ITINERARIES
Washington, D.C.
Long Weekend/3-Night Trip for Families with Kids
Washington, D.C. is a great city to visit with kids. With lots of free museums, a zoo, fountains, and grassy lawns, what more could a kid want? This is a short itinerary that packs in some of the best kid-friendly activities in few days, and bonus – most activities are free!
- Deciding when to go – Crowds will be highest during times when kids are typically out of school (like summer) and during cherry blossom season (late March – early April). But even crowded times aren’t bad. As far as weather, DC experiences all seasons. Some of the activities we recommend involve walking around outside so if you have a temperature preference, go with that time of year.
- Flights if Needed – Flying into DCA will get you closest to where you want to be and allow you to take the metro to your hotel.
- Car Rental – Not necessary. The DC Metro system is great – easy, safe, clean, and affordable.
- Lodging – The most important thing is to stay near a metro stop so you can get around easily. We have stayed at both hotels and rental properties in the area and either are fine, but trust us – prioritize being near a Metro stop. We learned that the hard way!If you’re like us and collect Marriott points, we like the 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.
- Other Reservations:
- National Air and Space Museum requires a timed-entry reservation (free). Try to get a reservation for around 3/3:30pm on the first full day of the trip (Day 2). Get your reservation here >
- Tours of the White House – Touring the White House requires you to ask your state representative. You can request a tour 90 days in advance.Learn about visiting the White House >
- Capitol Tour – During this short trip, we recommend doing EITHER the White House Tour or the Capitol. Tours begin every 10 minutes from 8:30am to 3:20pm. We recommend you schedule your tour in advance for in the morning of Day 3. Tours begin at the Capitol Visitors Center and lead you through the Crypt, the Rotunda, and National Sanctuary Hall. Get reservations for the Capitol >
- Optional: Advanced bike rentals or monument tours. Both evenings of Day 1 and 2 can be spent exploring the many monuments and sites around DC. You can do this for free by walking, do it for cheap by using the Circulator buses, or you can rent bikes, or book a tour that takes you around in a golf cart/eVehicle.
Book bike rentals >
Our recommendation for tours by electric cart >
- If you have kids age 5 or under, I recommend bringing a stroller because there will be a good amount of walking. Bring one that can easily fold down, but can also recline for naps on the go, and has a storage space. Something like this >
- Backpacks for each kid as a carry-on and stuff to do in the airplane if flying. Fill it with things like tablets/eReaders, headphones, books, small toys, art supplies, etc.
- Clothes that match the season. DC can get humid which makes the heat feal hotter and the cold feel colder. Check the weather forecast and pack appropriately.
- Comfortable shoes for walking in
- All Toiletries
- Fanny Pack or cross-shoulder bag (I love a fanny pack for packing the essentials and staying hands-free and not putting stress on shoulders)
- All chargers – phones, watches, tablets, etc.
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Medicines
- Ponchos or rain coats
- Bug spray
- Sound machine (if you’re sharing a hotel room with your whole family a sound machine really helps!)
Prices are always going to vary! But here are some ranges/estimates to help you budget:
- Flights (if needed) – $300-600 per person
- 3 hotel nights – $200-300 per night
- Food (if you’re eating breakfast at your hotel and not doing really fancy dinners) – $60-80/adult per day, $30-40/kid per day
- Transportation – You’ll probably spend about $20/person on SmartTrip cards for the Metro and buses.
- Activity costs – You can do this itinerary only by doing the free activities! Possible extras include bike rentals, monuments tour, and alternative museums that aren’t government-funded and will have a small fee (see alternative options on Day 2).
Jump to a Day
Day 1
Arrive in Washington, D.C. and Explore the Mall
- Flying into DCA will get you closest to where you want to be and allow you to use the Metro to get to your hotel.
- If you live in driving distance to Washington, D.C – great! Drive and save yourself money! Check with your hotel to see if they allow parking and what the rate is.
- Aim to arrive in D.C. by early afternoon so you can do a little sightseeing when you arrive.
- Follow the signs to the Metro station. It’s located in Terminal 2.
- When you get to the station, stop by one of the fare vending stations and purchase a SmartTrip card for each member of your family and load it with about $12/person (you can always add more later). Kids under 5 can ride free.
- Slide your SmartTrip card through the entrance stiles to get to the platform
- If staying at the Residence Inn in Foggy Bottom, board the Blue Line toward Largo. Get off at Foggy Bottom.
