Discover why Washington D.C. is a great place for a family vacation.
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  • Jul28

    Beat the Heat in DC with Ice Cream!

    Posted in: Uncategorized | No Comments

    There is no way around it – Washington, DC is hot in the summer.

    The Smithsonian Museums are a great place to beat the heat. Try extending your time in the AC by watching one of the IMAX movies at the National Air Space Museum or the Museum of Natural History.

    But when all else fails, there is ice cream!

    ice cream pints

    Here are our favorite places to find a cool treat:

    • Pitango Gelato – with locations on Capitol Hill and in Penn Quarter, Pitango is convenient to the tourist hot spots and the gelato is delicious. I recommend the chocolate hazelnut. (413 7th Street, NW in Penn Quarter and 660 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE on Capitol Hill)
    • Thomas Sweet – A Georgetown tradition with tons of flavor options and lots of add-ins. My favorite is the Coffee Oreo – yum. This is also a great spot for people watching. (3214 P Street, NW in Georgetown)
    • Pleasant Pops – With refreshing flavors like Honeycrisp Apple and Pineapple Basil, Pleasant Pops is a bit off the beaten path for tourists, but is located in a true DC urban neighborhood that will be fun to explore. (1718 Florida Avenue, NW, near Adams Morgan)

    Don’t let the heat scare you away from getting out and exploring our great city. In the heat of the summer you can find some great deals. Kids are free at the Newseum through Labor Day and Pitango Gelato is just around the corner!

  • Jan06

    The Renwick Gallery Reopens

    Posted in: Art, Current Events, Museum, Restaurants, Spring Break, Top Attractions, Uncategorized, White House | No Comments

    Renwick Gallery Wonder

    The Renwick Gallery is back and better than ever with a special exhibit called Wonder that will be here through the Summer. The Gallery was closed for a two year renovation and although you won’t notice any real changes to the building, it has reopened in grand fashion with this new exhibit. Photography is encouraged and your children will be amazed. Don’t miss it.

    Renwick Gallery

    Renwick Gallery

    Missing some of your old favorites at the gallery? No need to worry, the Ghost Clock and other pieces in the permanent collection will be back on display this summer when the Wonder exhibit ends.

    Renwick Gallery Wonder

    The Renwick Gallery is located across the street from the White House, which makes it an easy stop to add to your touring agenda. There are also several kid friendly restaurants near by such as Grilled Cheese DC, which has grilled cheese and wine – just sayin’.

    • Where: Pennsylvania Avenue at 17th Street NW, Washington, DC
    • Hours: 10:00 am – 5:30 pm daily
    • Cost: The museum is part of the Smithsonian Institution and therefore is free.
    • Metro Stop: The two closest metro stops are Metro Center and Farragut West.
    • Wonder Exhibit: The upstairs exhibit will be on display through May 8, 2016 and the downstairs portion of the exhibit will close on July 10, 2016.

     

  • Nov09

    Holidays in Washington, DC

    Posted in: Current Events, Holidays, Uncategorized, Winter Activities | No Comments

    banner

    Halloween is over which means the holidays will be here before you can blink. Here are some things we are looking forward to this holiday season.

    Glen Echo Park Puppet Company

    nutcracker

    For younger children there is a Nutcracker puppet show at Glen Echo Park beginning on November 27th. Click here for more information on times and how to buy tickets.

    Old Town Alexandria

    old-town-alexandria-black-friday-shopping-tree-lighting

    On November 27th Old Town Alexandria will be kicking off the holiday season with their tree lighting. Click here for additional details on this free event.

    ICE at National Harbor

    ICE

    Bundle up and experience ICE at National Harbor. There will also be fireworks and a Christmas Tree lighting at National Harbor on November 29th. Click here for more information on dates, times and tickets.

    Wolftrap

    Holiday-Sing-640

    On December 5th the Wolftrap Center for the Performing Arts is hosting a holiday sing-a-long at 4pm. The event is free and you can find more information here.

    Kennedy Centerfamily-christmas1

    The Kennedy Center is hosting a Family Christmas Concert on December 13th at 2:00pm. For more information and to purchase tickets click here.

