Washington DC with children

Jul 17, 2009 5:51:14 AM

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Visiting DC with the kids? You’ve come to the right place! Not only does US capital offer up valuable history lessons everywhere you look, but there’s plenty of hands-on fun for the wee ones, including interactive museum exhibits, exciting outdoor activities, fun shops and child-friendly eateries. The best part? Most of these kid-tested-and-approved attractions are free – unless of course you decide to buy yourself a souvenir.

Best museums for kids

Lions, tigers and bears, oh my! Not to mention, dinosaurs, bugs and sea creatures – all at the National Museum of Natural History
To infinity and…the National Air & Space Museum!
Not just dusty text books and tattered flags, the National Museum of American History has some unexpected exhibits, including an impressive 23 room doll house
Teach your children the fine art of espionage at the International Spy Museum
Inspire your own little Woodward or Bernstein at the Newseum
Traditional storytelling, cooking demonstrations and other hands-on exhibits let kids go native at the National Museum of the American Indian
Check out a dance performance, make a mask, or take part in interactive story time at the National Museum of African Art

Top child friendly experiences

Visit the Lincoln Memorial, then chase ducks around the reflecting pool
Take a C&O Canal boat ride, then follow it up with a cupcake stop at Baked and Wired
See the pandas at the National Zoo
Ride to the top of the Washington Monument
Watch a movie while Mom & Dad grab a pint at Arlington Cinema ‘N’ Drafthouse

Feeding the family

Pick up a slice and play a game of table tennis at Comet Ping Pong and Pizza
Cactus Cantina has an extensive (and affordable!) kids’ menu, making TexMex food that even the pickiest little eaters will like
Gourmet Neapolitan style pizza keeps the parents happy, while crayons keep the kids busy at Two Amys
You’d never know it from the swank décor, but Legal Sea Foods has an award-winning children’s menu, with classics like mac & cheese and slightly more highbrow fare, like steamed lobster (which is taken out of the shell then put back in, easy for little fingers to handle)

Best kid’s stores

All stores are located in kid crazy Georgetown

For those hard to please tweens, check out Twixt, a boutique that carries clothing, shoes, and accessories
Yiro carries high-end, eco-friendly children’s clothing, accessories and gear
Dawn Price Baby has stylish stuff for mom and baby, from designer diaper bags to organic cotton layette sets

Family friendly DC web resources

Our Kids for seasonal activities, reviews of local businesses, and tips from local parents
Washington Parent for a calendar of local events, directory of kid-friendly businesses and attractions, as well as information on camps, classes and pediatricians
Many hotels offer on-site sitters, but if your accommodations don’t include this perk, try Mother’s Aides – a babysitting service that will send a pre-screened caregiver to your hotel

For more advice on traveling with the young’uns pick up a copy of Travel with Children, or get the word from fellow travelers on the our travel forum’s Kids To Go section.

Still want more? Check out our Travel with children resource page, which features links to all our family-travel tips and tricks.