Discover why Washington D.C. is  a great place for a family vacation.
  • Holidays
  • Dec20

    The Kids Will Travel family headed to the White House this past week to check out the festivities outside. Even if you aren’t able to get tickets to tour the White House during the holidays it is definitely worth a visit at twilight to snap a few pictures from the outside and to see the National Christmas Tree.

    On the South Lawn of the White House (closest to Constitution Avenue and 15th Street, NW) you will find President’s Park. This month the park transforms into a little winter wonderland complete with a giant Christmas tree surrounded by model trains and 56 smaller Christmas trees representing the states and territories and decorated with ornaments made by children from that state. My favorite state tree this year was from Florida. The bright oranges were fabulous.

    Each day through Christmas Eve your children can also visit with Santa in Santa’s workshop. Hours are:

    Monday to Thursday: 4:00-6:30 pm and 7:00-9:30 pm
    Friday to Sunday: 12:30 PM-4:30 pm and 5:30-9:30 pm
    Christmas Eve: 11 AM–3:00 pm

    When we visited earlier this week at 4:30 pm we were the only people in line – score! And he is a great looking Santa.

    Finally, each week day starting at 5:00 pm and weekends starting at 1:00 pm there is live music from various local singing groups. Click here for a schedule of performers. The day we visited we heard a group of 5th graders from a local school. Listening to those sweet voices was just what my heart needed.

    As always, the best way to reach President’s Park is by metro. Metro Center and McPherson Square are the closest metro stops. Click here for tips on traveling by metro in DC.

    And if you are looking for a restaurant near by try Old Ebbitt Grill, or Potbelly. Click here for more of our favorite kid friendly restaurants in the area.

    If you are visiting DC over the holidays or live here and are entertaining guests I hope my blog posts over the last few weeks have been helpful. Be sure to get out in the city and take advantage of the great activities going on this month.

    And don’t forget to follow us on twitter in order to get the latest information on current events in DC. 

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays from our family to yours!

     

  • Dec12

    ICE is back at National Harbor this year and after putting it off for the last several years (too cold, too crowded, I worried) we went on Monday and the kids loved it. What is ICE you ask? ICE is an exhibit sponsored by the Gaylord National Hotel at National Harbor and is a walk through exhibit made completely of ice. This year’s theme is Shrek the Halls and all your favorite characters from the Shrek movies make an appearance.

    The exhibit is housed in a temporary “tent” across the street from the Gaylord National Hotel and it is cold in there, 9 degrees to be exact. Make sure to bring a hat and gloves. You will be provided with a calf-length jacket to put on over your jacket, but your hands and ears get the coldest. Our daughter is 6 and was not bothered by the cold at all. I had waited to go thinking it might not be worth it when she was younger, but honestly the kids are so excited and the exhibit isn’t that big so you can go through it relatively quickly. Younger kids would definitely enjoy it too.

    You will walk through several rooms depicting scenes from the Skrek movies, but the best room is the ice slide, which is fun for all ages. I don’t know if the kids had more fun going down themselves or watching the moms go down!

    As you leave there is a beautiful and simple nativity scene made of ice. This may have been my favorite part of the exhibit. We didn’t linger for long though as our noses were frozen and the warmth of the gift shop was beckoning!

    It was obvious this is a popular place that is prepared for big crowds. There were lots of rope lines to weave people through to the exhibit and an enormous theater where you watch a short movie about the making of the exhibit. Luckily we went on a Monday and there was NO ONE there. It was awesome. We didn’t have to wait in line at all and the kids were able to go down the ice slides a dozen times with no wait. My advice is to skip the weekend if you can and instead go during the week. The friends we were with had gone on a Friday last year and said the $15 per ticket upgrade to VIP was worth every penny. With this ticket you skip the long line to get in, are ushered straight into the exhibit and you get a hot chocolate at the end.

    After we went through the exhibit we took the kids down to the harbor to look at the Christmas tree and then had a quick dinner at Rosa Mexicano. There are lots of kid friendly restaurants to choose from in the area. Click here for a complete list.

