Washington D.C. - A trip inspired by the movies

My Travels begin in the row of a movie theatre with "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian". My 5 year old daughter laughs at the child-like humor as I am in awe with the oversized statue of President Lincoln and the planes dangling overhead at the National Air and Space Museum. I head home and begin my researching online. Have you ever been to Washington D.C.? I had no idea how much there was to do in this city and could not believe my eyes when I found out most of it is FREE! From the Museums to memorials, visiting the Capitol and even a National Zoo.

If you're planning to travel to D.C. make a list of the places you want to see the most. There is no way possible to do it all in one trip, it's just that simple. The best place I found for information on tours, highlights and helpful tips for families was washington.org. If your traveling with smaller children, history may not yet be in their radar for "fun". The places I found to be most entertaining for my daughter were the Natural History Museum, Air and Space Museum, National Zoo, and the pool at our hotel. Apparently the pool was her favorite part of the entire trip, so don't forget to choose wisely when picking the place you'll be spending your down time after those long days of walking around D.C. We stayed at the Hyatt Regency, and for the off season pricing and half off promotion I got in the hotels restaurant, it was a great deal and a nice hotel.

Aside from walking, another great way around D.C. is the Metrorail. An underground train system that gets you virtually anywhere in D.C. I made the best decision by pre-purchasing a week long pass for my family online at wmata.com and they were mailed to my home before our trip. We rode the train right from the Reagan airport to a stop near our hotel. It was our only needs for transportation the entire trip and very inexpensive for a weeks worth of travel. We rode the metrorail at least three times a day to get around.

On another transportation note, don't forget your stroller as we did! Even for a 5 year old walking through this clean, beautiful city it can be overwhelming. Just one museum alone can be two hours or more on your feet. And being the city is so full of amazing museums and government buildings, you won't find your local Target on any downtown corner. Thankfully with the help of our iphone we were able to map one out and ride the metrorail to get there to buy a stroller.

This trip was worth the flight across the coast and I definitely plan to go back to see more. Whether your a history buff, politics lover or just the average mom like me who enjoys to travel, this is a top city on my list of favorites. So much to see and do and such an easy city to venture without feeling overwhelmed.
The next time your watching a movie and feel inspired, take the moment to find out how you can get there! I'm hoping my next inspiration comes from "When in Rome"!

Activities and hotels for Kids in Washington DC on Trekaroo ShareThis