     National Botanic Garden

    Photo Credit: Architect of the U.S. Capitol

    Photo Credit: Architect of the U.S. Capitol

    The train display at the National Botanic Garden is a must for any age and is free. The display opens on November 26th and closes on January 3rd. Click here for details.

    National Zoo

    National Zoo Lighted Elephant

    The holiday light display at the National Zoo is a fun activity for families and is also free.The display opens on November 27th and runs daily through January 2nd from 5pm-9pm.  Click here for more information.

    Ice Skating

    National Sculpture Gallery Ice Rink

    There are lots of spots in the city to ice skate. Here are a few we love to visit.

    Mount Vernon

    Christmas at Mount Vernon

    Our first President George Washington’s home Mount Vernon is beautiful during the holidays and definitely worth visiting. Click here for information about the holiday schedule.

    Happy Holidays from Kids Will Travel!

     

  • Aug10

    August Staycation

    Posted in: Current Events, Uncategorized | No Comments

    Are you in Washington, DC during the month of August? Are you looking for things to do with your kids before they head back to school?

    August is actually a great time to visit DC. You can look forward to weather 2 degrees cooler than July and shorter lines everywhere! On this website you can find information about all of the museums, attractions and restaurants available in DC year round and below are three ideas for some activities available as we approach the end of summer…

     

    Peter Pan Tysons Corner

    Peter Pan: Live in the Threesixty Theater

    Full disclosure, we haven’t been to see this show yet, but we do have tickets. It looks like Cirque de Soleil meets live theater and I can’t wait!

    • Where: Tyson’s Corner: International Dr and Chain Bridge Rd, near Tysons Corner Center
    • Tickets: You can buy tickets online and the prices range from $30 – $105
    • When: The show has been extended to run through August 23rd
    • Click here for dates and times

     

    National Geographic Museum

    National Geographic: Indiana Jones and the Adventures of Archaeology

    Do your kids love mysteries, adventure and the movies? Here is an exhibit for you, and you may be able to sneak in some learning too.

    • Where: National Geographic: 1145 17th St NW, Washington, DC
    • Tickets: You can buy tickets online and prices range from $10 – $15
    • When: The exhibit is currently on display through January 3rd, 2016
    • Click here for more information

    National Building Museum DC

    The Beach

    This is the much talked about summer exhibit at the National Building Museum. You may remember last year’s maze or the DC themed putt putt golf course two year’s ago. This year the museum has created an ocean of balls – the biggest ball pit you have ever seen. It is fun for all ages, but watch young children as it can be hard to stand up and the balls can swallow you up.

    • Where: The National Building Museum:  401 F St NW, Washington, DC
    • Tickets: You can buy tickets at the museum or online. Prices range from $3 – $16. Online tickets will only be sold through August 24th.
    • When: The exhibit runs through September 7th. The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am–5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am–5 pm. The last tickets are sold at 4pm on weekdays and 3pm on Weekends. Note that on Wednesdays the Museum stays open late until 9pm, but you will find older kids and adults there at this time so it may not be the safest time to take young children.
    • Click here for more information.

    Have fun and enjoys these last days of summer!

     

     

  • Feb10

    Spy in the City

    Posted in: Holidays, Uncategorized, Winter Activities | No Comments

    Spy Museum DC

    Will you be here for the long President’s Day Weekend? Looking for a family friendly activity in DC? How about a game of spy? The Spy Museum has a great interactive game that sends you out into the city armed with an interactive GPS device that leads you from clue to clue as you work to track down spies that are trying to steal American national intelligence. It is great fun for all ages.

    Spy Museum DC

    Go online to the Spy Museum website to reserve your GPS device. The cost is $14.95 per device and one device is recommended for every four people, as it gets hard for many more people to crowd around the screen to see and hear. The spy mission takes about an hour and you will walk about a mile.

    After you have completed your mission spend the afternoon at the Smithsonian Museums on the National Mall or stop into Madame Tussauds Wax Museum to snap a picture with your favorite celebrities. Got kiddies with grumbly tummies? There are plenty of family friendly restaurants in the area. Click here for a few of our favorites.

    Have fun and watch out for spies!

     

     

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