Both of the ones at DuPont Circle are long. Woodley Park, Bethesda, and Wheaton are even longer. Saw a guy getting mugged on DuPont Circle North and screamed a bunch. No cell phones back then.
Washington DC Family Vaca
- Thread starter 2speedy1
- Start date
We drove out from Iowa last year for Spring Break.
We stayed in Annapolis, MD one night. We got a room in Historic Inns of Annapolis, which was right across the street from the Maryland State House. it was moderately priced and Old Annapolis is very walkable with good seafood restaurants. There is also a great breakfast restaurant called the Iron Rooster. We toured the US Naval Academy. They have two Heisman Trophies in the fieldhouse as well as David Robinson's Naismith Trophy.
We stayed near Manassas, VA for the rest of our stay. We took the Virginia rail into DC two different days. One day we walked the Mall and visited the Smithsonian Air and Space, Natural History and American History museums. The second day in DC we walked Arlington and got a tour of the Pentagon. If you want to tour the Pentagon, you need to make a request more than a month in advance and submit information for a background check for adults in your group. We thoroughly enjoyed the Pentagon tour. We enjoyed just walking parallel to the mall and seeing all of the buildings for all of the federal agencies.
i would recommend eating at either Jaleo or China Chilcano. They are both Jose Andres' restaurants and near Ford's Theater.
Mount Vernon and the Dulles Smithsonian hangar are near each other and are good to pair together for a day. We drove to those. They both have ample parking. Like others above have stated, these are two of the best attractions in the DC area.
We walked both of the Manassass battlefields with my cousin, a retired Army Colonel and military historian. He said Antietam takes a full day to see.
Our last day in Virginia, we drove the highway through Shennandoah National Park on our way to Monticello. Shennandoah is a leisurely, beautiful drive, Monticello takes about three hours to go through, and is worth the drive down to it.
We stayed in Annapolis, MD one night. We got a room in Historic Inns of Annapolis, which was right across the street from the Maryland State House. it was moderately priced and Old Annapolis is very walkable with good seafood restaurants. There is also a great breakfast restaurant called the Iron Rooster. We toured the US Naval Academy. They have two Heisman Trophies in the fieldhouse as well as David Robinson's Naismith Trophy.
We stayed near Manassas, VA for the rest of our stay. We took the Virginia rail into DC two different days. One day we walked the Mall and visited the Smithsonian Air and Space, Natural History and American History museums. The second day in DC we walked Arlington and got a tour of the Pentagon. If you want to tour the Pentagon, you need to make a request more than a month in advance and submit information for a background check for adults in your group. We thoroughly enjoyed the Pentagon tour. We enjoyed just walking parallel to the mall and seeing all of the buildings for all of the federal agencies.
i would recommend eating at either Jaleo or China Chilcano. They are both Jose Andres' restaurants and near Ford's Theater.
Mount Vernon and the Dulles Smithsonian hangar are near each other and are good to pair together for a day. We drove to those. They both have ample parking. Like others above have stated, these are two of the best attractions in the DC area.
We walked both of the Manassass battlefields with my cousin, a retired Army Colonel and military historian. He said Antietam takes a full day to see.
Our last day in Virginia, we drove the highway through Shennandoah National Park on our way to Monticello. Shennandoah is a leisurely, beautiful drive, Monticello takes about three hours to go through, and is worth the drive down to it.
On the kids DC trip, we gotten take into the postal museum. Only one needing metal detectors. It sucked.
KidSilverhair
Well-Known Member
I think, now that you mention it, that Woodley Park is the station with the longest escalator.
Woolley Park is near the Omni (join free and good benefits) and Rock Creek Park. RCP is mentioned on NCIS but I’ve never seen a body.
Yeah, that other one is so long some people find it frightening and won't use that station
I understand the need. Good on you for taking your kids there. We went to NY and DC in the same year. NY ran circles around DC. I was disappointed with DC.
I thought of one more thing that we enjoyed. We were at the top of the Washington Monument and a Park Ranger asked if anyone wanted to take the stairs down. We jumped at it. As I recall, it was a very basic square metal staircase. But all along the inside of the essentially hollow monument were commemorative stones, particularly ones from state masonic organizations. It seemed like we were in the right place at the right time, but if I went back, I would inquire about the possibility again.
As an Update to this:
We have our stays booked. And so many on here really helped. There were a few things/places we really wanted to do but were cut due to time or location as things changed.
With that our overall itinerary so far will be around these places.
8 nights in DC and then 3 nights in Ocean City, MD.
With 2 days driving to and 2 days home.
The main stops are:
DC Mall and other areas
Mt Vernon
Gettysburg
Annapolis
Ocean City
With that anyone that has places in any of these locations, I know many have been listed already, that are must do especially the not so well known.
Looking for scenic drives, or roadside attractions enroute to location, thinking doing part of the Blue Ridge Mts on way home. Anything in particular between DC and Ocean City etc.
Food and Restaurants that are a must. Dont mind higher price for a few, but really hoping to get local and unique places that will be good for a family (with kind of picky kids). As long as they have something my kids will eat we are good. But I really want to hit some local hidden gems. In any of the above areas. And looking to not break the bank on food as much as possible.
We plan on getting passes to the Metro and using it most, with some side trips via Uber or similar as needed. And walking the boardwalk mostly in Ocean city.
We will be staying in the Merrifield area on the West side of Falls Church.
Again thanks for everyone's awesome help!!!
We have our stays booked. And so many on here really helped. There were a few things/places we really wanted to do but were cut due to time or location as things changed.
With that our overall itinerary so far will be around these places.
8 nights in DC and then 3 nights in Ocean City, MD.
With 2 days driving to and 2 days home.
The main stops are:
DC Mall and other areas
Mt Vernon
Gettysburg
Annapolis
Ocean City
With that anyone that has places in any of these locations, I know many have been listed already, that are must do especially the not so well known.
Looking for scenic drives, or roadside attractions enroute to location, thinking doing part of the Blue Ridge Mts on way home. Anything in particular between DC and Ocean City etc.
Food and Restaurants that are a must. Dont mind higher price for a few, but really hoping to get local and unique places that will be good for a family (with kind of picky kids). As long as they have something my kids will eat we are good. But I really want to hit some local hidden gems. In any of the above areas. And looking to not break the bank on food as much as possible.
We plan on getting passes to the Metro and using it most, with some side trips via Uber or similar as needed. And walking the boardwalk mostly in Ocean city.
We will be staying in the Merrifield area on the West side of Falls Church.
Again thanks for everyone's awesome help!!!
Ben’s Chilli Bowl is kind of a DC institution. Chilli fries, chilli dogs, etc. DC doesn’t really have food it’s known for but can obviously find anything.
Being so close to Maryland and VA seafood is obviously a thing. I liked Hank’s Oyster Bar (which has a few locations around the district). More casual, neighborhoody kind of spot (I.e. not over priced “im here with my corporate credit card” kind of seafood place).
Dukes Grocery is a great burger spot: again, more local spot than touristy.
Shoot me a DM and let me know what kind of food you’re into and I can give some recommendations.
Being so close to Maryland and VA seafood is obviously a thing. I liked Hank’s Oyster Bar (which has a few locations around the district). More casual, neighborhoody kind of spot (I.e. not over priced “im here with my corporate credit card” kind of seafood place).
Dukes Grocery is a great burger spot: again, more local spot than touristy.
Shoot me a DM and let me know what kind of food you’re into and I can give some recommendations.