Washington DC is the capital and main political city of the United States – the White House, the Capitol, the headquarters of many government organizations, banks and other spots located there are not very interesting for travelers. However, this doesn’t mean that a trip to Washington DC with children will be boring and monotonous.
The sights of Washington DC are so amazing that they will captivate children of all ages. Among them are various historical centers and technical museums, one of the largest zoos in the United States, walking parks, cafes, entertainment and shopping centers.
Taking into account the specifics of resting with a child, it’s better to plan your route in Washington in advance. Of course, it will be difficult for you to combine it with the public transport schedule, thus we recommend that you rent a car for your trip. You can pick up Enterprise car rental Reagan Airport which will be an excellent solution for easy movement around the area. Don’t know how to book it? Use a simple rent a car app.
So, if you’re ready to start your family journey, let’s take a look at where to go and how to have a great time with your kids in Washington DC…
International Spy Museum
Young fans of Arthur Conan Doyle’s novels and James Bond’s films will like this museum in Washington DC. Thus, take your kids and go there in a rental car!
Here are the most real spy things, listening devices, cameras in the form of lighters, weapons disguised as cosmetics. Visitors have the opportunity not only to look at the exhibits and rooms introducing the spy life of the World War II and the Cold War, but also to temporarily turn into secret agents. What child doesn’t dream about it?
The interactive game “Spy” will allow you to experience all the delights of a secret life: players will have the opportunity to search for secret documents, escape from the pursuit and place bugs, all in costumes with the use of spy equipment. This museum won’t leave anyone bored. After visiting the International Spy Museum, the streets of Washington will seem to be filled with double agents and scouts.
Smithsonian National Zoological Park
Do you want to spend time in Washington in an interesting and informative way? Be sure to visit the Smithsonian Zoo on your family car rental trip. This excursion will take the whole day, so it’s worth preparing young visitors in advance.
The zoo in Washington DC is divided into the following thematic pavilions:
Tigers and lions;
Herbivorous mammals;
Bears and pandas;
Asian trail;
Monkeys;
Reptiles;
Invertebrates;
Birds;
Amazonia;
Prairie;
Children’s farm.
The largest zoo in the DC contains more than 400 species of animals, many of which are listed in the Red List of Threatened Species, and are on the verge of extinction. Smithsonian National Zoological Park provides 163 acres of greenery, with benches and tables. Also, there are several cafes, so you can take a break and have a snack.
National Children’s Museum
In the entire District of Columbia, this is the very first place to go with children in a rental car. A visit to the museum will delight both toddlers and older children. Here, fairytale heroes invite guests to their magical world, lead them through enchanted forests and magical caves.
For young children, the launch of giant soap bubbles will be interesting, while older travelers will be glad to go to a real radio and television studio. In the children’s museum, you can try yourself in different professions from a cook to a firefighter. What if this will help your kid to make the right choice in the future?
Of course, after a great day, you can have a delicious lunch at the on-site cafe.
National Mall
The National Mall is the whole complex of monuments, attractions and museums, as well as many shady alleys, benches and gazebos where you can have a great time with the whole family. Almost all of the museums and memorials are located nearby, so you can park your rental car in the parking lot.
In addition to viewing the sights in the Mall, you can simply have a picnic, ride rollerblades or bicycles with the children, take a walk in the playgrounds, feed squirrels or sit in a cafe. At the same time, you can see the monuments to several US presidents, as well as get acquainted with the memorial plaques of the World War II and the wars in Vietnam and Korea. The Mall even includes the White House and the Capitol, so you can visit them too.
National Air and Space Museum
All dreamers of the sky, distant stars and planets, will be glad to go to the National Air and Space Museum. This is perhaps the most entertaining sight in the entire Washington DC for kids aged 10-16. The museum consists of two parts: the first is located in the Washington Mall, and the second in a special building near the airport. You can easily get there with your rental car.
Here you can study in detail the structure of spaceships, spacesuits and rockets, get acquainted with the life of cosmonauts, look at their training. Children will have the opportunity to study the entire history of aircraft construction from the moment of their first flight to modern liners and fighters, as well as feel like real pilots by trying a flight simulator.
