Trip Recap, Part 1: Washington D.C. Through New Eyes
Every couple of years, our town’s Chamber of Commerce organizes a trip to Washington, D.C. — a delegation of business leaders, meetings on the Hill, the whole thing. My husband never misses it but this year, I decided to tag along. There was just one problem: the dates landed squarely on our son’s 13th birthday.
Rather than bail on both, we decided to make it extra special and celebrate with a solo trip- just the three of us for a long weekend that was equal parts civics lesson and birthday adventure. He was skeptical at first but it ended up being a trip to remember!
In this recap, we will cover:
Getting There: The Early Flight that Paid Off
DFW offers multiple daily departures to Reagan National, but the price gaps between them are significant. We had always assumed the 5 a.m. departure was the territory of business travelers and the mildly unhinged — until we compared fares. Taking the first flight of the day saved us more than $2,000 on three round-trip tickets. So, we set the alarm for 3 a.m. and did not look back.
INSIDER TIP Reagan National (DCA) is the airport you want. It sits inside the Beltway, and a rideshare to most central D.C. hotels runs under 20 minutes with no traffic. Skip the metro if you’re traveling with luggage.
Day One- Arlington and the Museum of American History
Arlington National Cemetery
My first priority — over monuments, over museums — was Arlington. There are places that teach
history, and there are places that make you feel it. Arlington is the latter.
The visitor center just inside the main gate is a natural first stop: restrooms, maps, and ticketing for the narrated tour carts if you want them. We opted to walk at our own pace, giving us the freedom to linger where we wanted. The main draw for most visitors, and rightly so, is the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
The Tomb has been under continuous guard, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, since 1930. What began after World War I as a tribute to unidentified soldiers, has grown into a symbol of every service member who died in service to our country but whose name is not known to us. The ceremony itself — the measured steps, precise rifle movements and white-gloved inspection — is very tightly choreographed. There are few places in the United States that maintain a strict adherence to tradition and ceremony, but this is one of them. Our son, who had been largely indifferent to the trip, stood completely still and watched, eyes wide. That alone made the 3 a.m. alarm worthwhile.
INSIDER TIP The guard changes every 30 minutes. Arrive a few minutes early and take a spot on the amphitheater steps directly facing the Tomb for the best sightline.
Arlington House
After the ceremony, we climbed the hill to Arlington House — the Greek Revival mansion that served as the home of General Robert E. Lee before the Civil War. Four enormous columns frame a porch with what may be the finest unobstructed panoramic view in the entire city: the cemetery stretching down the slope, the Lincoln Memorial across the river, the Capitol dome in the distance. Be sure to grab a family photo here!
The house itself is free to tour at a self-guided pace. The original Lee family furnishings are intact in several rooms, and the interpretive panels provide an honest look at the full complexity of the estate’s history, including the lives of the enslaved families who lived and worked on the grounds.
The Eternal Flame- The JFK Gravesite
We also stopped at President Kennedy’s gravesite on the way out, marked by its eternal flame. It is quietly dignified, but in the context of everything else at Arlington, it is a bit understated. Unless the Kennedy legacy is particularly meaningful to you, it is an easy cut if your time is limited. However, most visitors do feel compelled to pay their respects regardless.
An Unexpected Moment
Deeper into the cemetery, we heard drums and horns playing in the distance. As the sound grew louder, we could see a military band procession making their way toward us. Behind them was a small calvary leading a wagon with a flag-draped casket. A soldier leading and unmanned horse brought up the rear. This was the first (and only) military funeral procession I have ever seen and there is no adequate preparation for what it feels like to stand at the edge of a path as something like that passes by. It was somber yet beautiful and very touching to see such honor paid to a servant of our country.
“There is no adequate preparation for what it feels like to stand at the edge of a path as something like that passes by.”
Smithsonian Museum of American History
By early afternoon, we were running on fumes. We ducked into the museum’s downstairs café to refuel. They have a small selection of sandwiches and light bites, priced at a slight premium over what you’d pay elsewhere, but the convenience of not leaving the building was worth it. Sustained by caffeine and carbs, we let our son take the lead.
