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  • Current Events

  • Mar18

    The Famous Cherry Blossoms

    Posted in: Current Events, Festivals, Spring Activities, Top Attractions, Travel Tips, Uncategorized | No Comments

    It is that time of year again, the cherry blossoms are about to bloom and the crowds are making their way to DC. This is a beautiful time of year to be in the city and a popular time. If you are planning a Spring trip be sure to pack your patience as there will be crowds, but there will also be lots to do!

    Washington DC Tidal Basin Jefferson Memorial

     Cherry Blossom Festival 2013

    This year’s Cherry Blossom Festival will run for four weeks from March 20th – April 14th with the peak blossom viewing days anticipated on March 26th – 30th. The best place to see the Cherry Blossoms is at the Tidal Basin. This is the area near the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Jefferson Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. My favorite viewing spot is at the MLK Memorial looking over the tidal basin with the Jefferson Memorial in the background. It’s just beautiful.

    My advice is to call your member of congress and request an early morning tour at the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. The BEP offers a great tour of the production plant where the paper money is printed. Start out early that morning and walk around the tidal basin to see the cherry blossoms before you take your tour of the BEP. You’ll beat the crowds and enjoy it so much more. Can’t get a ticket to tour the BEP through your member of congress? The BEP begins handing out daily tickets each morning at 8:00am.

    So what else is going on during the four week Cherry Blossom Festival?

    The National Kite Festival will be held on Saturday, March 30th on the National Mall at the base of the National Monument. Didn’t remember to pack a kite? No problem. The Smithsonian Museum gift shops all sell kites so pick one up as you are touring the museum.

    National Kite Festival

    The Corcoran Gallery of Art is offering a kite making class on Saturday, April 23rd in preparation for the National Kite Festival and there will also be stations on the National Mall where you can make a kite during the festival.

    The Tidal Basin will offer Paddle Boat rides daily from 10am – 5pm. You can make a reservation in advance by calling 202-479-2426 and the rate is $12-$19 an hour.

    Tidal Basin Paddle Boats

    The Cherry Blossom Parade will be held on April 13th at 10am. You can find a spot to watch along Constitution Avenue or call ahead for $20 grandstand seating. 1-800-745-3000

    Click here to visit the official Cherry Blossom website and find a complete list of activities. You can also download a free app that gives you even more information about daily activities and offers coupons at area stores and restaurants. Another resource is the Washington Post Going Out Guide which has a list of Cherry Blossom activities in the area. The Going Out Guide is a great resource for current events in the city at any time of year.

    And remember, as always, the best way to make your trip less stressful is to leave the car at home and take the metro. The metro is safe and easy and will take you to all of the major tourist sites. Click here for more information on taking the metro.

    Have a great time exploring the gorgeous city and don’t forget your camera!

  • Mar01

    Corcoran Gallery of Art – Free Family Day on Saturday

    Posted in: Current Events, Festivals, Museum | No Comments

    Looking for a fun family weekend activity? This Saturday the Corcoran Gallery of Art is hosting a free family day from 10am – 3pm. There will be face painting, dance workshops, gallery tours, a raffle and lots more. Visit the Corcoran website for more information.

    Corcoran Gallery of Art

  • Feb20

    White House Easter Egg Roll

    Posted in: Current Events, Spring Activities, Top Attractions, Uncategorized, White House | No Comments

    White House Easter Egg Roll

    The White House Easter Egg Roll is a Washington tradition dating back to 1878. Of course over the years the event has gotten bigger and this year the President and his family will welcome over 35,000 guests to the White House grounds. So how can you get a ticket?

    This year’s White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on Monday, April 1, 2013 and the lottery for tickets opens this Thursday, February 21st at 10:00 am EST. Visit www.recreation.gov to enter the lottery and try your luck at winning free tickets.

    There will be live music, book readings, cooking demonstrations and of course the rolling of the Easter eggs. The events are geared towards children under 13, but honestly who wouldn’t love to spend a morning on the lawn of the White House.