- I have this in the Advanced Prep tab as well, but we recommend booking a hotel near a metro stop that can easily take you to the National Mall. For our family of 5 who collect Marriott points, we chose Residence Inn Washington, DC/Foggy Bottom. It’s in a safe area and a 2 minute walk to a metro stop. I will be giving metro directions based on this location, but if you stay somewhere else, map out your route here: https://www.wmata.com/schedules/trip-planner/
- Before you leave, go on and set up your phone to pay for the Metro. You can add the SmartTrip DC Metro card to your phone so you can just tap and pay. Instructions here: https://www.wmata.com/fares/mobilepay/
- If you have kids small enough to fit in a stroller – take it with you! There will be a lot of walking this evening.
A note on Dinner: Depending on the time of day, you should probably plan to eat somewhere around your hotel either before you head to the Mall, or when you return, or be on the lookout for food trucks (but sometimes they can be inconsistent and you may only find ice cream trucks). The only restaurants around the mall are in the museums and they all close at 5:30. There are no food options in the direction of the Licoln Memorial.
Near your hotel if staying in Foggy Bottom: Circa, Roti (Mediterranean fast food)
- If staying in the hotel mentioned above, it’s about a 2-minute walk to the Foggy Bottom station.
- Board the orange line heading toward New Carrollton OR the silver line heading toward Largo.
- Get off at the Smithsonian Metro Station
- Go up the escalator and once outside walk toward the Mall area (where the big area of grass is)
Monuments are most beautiful in the late afternoon and evening. You can walk, bike, scooter, or use the DC Circulator buses that circle the mall to get around.
Ways to Get Around:
- Walk – It’s free and you get some steps in! If you plan to walk and have kids 5 or under, I would bring a stroller. If you walk all the way from the Smithsonian Subway station to the Lincoln Memorial, it’s 1.2 miles. If you plan to walk back to the subway that’s another 1.2 miles, or you can walk to your hotel from there (only .8 miles if staying at the Residence Inn Foggy Bottom).
- Rent Public Bikes or Scooters – There are many public bikes and electric scooters available along the mall, rented through Lime or Uber. I only recommend this for families with older kids and teens with experience riding these items because helmets do not come with public scooter/bike rentals.
- Rent Bikes in Advance – There are several companies where you can reserve bikes in advance including kid-size bikes, tandems, tag-alongs, and children’s trailers. These also include helmets. You rent bikes for 2 or 4 hours. Check out pricing >
- Use the DC Circulator Bus – there are bus stops all around the National Mall. You may have to wait a few minutes for one to arrive at your stop. 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.
Things to See:
- Washington Monument – you can get up close to it or view it from a distance. There is plenty of grass around it for kids to run around in.
- WWII Memorial – a beautiful memorial area with a fountain you can dip your toes in.
- Reflecting Pool – if you walk or bike between the WWII Memorial and the Lincoln Memorial, you can enjoy walking along this beautiful pool and look for ducks.
- Lincoln Memorial – climb the steps and check out the huge statue of Abraham Lincoln and read his Gettysburg address engraved on the walls. You also get some great views looking back at the Reflecting Pool and the Washington Monument from the top of the steps.
- Vietnam Memorial – walk along the wall with the names of dead and missing soldiers.
Depending how where you end up, you may not be near a metro station (there are none of the Lincoln Memorial side of the Mall). It may be best to catch an Uber or Lyft, or you could walk. We have walked between the Lincoln Memorial and our hotel in Foggy Bottom before and it took about 20 minutes. There are also scooters and bikes available to rent all around the mall. If you have older kids or teens, this could be a fun option! Learn more >
Day 2
Museums Around the National Mall
This day is primarily focused on enjoying the free museums around the mall that offer the most kid-friendly exhibits. There are many other museums to choose from if these don’t interest your family or if you’ve done them before. See the note at the bottom of this day.
If you’re staying at the Residence Inn Foggy Bottom, free hot breakfast is served until 9 or 9:30am. Try to leave your hotel around 9:30 and walk to the metro station.
