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View Full Version : Need help planning a fast Washington, D.C. trip



SnuggleBuggles
01-06-2007, 08:34 PM
The Air and Space Museum is a big hit with my ds. :) The Natural History museum is pretty good. You can't go wrong with any of the museums as they are almost all free so if you need to leave due to lack of interest you wouldn't have spent much. Be sure and check out their websites to review security procedures. My dh usually keeps a swiss army knife on his key chain but had to remember to take it off as he wouldn't make it through the metal detectors with it.

My ds' favorite thing to do there is ride the Metro. He has liked visiting the museums and monuments but they don't rank nearly as highly as the Metro.

The zoo is wonderful, and also free. A bit tedious to get to on the Metro as the stops are a few blocks away (so it winds up being a lot of walking). I see that you will have the double stroller. Most families I see around DC have little Maclarens to zip around. We try and get ds to walk instead of dealing with a stroller so I have no 1st hand comments on that.

The Washington Posts' website is very helpful, especially with restaurant recommendations. There are 2 really good museum cafeterias if you need to stop for lunch- the one in the Native American museum (so good!!!) and the one in the Smithsonian Art museum (it has a waterfall in it that little kids enjoy watching).

Beth

purpleeyes
01-06-2007, 08:40 PM
Hey!
I've lived in the DC metro area almost all my life, so here's my thoughts:

Metro:
We've taken the metro many times and brought the stroller. The key is to get on the first or last car at the beginning or the end of the car. This area is a handicapped/stroller area with less seats and more room to manuever the stroller. I've gone into the city with a friend-two large graco strollers had no problem so I bet the double stroller would be fine.

Museums:
I haven't had any problems with the stroller in the museums except a lot of them have lots of steps on 3 out of the 4 sides! Sometimes you have to walk allll the way around to find the ramp entrance.
Do your DC's like planes or space? Then the air and space museum would be great. The best place to eat, IMO is the National Gallery of Art (http://www.nga.gov/) on the lower level there is a great cafe with tons of choices for kids and adults. It's a little pricey, but there is a lot of tables, room to maneuver the strollers and clean bathrooms! ;)

Here's a link for more info about the museums http://www.si.edu/museums/

HTH and have fun!!

Beth

SnuggleBuggles
01-06-2007, 08:47 PM
Oops again- I was also thinking of the National Gallery of Art cafeteria. I get mixed up on which are SI and which aren't :). The Cascade Cafe.

Beth

schums
01-06-2007, 09:11 PM
Thanks sooo much for the information!! We are really looking forward to being in DC again. DS loves waterfalls, so we'll definitely be eating lunch at the Art museum. I'm assuming that the Metro stops/stations are all handicap/stroller accessible? I'd hate to get off somewhere and have to drag the stroller up a zillion steps.

Finally does anyone know if the Ciculator buses that run around town are stroller friendly (folded up, of course)? They seem like an easy and cheaper alternative to always taking the Metro.

Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

egoldber
01-06-2007, 09:33 PM
The Metro is generally stroller accessible. It isn't unusual for elevators to be under repair though, so be prepared. Almost all the main museums are quite close to each other, so no real need to take the Metro from one to another.

The American Indian Museum is great for children, but I think a bit better for kids 4 and up. My DD ADORES the storytellers and the artisan demonstrations, but a younger child may find them a bit tedious. I also think the cafe there is very good, but the pickings are a bit slim if you have picky eaters. Its also pretty expensive I think. The cafe in the National Gallery is much more kid friendly IMO. But the museum itself is simply beautiful and sooo well done.

The Air and Space Museum is good, but its probably the most crowded museum on the mall. And on a recent visit there the restrooms were disgusting and I'm being kind....

The best kids menu I've ever seen in a restaurant is at Old Ebbitt Grill. Its kind of a DC institution very close to the White House and right off the Mall. Its on 15th St. between F and G streets. I think it has the most comprehensive, reasonably priced kids menu I've ever seen. www.ebbitt.com

bostonsmama
01-06-2007, 10:23 PM
We were just there over the holiday with my ILs. We stayed at a B&B in Woodley Park right next to the metro entrance, and it was so convenient to zip around and see the museums. Woodley-Park/Smithsonian Zoo is actually the stop you'd get off at on the red line to see the zoo, but it's a 10 minute walk uphill (both sides have wide sidewalks), so it's not for the unfit or out-of-shape. My poor MIL had to stop 4 times along the way (although I probably could have sprinted it...it just depends on your energy level). All told, the zoo is a wonderful place to take the kids after the other stuff closes. While most of the indoor buildings (including the Panda exhibit) close at 4:30pm, the outside stuff is open until 6-6:30pm, so after an early dinner you can saunter up there and look at the wolf howl, the red panta eat shoots up in the tree, the deer scamper across the forrested Rock Creek park, and the otters & sea lions swim...all outside. Again, exhibits are moderately spaced & the paths follow winding hills, so it's super stroller friendly for the athletic!