    Be sure to let us know if you score tickets!

     

  • Jan31

    Butterflies at the Museum of Natural History

    Posted in: Current Events, Museum, Uncategorized | 1 Comment

    Washington, DC really does have some amazing places to visit with kids. My daughter and I were reminded of that this week when we visited the Butterfly Pavilion at the Smithsonian’s Museum of Natural History.

    On the second floor of the museum is a butterfly exhibit and for a small fee (adults $6 and kids $5) you can walk through a butterfly pavilion. The pavilion looks like a giant bubble and is about 10 yards long. In it is a tropical garden filled with dozens of varieties of butterflies. You will see them flying everywhere, but you are also able to get a good look at them as they stop to taste a flower or fruit that has been left out for them.

    I was lucky and made a friend who I carried around on my shoulder the entire time I was in the pavilion. As you leave there are huge mirrors so you can check to make sure no butterflies are hitching a ride and trying to make a break for it.

    After walking through the butterfly exhibit we explored the insect exhibit. Butterflies or insects, one will surely interest your child. We were “lucky” enough to run into a Smithsonian scientist who had some bugs you could hold. Now I am from South Carolina and I’m used to large cockroaches, but I had never seen a cockroach this big. Yuck!

    It was a really fun afternoon. We had visited the museum before, but these exhibits were new for both of us. That’s the great thing about the Smithsonian museums, they are free so you don’t feel as if you have to conquer the entire museum in one visit.

    • Location: 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
    • Metro: Smithsonian Stop on the Blue/Orange Line
    • Hours: 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
    • Tickets: Timed tickets (every 15 minutes) are sold in advance on the website or can be purchased outside of the exhibit on the 2nd floor of the museum. Adults – $6.00 Children (2-12) – $5.00. **On Tuesdays the exhibit is FREE**

  • Dec21

    More family activities in Washington, DC

    Posted in: Concerts, Current Events, Holidays, Museum, Uncategorized | No Comments

    Here are a few more tips for entertaining your family and friends over the next several days when you aren’t unwrapping gifts:

    • Behind the scenes National Cathedral Tour: Recommended for children 11 years old and older. 10:30 am and 1:30 pm most weekdays. $15 per person. Washington National Cathedral, Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues, NW.
    • Monument Tour by Night: Lead by a National Park Service Ranger. 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday. FREE. Tour begins at the World War II Memorial, 17th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. For more information call 202-426-6841.
    • Portrait Story Days – Jim Henson: listen to a story about the famous Muppet’s creator and create a special piece of art. Saturday, December 22nd from 1:00 pm- 4:00 pm and Sunday, December 23rd from 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm. FREE. National Gallery of Art, Eight and F Streets, NW. For more information call 202-633-1000.
    • An Enchanted Christmas – Sing-A-Long: Choral Art Society of Washington will perform beloved Christmas carols and favorite sing-a-longs. Monday, December 24th at 1:00 pm. $15-$70. Kennedy Center Concert Hall, 2700 F Street, NW. For more information call 202-467-4600.
    • The Stories of Eric Carle: “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “Brown Bear, Brown Bear,” “Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me,” all performed for children 4 years old and older. 11:00 am and 1:30 pm December 27-31. $18. Kennedy Center Family Theater, 2700 F Street, NW. For more information call 202-467-4600
    • The Building Zone: Children learn about the building trade through play. Recommended for children 2 years old – 6 years old. 10:00 am – 4:00 pm Mondays – Saturdays and 11:00 am – 4:00 pm on Sundays. Closed Christmas Day. $3. National Building Museum, 401 F Street, NW. For more information call 202-272-2448.
    • And remember the U.S Botanic Garden with their wonderful train exhibit will be open on Christmas Day.

    Have fun with your family and friends in Washington, DC during the holidays.

     I would like to thank the Washington Post and their Local Living section for helping me stay in the know!

     

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