Our Road Trip To Washington, DC

I can't believe it's been a week since our road trip to Washington, DC. It's crazy how you plan something months in advance and do the research on what to do and where to stay and poof its done in a blink of an eye. We had such a blast and what made it so much more exciting was doing it with some friends and their kiddies. I wanted to share everything we did in hopes to help you with your trip to Washington, DC.  We are from NJ so the ride wasn't too long for us. It was about 3 1/2 hours give or take the time of day you go. The traffic wasn't to bad going down but to come back home that was a whole different story and it was mostly due to lane closures. Check out all the details below on our trip! I also have a Washington, DC highlight in my Instagram Stories for those of you who may be interested. This is probably my longest post yet so grab a snack and enjoy. 😉

Hotel

I booked our hotel through booking.com. We stood in the Hyatt Regency on Capital Hill and paid $156 a night for 2 double beds. The room was a perfect size for our family of four. My kids are always rating the rooms when we go on vacation and road trips so according to them it was fancy. The room was clean and met our standards for the price we paid. The room had a mini fridge which was perfect for us to store our water bottles and the kids juices. We also loved that there was so many outlets in the room making it super convenient for us to have all the electronics charging all at once. Because I used booking.com I was able to refer a friend with a code and was given a $25 reward in my booking.com account. The hotel also had an indoor pool which is a plus and a gym. They offered room service and also had a restaurant and bar. The hotel does not have any parking so we parked at a parking garage around the corner which was about $20 a day. My friend found parking on the street up the block from the hotel for FREE. So it just all depends but definitely make sure to read the signs etc you don't want a ticket or your car towed.

What We Did

So because we were going with friends I wanted to make sure we were all on the same page when planning what we wanted to see and do. We made sure that we took in account what everyone's must thing to do was done and that if we wanted to do our own thing that it was cool to do so as well. It can be hard going with a group of people to places like this so defiantly be open and plan. And remember just because your going with a group you can still do your own thing and meet up for dinner or other activities. 

Our first stop was the National Air & Space Museum. My boys absolutely loved this place. They had a lot of hands on stuff for the kids to see and explore. They also have an IMAX Theater and Planetarium addition to all the exhibits they offer in the museum. And if you didn't know all the museums are pretty much FREE. After visiting the museum we walked half way up to the Capitol and took some pictures with it behind us. Unfortunately it was raining on and off the day we arrived so a distant picture worked for us.

The next day we made a stop at the National Zoo. If you take an Uber or cab to the zoo make sure to ask them to drop you off in the main entrance which is Connecticut Ave. We were left at the exit part which is fine if we didn't have to walk up a hill through out the whole zoo. We loved what the zoo had to offer and the weather was actually perfect. All the kids really enjoyed it and they had so much to see and do. After the zoo we did some site seeing we took an Uber to the Lincoln Memorial. We had spent the rest of the afternoon walking and seeing all the monuments. I was so impress with how my kids were so interested in learning about the significance and importance of them and what they mean to our country. I will say that I myself learned a thing or two.

On our last day we checked out the Ford's Theater. If you haven't visited the Fords Theater I highly recommend you do. The Ford's Theater is where Abraham Lincoln was Assassinated. My oldest son took such a great interest in Abraham Lincoln that it honestly surprised me. He was telling me things I didn't even know so we learned a lot together which was nice. You will need a ticket to visit the theater and museum which are directly across the street from each other. The ticket is just $3 to visit both places. I really have to thank my friend for suggesting this museum because its something we really all enjoyed. 

We also decided to check out the Pink Lanterns in City Center DC. The Pink Lanterns are inspired by the blushed color from the Cherry Blossoms. Washington, DC is known for their Cherry Blossom Festival which was a few weeks before our trip. We walked through the alley which was filled with high end shops and made our way to down the street where we came across the Chinese Friendship Arch. I have never seen anything like it and it was really beautiful. I really love seeing different architectures, statues, and famous landmarks. If your a photographer or love photography then you'll love these places.

Dining with Picky Eaters 

I will be honest I thought that we had a lot more choices in the area for food. If you have Door Dash or Uber Eats then you will be ok. But if you don't then finding affordable places to eat with picky eaters may be challenging. Here are the places we ate at and my honest review on them. 

Le Bon Cafe - This place was a really cute place but it wasn't for our big group. It is a chic and tiny cafe. There was no seating available indoors so we had to sit outside which would of been ok if it wasn't so windy. The prices were pretty reasonable. 

Bistro Italiano - We ordered Pizza & Chicken Cesar Salad from here and it was so good. You seriously can't go wrong with pizza and they deliver.

Corner Bakery Cafe - I wish that the first day we went for breakfast that we knew about this place. It was literally around the corner from our hotel. It has like a Panera Bread feel to it. The breakfast was bomb.com. The staff was super nice and even put together tables so we could all sit together. They have great selections on their menu and the prices were not bad at all. They have something for everyone here.

Union Station - If your looking for chain restaurants like Chick-Fil-A, Taco Bell, Johnny Rockets, Shake Shack, Subway etc then this is the place for you. Union Station is not just a train station but also a shopping center and was only a 10 min walk from our hotel. Super easy to get to and tons of choices that you won't have a problem feeding your picky eater.

Cuba Libre - If your love Cuban food then this is the spot for you. I haven't eaten here in years well the one closes to me in Atlantic City that is. lol The food is amazing here and my husband was happy to finally have some rice and beans. If your Hispanic then you know what I mean. He can't live with out his rice and beans. The food is definitely worth it and they have a kids menu as well.

Baked by Yael - If you visit the National Zoo then definitely check out Baked by Yael. They are a NUT FREE & Kosher. They don't have to many options as they are known for just their cake pops. Both boys loved their Panda Cake Pops & I really enjoyed their Lemon Cake Pops. I wish I had purchased more before leaving because they were really yummy. If you have a chance check them out while before visiting the zoo or after. The are located directly across the street from the main entrance of the zoo.

Although all the museums are Free it can get a little pricey. You will definitely spend money on using cabs or Ubers going from place to place. There's no way you can get around by walking. Things look close by but in reality they are not. Make sure to wear your most comfortable walking shoes because you will be doing a lot of it even when you take a cab or Uber. I think the next time we go we may try doing one of the tour buses. You pay one fee and it will drive you to all the main attractions and depending the bus you can get on and off. I honestly can not complain because we had a great time. The kids loved it and they learned a lot as well. We can't wait to go back because we have a list of things that we still want to see. A weekend is definitely not enough.

Have you been to Washington, DC & what was your favorite place to visit there?

Hope you enjoyed this post and found it somewhat helpful if you are planning a trip to DC.

(Images by Lifewithginag)