History, science, baseball, and family fun—Washington, D.C. has it all. Less than a 3-hour drive from our area, it’s a great spot to escape for a day trip, weekend adventure, or even a week-long summer vacation!
Here’s a look at what we explored on our recent weekend.
Smithsonian Air & Space Museum
Learn about everything from the Wright Brothers to the space program at this free national museum. Older kids can dive into history with plenty of interesting reading and stories throughout the exhibits. Younger kids can get hands-on at an interactive science of flight area on the first floor, will enjoy seeing the planes and rockets on display, and great items from space exploration, including a real astronaut space suit. The museum also includes an IMAX theater with a variety of films playing throughout the day (separate fee applies).
This was my favorite part of this trip. It was fascinating to walk through history (definitely get the audio tour guide) and relive the events leading up and immediately following the assassination of President Lincoln. If you’re traveling with kids, ask them for the kids’ version of the audio tour. Seeing the exhibits of the actual weapons used, photos of the people, and just stories from that time were nothing short of powerful.
SPY Museum
Newly redone and in a new location, I had so much to share about the SPY Museum that it needed its own article. Read about our spy mission here.
Washington Nationals Game
Sports fans in your family? Then make time to take in a game at the beautiful ballpark! We personally loved the view from the outfield. There are a bunch of great restaurants in this revitalized area and some other pop-up spots on game nights. Our family loved the food (and enjoyed a quick drink) at Gordon Biersch.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Capitol Skyline Hotel, which was a great location for exploring the area around the Nationals ballpark. We also walked to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum (about a 20-30 minute walk), but it's also easy to use Uber to get around this area. The hotel was clean, had an underground parking garage attached to it, and a restaurant on the first floor that served a daily breakfast. It also had a nice pool area that we were too busy sightseeing to try out.
How to Get There
If you'd rather not drive into D.C. and worry about parking fees at a hotel or finding a parking garage, parking at one of the Metro locations and riding into the city is another great option!
Other Spots to Explore
Smithsonian American History Museum
Smithsonian Natural History Museum
Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial and Washington Monument
National Mall
U.S. Capitol and White House
The National Zoo
