If you have never been to our nation's capitol this is the time to go.
Family vacations there will be educational as well as fun.
Be sure and find a centrally located place to stay.
If you Google hotels and motels you will even find that there is even a motel with a fridge and microwave to help you save money on meals.
Be sure and pick a place that is near the metro.
If you use the metro you can travel anyplace in the D.
C.
area.
When you arrive in D.
C.
and get settled into your motel/hotel get out the map and the guide book and decide your plan of action.
The National Mall will more than likely be your first destination.
Now don't be thinking you are spending the first day of your vacation checking out toy stores and department stores because it isn't that kind of mall.
The National Mall is an area that goes from the Lincoln Memorial to the U.
S.
Capitol.
In this area alone you can visit the Vietnam Memorial and look for people your family has known on the wall of the fallen.
The W.
W.
II Memorial and the Korean War Memorial are also in this area.
The reflecting pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial is a beautiful place to sit and think and watch the people pass by.
Not far away is the Washington Monument.
It is the one that you see standing tall in the night in shows about Washington, D.
C.
Keep on walking towards the Capitol and you pass the National Aquarium, the Customs Bureau, and the Museum of American History which is part of the Smithsonian.
The rest of the Smithsonian buildings are further on up the walk in the Mall.
Mom can go to the National Gallery of Art while the rest of you go to the Air and Space Museum.
There are so many places to visit while you are in D.
C.
You can take a Trolley Tour to get where you are going.
A one day ticket allows you to hop on and hop off.
There are many places to check out that are not on the Mall.
Don't miss seeing Ford's Theater where Lincoln was shot.
White House tours have been reinstituted.
Requests to tour must be submitted through your Congressman (up to 6 months in advance).
The tour is free.
Prior to your tour you should stop by the White House Visitor's Center.
It will enhance your visit.
You cannot take your camera or video camera inside.
Check prior to arriving to be certain the tour has not been cancelled for some reason.
Don't forget the day trips that you want to take while in D.
C.
Take the metro to the Zoo.
The National Zoological Park is located in Rock Creek Park and is a wonderful place to spend the day.
You can wander around and visit animals from different countries.
Be sure to visit the aviary where the birds fly free among plants, trees and displays.
The Reptile House is always a big draw but if you don't like snakes it is well enclosed and easy to skip.
There are plenty of restrooms and snack places.
Take a short trip to Mount Vernon and see the home of our first president, George Washington.
The people who work there are dressed in Colonial clothing.
There are walking tours, cruises, candlelight tours, and dinners.
There is a food court available and lunch is served in the dining room(first available.
Also nearby and a day trip will be the Manassas battleground and the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis.
Visiting our nation's capitol is a vacation your whole family will remember.