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monica
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 1:55am | IP Logged
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i know there are some moms here from the DC area. we will be in Ashburn VA for my son to see a specialist in the fall. we were hoping to see some sights in DC, but my kids are young, 5yo and 2 yo. so i am trying to think what is realistic. how busy is DC, tourist- wise in the fall? are there certain days of the week that are slower than others? which monuments have the longest lines?
also, the hotels i am finding are more towards dulles airport. how long does it take, with traffic to get from dulles to DC?
thanks so much
monica
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guitarnan
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 4:44am | IP Logged
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Weekdays are pretty calm, inside museums. Washington Monument could still have long lines. Air & Space can be busy at any time, and is thronged on weekends.
Dulles isn't really close to DC - it can take an hour and more to get into town. Also, there's no Metro or commuter train. Parking in DC is not too fun ($$$) so most visitors are happier taking Metro. Perhaps you could look at hotels that are closer to Metro stops? (Of course, you will probably have to drive to your doctor - do they have parking you could pay to use?)
The memorials around the Tidal Basin typically don't have lines. The Capitol could, depending on circumstances - you have to line up to get tickets, if I recall correctly. The Smithsonian museums don't have lines, per se, because they don't sell tickets. Natural History's Hope Diamond is popular, and the American History museum re-opens this fall and will be busy, too, I'm thinking.
How long are you staying?
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SusanJ
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| Posted: April 18 2008 at 7:22am | IP Logged
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We live in DC and you will enjoy a fall visit. Spring and summer are crazy, crazy tourist seasons with all the school kids either on vacation or on their fifth and eighth grade field trips. We completely avoid Natural History from Christmas until September and the Archives are pretty much impossible, too. But fall will be better and the other museums are less crazy. Air and Space is always busy but the design there makes it feel less crowded, in my opinion. If you stay out at Dulles you will want to check out the Udvar-Hazy annex of the Air and Space Museum. The best thing is that this is all free so if you get to a museum and find it too crowded or not to your liking you can leave after ten minutes and no money is lost.
The monuments won't be too crowded. I highly recommend you contact your member of Congress for tickets to things since you are planning things so far in advance. You can get tickets to tour the Capitol, the White House, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing (big hit with kids!) and the top of the Washington Monument. If you wait until you arrive in DC you have to wait in long lines at specific times of day to get inside these things. It's also neat to see your member of Congress and a staff member will give you the tour.
I love DC and we live on Capitol Hill right in the heart of everything so I'm glad to answer any other questions you have--though there are lots of NOVA moms here who make the trek in on a regular basis.
Susan
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Lara Sauer
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 10:33am | IP Logged
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I agree with Susan J., definitely contact your congressman's office. Many of them will do personal tours of the Capital that are fun and informative.
We love the zoo and since it is part of the Smithsonian, it is free, as well. There is fairly cheap parking to be had at the zoo. It is a nice sized zoo, and easy to see in a couple of hours. I also love taking my kids to see the Natural History Museum. Especially the rock exhibit, which is very colorful. And even more fun is the fact that you can pass through the dinosaur collection before getting there!
DC is a great place to visit. If you could swing it, try and see the monuments when they are lit up at night...they are much more magical that way!
Have you considered trying to stay with a family from the forum who lives in the area? There might be some families who would be able to offer you accomodations. Depending on when you would be coming, we might be able to help you in this regard. PM me if you are interested. I am about 15 minutes from DC, 30 minutes from Dulles and 45 from Ashburn.
Have fun planning your trip!
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monica
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| Posted: April 19 2008 at 3:22pm | IP Logged
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you guys have been such a great help. amazing. we dont have any dates set, have to still get an appointment. but all your suggestions will really help us in planning. thanks so much
monica
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4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Topic: seeing DC with young kids
