• Home
  • Insider Secrets
  • Travel Planning Tips
  • Family Vacation Ideas
  • Contact Us
    • About
    • Disclosure Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Family Vacation Experts - Best Kid Friendly Travel

Your one-stop shop for family vacations: Reviews. Trips. Savings. By parents, for parents.

  • Family Beaches
  • Family Travel Tips
  • Family Vacation Destinations
  • Theme Parks and Attractions
  • Travel Deals

Autumn - Fall Family Vacation Destinations Family Vacation Planning Historical Sites Kid Friendly Activities Kid Friendly Destinations kid travel tips Low Cost Kid Friendly Activities Monuments Museums National Parks Spring Summer Theme Parks and Attractions Travel with School Age Kids Travel with Tweens & Teens Washington DC

Top 5 Family Activities in Washington DC for History Buffs

photo courtesy whitehouse.gov

photo courtesy whitehouse.gov

Our nation’s capital is rich with history that all ages can enjoy and learn from.   Every time you travel the kids learn something new regardless of where you go.  It might be that bugs grow big in the south, or that you can go fishing in the north even when the lake is covered in ice.  But, family vacation memories from DC may actually help your child do better in school.

Here are our top 5 family activities in Washington DC that will have your kids enjoying and exploring many of the things they have only read about.

National Museum of Natural History: 10th St and Constitution Ave NW, 202-357-2700

This Smithsonian museum covers everything from dinosaurs to diamonds in life-like dioramas.  All things from the life sciences and earth sciences are explored.  The Discovery Room is filled with hands-on activities and exhibits where children can explore everything from the texture of an elephant tusk to trying on costumes from around the world.  There is also an IMAX theater here.

National Air and Space Museum:  6th St and Independence Ave SW,  202-357-2700

This Smithsonian museum takes you on a journey through the history of aviation and space travel.  Kids explore different aviation technologies through IMAX movies and hands-on opportunities.  Don’t miss the planetarium for a truly cosmic experience.

The National Mall: along Independence Avenue.

Between the Lincoln Memorial, with a giant seated Abraham Lincoln, and the US Capitol complex lies the National Mall, a huge public park lined with several museums and monuments.  Ride the elevator to the top of the Washington Monument for a birds-eye view of the expansive park.  Ride the carousel outside the Arts and Industries building.  Have a picnic on the Great Lawn, and feed the ducks on the pond.  View the many sculptures and visit the butterfly garden.  Tour the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and watch actual money being made.

The White House:  1600 Pennsylvania Ave

See where the President lives and works by visiting the White House.  Even if you skip the inside tour, it’s fun for even younger kids to see the important home. You can visit this site to learn about some of the previous presidents’ kids and pets who lived here.  Or this kids site to learn more about the government in general.  Both sites are aimed at kids.  (or at least were when I published this post.)

Ford’s Theatre:   511 Tenth St NW,  202-347-4833

With the popularity of Abraham Lincoln on film as well as in general, this live working theater in downtown DC is a great way to show kids where it all happened.  Even if there are no performances going on, the theater is a national historic and cultural site that welcomes visitors.  Inside, you can choose to discuss how Lincoln loved the theater, what theaters looked like back then, where he typically sat and leave it at that.  Or, if you child is old enough to understand, you can go on to explain the assassination that happened there, as well as go across the street and tour the apartment where they tried to save him.

 

Kid-friendly or not, find great deals on hotels in Washington DC below:

Grand Hyatt Washington at Metro Center - Washington DC

Grand Hyatt Washington at Metro Center – Washington DC

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
  • Print


1 Comment

SUBSCRIBE

Like this post? Don't miss the next one, have it delivered right to your inbox!

« Explore Vail With Kids at These 5 Family Favorites
Top 5 Family Activities in Maui »

Comments

  1. Dewi says

    October 29, 2015 at 7:40 am

    Guarda un po’ che fortuna. Mi sono fearmta da Kathleen per Il Mercoledi’ Bianco e ho trovato un blog che mi consente di scrivere in Italiano! Ritornero’ a trovarti. Ciao Rita mammabellarte

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Welcome to Best Kid Friendly Travel!

Stephany is the head honcho here at BestKidFriendlyTravel.com who has not let motherhood dampen her lust for travel. She created BestKidFriendlyTravel.com as a way to share with, and learn from, other parents the unique twists that children bring to travel. Together, we'll give our children the world!

Kid Friendly Hotels & Resorts

Family Vacation in the Florida Keys

Kid Friendly Hotel, Wave Street Inn is just 4 blocks from Monterey Bay Aquarium

Kid Friendly Hotel Spotlight: Wave Street Inn in Monterey, CA

8 Family Fun Things to do Around Laguna Beach CA

We Were Featured Here

USA Today Travel cookie mag cover
family getaway
Tripbase Blog Awards 2009
Tripbase Blog Awards 2009

Stay Updated

Get all the best travel deals straight to your inbox!

Popular Categories

  • Family Beaches
  • Family Travel Tips
  • Family Vacation Destinations
  • Theme Parks and Attractions
  • Travel Deals

Kid Friendly Restaurants

3 Kid-friendly restaurants on Pier 39 at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco, California

3 Kid-Friendly Restaurants on Pier 39

photo credit: Lucy Anderson

Making Sense -and Cents- of the Disney Dining Plan

How to improve family communication - visit Trinity Pines in East Texas

Affordable Family Vacations in East Texas

Musical Instrument Museum and Organ Stop Pizza in Phoenix AZ

Get all the latest travel deals straight to your inbox

You might also enjoy these Posts

Experience Spring Break Fun in the Sun at Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World Resort

Theme park gear Photo copyright Stephany Wiestling. All rights reserved.

Theme Parks in the Summer Heat: How to do it Safely

Anaheim Marriott Disneyland

Make Their Disneyland Dreams Come True in Anaheim!

Outside Central Park Zoo for a Kids Movie Tour of NYC. Photo by Steph Wiestling of BestKidFriendlyTravel.com

Top 5 Family Activities in NYC for Movie Lovers

T-Rex Orlando - photo copyright Stephany Wiestling - all rights reserved

Top 5 Family Activities in Orlando

Copyright © 2023 · bestkidfriendlytravel.com

Copyright © 2023 · Divine Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.