Washington DC 3-Day Itinerary for Families

7:30-8:30 AM Breakfast & Travel

Activity: Breakfast at hotel or grab bagels from local shop.

Cost: $40-60 family

Travel: Take Metro to Capitol South station (Red Line). 10-20 minute ride from most Arlington/DC hotels.

9:00-10:30 AM Capitol Building Tour

What you'll do:

• 9:00 AM: Arrive at Capitol Visitor Center (underground entrance on east side)
• 9:15 AM: Security screening (similar to airport - allow 15 minutes)
• 9:30-10:30 AM: Guided tour of Capitol (Rotunda, National Statuary Hall, Crypt, view of House/Senate chambers from galleries)

Educational value: Kids see where laws are made, learn about Congress, three branches of government. This directly reinforces 4th-6th grade civics curriculum.

Pro tip: After tour, walk outside to the west terrace for incredible view of National Mall (Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial stretching before you). Free and photo-worthy.

10:30-11:00 AM Walk National Mall

Activity: Walk from Capitol down the National Mall toward museums. This 0.5-mile walk gives you the iconic "Washington DC view" - Capitol behind you, Washington Monument ahead.

Photo opportunity: National Mall is 2 miles of grass flanked by museums. Stop for photos with Washington Monument in background.

Kid perspective: "This looks like what we see on TV!" Many kids recognize the Mall from movies, news, textbooks.

11:00 AM-2:30 PM National Museum of Natural History

This is THE must-see museum for all ages. Plan to spend 3-3.5 hours here.

Must-see exhibits:

• Hope Diamond (11:00-11:30 AM): World's most famous diamond, Geology Hall. Quick 15-20 minute visit, always crowded.
• Dinosaur Halls (11:30 AM-12:30 PM): T-rex skeleton, Triceratops, complete fossil collections. Kids' absolute favorite. Allow 1 hour minimum.
• Ocean Hall (12:30-1:15 PM): 45,000-square-foot hall with life-size whale models, giant squid, live coral reef. Spectacular.
• Lunch break (1:15-2:00 PM): Museum cafe (overpriced but convenient, $60-80 family) OR food trucks on Mall outside (better value, $40-60)
• Butterfly Pavilion (2:00-2:30 PM): Live butterfly walk-through (seasonal Oct-May, $6/person extra but worth it). Skip if not operating.

Skip if short on time: Mammals Hall, many cultural halls (less engaging for kids), older gem collections beyond Hope Diamond.

2:30-3:00 PM Rest Break (Critical!)

Strategy: Find benches on National Mall or return to hotel for 30-minute break. Everyone needs to recharge after 3.5 hours in museum.

What to do: Sit, snack, drink water, let kids run on Mall grass for 10 minutes. This prevents late-afternoon meltdowns.

3:00-4:00 PM Washington Monument & Surrounding Memorials

Option 1: Go inside Washington Monument (requires timed ticket, reserve ahead)

• Elevator to 500-foot observation level
• 360-degree views of DC
• Takes about 45 minutes total (security, elevator, viewing time)
• Kids 8+ appreciate this, younger kids may be less impressed

Option 2: View from outside, walk to nearby memorials

• Walk around Washington Monument base (free, no ticket)
• Visit WWII Memorial (5-minute walk, beautiful fountain design)
• Great for photos

Our recommendation for Day 1: Skip going inside Washington Monument (save for Day 2 if you want). Walk to WWII Memorial for photos, then prepare for sunset at Lincoln Memorial.

4:00-5:00 PM Tidal Basin Walk (Seasonal)

If visiting March-April (Cherry Blossom season): Walk around Tidal Basin (1.5 miles loop). Cherry blossoms frame Jefferson Memorial - absolutely stunning and photo-worthy.

Other times of year: Walk to Jefferson Memorial (15-minute walk from Washington Monument). Classical architecture, views of Tidal Basin, less crowded than Lincoln Memorial.

Time: 30 minutes-1 hour depending on interest level.

5:30-6:30 PM Lincoln Memorial at Sunset

This is your "iconic Washington DC moment." Time your visit for sunset (check sunset time for your visit dates).

