Washington DC with kids: our 3 day family itinerary

Washington DC was the final stop on our US East Coast road trip this June, and while two nights wasn’t quite enough we crammed a lot in with our 17-month-old. We knew that timing would be a little tight going in, and while the weather was scorching, we came home with a real soft spot for the city and would definitely use it as an entry or departure city from a future USA road trip.

We started the road trip in Charleston (South Carolina) and worked our way north through North Myrtle Beach and Richmond (Virginia) before finishing in the capital. Of course DC works as a standalone city break too, especially with the amount of world-class museums available, but given the variety of road trip options along the East Coast (read a few of our favourite here), it’d be a shame to just return back to the UK without venturing out.

Why Washington DC works so well with kids

Before we went, I wasn’t entirely sure how DC would work with a toddler. It’s a city built around politics and history, and it doesn’t immediately shout “great with a 17-month-old”. As I usually find on our US trips, we were wrong to doubt it. Here’s why:

• Almost everything is free. The Smithsonian museums, the National Zoo, the Mall, the monuments and memorials: all free. It makes DC one of the most affordable major cities we’ve visited
• It works well around a toddler’s rhythm. An hour at a museum, time outside on the Mall, back for a nap: you can do all of that without feeling like you’ve wasted anything
• It’s pushchair-friendly. The National Mall is long but completely flat, and most of the main sights cluster around it. A lightweight travel pram is useful given the distances involved

Things to do in Washington DC with toddlers:

• Don’t miss: Capitol Building, National Museum of Natural History, National Mall and Lincoln Memorial
• Particularly great with toddlers: National Air and Space Museum, National Zoo, and the National Building Museum (dedicated play zone for 2 to 6 year olds) and The National Children’s Museum
• Book in advance: National Zoo requires a date reservation, and the Air and Space Museum requires timed entry slots. Both are free, but book before you travel
• Getting around: It’s very walkable around the Mall, and we found the Metro good if you’re staying centrally. A car is useful for a residential base (for supermarket shops and trips out of the city) but parking in the city itself is expensive and not necessary with the subway

Where to stay in Washington with kids: Bloomingdale

We stayed in a holiday rental in Bloomingdale, a residential neighbourhood about a mile north of the Mall. It was a good base: easy to park (providing your accommodation provider sorts your visitor permit), calm in the evenings, and close enough that the distances into the main drag each day are manageable. On the Sunday morning there is also a farmers market on, which was a lovely way to start the day.

Vrbo has a good range of family-friendly rentals across all of the main neighbourhoods.

💡 Travelling with a toddler and need equipment at your destination? Hiring baby gear locally from BabyQuip is a good option in the US, covering travel cots, high chairs, car seats and more.

Best family hotels in Washington DC

The Grand Hyatt Washington is one of the most family-friendly central options. Metro Center station is right below the lobby, which means you can get to the Zoo, the Mall and Reagan National without stepping outside. Rooms are spacious and recently renovated, there’s a small indoor pool, and young children eat free at breakfast.

Residence Inn by Marriott DC National Mall is the pick if you want hotel convenience with a self-catering feel. All rooms are suites with full kitchens, there’s a free hot breakfast every morning, and an indoor pool on site. It’s one block from Federal Center SW Metro, and walking distance to the Air and Space Museum and Capitol Building.

Hyatt House Washington DC / The Wharf sits on the Potomac waterfront about three blocks south of the Mall. Rooms are large, some with kitchenettes, and free breakfast is included. There’s an outdoor rooftop pool which is a draw in summer, and the Wharf itself is a good spot for eating out in the evening. Note that cribs aren’t available here, so worth factoring in with very young toddlers.

Holiday Inn Washington Capitol – National Mall is the most budget-friendly of the four and a solid family choice. Walking distance from the Air and Space Museum and the Mall, connecting rooms available, free cribs, and a rooftop pool that runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day with a lifeguard on duty. There’s also an on-site Starbucks, which matters more than it should after early starts with a toddler.

Browse all Washington DC family hotels on Booking.com.

Getting to Washington DC from the UK

There are direct flights from Heathrow to Reagan National (DCA) and Dulles (IAD) with British Airways. If you’re ending a road trip in DC, it works really well as a fly-out point. And if you’re flying long-haul with a toddler for the first time, our guide to managing jet lag with babies and toddlers is worth reading before you go (it’s largely based around our 3 US trips during R’s first 18 months).

Things to do in Washington DC with kids: 3 and 4 day family itinerary

Day 1: the National Mall and Lincoln Memorial

We arrived in the afternoon after a drive from Richmond, Virgina, and headed straight back out to make the most of the long June evening.

The National Mall is a 2-mile stretch of open parkland running from the Lincoln Memorial in the west to the Capitol Building in the east. It’s one of those places you’ve seen so many times on screen that arriving in person feels slightly surreal, and it didn’t disappoint. We walked the length of the Reflecting Pool (which had just reopened) and the scale of everything is really something.

