Taking the Kids: Visiting Washington, D.C. in the spring
Welcome to America’s front yard. That’s what many call The National Mall in Washington, D.C., — the three-mile-long stretch from the Potomac River to Capitol Hill.
Here’s where you find the famous Reflecting Pool, the Smithsonian museums, and the memorials to five U.S. presidents and to America’s war dead.
This is where the historic 1963 March on Washington ended with Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech and where many come at night to contemplate President Lincoln’s efforts to preserve the Union and abolish slavery at the Lincoln Memorial, especially beautiful lit up in the dark.
Locals and tourists come to the Mall to hang out, attend a festival, a rally or a concert. There is no fee to visit any part of the National Mall and Memorial parks, and they are open 24 hours a day. And because the Smithsonian museums and monuments are free, the National Mall is a great place to take a break, grab lunch from a food truck and relax. Take a free tour with DC by Foot.
Spring is a particularly fun time to visit Washington, D.C., (the just published third edition of my Kid’s Guide to Washington, D.C., can help you navigate). (Check out Taking The Kids web story on spring in the Capitol.)
See the famous cherry blossoms. The National Cherry Blossom Festival lasts until April 16. The Tidal Basin is a great place for photos near the Jefferson Memorial. Until June 11, Visit “PIXELBLOOM: Timeless Butterflies” at the ARTECHOUSE. A leader in digital and experiential art, Artechouse invites you to step into a virtual world of cherry blossoms, discovering butterflies’ beauty as they awaken from their winter sleep.
Check out a new museum exhibit. “Afrofuturism: A History of Black Futures” has just opened at National Museum of African American History and Culture where voices of authors, artists, musicians and scholars are reflected. There are multimedia displays, images and videos in the 4,300-square-foot experience that includes things like the costume for Black Panther worn by Chadwick Boseman.
(Before you visit any of the Smithsonian museums, take a virtual tour of their websites and print out any special family guides that are available and also download the app Smithsonian Mobile.)
Attend a festival. Filmfest DC runs April 20 through April 30 and is the longest-running annual international film festival in DC. Passport DC runs the entire month of May highlighting DC’s international culture and includes an entire month of programming.
If you are visiting around Shakespeare’s birthday (held on the Sunday closest to April 23), don’t miss the Folger Theatre bash with jugglers, crafts, and, of course, birthday cake.
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