Top places to see in Washington DC in a week
I travel with my two of my kids every year to see my parents. We have seen many, many different places in and around DC. Here is our list of favorites:
- The Washington Monument
- The National Aquarium in Baltimore
- National Air and Space Museum Dulles
- The Spy Museum
- The White House tour
- The Capital Tour with our State Senator’s aides
- The African American Museum
- Mount Vernon
- Monticello
- Smithsonian Museums: National History, American History and Air and Space
- All the monuments from the Washington Monument to Lincoln.
- The Holocaust Museum
#1 Washington Monument
We had always seen the monument when we went into DC for the day. We never went up the elevator to the top, though. This was not because I hadn’t tried to get the free tickets. I had. It took me three years of trying to finally succeed. You can read about how I got our tickets and our experience in another post I wrote here.
My kids LOVED going up to the top! It was the highlight of one our trips to DC. If you can get tickets to go up the Washington Monument, do! It is totally worth it!
#2 The National Aquarium
This a fantastic, stupendous and awesome museum. Do not be deceived by the word ‘national’. It is not a part of the parks service. You will need to pay to get in to the National Aquarium. An adult ticket (ages 21-69) is $49.95. Youth/Senior ticket (ages 5-20 & 70-) is $39.95. Ages 4 and under are free.
You will walk around while looking down at fish, turtles and stingrays swimming in a large pool that expands the space. See fish swimming in the coral reef. You can pet a jelly fish and crab. They have piranha to see as well as many other fish. As you descend down the ramp to the bottom floor, you are surround by a tall large tank divided in three sections. The top section near the top floor of the building are the fish in the coral reef. The next level as you descend are the fish below the coral reef. On the bottom level are the sharks.
I hope you can see why this museum is up so high on our list! If you go, you will not be disappointed!
#3 National Air Space Museum-Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
There is a National Air Space Museum on the Mall in DC. The National Air Space Museum-Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is near Dulles Airport. This is the one I am writing about.
It is a large museum with two floors. They have the first planes created by the Wright Brothers all the way to a stealth fighter jet. You can also see a space shuttle. As well as the plane that drop the bombs in Japan. The price to get in is free. You can reserve your tickets online. There is a $15 cost to park your car.
With so much to see and do, this is an awesome museum to visit!
#4 The Spy Museum
I have taken my kids to the Spy Museum twice. Once a long time ago with my older kids and once more recently with my two younger kids. Both set of kids loved this museum of espionage. It is an interactive museum that moves through time. You can spend hours here with all the things to do and read.
The price changes throughout the week. Tickets are around $30. Getting tickets ahead of time is a good idea as this is a very popular museum.
#5 The White House Tour
The White House Tour tickets must be attained prior to going to DC. All you have to do is to contact your Senator. This is done by going to their webpage and filling out the form. Once you have done this, you will receive an email about your date and time for your tour. I did all of this 3 months before the tour. Below is the White House tour entrance….you need to know this!!!
Here is a map of what you will see while you are on tour:
#6 The Capital Tour with our State Senator’s aides
To get tickets for the Capital you have three ways. The first is to show up at the Capital and get your tour. The second is contact your congressmen months before you go. The third, and the one we did, is to contact your Senator.
Which ever option you chose, you need to know where to go. If you are looking at the White House with the Washington Monument behind you, the entrance is on the backside of the Capital building. Go around the building to the left. Once you get to the back of the Capital look to your left. You will see stairs going down. Take those stairs. Be sure that your water bottle is EMPTY. before going through security.
We meet our Senator’s aides on the same floor we walked into on our right. They were fantastic and quite knowledgable. It definitely beats the tours you can be a part of. It was just the four of us on the tour. We had access to places the regular tour doesn’t go, like access to the Senate galley.
#7 The National Museum of African American History and Culture
This museum is fantastic! You will need to get tickets before you go.
The museum starts on the bottom floor and ends on the top floor. You start with slavery before America was discovered. As you ascend floors you read about pre civil war slavery here in the United States. Walking around a curved wall you are now in the post civil war time period. As you descend higher, the civil rights movement is found all the way to the current time period.
You can spend hours in the museum and it is definitely one you will find interesting.
#8 Mount Vernon
I have been to Mount Vernon twice. Tickets are $28 for 12+, $15 for 6-11 and free for the younger ages. I enjoyed it both times and so did my kids. Washington’s house sits on a hill looking over the Potomac River. Beside the house, there are the slave builds, the gardens and Washington’s place of burial.
Mount Vernon is outside the city of Washington DC. about a 35 minute drive south. Another option is to catch the ferry. This is 3 hour cruise from Alexandria or the National Harbor. The price is $56 per person. If you choose this option, plan on it taking most of the day.
#9 Monticello
Monticello is the home of President Jefferson. He designed his home. There are different tours available. We chose the Highlights tour. It was very cool to see all of his inventions. See if you can find an audio tour of the house as there are so many things to see. You can sit outside and listen to an actor read or tell stories in the character of Jefferson or his wife.
The drive from DC is 2 1/2 hours. If you want to get out of the city, this is perfect stop. You can fill your day here or go to Madison and Monroes house too or you can go to the Barbourvilles Vineyards.
#10 Smithsonian Museums: National Art Gallery, Natural History, American History and Air and Space
All of these museums are on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the US Capital Building. Each museum holds special treasure that will interest everyone. Some of the museums you need a timed ticket for entry.
national art gallery
The National Art Gallery is for all ages. Click here to see their collection highlights. You don’t need a ticket and the hours are 10:00 am-5:00 pm.
national museum of Natural history
The National Museum of Natural History is where you can see fossils, gems as well as the cursed Hope Diamond. You do not need a ticket. The museum is open every day except Christmas from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm.
national museum of american history
The National Museum of American History is where you can see the original American flag as well see our American History throughout all different avenues. You do not need a ticket. The museum is open from 10:00 am – 5:30 pm everyday except Christmas.
national air and space museum
The National Air and Space Museum feature the 1903 Wright Flyer, Apollo 11 Command Module Columbia, Neil Armstrong’s Apollo 11 spacesuit, Star Trek Starship Enterprise Studio Model, Lilienthal Glider, Fuselage, Northrop, and T-38 Talon. You need a time entry ticket. The hours are like the ones above.
#11 All the monuments from the Washington Monument to Lincoln.
There are many to see surrounding the reflecting pool. The Vietnam Memorial is to the right of the Washington Monument. While the Korean Memorial is on the left. To the left of Lincoln Memorial is a path that will bring you to Martin Luther, Roosevelt and finally the Jefferson Memorial. It is a mile walk out to the Jefferson Memorial.
#12 The Holocaust Memorial Museum
The Holocaust Memorial Museum is not for little kids. Teenagers on up will appreciate this museum. You will need a timed entry ticket. The hours are 10:00 am – 5:30 pm every day except Christmas.