What to do:

• Walk up steps to Lincoln statue (36 columns representing states at time of Lincoln's death)
• Read Gettysburg Address inscribed on wall
• Stand where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered "I Have a Dream" speech (1963)
• Turn around for sunset view over Reflecting Pool toward Washington Monument - incredibly beautiful

Educational moment: Talk about Lincoln (president during Civil War, ended slavery), MLK (civil rights), what this place represents. Kids ages 8+ understand significance.

6:30-7:30 PM Dinner

Options near Lincoln Memorial / Foggy Bottom area:

• Founding Farmers: Farm-to-table, family-friendly, good portions ($25-30/person)
• Shake Shack (multiple DC locations): Burgers, reliable, kids love it ($15-18/person)
• Old Ebbitt Grill: Historic DC restaurant (opened 1856), near White House ($30-35/person)

Cost: $80-120 family

Travel back: Take Metro from Foggy Bottom station to hotel. Everyone will be tired - that's 8+ hours of sightseeing.

Day 1 totals: ~$280-360 (all meals, Metro, snacks - museums were FREE!)

8:30-9:30 AM Breakfast & Travel

Breakfast: Hotel or local cafe ($40-60 family)

Travel: Metro to Smithsonian station (Blue/Orange/Silver lines) - exits right on National Mall.

9:30 AM-12:30 PM National Air and Space Museum

Plan 3 hours here. This is the second most popular Smithsonian (after Natural History) and for good reason.

Must-see exhibits:

• Wright Brothers' 1903 Flyer (9:30-10:00 AM): THE first airplane. Kids understand significance instantly.
• Apollo 11 Command Module (10:00-10:30 AM): Actual spacecraft that went to the Moon in 1969. You can see scorch marks from re-entry. Mind-blowing.
• Space Race exhibits (10:30-11:30 AM): Moon rock you can TOUCH, spacesuits, satellites. Interactive and engaging.
• WWII Aviation (11:30 AM-12:00 PM): Fighter planes, bombers. Connects to school history lessons.
• Planetarium show (12:00-12:30 PM): Optional ($9-15/person), but excellent. "Cosmic Collisions" or current featured show.

Note: Air and Space Museum main building closed for renovation until 2025/2026. Check if it has reopened. If not, visit the Udvar-Hazy Center annex (near Dulles Airport - requires car/Uber, but worth it for aviation enthusiasts).

12:30-1:30 PM Lunch on National Mall

Options:

• Food trucks on Mall: Variety, $10-15/person, quick
• Museum cafes: Convenient but overpriced ($15-20/person)
• Walk to nearby restaurant: L'Enfant Plaza has multiple options (10-minute walk)

Cost: $50-80 family

1:30-4:00 PM National Museum of American History

Plan 2-2.5 hours here. This museum makes American history REAL for kids.

Must-see exhibits:

• Star-Spangled Banner (1:30-2:00 PM): THE original flag that inspired national anthem (War of 1812). Massive (30x34 feet). Flag Room is darkened to preserve fabric - powerful presentation.
• First Ladies' Gowns (2:00-2:30 PM): Inaugural ball gowns from every First Lady. Kids (especially girls) love this.
• Presidential History (2:30-3:15 PM): Artifacts from presidents, Abraham Lincoln's top hat, Thomas Jefferson's desk. Connects names from textbooks to real objects.
• American Pop Culture (3:15-4:00 PM): Dorothy's ruby slippers from Wizard of Oz, Kermit the Frog original puppet, Muhammad Ali's boxing gloves. Fun way to end museum visit.

Skip: Transportation history, agricultural history (interesting but kids less engaged).

4:00-4:30 PM Rest Break

Find benches on Mall, rest for 30 minutes. You've been in museums for 6+ hours. Everyone needs a break before evening activities.

4:30-5:30 PM Walk Monument Loop

Activity: Walk between Washington Monument → WWII Memorial → Lincoln Memorial (if you want to see it during day vs just sunset yesterday) → Korean War Memorial → Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Distance: About 1.5 miles total, 45-60 minutes at family pace with stops.

Most moving for kids: Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall with 58,000+ names). Many families do name rubbings if they have a family connection.

