Washington D.C. Family Vacation

One of the most popular destinations for students, especially in their senior year, is a trip to Washington, D.C. Both educational and enjoyable, Washington, D.C. is filled with historic sites, galleries, museums, and is home to the most famous landmark of all – the White House.

If you are traveling to Washington, D.C. with your family, there are several places of interest you will want to take your kids to see. Some are somber reminders of wars fought and lives lost, while others pose an inside look into the history of our country as displayed in the Smithsonian, Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of African Art.

As you step inside the US Capitol building, which is home to the Congress, and you can take the guided tour and perhaps sit in on a session. In addition, a visit to the US Supreme Court and the Library of Congress are definite sites to be added to your list. Your kids will be mesmerized by the fact that the Library of Congress has over 26 million books, documents, photographs, and films than any other library in the world.

The Lincoln Memorial is awesome as you walk up the steps to view the enormous statue of this beloved President, as well as the 19-foot bronze statue of Thomas Jefferson, our nation’s third President.
A visit to Arlington National Cemetery is recommended so that you can pay your respects to President Kennedy and his wife Jackie, as well as his brother Robert. Another significant site to visit is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, WWII Memorial, Korean Memorial, and the Washington Monument. Afterwards, you can walk by the White House and take a family photo.
Your family can also take a river cruise on the Potomac. This is a wonderful day trip to Mount Vernon, another historic site and home of our first President, George Washington. For a more interactive approach to sightseeing, the family can participate in an 18th century guided tour by lantern light through Alexandria, Va., which is a short distance from the DC area. This 90-minute tour is a recreation of history as told by actors dressed in costume. The kids will love the tales told and the stories about ghosts and ghouls. Finally, a trip to Washington, D.C. would not be complete without a stop at the National Zoo. Here, your family will view more than 400 different species of animals.
Washington, D.C. provides families who visit a long peek into the past, the present, and the future of our country. It inspires kids who are interested in politics, and allows them to view first hand the inner workings of our government. While your kids may have read all about the many sites in Washington, D.C., it is incredibly different when seeing it for the first time.