We timed it so we were at the Lincoln Memorial in the early evening. June is a good time for this as the sun sets late, so it was still bright and warm without the full heat of midday. The steps up are manageable but there is a lift around the left side as you look at the statue. R was entirely unbothered by Abraham Lincoln but we enjoyed it! After this we walked around the back of the White House and saw other phenomenal buildings like the National Archives.

Day 2: Natural History Museum, nap, Capitol Building and Air and Space Museum

Sunday started with the farmers market in Bloomingdale and then we spent the morning at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. The moment you walk in, you’re greeted by Henry, an 11-ton African elephant who has stood in the central rotunda since 1959. The dinosaur and mammal galleries are as impressive as you’d expect, and there was a lot that held R’s attention better than we had expected (probably because of the sheer scale of everything). Like London’s National History Museum, entry is completely free, which at a museum of that quality still feels a bit wild.

We went back to our Airbnb at lunchtime for R to have a proper nap, and to give us a little break from walking given how hot and humid it was.

In the afternoon we went to the Capitol Building. We hadn’t booked a guided tour in advance (you need to arrange this through the Capitol Visitor Center and it’s worth doing ahead of time), so we explored the grounds and the exterior, which is pretty spectacular in itself. I hadn’t realised just how much the Capitol is used in movies and TV to be honest!

From there we walked across to the (also free) Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. You need to book a timed entry slot in advance during busy periods, so sort that before you travel. R loves plane spotting but I’d expected this to be more for older kids. However the aircraft and spacecraft hanging from the ceiling are enormous, and R was completely transfixed from the moment we walked in. We had to physically carry him out when it was time to leave!

Day 3: National Zoo and Bloomingdale farmers market

We got up early and took the subway to the Smithsonian National Zoo, which also requires a free timed entry booking in advance. It’s a bit of a walk from the subway station and the zoo itself is fairly hilly. but there is a Starbucks by the entrance if you need a coffee fix when you get there. Again I couldn’t believe this zoo was free! My list is not exhaustive but we saw giant pandas, lions, tigers, elephants, sea lions and there was a cute kids’ farm area. The elephant enclosure was huge and what I liked (as someone who usually avoids visiting animals in captivity) was how large the exhibits were – it looked like it was strong on animal welfare.

What we’d add with more time

The International Spy Museum looked brilliant and is on the list for when R is a bit older. It’s one of the few paid attractions in DC (around $25-30 per adult) and covers espionage history in an interactive way.

The National Postal Museum came up again and again when I looked into DC with toddlers and sounds like a genuine hidden gem. Kids can climb on real mail trains and trucks, play with stamps, and apparently take some home. It’s right next to Union Station, completely free, and reportedly less hectic than the Mall museums.

The National Building Museum is also worth knowing about for this age. There’s a dedicated play zone for 2 to 6 year olds and a Lego room that comes highly recommended by parents. Entry isn’t free unlike the Smithsonians though.

And finally, the Great Falls Park, Virginia looked like a good stop on the drive in from Richmond. The Potomac drops through a dramatic rocky gorge with flat overlook trails that are easy with a pushchair.

Washington DC as part of an East Coast road trip

DC works perfectly as a first or final stop on a longer East Coast trip. Here’s how our route looked:

• Atlanta to Lake Oconee, Georgia (1 night)
• Charleston, South Carolina (3 nights)
• North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina (4 nights)
• Richmond, Virginia (1 night)
• Washington DC (2 nights, but ideally would have done 3)

If you’re driving through Virginia. Richmond is worth a lunch stop and the Maymont Park there is free, lovely, and has a farm that R loved as well as a very picturesque Japanese garden. If you’re planning more of the US East Coast, our Boston, Vermont and Cape Cod, road trip is worth a look or our Florida Keys guide might inspire you.

Our Washington DC family destination score

1. Getting there: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Direct flights from Heathrow with BA and United, with two international airports. A hire car isn’t essential if you’re staying centrally and happy on the Metro, but needed for a longer road trip which we’d highly recommend. Search with Discover Cars for the best rates.

2. Pramability: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

The National Mall is completely flat and very manageable with a pushchair. The Zoo has some hills but the paths are fine. The challenge is the distances involved and particularly in the heat, so a lightweight pram makes a real difference. Some Metro stations don’t have lifts, so worth checking your route in advance.

3. Adult fun factor: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The monuments, museums, architecture and history are all brilliant, and the free access to world-class institutions is a big plus. We came home wanting more time here. The only thing I didn’t get a sense of is the food – while everything we had was tasty, the cities we’ve been to recently like Charleston, Chicago and Boston all had big food scenes.

4. Cost: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The Smithsonian museums and the Zoo being free makes a huge difference. Your main costs are accommodation (DC isn’t cheap), food and transport, but lean into the free attractions and self-cater where you can and it’s very reasonable for a capital city.

Got questions about visiting Washington DC with a baby or toddler? Drop them in the comments or find me on Instagram @LittleBritsAbroad.

Allie, Jack & R x

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Washington DC with kids: FAQs