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  • Top Attractions

  • Nov15

    Ice Skating in Washington, DC

    Posted in: Current Events, Top Attractions | 1 Comment

    There is a chill in the air and that means the area ice skating rinks are opening for the season. Two of our favorite rinks are conveniently located in one of the city’s hottest shopping districts and right downtown among the Smithsonian Museums. Strap on your rented skates and let the kids burn off some energy or people watch with a cup of hot chocolate.

    Washington Harbor

    New this year is the ice skating rink at Washington Harbor in Georgetown. This beautiful rink is located on the banks of the Potomac River and steps away from some of the city’s best shopping and restaurants. What a perfect way to spend an afternoon and finish the day with a yummy dinner. The rink opens this Monday, November 19th and will be open daily and on Thanksgiving Day.

    Hours and Tickets: The rink is open Monday – Thursday: 12:00 pm to 9:00 pm, Friday: 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm, Saturday: 10:00 am to 10:00 pm and Sunday: 10:00 am to 7:00 pm. Tickets for adults are $9.00 and children are $7.00

    Getting there: The rink is located at 3050 K Street, NW in Georgetown. There is no metro stop in Georgetown, but you won’t have any trouble finding a taxi that will take you there or try the Circulator Bus which makes regular stops in Georgetown.

    Dining: There are lots of kid friendly restaurants in Georgetown to choose from. Click here for a list of our favorites, but for a quick delicious snack stop by Paul for a French treat and a delicious cup of coffee or hot chocolate. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

    National Gallery Sculpture Garden

    This is my go to spot when friends come to visit in the winter. It is a beautiful location in the middle of the National Gallery’s Sculpture Garden and right on the National Mall, home to the Smithsonian Museums. This year the rink will open Sunday, November 18th.

    It is a popular spot so if it’s a nice day you may have to wait for your turn to skate, but look at the great art you can exposure your children to while you wait.

    Hours and Tickets:  The rink is open Monday – Thursday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm, Friday and Saturday 10:00 am to 11:00 pm and Sunday 11:00 am to 9:00 pm. Tickets for adults are $8.00 and children are $7.00.

    Getting There: The rink is located on Constitution Avenue, NW between 3rd and 9th Streets, NW. The closest metro station is the Archives/Navy Memorial Metro Stop on the yellow and green line. Click here for metro tips.

    Dining: Lucky for you there is also a Paul located within walking distance of this ice skating rink as well. Additionally there is a small cafe at the rink and plenty of other dining options close by. Click here to find our recommendations in the area.

    So whether you’re just learning…

    …or an old pro, enjoy the winter season in Washington and take your kids out for a spin on the ice.

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  • Aug24

    Quack Quack

    Posted in: Restaurants, Top Attractions, Tours | 1 Comment

    I love to be a tourist in my own town and that’s just what I was today. We joined some friends and headed downtown for a tour of Washington, DC with the DC Ducks.

    The DC Ducks is a unique tour of DC in a converted WWII DUKW amphibious vehicle, which means after you take a drive past the major sites you’ll splash down into the Potomac River for a unique view of the city from the water. You may have seen similar tours in Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore or Seattle.

    You can buy your tickets for the tours online (at a discount), but you are not able to choose a specific tour time. The vehicles leave from Union Station and are filled on a first come first serve basis. It is best to arrive early in the morning (9:00 am) to get your name on the list. If you don’t make the first car/boat at 10:00 am you can choose a later tour and come back. Union Station is near the Capitol and the National Mall so you will find you have plenty of options to fill your time if you end up on a later tour. We arrived at 9:30 am and were able to get on the first tour, but it is August – not the height of the tourist season.

    We were with kids ranging in age from six to eight. It was a slow start (literally) as we were driving through DC traffic and the kids were a bit antsy and hot, but Captain Kent, our tour guide, kept it light and funny and the kids listened and asked questions. The tour is light on heavy history and heavy on fun facts.

    Once we splashed down into the Potomac and headed out onto the water the kids got more into it, especially as the they were allowed to drive the boat. How cool is that!

    And we watched as the planes landing at National airport flew right over us, cool and loud.

    But it was about to get louder! Once we got back on dry land Captain Kent passed out the Quackers and we quacked our way back to Union Station,

    Past the Jefferson Memorial

    And the Air and Space Museum

    And the Captiol.

    After singing/quacking happy birthday to Captain Kent, it was his 49th birthday, we disembarked and I asked the kids what they thought. They gave it a thumbs up and we happily quacked our way back home.

    Quick Facts:

    • Visit the DC Ducks website for complete information.
    • The tour is 90 minutes long and departs from Union Station. This is not a hop on/hop off tour, but the driver will stop after you exit the water for a bathroom break.
    • There is a metro stop and parking at Union Station. The DC Ducks ticket desk is just in front of you as you enter the main entrance of Union Station.
    • Tours run every 30 minutes from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, 7 days a week from mid-March through October. Tour buses do not run on Memorial Day, the 4th of July or the day of the Marine Corp Marathon.
    • Tickets may be bought in advance on the DC Ducks website for a discount or you may purchase tickets at Union Station. Tickets are $39.00 for adults and $29.00 for children under 12.
    • You can take food and water on the tour. It is advised to leave your strollers behind the ticket desk in Union Station.
    • There are lots of food options both in and around Union Station. Click here for some ideas.
    • And a final tip, for the best pictures sit on the right hand side.

  • Aug16

    Escape the August heat

    Posted in: Museum, Top Attractions | No Comments

    We have escaped the stifling August heat in DC and are enjoying the cool mountain air in NC. There is nothing better than sleeping with the windows open and spending the entire day outside, with no humidity.

    If you do find yourself visiting DC this month, skip the walk and catch a ride on one of the many pedicabs found around the city, take in an IMAX movie at one of the Smithsonian museums or try your skills at the indoor putt putt course at the National Building Museum.

    I hope you’ll enjoy these last long lazy days of summer no matter where you are!

     

     

  • Jul12

    What your government CAN do for you…

    Posted in: Top Attractions | 5 Comments

    As you begin to think about a family trip to DC, the first call you should make is to your member of congress as they have a limited number of tickets to select sites that they are able to make available to their constituents. Each Congressman and Senator has a staff person in DC available to help you avoid the lines and gain access to some of the best sites in the city: The Capitol, White House, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court.

    First, how do you find your member of congress? Visit the House of Representatives and Senate website and type in your home address to determine your Congressman and Senators (Short civics lessons, you have one Congressman and two Senators). Visit their personal website, as most members of congress dedicate space to giving you information about tours, and call the office to let the staff know you’re coming.

    So what specifically can members of congress help you with?

    Read More | Comments

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