What sites to see in Washington DC

What sites to see in Washington DC.

A couple of weeks ago I accompanied my son and his 5th grade class to Washington DC. And even though we were nonstop from sun up to sundown,  our itineraries were full and we had the most amazing time. And being on a bus with a bunch of 5th grade boys listening to 11 year olds talk….  best thing ever!

Capital

The last time I was in Washington DC was when I was in the 5th grade.  I joked with my kids telling them the White House wasn’t even built yet. With the exception of the Smithsonian,  I don’t remember most of the trip. Although I am thinking that there may have been a few changes over the years. You think? We had amazing weather the entire week, which certainly made the adventure that much more enjoyable.

What sites to see in Washington DC

The monuments 

I may have missed a few but here’s the monuments that we were able to visit and/or see. All of the monuments were spectacular. From the Lincoln Memorial which is one end of the National Mall, to the capital which is the other is about 2.5 miles you can see some of them.  On the National Mall, are several of the Smithsonian Institution museums, National Archives, National Gallery of Art and U.S. Botanic Gardens.

Lincoln, Washington ( closed for renovations so we could not go up in the memorial) , 911 Memorial at the Pentagon, Korean War Veterans, Thomas Jefferson, Vietnam Veterans , Martin Luther King Jr Memorial, Iwo Jima Memorial, World War II Memorial. All must see monuments. Although I loved all the monuments and the history that they represented,  Iwo Jima was probably my favorite to see.

We were able to tour the World War II at night as well.

Arlington National Cemetery

This is a  walking tour through the country’s largest military cemetery that serves as the final resting place for more than 400,000 military veterans and their immediate family from the fronts of Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as World Wars I and II, the Korean, Vietnam, the Cold War and America’s Civil War. While we were there, we also witnessed the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which was quite ceremonial and special to see. What amazed me was how immaculate and clean the 624 acres were. The entire history of how the land changed hands through the years is all very interesting.

United States Holocaust Museum

This was one of my favorite museums. It told the story of the Holocaust through artifacts, films and photos. If you want to see the exhibition you need to get a timed pass ( to manage the crowds, although it was pretty crowded) You do not need a pass for “Remembering the Children: Daniel’s Story” . 

National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly, Va.

This was another favorite for me and my son. The museum showcases historic aviation and space artifacts. Highlights include the  Concorde, the B-29 and the  Space Shuttle Enterprise. There is an Observation tower that kids love to go up to. For about $10.00 you can also take a flight simulator. The museum is really big and has lots of air and space stuff to look at. It is definitely worth the drive to Chantilly which is near Dulles Airport.

U.S. Botanic Garden

The Botanic garden, which is on the grounds of the US Capital was a pleasant surprise. It is the oldest botanic garden in the United States and it is open every day of the year. It’s greenhouse  covers 85,000 square feet under glass. Seasonal plants for  the Supreme Court, Library of Congress and for replenishing the Capitol grounds are grown here. An estimated 100,000 mums, pansies, cabbage, kale and other annuals and perennials per year are grown in the facility. According to staff botanists, there are about 50,000 plants on hand at the production facility at any one time.

 The White House

It was fun to see where the first family resides. I was surprised how close we could see the house from the front side. We did not walk around to the back side (the south lawn) nor did we see the Trumps hanging outside. Perhaps next time. As you can expect there were lots of people trying to get a glimpse of the house behind the iron fence . It was hard to get a decent shot without the crowd and the one picture that I did manage to get, wasn’t good. 

source 

While we were at the Capital we did manage to see VP Pence walking through. Although heavily surrounded by the Secret Service, this was pretty exciting for all the kids. 

Recap

Okay, so from an adult perspective this was my sites to see in Washington DC list. If you ask my 5th grader, it was most every souvenir shop we saw. Kidding aside (not really)  my 5th grader would probably say he liked the Holocaust, Air and Space and The Treasury the best. These were specific subject matter venues that were able to keep his attention without being so overwhelming with so much to see. When you walk into most museums in Washington, there is a lot of take in.

I hope my what sites to see in Washington DC may be helpful if you are planning or thinking about stopping by the nations capital one day. We enjoyed Washington D.C and will definitely be heading back one day with the entire family.

If you have ever been to Washington, what was your favorite thing to see or do? Let me know in a comment. Also, if you have any questions feel free to send me a note and I will be happy to answer.

 

grateful

for the memories with son

 

 

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