There’s so much to do in Washington DC with kids, families cannot possibly do it all in one visit. However, sometimes, you may find yourself with an hour or so free on our around the Mall. Here’s what we recommend: National Archives: Unless you plan to do some serious research on your family tree or a historical event, the main attraction in the National Archives is the original Declaration … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: How to take a White House tour
September 29, 2014 By
Going into the White House was one of the highlights of our Washington DC trip. Many families are unsure how to take a White House tour. It's not as complicated as most think! The tour is self-guided, and takes about one hour door-to-door. (In DC, ‘door-to-door’ to us means security check through exit.) The tour takes guests through a visitor entrance on the side, through a ground floor … [Read more...]
Washington DC Bike ’n Roll Monuments at Nite Tour
September 26, 2014 By
We love patronizing Bike ’N Roll whenever we’re in major cities (and want to save our feet from lots of walking). We’ve reviewed Bike ’N Roll in NYC, and didn’t hesitate to book a tour with Bike N Roll DC during our trip to Washington DC with kids. We opted for the Monuments@Nite tour, because we visited DC in the heat of the summer, and hoped for a cooler ride. We also got a prettier one: the … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: Touring the US Capitol
September 24, 2014 By
I always promise honest reviews here at Pit Stops for Kids, but this one will be brutally honest…and maybe a tad unpatriotic. While vacationing in Washington DC with kids, it’s hard to skip a tour of the Capitol Building. It’s iconic, right? It’s full of history. It’s the site of our ongoing democracy. But in my opinion, touring the US Capitol is mediocre at best and most the stops along it are … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: National Air and Space Museum
September 22, 2014 By
There are many worthy museums along the Mall, and it can be hard to know which to see while visiting Washington DC with kids. If yours are airplane, science, or space fans, you’ll want to make the National Air and Space Museum a priority. Like the other museums, the Air and Space is massive, and will require at least half of your day. We recommend hitting this (and any major museum) early in the … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: National Museum of American History
September 19, 2014 By
After touring history museums from Gettysburg to Williamsburg, I wasn’t sure how enthusiastic my kids would be to check out the National Museum of American History in DC. As usual, they surprised me. As did this museum. It should definitely be on your itinerary while in Washington DC with kids. Think of the National Museum of American History is part history museum, but also part pop culture … [Read more...]
Washington DC with kids: Smithsonian Museum of Natural History
September 17, 2014 By
We love, love, love the free Smithsonian museums to visit while in Washington DC with kids. The granddaddy of them all is the National Museum of Natural History, which is definitely worth half a day of your time. While planning our DC trip, I doubted whether we’d want to make the stop; I knew the museum was great, but reasoned that we have toured numerous museums of natural history in the US, from … [Read more...]
Where to stay in DC: Grand Hyatt Washington
September 12, 2014 By
Wondering where to stay in DC? We love Grand Hyatt hotels. When budget allows, the Grand Hyatt option ensures great service and even better amenities. (Check out our additional Grand Hyatt reviews for Seattle, San Diego, and Kauai.) Grand Hyatt Washington is no exception. With a great location on H Street (five blocks from the Mall and four from the White House), a Metro stop in the building, … [Read more...]
Virginia farm stay with kids: Belle Meade Farm
September 5, 2014 By
We’d planned to tour Shenandoah National Park on our full day in Western Virginia; instead, on a sunny Monday in June, I found myself lazying on the dock of the inviting pond at Belle Meade Farm, the kids practicing their high dive from one of the pond’s wooden platforms. Earlier, we’d followed the advice of Belle Meade’s resident chef and explored a little-known trail at the base of Old Rag … [Read more...]
Philly hotel review: Hotel Monaco Philadelphia
August 20, 2014 By
Need a Philly hotel review? We've got our pick! The minute we pulled up to Hotel Monaco Philadelphia on Chestnut Street in the heart of Philly’s historic center and met T, the hotel’s most lively and friendly doorman, we knew we were going to love our stay. T offered high fives all around, then challenged Tobias (age 9) to some air boxing on the sidewalk. Turns out, T is Hotel Monaco’s boxing … [Read more...]