His first stop was the Star-Spangled Banner exhibit, a solid choice since it is arguably the highlight of the museum. It greets you at the top of the main staircase, so it is impossible to miss. The original flag that inspired the national anthem is larger than most people expect, and even a teenager who had spent the morning feigning mild indifference was impressed. From there we wandered up into the pop culture galleries: costumes, memorabilia, and artifacts from American entertainment history can captivate visitors of every generation.
We had budgeted two hours for the museum which can be either too much or not enough depending on what captures your attention. All of the Smithsonian museums on the Mall are free, so the only limiting factors are time and energy. In our case, the early morning was catching up to us, so we called it a day.
Day 2- The National Zoo and The Library of Congress
The National Zoo
The second day was our son’s birthday, so we handed him the itinerary. His first request: the National Zoo. Specifically, the pandas.
The Smithsonian’s National Zoo is the only place in the United States where you can see giant pandas, and at the time of our visit, they had two. For any animal-loving kid (or adult!) this is quite a treat. The zoo is also owned by the Smithsonian Institute, so you can expect a top-notch experience. And, like all Smithsonian museums, it is free to get in.
The layout is straightforward — a single main path runs from entrance to exit, with several indoor climate-controlled habitats along the way that are worth ducking into both for the animals and the relief from the heat. It is a manageable size for a morning visit, allowing plenty of time for other activities in the afternoon.
Library of Congress
For the afternoon, we rejoined with the Chamber group for a tour of the Library of Congress. Although I have visited Washington DC a few times, this was my first time to visit the Library. And oh my goodness- I had know idea what I have been missing. While the outside of the building resembles the others in the City with stately, yet stoic, gray marble facades, the inside of this building is more akin to a European palace than a government building. The architecture alone with worth the visit with the beautiful artistry and intricate attention to detail and symbolism.
Beyond the architecture, the collection itself is extraordinary. The Library holds nearly 180 million items — books, manuscripts, maps, musical scores, photographs — making it the largest library in the world. A few of the highlights on display:
- A Gutenberg Bible from the 1450s — one of the first books printed with movable type, and still astonishing to stand in front of.
- Thomas Jefferson’s personal library, thousands of volumes spanning science, philosophy, literature, and law.
- The first map ever printed bearing the name “America.”
- A set of Stradivarius instruments, considered among the finest ever made.
- Handwritten manuscripts and scores from Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach.
I will be honest: I enjoyed the Library of Congress considerably more than my son did. But a friend once told me that sometimes kids need to go on vacation to learn something, not just to be entertained. I think she was right. The Library is one of those places you carry with you afterward. That is not nothing, even if the 13-year-old in question would rather have been at the zoo.
INSIDER TIP Free tours of the Library are available. Book in advance through the Library’s website. They fill quickly, especially in peak travel season.
Dinner in Georgetown: Good Stuff Eatery
For the birthday dinner, we headed to Georgetown. The neighborhood alone is worth the trip — federal-era townhouses, cobblestone side streets, and a lively college town feel.
We ended up at Good Stuff Eatery for their burgers and famous shakes. This small dive located on the neighborhood’s main drag, steps away from Georgetown University, has a funky vibe and delicious food. It’s definitely worth a stop on your next visit to Washington DC.
Ghosts & Spies Walking Tour
We capped off the night with a fun Ghosts and Spies walking tour through Georgetown. Our tour guide was great and we had so much fun hearing stories about DC’s colorful past, complete with espionage and paranormal activities. The tour concluded on the Exorcist steps, which was probably the creepiest part of the tour. Note: No ghosts were seen or felt during our time there.
Coming up in Part 2: The White House, lunch at a D.C. institution, a jaw-dropping moment at the National Archives, the Dead Sea Scrolls, dinner in a Parisian brasserie, and the monuments at night. Continue reading → Washington, D.C. with Kids, Part 2 |
Two days down. One to go — and the best moments of the trip were still ahead.
Journey Well!
-Erica