Actually, we're in DC a lot, and this time we saw Air & Space, although come early b/c a line forms pretty quickly to get in. It also gets crowded and packed with kids running every which way, which would be a nuissance at best to navigate through with a double stroller. Luckily, all the exhibits there had wide aisles...it's just that I really think Air & Space is for the older child with a specific fascination with flight and all its forms. FTR, my 60+ yo ILs were bored out of their minds...and that's what my DH does for a living!!

*I* loved the National Gallery of Art the most. We took a 19th century French paintings docent-guided tour (50 min), but unless the kiddos are napping, you prob won't be able to get away with that, but there are some awesome Vermeers, Renoirs, Picassos, Monets & Manets if you want to see the highlights.

Also, if you're into asian art, the Freer Gallery of Art is so cool. It was one of the least busy museums we attended...so nice & peaceful & the young kiddos seemed to enjoy it w/ a little parent explanation.

Last visit this past summer we saw the Natural History Museum. It was fun, but at times overwhelming. I think when it comes to the attention span of a child, one animal is cool....thousands of animals can be overwhelming (depending on your DC's temperment). You might be surprised....we witnessed a lot of meltdowns in the animal area, but the kiddos really got quiet in the gemology/rock area. Aside from the Hope Diamond, there are some other really cool attractions.

FWIW, we never ate near the Mall b/c we wanted to save money. We did bagel-egg sandwiches at the quaint International Cafe on Connecticut Ave (btwn Calvert & Woodley) before taking the metro in for the morning. We saw 3 museums and were DONE! We stayed 35-55 minutes in each and that was about all the energy we had. So, we left the mall area and had a late lunch, then went to the zoo around 3:45pm with enough time to catch the panda before they closed. We did dinner after and drove home. We were beat, so maybe pick just 2-3 things to see and keep your expectations low. There are buses that will do guided tours (that you can hop off and on for $25-ish/person) and also just the metrobus to physically see the monuments but not have to go to it or climb the stairs. That would be my suggestion.

Have fun! We'll be up there again in just a couple more weeks ourselves...and I think I'm going to head back to the art museums!

SnuggleBuggles
01-06-2007, 11:27 PM
"The Metro is generally stroller accessible. It isn't unusual for elevators to be under repair though, so be prepared. Almost all the main museums are quite close to each other, so no real need to take the Metro from one to another."

That reminds me of our last visit there when I noticed a man in a wheel chair at a station that had a broken elevator. I was trying to figure out what in the world he was supposed to do now? At least with a stroller you could lug it up the escalators.

Beth

dcmom2b3
01-08-2007, 11:06 AM
FWIW from a DC native who used to live near the zoo:

You can avoid the uphill walk to the zoo if you go one stop past Woodley Park to the Cleveland Park station. http://www.stationmasters.com/System_Map/CLEVELND/clevelnd.html
When you exit the station, walk down Connecticut Ave. (you'll be walking away from Porter Street); the zoo is a few blocks away.

On your way back, if you turn left as you exit the zoo and continue walking down Connecticut Ave. you'll reach the Woodley Park station in a couple of blocks. There are restaurants/shops on Conn. Ave. clustered around both of these Metro stations, including a drugstore (CVS, I think) near Woodley Park.

Metro's website has a bunch of info, including elevator/escalator outages: http://www.wmata.com/accessibility/elevator_escalator_report/systemmap.cfm

I have my fingers crossed that we'll have good weather for you, it's been unseasonably warm recently. Have a great time!

Mary-Helen

MartiesMom2B
01-08-2007, 11:16 AM
The National Gallery of Art, used to be one my favorite places to nap too. :)

-Sonia
Mommy to Martie
& Li'l Girl Bunny to come Feb. 2007
http://bd.lilypie.com/Kchhm4/.png (http://lilypie.com)

LarsMal
01-08-2007, 11:46 AM
I didn't read all of the posts carefully, so I don't know if anyone mentioned this yet...

