Hi everyone!

I'm looking to take my family of five to Washington DC and the surrounding area for 7 days during Spring Break in March. I've honestly not been for 35 years when I was 10 and did the same trip with my family. I'd love some recommendations for where to stay and dine and what to see in the DC area. Also, I don't want this to be a trip spent entirely at museums and memorials, so any other fun excursions would be greatly appreciated. Finally, we'd like to try and get outside the city for a few days and see some pretty parts of the state, or maybe make the drive into Pennsylvania or Maryland. The wife likes nice hotels, so I was thinking of looking for a nice location that could get us outside of DC for the last couple of days of the trip. Or might take my 16 year old to go visit UVA. If you have some suggestions, I'd be really grateful.

Random idea for getting out of town. Go out route 50, visit annapolis if you want, cross the bay bridge, then head down to St Michael's. Small eastern shore fishing village. Maritime museum is cool.

Or St Mary's. South of DC, but not on the eastern shore. Never made it there but wanted too.

Frederick is cool too, caves are neat, but the drive to the eastern shore I think is better.

Harpers Ferry, WV is a great excursion from DC.

Monticello would be good if you're going to UVA.

We did this last year - prepare to be cold. We were lucky to catch the cherry trees blossoming early, and the museums were a welcome warning spot. A lot of places in DC now require reservations, so check those asap. You can visit the office of your rep to get passes to see the house in session.

Dicky Longstocking said:

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Hi everyone!

I'm looking to take my family of five to Washington DC and the surrounding area for 7 days during Spring Break in March. I've honestly not been for 35 years when I was 10 and did the same trip with my family. I'd love some recommendations for where to stay and dine and what to see in the DC area. Also, I don't want this to be a trip spent entirely at museums and memorials, so any other fun excursions would be greatly appreciated. Finally, we'd like to try and get outside the city for a few days and see some pretty parts of the state, or maybe make the drive into Pennsylvania or Maryland. The wife likes nice hotels, so I was thinking of looking for a nice location that could get us outside of DC for the last couple of days of the trip. Or might take my 16 year old to go visit UVA. If you have some suggestions, I'd be really grateful.

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But that's the best part of DC.

Seriously, one day trip should be Mount Vernon, then stop at the Air and Space Museum at Dulles.

Fredericksburg, VA. Best place for civil war history and a great downtown.

Would anyone recommend a trip to Annapolis? Also, as I mentioned, we do plan to visit the museums. I just don't want to spend 7 days straight all day in museums.

I second Mount Vernon and the Air and Space Museum at Dulles.

We have always enjoyed Colonial Williamsburg. Yorktown and Jamestown aren't bad.

I believe Gettysburg is not too far from DC.

It is hard to avoid all of the history in that area.

I'll second Harper Ferry

Dicky,

I live in the area now. Lots of good recommendations already shared.

Where to stay:
- Hotels are expensive around the area along with restaurants. Consider an AirBnB near a metro train station in Arlington/ Alexandria. Do NOT recommend trying to drive around the DC and park. You will end up frustrated trying to find parking most of the time.
- Crime in DC is out of control, especially car thefts. Stick to the tourist spots and you will be fine.
- Capitol Tour (Free and you reserve ahead of time online. Can also go through your Congressional office)
- White House tour will most likely be hard to come by at this point. It is also a hit or miss if it is available.
- FBI Tour Reach out to your congressional office to see if you can get this tour.
- Looking at monuments at night is cool. Consider it if you don't have super young kids and weather ends up being warm. Also not as crowded.
- Spy Museum is fun for kids
- Arlington Cemetery & Changing of the Guard Must do.
- Alexandria is a great area King St. has a ton of shops, restaurants, etc.
- Charlottesville is a nice college town if you decide to go visit UVA.
- Yes to Annapolis. Cool spot close to DC that you can make a day of. Lots of shops, restaurants, etc. You can also walk around the Naval academy which is cool. Happy to give recommendations if you decide to do this for a day.

What ages are your kids for context?

I'll monitor this thread and see what else I can add in.

Plus one on Monticello and Gettysburg.