5:30-6:30 PM Dinner

Options near White House / Downtown area:

• Matchbox Pizza: Wood-fired pizza, family portions ($20-25/person)
• Busboys and Poets: Eclectic menu, community vibe, good for families ($18-25/person)
• District Taco: Excellent, cheap, filling Yucatan-style tacos ($12-15/person)

Cost: $70-100 family

6:30-7:30 PM White House Evening View & Walk

Activity: Walk to White House north fence (Pennsylvania Avenue side). Even without a tour, seeing the White House lit up at night is an "I was there" moment.

Photos: Take family photo with White House in background. Classic DC memory.

Walk around: Lafayette Square (park across from White House), Treasury Building, Old Executive Office Building.

Return to hotel: Metro from Metro Center or McPherson Square stations.

Day 2 totals: ~$280-360 (meals, Metro, possible planetarium show - again, most attractions FREE!)

8:30-9:30 AM Breakfast & Travel

Breakfast: Hotel or bagel shop ($40-60 family)

Travel: Metro to Archives-Navy Memorial station.

9:30-10:30 AM National Archives

This is THE must-see for understanding American founding. Allow 1 hour.

What you'll see:

• Declaration of Independence (original, 1776): Signed by Founding Fathers. Faded but real.
• Constitution (original, 1787): "We the People..." - document that defines American government.
• Bill of Rights (original, 1791): First 10 amendments including freedom of speech, religion, right to bear arms.

Viewing experience: Documents are in low-light cases (preservation). Can be crowded. Viewing takes 15-20 minutes. Rest of museum has exhibits on American history.

10:30 AM-1:30 PM National Museum of African American History and Culture

This is the newest and most powerful Smithsonian. Opened 2016. Plan 3 hours.

Structure: Start on lowest level (history of slavery, Civil War) and work your way up chronologically to modern culture and achievements.

Age appropriateness: Best for ages 10+ (mature 8-9 year-olds okay with parental guidance). Slavery exhibits are historically accurate = intense. Civil Rights era powerful. Upper floors celebrate culture (music, sports, art).

Highlights:

• Slave ship recreation (difficult but important)
• Emmett Till casket (Civil Rights martyrdom)
• Lunch counter sit-in displays
• Muhammad Ali boxing gloves
• Chuck Berry's Cadillac

Parenting note: Prepare kids beforehand. Explain that some exhibits are sad/difficult but important to understand American history honestly. Most families say this was the most educational museum of the trip.

1:30-2:30 PM Lunch

Options: Museum cafe or walk to nearby restaurants on SW Waterfront (15-minute walk - newer development with many options).

Cost: $60-90 family

2:30-5:00 PM Georgetown Exploration

Activity: Shift from museums to neighborhood exploration. Georgetown is DC's oldest neighborhood (founded 1751) with shopping, restaurants, waterfront.

What to do:

• M Street shopping (2:30-3:30 PM): Mix of chains and local boutiques. Good for teens who are "museumed out."
• Georgetown Cupcake (3:30-4:00 PM): Famous DC cupcakes (from TLC show). Expect 15-30 minute line but worth it for fans ($4/cupcake).
• Walk Georgetown waterfront (4:00-5:00 PM): Potomac River views, benches, boardwalk. Peaceful end to busy trip.

Why Georgetown: Breaks up museum intensity, gives teens something they enjoy, still educational (historic architecture, cobblestone streets).

5:00-6:30 PM Early Dinner in Georgetown

Options:

• Filomena Ristorante: Italian, family portions, famous desserts ($30-35/person)
• Mike's American: Burgers, comfort food, casual ($20-25/person)
• Baked & Wired: Cafe, sandwiches, pastries ($12-15/person)

Cost: $80-120 family

6:30-7:30 PM Optional Evening Activity

If energy remains:

• Kennedy Center (free tour or evening performance): National performing arts center, rooftop terrace with DC views
• Monuments at night: Return to Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial - beautifully lit, less crowded at night
• Tidal Basin paddle boats: Seasonal, $15/hour, peaceful evening activity

If exhausted (more likely): Return to hotel, rest, pack for departure tomorrow.

Day 3 totals: ~$320-420 (meals, Metro, Georgetown treats - museums still FREE!)