Washington DC trip Need help..

[Alexle2007]

They go back home and we set out for a day along the Cheasepeake hitting my decoy and waterfowl museums before landing in Wildwood and Morey's for two nights. We'll hit the ferry and go down to Virginia Beach and Norfork then get up to Williamsburg for four days hit up the Civil War sites in Richmond and head to Appomattox, next day we stop at Monticello, Antietam, and Gettysburg before rolling into Hershey, and from there we end up in Philly for a couple of days before we fly back via Baltimore.

Can I ask where you are staying in Wildwood? DH and DS want to go back this summer but I need a better hotel than what we stayed in last year.

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Can I ask where you are staying in Wildwood? DH and DS want to go back this summer but I need a better hotel than what we stayed in last year.

The Star Lux

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Also most if not all the museums close at around 5.

Here's the hours
https://www.si.edu/hours

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

We just went over 4th of July last summer. We stayed at the Wyndham timeshare in Alexandria (rented from an owner we found on Redweek.com) It was a great deal for a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom unit with a full kitchen and living room. There was free laundry right down the hall from the room and covered parking. It was a great location right across the street from the Metro station and there were a ton of great restaurants we could walk to in the evening. There's also a free trolley that runs up and down King Street. One night we took the trolley down to the waterfront and then took a cruise up the river past all the monuments to Georgetown, had dinner, and then cruised back.

We applied for a White House tour, but were turned down. The White House visitor center was really neat, though. The Smithsonian museums are all free. We also found the CityPass on Groupon that saved us some money on attractions. My kids really loved the International Spy Museum. We did have cars, so we also ventured outside of the city to see Mt. Vernon and Monticello and I would really recommend both those tours.

We used the Metro quite a bit, but also found that Uber and Lyft were great for getting around. We met some really great local drivers and had a great time talking to them.

Can I ask what you needed to pay admission for? We leave for DC on Friday and it looks like most or all of the stuff there is free? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

We are staying at Wyndham Old Town Alexandria and using the metro...hope this is a good choice.

 

[100AcreWood]

You can definitely go to DC and only hit the free attractions. During our last visit the only thing we paid for was Ford's Theatre. I bought the $3 tickets in advance and I'm glad I did. The standby line was really long when we arrived! The International Spy Museum is on our list for next time and there is an admission charge. Also, if you like planes there is a great museum https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center that charges $15 to park but the admission is free. It's a little drive from DC.

 

[chartle]

Also, if you like planes there is a great museum https://airandspace.si.edu/udvar-hazy-center that charges $15 to park but the admission is free. It's a little drive from DC.

Udvar-Hazy is an extension of the air and space museum and is out near Dulles. Its almost all static displays of all kinds of aircraft from small bi planes to a Concorde to a SR-71 to one of the retired Space Shuttles. Its pretty much one huge hanger. I also think there is a hanger with a viewing area where you can see aircraft being restored.

If you go after 4:00 PM parking is free.

 

[Araminta18]

I'm going to rant here. How long was it closed to stabilize it after the earthquake? Why didn't the KNOWN issues of the elevators get fixed then. And people wonder why some hate the idea of government running stuff..

Ok, I'll bite.

Probably 'cause the Park Service budget is absolute crap, and the money was donated to fix the earthquake damage, and they decided to get it open as soon as possible so tourists on their once in a lifetime trip could go up it, rather than close it indefinitely as money trickles in a little bit at a time? It was a private donation that funded the fixing after the earthquake, and it's a private donation that's funding the fixing of the elevator now.

Government isn't intrinsically bad. Bad management, wherever it exists, is bad management. Forcing the Park Service to maintain a monument as iconic as the Washington Monument, and as old as the Washington Monument, with a miniscule and ever-shrinking budget, is bad management. If they had the money to fix the elevators at the same time as the earthquake damage, they would have done so. They simply didn't have funds, cause their budget is often used as a political football. /rant

 

[ncc1701]

Can I ask what you needed to pay admission for? We leave for DC on Friday and it looks like most or all of the stuff there is free? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

We are staying at Wyndham Old Town Alexandria and using the metro...hope this is a good choice.

The location is great , we stay at the Hilton next door. My one suggestion is if you want to go beyond the Mall is to checkout one of the hop on/off bus/trolley tours. On a food note we have eaten at Joe Theisman's which is across from the Metro when we don't want to go down to the Waterfront area or are eating in DC.

 

[Judique]

I didn't want to start a new thread for my question. Has anyone toured the Navy Museum on the Navy Yard? I've read some reviews and it sounds good and I know you have to either be escorted or fill out a form to get approved when you get there, but I was curious. I thought I might check it out before the baseball game if I have enough time.