Walk to the Metro and take it to Federal Triangle Station
Aim to leave around 9:30am. Take the oragne or blue lines to the Federal Triangle Station. From there, put walking directions on your phone to the National Museum of American History. Map >
National Museum of American History (10am-12pm)
The museum opens at 10am. There is so much to see, you will want to pick and choose what will most interest your family. Our recommendations for families with kids:
- Floor 1: On the Water/American on the Move – boats, trains, and cars!
- Floor 1: Spark! Lab – an interactive building space for kids, only open Wed. – Sun.
- Floor 1: Wonderplace – fun activities for younger children
- Floor 2: The Star Spangled Banner
- Floor 3: The First Ladies – pretty dresses! and The American Presidency
- Floor 3: Entertainment America – fun pop-culture items including the original Kermit the Frog
If you have older kids or teens, there are some other really great exhibits that may interest them or be good for them to learn about.
There are several options for lunch. Each of the museums has a cafeteria so you can eat at the American History Museum, or the Natural History Museum where you’ll be heading next. There are also usually food trucks out around the National Mall if you want to grab some food and picnic on the lawn. We do recommend the food trucks for dinner later in this itinerary.
Located to the left of the American History if you exit onto the mall. It’s another great museum that has so much to offer you’ll need to pick and choose what you most want to see. Our favorites:
- Floor 1: Ocean Hall, Mammals, and Hall of Fossils (dinosaur bones)
- Floor 2: Hope Diamond, Gems and Minerals, Live Butterfly Pavilion
Your kids may not be interested in sculpture, but what they will probably be ready for is to be outside for a bit and dip their toes in a cool fountain! The scultpure garden is located in between the Natural History Museum and the National Gallery of Art.
Timed ticket entry may be required so have your pass ready to show.
This museum is located across the lawn from the National Gallery of Art. It has been undergoing a major renovation for years, and as of Spring 2024, it is still ongoing. The IMAX and planetarium are closed, but if they are open when you visit, we highly recommend seeing a show if your kids aren’t scared of dark, loud movie experiences. Not all exhibits are open but the ones that are are great, and it’s easy to see it all in a smaller amount of time right now with not all areas open.
We recommend either getting dinner in the Air and Space cafeteria before it closes, or find food trucks outside and having a picnic on the lawn.
If their aren’t many food trucks left or you don’t like the options, you can walk or take a bus to the Ronald Reagan Building (walk north from the Smithsonian National Museum of American History). There is a food court inside this large building with 17 different eateries.
If you’re not too tired, walk to the nearest bus stop (there are a lot) and take a DC Circulator National Mall bus to some of the areas around the mall that you didn’t see yesterday – MLK Jr. Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, get a closer view of the Capitol building, etc.
OR sign up for a paid tour to take you around to sites in an eCar. We recommend this one >
Depending on where you are, use Google maps to tell you the best route back via metro rail, bus, renting bikes or scooters, walking, or if none of those are very convient, look for an Uber or Lyft.
About the Attraction: Avatar Flight of Passage
This is one of my top 3 attractions in all of Disney World! This is a simulator ride that will make you feel like you are riding on the back of a banshee through the beautiful land of Pandora from the Avatar movies. I don’t like all simulator rides, but this one is smooth, does not make me nauseous, has air blowing on your face, and really feels real. I literally cried tears of joy the first time I rode this ride!
Things to know:
Height Requirement: At least 44″ tall. May not be able to accommodate some tall/large guests.
Queue: The queue is part of the experience! The first part is outdoors and provides you with gorgeous views of the land and the floating mountains and waterfalls. The second part takes you into the “human-built” buildings where you find the scientific labs. The second half is much less beautiful, but if you’ve seen the movies, you’ll know that the contrast is purposeful. A highlight of the queue is the life-size avatar in a liquid chamber.
Pre-show:
The preshow room lines everyone up on circles in a small room and plays an intro video. They also pretend to scan you to link you to an Avatar. I had a friend who’s child was scarred by this room. If you have a sensitive child, it may be good to remind them that it isn’t real, but it’s fun to play pretend at Disney World!
Seats and Glasses:
After the preshow you enter the next room that has the seats. You can show your things in bins in the room. The seats are like riding a motorcycle (one leg on each side) but you are leaning forward with your hands grasping handles in front of you. Once you’re in your seat, a back rest will move into place and can be a bit startling when it hits your back if you’re not expecting it. You will put on your glasses and wait for a bit with a screen on the front of your “bike” that shows you being connected to an Avatar. There will be a series of vibrations as you are “linked” to your Avatar which feels funny to some kids. Once the “flight” begins, you will feel your banshee “breathing” meaning you’ll feel the seat around your legs expand and contract a bit. It’s quite cool! You’ll also have wind blowing in your face to simulate flight and bonus – it helps avoid motion sickness!
