Traveling to Washington DC: 4 Awesome Sights for Your Kids

Washington DC is the capital and major political destination in the United States – there’s the White House, the Capitol, the headquarters of many government organizations, banks and other facilities that are unlikely to be of great interest for most travelers. However, this fact doesn’t mean that a trip to the District of Columbia with children will be boring and not diverse.

Sights of Washington are so interesting that they will impress children of all ages. Among them are various historical centers and technical museums, one of the largest zoos in the United States, walking parks, cafes, entertainment and shopping centers.

When taking into consideration the specifics of holiday with kids, it’s better to plan your route in Washington for each day in advance. If you stay on the outskirts of the city, you can spend a lot of time on the road, so it’s better to choose a hotel closer to the center, or pick up Enterprise car rental at DCA Airport for easy getting around the city.

(photo by thisisbossi)

In order not to spoil the rest with children, you shouldn’t overload it – it’s better to make an action plan for the day, then the rest will be pleasant, rich and without conflicts between parents and children.

International Spy Museum

This museum in Washington will appeal to young fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels and films about the adventures of James Bond. Here’re the most real spy things, listening devices, cameras in the form of lighters, as well as weapons, disguised as cosmetics. The whole hall is set aside for an exhibition devoted to the intelligence of the USSR.

(photo by Mike Fitzpatrick)

Visitors have the opportunity not only to look at exhibits and rooms acquainting with the espionage life of the World War II and the Cold War, but also temporarily become secret agents. The interactive game “Spy” will allow kids to feel all the delights of the secret life – players have the opportunity to search for secret documents, run away from the chase and install spy bugs. This museum won’t leave anyone indifferent: after visiting the museum the streets of Washington will be just filled with intelligence agents.

Smithsonian’s National Zoo

If you want to have an interesting and informative time in Washington DC, then you should definitely visit the Smithsonian Zoo. This tour will take all day, so young visitors should be prepared in advance.

The largest zoo of the District of Columbia accommodates over 400 species of animals, many of which are listed in the IUCN Red List and are on the verge of extinction. It’s a 163-acre green area, benches and tables are set everywhere, there are several cafes, so you can take a break and have a little snack.

The zoo in Washington features separate thematic pavilions that can be divided into the following zones:

• Tigers and lions;
• Herbivorous mammals;
• Bears and pandas;
• Monkeys;
• Reptiles;
• Invertebrates;
• Birds;
• Amazonia;
• Children’s farm.

All of them deserve attention. In the Amazon, for example, life around the river is presented in great detail, with predatory fish, snakes and bright birds. This tropical forest covers an area of ​​15 thousand square meters.

And, of course, children won’t be indifferent to a children’s farm, where young animals live and toddlers can play with them and feed them. A nice bonus is that the entrance to the zoo is free of charge.

National Children’s Museum

This is the very first place to visit with children throughout the District of Columbia. The museum itself will bring pleasure, both to toddlers and older children. The fabulous heroes of the museum invite guests into their magical world to explore enchanted forests and magical caves. For younger children it will be interesting to launch giant soap bubbles or participate in laboratory experiments, while older tourists will be impressed by a visit to the real radio and television studio where children work.

In the National Children’s Museum, your kid can experience different professions, from cook to firefighter, and who knows – maybe it will help to make the right choice in the future? Of course, after a great day, you can have a tasty lunch in a cafe placed on the territory.

National Air and Space Museum

All dreamers about the sky, distant stars and planets, will have a nice time in the National Air and Space Museum. Perhaps, this is the most entertaining excursion in the entire District of Columbia for boys from 10 to 16 years. The museum consists of two parts: the first is located in the Washington Mall, and the second in a special building near the airport.

You can study in detail the structure of spacecraft, spacesuits and rockets, get acquainted with the life of astronauts, and look at their preparatory training. Children will have the opportunity to explore the entire history of aircraft construction and to feel like pilots, true conquerors of the skies.

So, the above-mentioned sights will definitely satisfy your kids. This is rather an approximate plan, rather than a complete list of the spots, which will be interesting to your children, because each child is unique and only parents know what activities will suit him best.