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Washington, D.C. holds a special place in my heart.
I spent a college semester interning with the probation department at D.C. Superior Court, in an experience that shattered my suburban, middle class Silicon Valley bubble and took me across the southeastern quadrant of Washington, D.C., where underfunded schools, redlining, and policies that discriminated against race and class resulted in a revolving door of BIPOC and poor children and youth into the justice system. At the same time, I was a 21-year-old living my best life with one of my closest friends from college at the University of California dorm at Dupont Circle, and we played as hard as we worked. Suffice to say, it was an experience of a lifetime.
Over the last 10 years I have returned at least every year to our nation’s capitol, raising my hand for every opportunity to go for work conferences and presentations. And lucky for me, I’ve also had a chance to bring my family along to this place that feels like “home” to me, as it simultaneously belongs to both everyone and no one.
On this most recent trip to D.C., we teamed up with my husband’s extended family to go on a multi-generational trip to D.C. Our crew included my sister-in-law’s family of four (kids ages 8 and 5, the elder of whom is a walking encyclopedia of American history), our family of 4 (kids ages 7 and 2), and my husband’s parents (late 70s and early 80s). While it was a very different experience from the one I had as a college senior, it made my heart so full to see our extended family fall in love with the city I fell in love with 20 years ago. My husband always jokes that I secretly resent him because had we not met, I probably would have worked in D.C. for an international NGO or the government after law school rather than trekked back to the Bay Area, where he had an established career in tech. A small part of me is planting the seed for one (or both!) of our daughters to go to college in D.C., which means more opportunities to visit.
Read on about our full experience and tips for visiting Washington, D.C. below!
Washington, D.C. sits on the stolen lands of the Nacotchtank peoples and neighbors the ancestral lands of the Piscataway and Pamunkey peoples.
Why Visit Washington D.C. with Kids
D.C. is an awe-inspiring place to:
- witness the goings-on of the U.S.’s three branches of government—where laws are made and passed;
- be part of an international vibe everyone can feel like they belong;
- see cherry blossoms in the spring;
- access free hands-on education (and entertainment) through the Smithsonian museums; and
- visit monuments that document the life of our nation
On our family’s most recent visit we aimed to:
- spend time together as a multi-generational family on a rare occasion where our school breaks aligned
- give our 8-year-old nephew a chance to share his knowledge of American history
- evoke a bit of nostalgia from my 20s 😉 and perhaps plant the seed for my kids to go there for college (a mom can dream!)
DESTINATION: Washington, D.C.
AGE OF OUR KIDS: 2, 5, 6, and 8 years
LENGTH OF STAY: 5 nights
TIME OF YEAR: Spring
Getting There
Washington, D.C. is about a five-hour direct flight from San Francisco (SFO). Visitors can choose to fly to Reagan (DCA, which is where we flew for this trip), Dulles (IAD), or Baltimore (BWI). The cost of a flight can range anywhere from $240 to $700+.
Once you’re in D.C., it’s fairly easy to get around as a pedestrian, via rideshares, or via the Metro—we wouldn’t bother renting a car. Riders age five and over need a SmarTrip card. Each ride is about $2, depending time of day. A one-day unlimited pass is $13, the 3-day unlimited pass is $28, and the 7-day unlimited pass is $58.
When to Visit Washington, D.C.
The best time to visit D.C. is in the spring. You may catch cherry blossoms, usually in March or early April (though we just missed them on this trip), and the city comes to life with other spring blooms after the dreary winter. The summers are very hot and humid, which is not ideal for trekking through the monuments. September and October can be pleasant, and by November and December the weather can become unpredictable.
| Airfare | ~$250-$725 USD/person (from SFO) |
| Accommodations | ~$150-$300+ USD/person/night/room |
| Metro | ~$4 USD/person/day |
| Ridesharing | ~$15-$25/ride |
| Meals | ~$15-$20 USD/person/day |
| Admission fees for museums | Mostly free |
| Checked bags | $30 USD/bag/flight |
| Shopping and souvenirs | ~$50 USD |
Before You Go
- Submit requests to tour the White House through your representative at least 21 days in advance, but no more than 90 days in advance (see why below!)
- Schedule a tour for the Capitol
- Reserve tickets to visit the Library of Congress
- Reserve timed tickets for some of the museums in advance. Some offer limited same-day tickets. The Air & Space Museum may be booked up to 6 weeks in advance. For the National Museum of African American History & Culture, timed tickets may be reserved up to 30 days in advance.
- Prime your children with a some history, including slavery, how our government works, and the significance of the humans behind the monuments (more on that below)
What to Pack
- Swim suits
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunblock & hats
- Standard diaper bag essentials
- Plane ride essentials
- Travel carseat
- Umbrella stroller, if needed
- Ergobaby or soft baby carrier, if needed
Antiracist Travel Considerations
Before arriving, prime your children with some history, including slavery, how our government works, and the significance of the humans behind the monuments
On this trip, I intentionally booked our tickets for the National Museum of African American History and Culture for 10 a.m., expecting that the family would be full of energy and not yet hungry for lunch. What I did not think to do, was talk with my children about the exhibits they would see and the oppression and violence of hundreds of years, perpetrated against the Black community. My 7-year-old had not yet learned about slavery at school, and most of the exhibits went right over her head. She was too busy chatting with my 6-year-old niece to pay attention to my efforts to explain what we were seeing. And my husband and I were pretty preoccupied with keeping our 2-year-old from running into sharp corners and elderly museum-goers. Way different from my initial solo visit pre-kids!
