Kids Love D.C.

Last year, Rainer Jenss traveled around the world with his wife and two sons, and blogged about his experience here on Intelligent Travel. Now he’s writing a column that focuses on traveling with kids.

Last week, I found myself in the familiar situation of being invited down to National Geographic’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., only this time with my sons Tyler and Stefan. The occasion was a reunion of the National Geographic Kids Hands-On Explorer ChallengeNational Geographic Kids Hands-On Explorer Challenge winners from the last four years. Since the boys joined the 2009 expedition team in Peru, they qualified as alumni. Of course, they were thrilled at the chance to reconnect with some of the other kids from the trip.  But perhaps the bigger draw was the fact that they’d have the opportunity to further explore a city they’ve come to really enjoy. After all, there’s no shortage of things for kids to discover in this town, and they were anxious to return to a couple of their favorite spots.

There’s a reason why D.C. is such a popular destinations for families from all over the country. The city offers wall-to-wall historic American landmarks and some of the best museums in the country, if not the world. A visit to the Nation’s Capital should certainly include the monuments and memorials, the Smithsonian, and even the National Zoo. Other popular attractions we’ve personally sampled, and would recommend, include The International Spy Museum, the National Archives, and the National Portrait Gallery. Our personal favorites, however, are the Newseum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, so if Washington, D.C. is in your plans this summer, you may want to make them a part of your busy itinerary.

The Newseum – One of the city’s newest museums is also one of the pricier ones (adults: $19.95; children 7-18: $12.95 plus tax), particularly in light of all of the free museums on the mall. But you can get a 10 percent discount by ordering your tickets online in advance, and July 1 through Labor Day, take advantage of their Family Fun Deal, which lets kids under 18 in for free. The museum’s six floors of exhibits and galleries in a state-of-the-art architectural masterpiece can keep the children fascinated for hours. My boys enjoyed it so much during our last visit that they insisted we return again this time.

When you think about it, almost any major event or subject matter covered in the media over the last 500 years could be considered “news,” thus qualifying it for inclusion in this museum that showcases news history. That’s why you’ll find a display of Elvis memorabilia in one wing and the “First Dogs: Presidential Pets in the White House” exhibit in the other. Needless to say, these are highly kid trafficked areas of the building. A 4-D Movie in the I-Witness Theatre also gives kids an opportunity to learn about some of the most spectacular events in journalism history, as does the close inspection of their exhibit of first (and original) copies of newspapers and magazines from throughout U.S. history. Good stuff for two boys whose father works in the magazine business.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing – Think about it — ask a kid if they want to see where money is made, and you’re going to get a pretty enthusiastic response. That’s exactly what a tour of the BEP has to offer.  Even though you’ll have to make a concerted effort to get in during the busy summer months (free tickets are distributed starting at 8 a.m. and are often gone by 9), it’s well worth it. The tour runs less than an hour, but in that time, visitors witness giant blank sheets of paper turn into millions of U.S. dollars that fit in your wallet. Sorry kids, no free samples distributed here. Instead, the tour ends in a gift shop where you’ll have a chance to pay them back a few greenbacks that they originally produced, like the sheet of four uncut $20 bills for $100. You do the math!

You can follow Rainer Jenss on Twitter at @JenssTravel

[Washington, D.C. Travel Guide]

Photo: Above, Brian Mosely, from our Reader’s Gallery of D.C. Photos; Below, Rainer Jenss.