Field trips during the school year and family vacations during the summer keep Washington, D.C., crawling with kids all year long. More than any other city, perhaps, Washington is crammed with historic buildings, arts and science museums, parks, and recreational sites to interest young and old alike. Some museums, like the National Museum of Natural History, have hands-on exhibits for children. Many more sponsor regular, usually free, family-oriented events, such as the Corcoran Gallery of Art's "Family Days" and the Folger Shakespeare Library's seasonal activities. It's worth calling or checking websites in advance for the schedules of the attractions you're thinking of visiting. The fact that so many attractions are free is a boon to the family budget.
Hotels, more and more, are doing their part to make family trips affordable, too. At many lodgings, children under a certain age (usually 12) sleep free in the same room with their parents. Hotel weekend packages often offer special family rates.
Restaurants throughout the Washington area are growing increasingly family-friendly. Many provide kids' menus or charge less for children's portions. The best news, though, is that families are welcome at all sorts of restaurants these days and need no longer stick only to burger joints.
Washington, D.C., is easy to navigate with children. The Metro covers the city, and it's safe. Children 4 and under ride free.
The Washington Post publishes a "Weekend" section every Friday that covers all possible happenings in the city, including family-friendly activities. If you arrive on a Friday, be sure to pick up a copy of the paper; otherwise, you can go online to www.washingtonpost.com, click on the "City Guide" section, and then click on "This Weekend" in the browsing window to read what's up, entertainment wise, in Washington.
Recommended family travel websites include Family Travel Forum (www.familytravelforum.com), a comprehensive site that offers customized trip planning; Family Travel Network (www.familytravelnetwork.com), an online magazine providing travel tips; and TravelWithYourKids.com (www.travelwithyourkids.com), a comprehensive site written by parents for parents offering sound advice for long-distance and international travel with children. Also look for Frommer's Washington, D.C., with Kids, which makes an excellent companion piece to this guide, providing in-depth coverage of sightseeing with children in Washington.