Similarly with the monuments, while Corinne had a vague understanding of the significance of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln–and that her father is in the U.S. because of the war in Vietnam–we didn’t share enough background information to pique her interest in asking additional questions. When we walked by the Supreme Court, I told my girls that the most important decisions about our country come out of this building, and their response was, “Cool, Mommy.” I would love to go back to D.C. in a few years with my family. At least now I know the homework that I need to do first!
Questions to Think About as a Family
- On whose native land does Washington, D.C. sit?
- What does a government do?
- What are the important jobs of government officials?
- Who are some BIPOC leaders in the U.S. government, and what can we learn about their lives and leadership?
- Notice the many memorials for people (e.g., veterans) who have died “for” our country—what do we know about the military-industrial complex and how it affects everyday people?
- There are many amazing buildings here, but unfortunately many of them were built on the backs of enslaved peoples. What are their stories and how can we honor them?
Additional Resources
Check out these children’s books set in Washington, D.C.
Family-Friendly Hotels in Washington, D.C.
Washington Marriott at Metro Center
Great for centrally located accommodations
~$200-$400+ USD/night/room
We booked our stay at Washington Marriott at Metro Center using points. We loved the location because we could walk to the national mall, the Metro Center station (blue, orange, red, and silver lines), shopping areas, Chinatown, the National Portrait Gallery (my favorite Smithsonian), and two McDonald’s (¾ of our family is very attached to McDonald’s). It also had a lounge where we had access to breakfast and afternoon treats.
Book a stay at Washington Marriott
at Metro Center on
Top Family-Friendly Activities in Washington, D.C.
Visit the White House
Great for visiting the President's House 🙂
Free entry, advance reservations required
~2+ hours
What’s a visit to D.C. without one to the White House? Sadly, on this trip we only got as far as the gate, as I did not reserve early enough for the tour at the White House. If you’re interested, make sure to submit your requests to your Congressional representatives up to 90 days in advance.
In my initial stages of planning for the trip, I didn’t think to book tours of the White House and the Capitol because I felt that the museums would provide far more entertainment. I did not do those tours when I was in college, so I didn’t know what I’d be missing out on.
However, a few weeks before our trip, my 7-year-old daughter and 8-year-old nephew asked if we’d get to go inside the White House (“Do you think we’ll see Joe Biden??”), and by then all the tours were completely booked up.
They became even more disappointed when we walked past the White House and had to be reminded that we couldn’t go inside. At least we got to see the rotunda of the Capitol building.
Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
Great for seeing Congress in action
~2+ hours
The Capitol Visitor Center offers tours of the Crypt, the Rotunda, and National Statuary Hall. We were only able to get tickets of the Rotunda from our Congressional reps, and it’s definitely worth checking out.
Being inside definitely brings the feeling of being in the “room where it happens.”
Marvel at Monuments & Memorials
Great for walking in the steps of giants
Free entry
~30-60+ minutes each
On our trip, we visited a variety of family-friendly monuments and museums. I recommend visiting monuments both during the daytime as well as at night. Seeing them light up evoked different emotions in me, and also gave me more space to appreciate them because there were fewer crowds.
Our family’s favorite monuments include the Lincoln Memorial (I could sit on the steps all day!), the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.
Check out our full list of monuments worth visiting with your family on this post.
Visit Amazing Museums
Great for hands-on learning and themed exhibits for all ages
Free or paid entry, timed-entry tickets required
~1-3+ hours per museum
D.C. is home to some world-class museums for the whole family to enjoy, and for the most part, for free! Our family’s favorite museums include the Library of Congress, Museum of African American History & Culture, National Museum of Natural History, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Read on about our favorite D.C. museums on this post!
Hang out at Kramers Bookstore
Great for a chill afternoon with a book
Free+
1-3+ hours
Open since 1976, Kramers Bookstore in Dupont Circle is special to me because it used to be open 24 hours a day back in 2005, and was attached to a cafe, bar, and restaurant. The food and drink options are still available, and there’s something comforting about knowing that you can pick up a book and enjoy it right away over a nice beverage.
While Kramers physically feels smaller today, it has a decent children’s section and continues to display their books in a way that makes it easy to spot interesting reads.
Where to Eat in Washington, D.C. with Kids
These were some of our favorite kid-friendly restaurants during our trip to D.C.—click here for the full scoop!
- Zaytinya is one of my top five favorite restaurants of all time. Highlights include the Octopus Santorini and seared halloumi. You can thank me later!
- Chinatown Express for hand-pulled noodles, xiao long bao, and unlimited fortune cookies
- Rice Bar for DIY noodle and rice bowls in a relaxed group setting
- National Portrait Gallery’s Courtyard Cafe for an afternoon snack (and/or adult beverage) while the kids frolic in the courtyard
Wishlist for our Next Visit
- I would love to go back to D.C. in a few years with my family. At least now I know the homework that I need to do first!
The United States is only about 25 decades old. While we are considered a young nation by international standards, so much has happened, and we will continue to stay in the limelight for decades and perhaps centuries to come. In many ways, Washington, D.C. feels like a time capsule.
Regardless of the political climate at the time you choose to visit, you’ll feel humbled by the sheroes and heroes represented in statues and monuments, the grandeur of buildings, and snapshots of history behind plaques and along sidewalks.
Maya Angelou once wrote, “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.” Each time I visit D.C., I feel both nostalgia and heartbreak for the eras that I never lived through, and hope for communities to build political power and right historical wrongs.
I look forward to many more future visits with my family, where we’ll continue our learning journeys and lean into our roles and responsibilities to protect people’s rights and find joy and grace in our humanity.
Hana M.
Hana (she/her) grew up in Taiwan and San Jose, and now lives in Redwood City (unceded Ramaytush, Muwekma, and Ohlone land) with her husband and two highly energetic and curious young children. Things she always looks for while traveling: delicious noodles, local bookstores, tasty sweet treats, and outdoor water features.
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