Visiting Washington DC

There's so much to do and most of it is free! Pick a metro stop and spend the day visiting sights in the area. There's something for everyone at most locations. You could spend a week visiting the buildings between the US Capitol and the Washington Monument! Spend half a day walking around the Tidal Basin then rent a paddleboat.

Quick Tips:

Since 9/11, security can sometimes be tight and you'll need to be patient. Rush hour can be a bear, so avoid being in a vehicle in the area in the morning or afternoon. Always carry a bottle of water and a snack around because those can be expensive. Also, be flexible with your plans.

Best Way To Get Around:

You might be surprised at how close together most of the museums/government buildings are. Try to do as much travelling as possible either on foot or by Metro. Wear comfortable shoes! The Metro is very clean and usually convenient to many areas. It's also much less than paying for parking (or tickets). Metro Map I'd recommend not using a car if you're touring the downtown area. Parking is extremely tight and can be expensive. Driving in the area can be a nightmare because of rush hour congestion, constant construction, and unexpected closings or road changes.

The Smithsonian Air & Space Museum is located on the Mall in Washington DC... and it's FREE. You can visit it for part of the day, then cross the Mall to some of the other museums.

Getting There

We drove in after lunch; free parking along the Mall can be TIGHT. The museum closes at 5pm, but a lot of parking spots open up around 3pm. Some Government employees will work 6am-3pm to minimize the impact of rush hour. That only gives you two hours to visit things, though.

The Metro may be a better deal, though. There are lots of Metro stops in the area.

The Museum

The outside of the museum has a neat example of the planets. At one end is the Sun. The next stop (it will say how many steps away) is Mercury. Everything is in proportion so you can see the size/distance between each of the planets and the sun.

The museum is full of actual planes, jets, and rockets. There are several different areas one focuses on the planets and what we know about each of them. The Albert Einstein planetarium and flight simulator are fun to see.

Shows

Lockheed Martin has an IMAX theater in the museum. If you're going to visit, check out the showings before you go so you don't miss out on a show. Smithsonian Shows

Dining Options

There's a dining area with McDonald's, a pizza place, and Boston Market. Most of the places are priced similar to airport dining options; don't look for a dollar menu. If you're walking on a hot day, there are lots of signs saying NO FOOD or DRINK, but we always have snacks and a bottle of water with us. You don't want to be in DC and need a bottle of water... cha-ching.

You can't visit DC without spending some time on the Mall. If you hit the Mall, the Air & Space Museum is definitely a place to make it to!!

You can see more about the museum at their web site: Smithsonian Air & Space Museum

The Awakening is a series of statues that look like a giant waking up and trying to get out of the ground. It's located at the end of a peninsula between Washington DC and Arlington, VA. There is no Metro nearby. You'll need to drive or take a tour bus.

Driving down the peninsula, it looks like you're driving at the water level. The road is slow to drive on because there's a lot of non-vehicle traffic. Lots of bikes, rollerbladers, joggers, and walkers.

When you get to the end, you'll find the statue. Washington DC is to the left so we could watch people stuck in 395 traffic; Ronald Reagan National Airport (Arlington, VA) is on the right so we could watch planes land.

There is a playground about 50 yards away for kids to play on once they realize they're not going to climb up the arm. There are also picnic tables if you bring food. It's a popular spot and buses regularly stop by.

Theodore Roosevelt Island is a unique area that is a combination of Memorial (statue and water fountains) and nature walks. The island was used by the Indians for seasonal fishing, later as an army training camp, then set aside as a memorial in 1932.

Getting There
You can get there in a car only from the northbound lane of George Washington Memorial Parkway. The GW Parkway is used for commuter traffic, so it’s a busy road. The parking lot is very small. (I can’t see a bus having the ability to do much in the parking lot.) We went on a beautiful day and had to wait for about 25 minutes for a spot to open up. You park on the Virginia side then cross a bridge to the island.

If you’re using the Metro, the Rossyln stop is about two blocks from a pedestrian crossing of the George Washington Parkway. Metro Map

You can also get there by kayak or canoe. There were about a half dozen that had pulled up along the side of the island. If you’re interested in renting something, Thompson’s Boat Center allows you to rent them for the day (they also rent bikes): Thompson’s Boat Center

You can get there by bike or rollerblades. DC and Arlington is full of bike paths. The path near the island goes all the way down to Mount Vernon. Bike racks are available next to the bridge to the island. The paths on the island are very rocky and not suited for wheels (we did fine with our stroller, though). More details about biking to the island: Biking Around Theodore Roosevelt Island

Things to Do
There were people fishing on the Virginia side of the river. A handful of families had brought bread to feed ducks. Once you actually cross the bridge to the island, a sign posts information about the island and has maps and other information available. At the memorial area, there were lots of students reading in the shade. Another area had people who had brought food and were picnicking. We went walking on the trails… around the entire island. We were all exhausted by the end. Right as we ran out of water, we found restrooms and water fountains. Because it’s so swampy, I don’t know what the bugs would be like in late summer; a neighbor says it doesn’t have any problems.

We’ve got four kids and this is a nice place for us to visit. The trails were great for them. The trails are all clearly marked and well kept. There are benches occasionally for them to rest on. There were signs to make it ‘educational’ as well as fun. We had an umbrella stroller for the infant and it took the trails great. Here are some of our photos from our trip in April 2004: Our photos of Theodore Roosevelt Island