Tips for celebrating the 4th of July in Washington DC

Will you be in our nation's capital for Independence Day? We were there last year, and it was one of the memorable holidays we've celebrated while traveling! The number of activities, programs, and performances, as well as the sheer number of people, can be intimidating, so we've compiled our top tips for celebrating the 4th of July in Washington DC: 1. Book a hotel within walking distance of … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: International Spy Museum

If you have kids 10 and up, you’ll want to include the International Spy Museum in your Washington DC itinerary. We absolutely loved it. Even though there are many free museums to tour in DC, it’s absolutely worth the price of admission. Why we loved it: This museum is one of the most interactive we’ve seen. It was created by a 30+ year veteran of the CIA, and it shows. The first section … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: Touring Mount Vernon

While you’re in Washington DC with kids, a stop en route to the city (or on your way out) at Mt. Vernon is definitely worth your time. We visited Mt. Vernon on our way into DC at the start of our trip, and spent approximately three hours. It’s definitely possible to spend more time. Travel tip: If you'll be pairing your Washington DC itinerary with some time at the beach, consider a Virginia … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: When you have an hour or less

There’s so much to do in Washington DC with kids, families cannot possibly do it all in one visit. However, sometimes, you may find yourself with an hour or so free on our around the Mall. Here’s what we recommend: National Archives: Unless you plan to do some serious research on your family tree or a historical event, the main attraction in the National Archives is the original Declaration … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: How to take a White House tour

Going into the White House was one of the highlights of our Washington DC trip. Many families are unsure how to take a White House tour. It's not as complicated as most think! The tour is self-guided, and takes about one hour door-to-door. (In DC, ‘door-to-door’ to us means security check through exit.) The tour takes guests through a visitor entrance on the side, through a ground floor … [Read more...]

Washington DC Bike ’n Roll Monuments at Nite Tour

We love patronizing Bike ’N Roll whenever we’re in major cities (and want to save our feet from lots of walking). We’ve reviewed Bike ’N Roll in NYC, and didn’t hesitate to book a tour with Bike N Roll DC during our trip to Washington DC with kids. We opted for the Monuments@Nite tour, because we visited DC in the heat of the summer, and hoped for a cooler ride. We also got a prettier one: the … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: Touring the US Capitol

I always promise honest reviews here at Pit Stops for Kids, but this one will be brutally honest…and maybe a tad unpatriotic. While vacationing in Washington DC with kids, it’s hard to skip a tour of the Capitol Building. It’s iconic, right? It’s full of history. It’s the site of our ongoing democracy. But in my opinion, touring the US Capitol is mediocre at best and most the stops along it are … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: National Air and Space Museum

There are many worthy museums along the Mall, and it can be hard to know which to see while visiting Washington DC with kids. If yours are airplane, science, or space fans, you’ll want to make the National Air and Space Museum a priority. Like the other museums, the Air and Space is massive, and will require at least half of your day. We recommend hitting this (and any major museum) early in the … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: National Museum of American History

After touring history museums from Gettysburg to Williamsburg, I wasn’t sure how enthusiastic my kids would be to check out the National Museum of American History in DC. As usual, they surprised me. As did this museum. It should definitely be on your itinerary while in Washington DC with kids. Think of the National Museum of American History is part history museum, but also part pop culture … [Read more...]

Washington DC with kids: Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

We love, love, love the free Smithsonian museums to visit while in Washington DC with kids. The granddaddy of them all is the National Museum of Natural History, which is definitely worth half a day of your time. While planning our DC trip, I doubted whether we’d want to make the stop; I knew the museum was great, but reasoned that we have toured numerous museums of natural history in the US, from … [Read more...]