    Our final stop was back at the Gaylord National Hotel where we watched the nightly lighting of the Christmas Tree at 6:30 pm in their atrium. It is quite a spectacle with a light show, dancing fountains and indoor “snow.” p.s. Santa was also there with no line for pictures. May be a better option than the mall!

    We were back in the city by 7:30 pm and the kids were tucked in bed at their normal 8:00 pm bedtime. No crowds and a margarita at dinner means it was a Monday treat for everyone!

    Click here for more information about ICE. The website has great background information on how the exhibit is made and you can also buy tickets online. Adults are $30 and children are $23.

    National Harbor is not metro accessible. The hotel does provide a shuttle that runs throughout the day from Union Station and the Old Post Office Pavilion to the Gaylord National. Tickets are $20 for a roundtrip for adults and $10 for a roundtrip for kids. Click here for a schedule of shuttle times. This is certainly an option if you don’t have a car while you’re in DC. If you do have a car it’s an easy 30 minute drive from the city. Click here for directions.

    ICE and Shrek the Halls runs through January 6, 2013.

     What do you want to see in DC over the holidays?

     

  • Dec05

    Kids love sparkly lights – and who are we kidding grown-ups do too. This time of year there are lots of spots to choose from to take in the festive holiday light displays. These are a few of our favorites.

    The National Zoo

    Start your visit at the the visitor’s center closest to the main zoo entrance on Connecticut Avenue. Here you will see the model train displays made of lego and the gingerbread zooscape competition. You can also pick up a cup of hot chocolate (or a glass of wine!) to enjoy as you stroll through the lights at the zoo.

    There are lights throughout the main walk-ways of the zoo and although the outside habitats are closed, the zoo houses featuring the small mammals and apes, etc. are open.

    Walking through the lights was great, but my daughter declared the best part of the night the ride on the new carousel and I have to admit it is a very special carousel. Be sure to walk down the hill from the main entrance towards the tigers and take a spin before you leave.

    Down at the same end of the zoo as the carousel is a zoo-tubing track (think burlap sack slide at the fair) and a toy train kids can ride on. The carousel, tubing and train are all $3.00 a ride.

    • Getting There: 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW. The closest metro stops are the Woodley Park or Cleveland Park Metro Stop, both on the red line. Parking is available for $9.00 for zoo members and $16.00 for non-zoo members.
    • Hours and Tickets: The Zoo Lights will be on from 5pm – 9pm on December 7-9, 14-23, 26-30 and on January 1. There are no tickets necessary as it is free. Extra activities such as the carousel, tubing or train are $3.00 per ride.

    Brookside Gardens

    Enjoy the lights as you walk through the gardens and the indoor conservatory each evening from 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm.  There are musical performances each evening from 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm in the visitor’s center and if you arrive early be sure to visit the free train display which is open from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm. Although this is a walking exhibit, ticket prices are charged per car. Monday – Thursday each car is $20 and Friday – Sunday each car is $25. The gardens are open from 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm Sunday – Thursday and 5:30 pm – 10:00 pm Friday – Saturday. This spot is not metro accessible.

    Drive Through Light Displays

    Want to stay in your car and let the kiddies enjoy the lights in their pj’s while listening to Christmas music on the radio? Try one of these area spots.

    The Winter Festival of Lights runs through January 1st from 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm at the Watkins Regional Park in Upper Marlboro. $5 per car.

    Lights on the Bay also runs through January 1st from 5:00 pm – 10:00 pm at the Sandy Point State Park in Annapolis. $14 per car.

    Winter Lights Festival runs through December 31st from 6:00 pm- 10:00 pm at the Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg. Visit their website to get detailed information on days and hours of operation. $12-$15 per car.

    No matter where you decide to go, I hope these tips will help you put a little sparkle in your December.

     

  • Nov29

    One of my favorite places to take guests during the holidays is the U.S. Botanic Garden. Located next to the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC, the garden is great any time of year, but is extra special during the holidays.

    Photo Credit: Architect of the U.S. Capitol

    Each year the East Wing of the building is transformed into an amazing model train display. Both you and your child will be entertained as you watch the trains chug along more than 800 feet of track in an Enchanted Forest.