Metro is perfect for tourists, but the commuters hate tourists and will run your butt down if you hesitate.

Some of the hotels in Alexandria (for instance) will shuttle you to the metro stop.

Might consider Baltimore and Ft. McHenry


If you go somewhere like Gettysburg, read some books and/or watch videos with your kids before the trip. Gettysburg covers a lot of acres, and it's hard to understand what's going on as you tour, if you don't have at least a small grasp of the battle

Definitely give a day for Mount Vernon and the living history exhibits there. Also, be sure to take in Fords Theater and the International Spy Museum. A great read before you go is Manhunt, The 10-day Search for Lincoln's Killer.

+1 for Gettysburg. I recommend reserving a private guide who will drive your car so you can just focus on the tour. Last time I went I had the guide focus on the specific areas/day that I was most interested in.

Our family trip to DC when all of us were in our teens is the one we really remember fondly because it was the first one I remember being asked "what do YOU want to see and do?" Each of us got to pick one museum or site that was most important to us, so there was no complaining on that sibling's day because we knew that was their priority, and we'd each get to see ours too. My parents picked theirs too, and I'll never forget my dad crying at the Vietnam memorial.

We did this and got a hotel (Hampton) in old town Alexandria. King St station is right there and easy metro ride to all the sights as well as DCA. You can also get to Mt Vernon via metro with a short bus ride at the end. You really don't need a car until you are ready for Gettysburg or something out of the area and DCA car rental is one or two stops away on the metro

Our family of 6 did this trip last Spring Break. We stayed at the Embassy Suites - Georgetown. Definitely a very decent hotel for our family...but nothing fancy. We enjoyed the location as we walked almost everywhere in DC.

Highlights for us:
- Spent one morning at Gettysburg! It was only about 1.5 hours from our hotel. We booked a tour where the guide gets in and drives your car around for 2 hours...it was awesome...even the kids enjoyed it!

- Both Air & Space Museums (we did the one at Dulles on our way back from Gettysburg)

- We were able to do a tour of the White House & Capitol (arranged through Senator Cruz' office)

- Changing of the Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

- Mount Vernon...did this on our way in...in an unexpected snow storm!

One thing I didn't get reservations for and we didn't get to go to was the National Archives Building...really wanted to see the Declaration and Constitution. The most expensive part of the trip was food...but it was all really good.

Appreciate all the great responses!

If you're looking to spend a night or two out of town consider the Salamander Hotel in Middleburg VA. Beautiful grounds, excellent dining, and tons of shops and restaurants in the small town. You could also pair it with the Air and Space Museum at Dulles, they're about a half hour from each other. Eastern Shore MD is beautiful as well.

Agree with above, don't try to drive and park in DC, it's not worth it.

Howdy! My family and I spent the last few years in DC/Maryland, so I have a few recommendations (some already mentioned):

I'd recommend the FBI tour. It was created with the help of the Smithsonian institute, so it's a quality museum. PM me and I can help with a tour. It's one block from Ford's theater, so easy to knock out both in half a day.

+1 Gettysburg and Annapolis. You would need a vehicle to access both, but both are around a 2 hour drive from DC proper. If you visit Gettysburg, make a reservation at the Dobbin house for lunch/dinner. If you're in Annapolis, check out the Naval Academy (you can take self guided tours, as well as visit the museum they have on campus). It's a beautiful campus and real charming town.

Northern Virginia has some beautiful vineyards, that start about an hour west of the city (or a little west of Dulles). Bluemont vineyards is popular, but there are plenty others out there too.

As far as museums go, I'd recommend the museum of the American Indian, African American museum, and U.S. Botanic Garden. The first two have loads of history and may require reservations for timed entry. And of course all are free!

Also, the cherry blossom festival happens in late March. I would steer clear of the national mall those days, if possible, due to throngs of people that show up. Lastly, if you plan on being in the city a decent portion of the trip, being metro accessible is a game changer. It makes getting around much, much easier.

We are heading to DC in the summer. Anyone have restaurant recommendations? Fancy or casual is not important. It is only important that the food is delicious.