legs. There are bus stops all around the National Mall. You may have to wait a few minutes for one to arrive at your stop though. The fare is typically $1/person and you can pay in cash or using your SmartTrip card. Keep in mind that the buses only operate until 8pm.

For more of our tips and tricks, check out our Washington D.C itinerary >

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