    Photo Credit: Architect of the U.S. Capitol

    This year the enchanted forest has outgrown the East Wing and you’ll find other treasures hidden throughout the gardens. See if you and your children can find the wizard’s house, the Fairy-Go-Round or the sneaky snake.

    You can’t miss all of the beautiful poinsettias throughout the gardens and you’ll want to take lots of pictures of the amazing replicas of DC landmarks made out of over 70 natural materials. You’ll see the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, the Supreme Court and my favorite, the Lincoln Memorial, just to name a few.

    Photo Credit: Architect of the U.S. Capitol

    While you’re there be sure to stop in the West Wing to visit the permanent interactive exhibit focused on the senses. Your children can sniff plants and herbs from different cultures and learn about how plants are used in everyday life.

    The U.S. Botanic Garden can be a busy place during the holidays. We advise visiting during the weekday rather than the weekend or even better plan a visit on Tuesday or Thursday evening. The gardens are magical at night, the crowds are gone and the museum stays open late with live musical performances from 6pm – 8pm. Visit the U.S. Botanic Garden website for a schedule of performances. Also before or after your visit you can stroll over to the grounds of the U.S. Capitol to look at the National Christmas Tree which is beautiful when it is lit up at night.

    • U.S. Botanic Garden: www.usbg.gov     100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington D.C.
    • Metro: As always the best way to get to the U.S. Botanic Garden is by metro. The closest stop is the Federal Center SW station on the Orange and Blue Line. Exit the station, walk north (left) along Third Street SW for two blocks, cross Independence Avenue and continue one more block to Maryland Avenue. Look toward the Capitol and you will see the glass dome of the Conservatory. The Conservatory entrance is on Maryland Avenue.
    • Hours: The museum is open daily from 10am – 5pm. On Tuesday and Thursdays during the holidays the museum has extended hours until 8pm. The museum is open on Christmas Day and there is never a crowd. This would be a great activity once the presents have been unwrapped.
    • Restaurants: Visit our Capitol Hill Restaurants webpage for restaurant suggestions in the area.
    • Strollers: There is no stroller parking available at the U.S Botanic Garden. Strollers are allowed, but passage ways are narrow and if at all possible it is recommended you not bring a stroller.

    Do you know about other holiday train displays in the Washington area? Tell us where you love to visit…

     

  • Nov20

    This year, and every year, I am very thankful for my family and I am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with at least some of them in DC this week.

    If, like me, you have guests visiting for the holidays – or you are a guest visiting DC for the holidays – you will need something to do once the Thanksgiving feast is over and the kids are getting restless.

    A great resource any time of year is the Washington Post’s Going Out Guide. It is full of up to date information about area museums and special performances. Definitely a resource to check out if you are planning a trip to DC or just looking for a weekend activity. Last Friday I was very excited to find the Going Out Guide included the Holiday Guide 2012. In the guide you will find an interactive calendar and museum suggestions for the whole family, from the hipster to the traditionalist and of course the kids.

    A good place to go for a little bit of everything is Chinatown/Penn Quarter. Leave the car at home and hop on the metro to the Chinatown/Penn Quarter metro stop. This area is home to the International Spy Museum, is a short walk to the National Sculpture Garden Ice Skating Rink, the National Mall (home to the Smithsonian Museums) and lots of kid friendly restaurants. You will also find a small selection of shops, including a special holiday market next to the American Art Museum on F Street. There is also a movie theater and a bowling alley in this area.

    If you want to avoid the city, head the opposite direction and check out the Air and Space Museum at Dulles.

    This is where you will find the Space Shuttle Discovery, and other aircraft from World War II all the way to today’s spy planes. Don’t miss the IMAX movies and the flight stimulators, always a big hit. There is no metro stop so you will need a car to reach this spot.

    And we of course all know that as soon as Thanksgiving is over, Christmas is right around the corner. Stay tuned for our upcoming post all about Christmas activities in the DC area: model trains through a woodland wonderland, afternoon tea and a nightly indoor snowfall.

    But until then, Happy Thanksgiving from the Kids Will Travel Family to yours and safe travels to DC or wherever the road takes you this week.