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  • Travel Tips

  • Feb14

    An Evening in DC with No Kids

    Posted in: No Kids, Restaurants, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

    In the spirit of Valentine’s Day, how about some tips on how to spend an evening in DC without the kids.

    candy hearts

    DC is really coming into its own as far as the food scene. This month’s Washingtonian lists the 100 Very Best Restaurants in DC and is a great resource if you are looking for advice on where to eat in the city. Although there are tons of fun areas to explore during a night on the town, our favorites are 14th Street, Georgetown and Downtown.

    Washingtonian

    14th Street

    14th Street is the new place to be. It’s a fun scene with great new restaurants and a hip young crowd. We like to go so we feel hip and young. Start your evening with a drink at the Cork Wine Bar and afterwards take a short walk to Pearl Dive for delicious oysters and fresh seafood or to Estadio for amazing small plates.

    Georgetown

    Georgetown is our place to go for old time favorites. Here you can mix with the Georgetown college kids out bar hopping and the international set dressed to the nines. If it’s a nice evening start your night at Sequoia where you can sit outside and enjoy a cocktail by the water. Be forewarned this is a popular spot and can be packed on a pretty Spring or Summer night. You may find some folks started their evening early, like at lunch.

    For the ultimate spot in people watching, dinner at Cafe Milano is a must. Wear your highest heels and your designer jeans, but also make sure you are comfortable enough to enjoy your meal because this is good Italian food. Another fun spot nearby is Neyla, a cozy mediterranean restaurant with small plates perfect for sharing. If you want to splurge, then Bourbon Steak in the Four Seasons Hotel is perfect for dinner for two.

    Downtown

    Downtown DC has an endless number of restaurants so it was difficult for me to choose just a few. Off The Record, the bar in the basement of the Hay Adams Hotel is a must for your first stop. Just across the park from the White House, this dark clubby bar is full of red leather and classic cocktails. For dinner, The Source is Wolfgang Puck’s DC home. Located in the Newseum Building this airy restaurant has a varied menu and a fun vibe. If it’s steak you crave, then across the street is the famous Capital Grille and you must try their amazing Stoli Doli – but just have one! If you want something a bit more laid back head to Rosa Mexicana in Penn Quarter for grown-up Mexican and guacamole made right at your table. And to end your night, the W Hotel rooftop bar is the perfect place for a drink with the best view of the city.

    I’ll take any excuse for a quiet evening for two! Have fun exploring!

    Happy Valentine’s Day from Mr. and Mrs. Kids Will Travel!

    Washington Monument Shadows

     

  • Dec05

    Holiday Lights

    Posted in: Current Events, Holidays, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

    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.

     

  • Nov20

    Thanksgiving Guests? What to do when the meal is over…

    Posted in: Current Events, Holidays, Restaurants, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

    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.

     

  • Sep20

    Which books do you pack for a road trip?

    Posted in: Apps, Books, Current Events, Festivals, Travel Tips | No Comments

    Socks, check. Snacks, check. Books? Do you pack books when you take a family road trip? Tell us which books are your favorites.

    Here are some of our favorites…

     

    Peek a Moo was one of our daughter’s all time favorite books. It’s a lift-the-flap book and I think every flap had been taped back on before we broke down and bought a new copy for her. The book must be popular with other children too because I have since found Peek a Zoo, Peek a Pet and Peek a Boo (great for Halloween). This book is perfect for children ages 1-3.

     

     

     

    What Do People Do All Day is another favorite. Did you read it as a child? The thing about Richard Scarry books is there is just so much to look at so kids are entertained for much longer than flipping through a book with a simple picture on each page. What Do People Do All Day is the favorite in our house, but don’t forget about Cars and Trucks and Things that Go or The Best First Word Book Ever. These are good books for kids starting at age 2 and our daughter still likes them today and she’s 6.

     

     

     

    Where’s Waldo can be so much fun and sometimes so exasperating! It is a book for older kids, as young ones (and sometimes adults too) will get frustrated searching for the skinny guy in the red and white striped turtleneck.  But if you have a kid who likes a puzzle this book is for you. In the newer versions of the book they have added more characters beyond Waldo. Now you can look for a Wizard and a little dog in a red and white sweater too. Hours of fun! This book is probably best for kids kindergarten and above. p.s. I just discovered there’s a Where’s Waldo app too.

     

     

     

    The I Spy collection of books are another great series that is perfect for all ages. You can use the clues given by the book to find different items on the page or come up with your own search. The I Spy books have been a big hit in our family for years and we are still finding new things on the pages. These books are best for kids 2 and older.

     

     

    In addition to traditional paper books there are of course audio books and apps for kid’s books you can download on your iPad or iPhone. These are great for trips too. Check out these two great websites for some of our favorites.

    Tales2Go has a large selection of audio books for kids of all ages. Perfect if your child can’t read in the car or just can’t read yet.

     

     

    PicPocket Books has a great selection of digital children’s books for your iPhone or iPad.

     

    And don’t forget the National Book Festival this weekend on the National Mall in DC. Click here for my blog from last week which has complete information. The weather is going to be perfect so I hope you’ll make plans to go and maybe your child will discover a new book to read on the way home!

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    And follow us on Pinterest for even more of our favorite kid’s books.

     

     

     

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