I've toured it many times and have gone to events there but all my experience with it is pretty dated. I'm definitely out of touch with it now and can only say that it was a nice experience and quite interesting many years ago. It's quite convenient to do before a baseball game as far as location goes, but I would check the hours that it is open. Let us know what you think if you go! I have many fond memories from my time there including meeting Dr. Ballard after the Titanic discovery at a reception where he spoke about the expedition. Long time ago and things do change, even historical displays.

 

[Eureka]

Can I ask what you needed to pay admission for? We leave for DC on Friday and it looks like most or all of the stuff there is free? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

We are staying at Wyndham Old Town Alexandria and using the metro...hope this is a good choice.

Newseum, International Spy Museum, Phillips Collection, Mount Vernon (not actually in DC but close), National Geographic Museum are a few I can think of off the top of my head that are NOT free.

 

[jenrose66]

Great thread! We are also planning a D.C. Visit!

 

[WaywardMemphian]

Great thread! We are also planning a D.C. Visit!

We chose to do the Mt. Vernon Cruise down the Potomac. One Hour each way plus 3 hours there.

 

[nat8199]

Can I ask what you needed to pay admission for? We leave for DC on Friday and it looks like most or all of the stuff there is free? I just want to make sure I'm not missing anything.

We are staying at Wyndham Old Town Alexandria and using the metro...hope this is a good choice.

We often stay in Old Town and take the Metro. It is super easy. Just watch the signs because there are multiple lines to take into the mall, and some of them are being worked on, which means you have to switch to busses and then back to the metro.

You can go to all the Smithsonians for free. You can also pre order tickets to the Washington monument for free. If you did not do that, then you can show up the morning of and get in line, though those tickets are limited.

Off the beaten path, the Native American Museum is amazing and very interactive. My kids loved it. They also loved the Capital. On our next trip we are going to visit the National Archive and Library of Congress, these were recommended to me by a sixth grader that I teach who has a 7yo brother.

I would not pay for the Spy Museum or the Building Museum again. I WOULD pay for the Newseum many times more, but only for older kids (we went without kids), it would be over the head of littles.

The zoo is also free, but we have had bad weather whenever we have gone as a family (snow/sleet), so we have not been yet.

 

[nat8199]

Newseum, International Spy Museum, Phillips Collection, Mount Vernon (not actually in DC but close), National Geographic Museum are a few I can think of off the top of my head that are NOT free.

National Geographic Museum is next on our list of paid museums to try.

 

[Eureka]

National Geographic Museum is next on our list of paid museums to try.

I have not been to that one and actually have never been to the Newseum. Keeping meaning to go after my son went on a field trip there a few years ago.

 

[SirDuff]

You can also pre order tickets to the Washington monument for free. If you did not do that, then you can show up the morning of and get in line, though those tickets are limited.

Washington Monument is currently closed so there are no tickets to get (in advance or on the morning of).

 

[mi*vida*loca]

We are doing an adults only trip at the beginning of July. I’ve signed up for two tours with www.freetoursbyfoot.com They are free. You should give a donation at the end of the tour. We are most likely going to give $20 per person. They have rave reviews on trip advisor.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

All the museum advice given is good. I too agree go for all the free ones. For the paid I would only do the Spy museum as that is excellent. I'd skip the Newseum as someone else mentioned. It's expensive and all news you've seen before.
One lodging suggestion I have is to stay at the National Harbor especially if it is the Fourth of July weekend. You can see the fireworks and not deal with crowds. Heck we got a balcony once at the Gaylord and saw the fireworks from our room. There is a shuttle to DC a boat to Alexandra and Georgetown. Many boat tours. Plenty of dining and entertainment options. Check it out.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

All the museum advice given is good. I too agree go for all the free ones. For the paid I would only do the Spy museum as that is excellent. I'd skip the Newseum as someone else mentioned. It's expensive and all news you've seen before.
One lodging suggestion I have is to stay at the National Harbor especially if it is the Fourth of July weekend. You can see the fireworks and not deal with crowds. Heck we got a balcony once at the Gaylord and saw the fireworks from our room. There is a shuttle to DC a boat to Alexandra and Georgetown. Many boat tours. Plenty of dining and entertainment options. Check it out.

Do you have any idea how much the shuttle costs that runs to DC from National Harbor? Is the metro an option nearby?

We are staying at the Wyndham in National Harbor. I had a certificate for two nights free so we got a one bedroom deluxe.

 

[Princess Disney Mom]

Do you have any idea how much the shuttle costs that runs to DC from National Harbor? Is the metro an option nearby?

We are staying at the Wyndham in National Harbor. I had a certificate for two nights free so we got a one bedroom deluxe.

Great. You will have a great time. There is no metro. I am not sure of the shuttle prices as I am a local. I'm sure you can call the Whyndam and ask or check their website. There is always something happening there so check out the schedule online.