We arrived in Washington, D.C., on a Saturday evening. If it were just Paul and me, I would have dragged him around to see the monuments at night. But since we had a 10- and 8-year-old with us, we walked 20 minutes to the National Mall to see the Washington Monument lit up in one direction and the Capitol in the other, then returned to our hotel.
Sunday was Easter, and we had special plans -- 10 a.m. tickets to the top of the Washington Monument. We were out the door around 8:30 to take a few photos at the White House first, and then off we went.
The Washington Monument tickets were difficult to get -- free, but released a month in advance and gone in minutes. I was lucky to snag four. It ended up being a highlight of the trip. It was a clear, bright, sunny morning, and the views were magnificent.
We were on our feet for eight hours that day, touring the series of memorials and monuments around the Reflecting Pool and Tidal Basin. In order: Washington, World War II, Vietnam, Lincoln, Korean, MLK, FDR and Jefferson.
My purse was full of snacks, which kept the kids from grumbling too much. (Atticus just constantly asked for food! Edith demurred, got hangry and then was instantly in a better mood after a snack.) The whole DIY tour took about four hours from hotel to the Jefferson Memorial, with the Washington Monument taking about an hour alone.
We ate at one of the many food trucks near the Mall -- a far cry from the puny hot dog stands I remember from a trip to D.C. as a kid. Then it was off to the National Archives, where we saw the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, Bill of Rights and even the Magna Carta.
It was a day full of history -- perfect for a fourth- and second-grader. Next week: The museums.
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