If you decide to take the Metro, you'll probably take Shady Grove (the first/last stop on the Red Line). I 270 is a NIGHTMARE in the morning, so make sure you leave after rush hour- unless you can find an alternate back route- not sure where you'll be in Frederick).

Just wanted to give you the heads up. 270 traffic is the pits!

Have fun! I grew up in the DC area, and just moved about 2 hours south a few months ago. I still get up there frequently, but I do miss it- minus the traffic!

schums
01-08-2007, 12:47 PM
We will be in the DC area for a baptism this coming weekend (arriving Fri night, leaving Mon morning). Baptism is on Sunday, but nothing else is planned. We'd LOVE to take the kids into DC for the day on Saturday, but haven't been since WAY before DC, and aren't really sure about what's kid friendly. Was thinking about the Natural History Museum, since DC are VERY into animals. Also would like to show them the Washington monument and Lincoln Memorial. Beyond that, I don't really know where to go. Any ideas?

Also, right now, we're staying in Frederick, MD, which is about an hour or so outside DC. We're planning on taking the train in. We will be bringing the double stroller. Does anyone know if there will be issues with the stroller on the Metro/train? Also, are the Museums stroller friendly?

I'm very open to suggestions!!

TIA,
Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

cmdunn1972
01-08-2007, 12:58 PM
My parents live in the DC 'burbs, and once in a while we'll play tourist when DS and I visit. :)

We took DS to the Natural History Museum last summer when he was about 16 months old. They had just opened up a new Mammals exhibit. DS **loved** it! The animals were very lifelike, and it was interactive enough for him. (He loved running around from animal to animal, and waved and said "Hi Kitty" to the stuffed wild cat -- cracked me up.) It was the perfect place to try out the new harness.

I second the PP's suggestion of taking the Shady Grove stop and metro-ing it into the city during the morning rush hour (5-10 am in DC). DC traffic is a horrible mess at times, so you just don't want to go there if you can help it!

schums
01-10-2007, 10:15 PM
Thanks for the heads up. We were planning on taking the Metro in (and obviously out) from/to Shady Grove. Will traffic be as bad on a Saturday? We're tenatively planning on dinner in DC, but if the kids have had it, we might head back and do pizza in the hotel room or something. Should we still try to miss rush hour for the trip from Shady Grove back to Frederick?

We're really looking forward to this trip -- we haven't been to DC in years (way before DC)!

Sarah
Mom to Alex (3/2002) and Catherine (8/2003)

cstack
01-10-2007, 10:23 PM
OK, Beth, I wanted to give this advice, but lost the placemat and can't remember the name of the place...you can help!

There is an Italian restaraunt (sorry, brain burp and neither way looked right, it might be spelled wrong) up above DuPont Circle on Connecticut (college hill?). It's family style, so you order for the table, rather than each person ordering a mean/appetizer/dessert, etc). The food is absolutely awesome and we talk about taking a trip to DC just to eat there. I would go early in the day, though (Sunday is probably best) because at dinner time the line is about a block long, but if you get there when they first open, you can usually get in.

BTW, I was born at GWU hospital but raised in a small PA town. I often wish I was "kept" in DC

ETA "stuff": Yes, I know now, looking at it that I spelled Restaurant wrong, LOL. If you do go to see the Pandas - when we were there (right after the pandas came "back" to the zoo), there was a HUGE crowd trying to see the pandas from the front of the cage - basically a line to see the pandas that were at the *back* of the enclosure. We took a walk around, to an observation deck above the enclosure and there was no one there - PLUS the panda's where at the back of their enclosure, so they were right below us.

LarsMal
01-10-2007, 10:56 PM
You should be okay on 270 on the weekend. Traffic won't be nearly as bad. You never know, though, there always seems to be some mysterious back-up that stops and starts for no apparent reason!! You should be good, though.

Also, I can't remember if you have to pay for parking on the weekend, but if you do, they changed the system and you actually have to pay before you go into the lot. If you don't want to pay, you can park in the neighborhood across the street (King Farm) and walk across 355. I think parking is free on the weekends though.

Have a great trip!!!

egoldber
01-10-2007, 10:57 PM
Well, there won't be rush hour on Saturday. But if there's an accident or its raining, traffic could still be slow in places. But it shouldn't be that bad.

egoldber
01-10-2007, 10:58 PM
Metro parking is free on weekends.