Catherine and I took the kids to the bathroom at the Lincoln Memorial while Catherine’s husband stood in line at the concession stand located just south of the Lincoln Memorial. On our recent visit, we were fortunate to have three adults, so we divided and conquered. The concession stands typically feature long waits and no bathrooms (so yes, two separate stops are required). There are a limited number of concessions available on the Mall and the offerings are slim: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and drinks. The concessions stand we had lunch at on our recent visit to the Mall. Depending on the size of your group, this could be a bargain compared to purchasing individual SmarTrip cards that may never be used again. Parking rates are calculated hourly, but for the entire afternoon that we spent parked at the building, we paid $25. As it is a federally owned building, don’t be alarmed that a quick search of your vehicle is required prior to entry. Located just one block away from the Washington Monument, the Ronald Reagan Building’s parking garage is accessible via ramps off 13th and 14th Street. The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW was the perfect solution. Instead of doing the math and purchasing SmarTrip cards for all five fare paying passengers, we decided that the easiest option would be to simply drive downtown and park near the Mall. On the day Catherine and I visited the Mall, we had six passengers in need of SmartTrip cards + adequate fare and two children under 5 traveling for free. Passengers can also purchase a SmarTrip card containing a one day unlimited Metrorail access for $14. Although children age 5 and under ride free, all other passengers must have their own SmarTrip card, which costs $2 to purchase and then must be loaded with adequate fare for the ride. Many will recommend DC’s Metro system as the best way to get downtown and the nearest stations are just a few blocks from the Mall. It proved to be right decision as the next day, our children were especially cranky during a short hour long outing outdoors. On our recent visit, we had two available days in which we could visit the Mall and chose the day with the warmer weather. Peak bloom is defined as the day when at least 70% of the Yoshino cherry blossoms are open and lucky for us, peak bloom happened to be the day before our planned trip to view the blossoms and the monuments.Įxperiencing the Tidal Basin at peak bloom never gets old. If planning a spring visit to the Mall, be sure to check out the NPS’s Bloom Watch for updates on when “peak bloom” can be expected. After walking the monuments, I easily visit a museum of two, as they typically open at 10am, before either heading home or grabbing a bite to eat for lunch. Personally, if I am visiting the Mall with kids, I prefer to be on the ground, touring the monuments in the early morning (before 9:30am) as crowds tend to be lighter. If you’re lucky, temperatures will be seasonally appropriate (instead of oppressively humid or bitterly frigid) and you can avoid the heaviest of crowds, which tend to be on weekends and in the late mornings/afternoons. The best time to visit the Mall is an early morning weekday during the spring or fall. Although the Mall is kid friendly, there are a few things every visitor with kids should know when planning a visit to the Mall.Ī look at our crew, as we embarked on our Mall adventure.įive Tips for Visiting the National Mall With Kids Recently, I had the good fortune to spend an afternoon touring the monuments with Catherine’s family, which included our collective five children, ranging in age from 3.5 to 10. Sure, the museums and concessions have specific operating hours, but the grounds are accessible 24/7 for walking and many say the best way to view the monuments is at night. One of the greatest things about the Mall is that it is always open. Here are my top tips for visiting the Washington, DC monuments with kids. Along those lines, the Mall should be regarded as America’s Playground. I was tickled to learn, earlier this year, that the National Park Service considers the White House to be the President’s Park. Rather, it is a beautiful expanse of grass and open space in the middle of an otherwise crowded and congested city. Affectionately referred to as “the Mall,” the Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year is not a mall in the shopping mall sense. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Mall contains and borders a number of Smithsonian museums, national monuments and statues, and cultural exhibits. The National Mall is a landscaped park located in downtown Washington, DC.
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