Ride Length: 6 minutes
Alternatives to the Museums Listed Above
There are SO many museums in DC! If some of the above don’t appeal to you, check out some of these that can also be great for families depending on interests:
- National Museum of African American History and Culture – also located on the National Mall. It’s fantastic and HUGE!
- National Gallery of Art – also located on the National Mall, and my personal favorite! If you have art lovers in your family, give this one a try!
- Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Gallery – speaking of art, this modern art museum on the Mall is really cool in its cylindrical building and modern art installations
- National Building Museum – a favorite of mine in the private/paid entry category, this museum focuses on architecture and design, has some really cool exhibits, and the Renaissance-style Great Hall is breathtaking. Located 4 blocks north of the mall.
- International Spy Museum – another fan favorite in the private/paid entry category, this interactive museum is perfect for fans of spy entertainment and cool gadgets. Located 2 blocks south of the Mall off L’Enfant Plaza.
- National Children’s Museum – best suited for kids under age 12, this is a fun, interactive children’s museum with typical children’s-museum stuff.
- National Archives – if you or your kids want to see the original Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights – this is where it is! Located on Constitution Ave. across from the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. (Note, while awesome, the original Declaration is faded and hard to read. You can see a nice replica when you get to Philly instead if you’d like.)
Day 3
White House or Capitol and the National Zoo
As you get ready for the day, make sure you put on sunscreen and bring a stroller if you have young kids. You also may want to bring water bottles and possibly bathing suits or a change or clothes if you will be letting your kids get wet in the splash area at the zoo.
If you’re staying at the Residence Inn Foggy Bottom, enjoy the free hot breakfast.
After breakfast, walk to the metro and take any line (Blue, Orange, or Gray) to Metro Station. At Metro Station, exit and follow the signs to transfer to the Red Line toward Shady Grove. Get off at Cleveland Park. The Woodley Park stop will say “Zoo” on it and you could get off here but the walk to the zoo will be uphill and the same length as walking from Cleveland Park.
From Cleveland Park, walk south down Connecticut Avenue to the Zoo entrance.
Touring the White House requires you to ask your state representative. You can request a tour 90 days in advance.
Learn about visiting the White House >
If you are not able to get a tour or are not interested, take a tour of the Capitol. Tours begin every 10 minutes from 8:30am to 3:20pm. We recommend you schedule your tour in advance. Tours begin at the Capitol Visitors Center and lead you through the Crypt, the Rotunda, and National Sanctuary Hall.
Get reservations for the Capitol >
Walk to the metro stop closest to you. Take any line (Blue, Orange, or Gray) to Metro Station. At Metro Station, exit and follow the signs to transfer to the Red Line toward Shady Grove. Get off at Cleveland Park. The Woodley Park stop will say “Zoo” on it and you could get off here but the walk to the zoo will be uphill and the same length as walking from Cleveland Park.
From Cleveland Park, walk south down Connecticut Avenue to the Zoo entrance.
The zoo is built on a hill and we highly recommend strollers for kids 5 and under. The zoo rents strollers if you need one.
You will be entering the zoo at the top of the hill. We recommend doing the zoo from the top of the hill and working your way down. When you get to the bottom there are buses that can take you back to the top or you can walk.
The highlight of this zoo used be the pandas, but sadly they had to go back to China in 2023. They still have some adorable red pandas though that are fun to watch! Check out the zoo website to see a map and learn more about what animals you can see.
On warm days, kids can get wet in the America Trail Tide Pool.
There are several places to get food while at the zoo. The Zoo Deli is my favorite for fresh sandwiches but there are also food stops for pizza or burgers/hot dogs/chicken fingers.
There are a lot of good places to get dinner around the Zoo in the Cleveland Park and Woodley Park areas. Many of them are casual, family-friendly, and don’t require reservations. Search for restaurants near you and pick one that sounds good to your family.
Take the Metro back to your hotel and pack up.
Day 4
Head Home
Pack up, eat breakfast, and check out.
Take the Blue line to the National Airport Metro Station
Walk to your terminal, go through security, and fly home!
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