We Go With Kids!

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  • 25 Top Attractions in Paris for Families

    25 Top Attractions in Paris for Families

    Our first family trip to Paris absolutely exceeded our expectations.  It had been 21 years since my last visit, and my husband, who had traveled there more recently for work, was not overly enthusiastic this stop on our family vacation.  But, we all loved the City of Lights.  In our combined five days and five nights spread over two weekends, we did a great deal of walking and saw a lot of amazing monuments, museums and churches.  But, we also had the chance to really explore a few neighborhoods, retrace our steps and enjoy meals at some of the many cafes in the city.   Here are 25 top attractions in Paris for families – make sure to note how many are free!

    Champs-Élysées With Kids

    #1:  Arc de Triomphe

    Napoleon commissioned the iconic Arc de Triomphe after winning the 1805 battle of Austerlitz.  The 165 foot Arc was inspired by Rome’s Arch of Titus and completed in 1836, 15 years after Napoleon’s death.  It is the world’s largest triumphal arch.  The Arc de Triomphe is located on the western end of the Champs-Élysées at the center of Place Charles de Gaulle, the junction of 12 streets.

    • Arc de Triomphe Facts:  La Marseillaise, the relief on the right pillar depicts Lady Liberty rallying tired soldiers onward.
    • Arc de Triomphe Cost:  Free to view.  Admission to climb 284 stairs to the rooftop is €12 for adults but is free for kids aged 0-17.
    • Closest Metro Station to Arc de Triomphe:  Charles de Gaulle-Etoile

     

    #2:  Champs-Élysées

    The Avenue des Champs-Élysées is one of the world’s most famous boulevards.  This magnificent, tree-lined street runs the 1.2 miles between the Place Charles de Gaulle (the Arc de Triomphe’s location) and Place de la Concorde.   The portion close to the Arc de Triomphe is lined with cafes and high-end shops.  We strayed from the Champs-Élysées only to check out the Grand Palace and the Petit Palace.  The Champs-Élysées is the center of Bastille Day and World Cup celebrations (both of which occurred while we were in Italy) and the finale of the Tour de France, which took place one week after our return home.

    • Champs-Élysées Facts:  The Champs-Élysées is the site of the world’s most profitable McDonald’s, which happened to be the only McDonald’s we visited during our European holiday.  Orders are placed on touch screens, and our ice cream was more expensive than any of our daily gelato stops.
    • Champs-Élysées Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Stations to Champs-Élysées:  Charles de Gaulle-Etoile (Arc de Triomphe), George V, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Concorde (Place de la Concorde)

     

    #3:  Grand Palace

    The Grand Palace is an exhibition hall that was constructed in the Beaux-Arts style for the 1900 World’s Fair and located just off the Champs-Élysées.

    • Grand Palace Facts:  The Grand Palace will be used for the fencing and Taekwondo events in the 2024 Olympics.
    • Grand PalaceCost: Admission prices vary with each exhibit
    • Grand Palace Tip:  Closed on Tuesdays
    • Closest Metro Stops to Grand Palace:  Champs-Élysées Clemenceau or Franklin D. Roosevelt

     

    #4:  Petit Palace 

    The Petit Palace was built for the 1900 World’s Fair and houses the City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts), which features an extensive collection from Greek antiquities to Art Nouveau, including works of Rembrant, Courbet and Monet.  The featured Temporary Exhibit is currently Impressionists in London, which we would have loved to see, but were unfortunately visiting on a Monday when the Museum is closed.  Instead, the gorgeous entry way and stairs served as a perfect spot to rest before continuing up the Champs-Élysées.

    • Petit Palace Facts:  Architect Charles Girault won a 1894 contest with a late 17th/early 18th century French architectural design.
    • Petit Palace Cost:  Permanent collection is free, fees are charged for special exhibits.
    • Petit Palace Tip:  The City of Paris Museum of Fine Arts is closed on Monday.
    • Closest Metro Stops to Petit Palace:  Champs-Élysées Clemenceau and Franklin D. Roosevelt

     

    #5:  Place de la Concorde

    Place de la Concorde is Paris’ largest public square and is located at the eastern end of the Champs-Élysées.  The 75-foot Luxor Obelisk, which was once at the entrance of Luxor Temple, stands at the center of the square.  This 3,300 year old granite column is decorated with exquisite hieroglyphics.  It’s original gold cap was believed to have been stolen in the 6th century B.C., and the current gold-leafed pyramid cap was added in 1998.

    • Place de la Concorde Facts: Place de la Concorde was the site of over 1,200 executions during the French Revolution, including Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette.
    • Place de la ConcordeCost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Station to Place de la Concorde:  Concorde
    • Time Spent at Place de la Concorde:  About 15-20 minutes

     

    Left Bank With Kids

    #6:  Eiffel Tower

    The Eiffel Tower (aka the Iron Lady) is the quintessential landmark.  It was #1 on my middle son’s bucket list eversince he saw the half scale model in Las Vegas at age four.  This wrought iron lattice tower was designed by engineer Gustave Eiffel for the 1889 World’s Fair to recognize the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution.  When constructed, the Eiffel Tower surpassed the Washington Monument to become the tallest structure in the world until the completion of the Chrysler Building in 1930.

    The Eiffel Tower is the most visited monument (with an admission fee) in the world with almost 7.0 million visitors each year.  There are three observation decks.   Visitors who wish to visit the summit should book tickets immediately after flights or as soon as they are available online (about three months in advance).  We were only able to book tickets to the second floor in advance because the summit was fully booked each day we were in Paris.  We took the elevator to the second floor and chose to take the stairs from the second to first floor.  My husband and sons took the stairs from the first floor to ground floor and actually beat my daughter and I taking the elevator.  The light show, which begins after sunset, is a particular treat.  For more information, make sure to read our entire review of our visit to the Eiffel Tower with kids.

    • Eiffel Tower Facts:  The Eiffel Tower was intended to be dismantled after 20 years but maintained after a wireless telegraph transmitter was installed
    • Eiffel Tower Cost:  Elevator tickets to the second floor cost €16 for adults, €8 for youths aged 12-24, €4 for children aged 4-11 and free for kids under 4.  Elevator tickets to the summit cost €25 for adults, €12.5 for youths aged 12-24, €6.3 for children 4-11 and free for kids under 4.

    #7:  Luxembourg Gardens

    The Luxembourg Gardens are 60-acres of lush gardens, fountains and statues, ponds with toy sailboats for rent and the Luxembourg Palace.  This is a haven for children, who particularly enjoy pushing toy sailboats available to rent in 30 minute intervals around the Grand Bassin duck pond.

    Photo credit: Marissa Mayer

    • Luxembourg Gardens Facts:  Marie de Medici built Luxembourg Palace in the early 17th century after the death of her husband, Henry IV.  It was designed as a recreation of her childhood home, Pitti Palace in Florence.
    • Luxembourg Gardens Cost:  Free to enter.

     

    #8:  Musée d’Orsay

    The Musée d’Orsay houses an impressive Impressionist collection of French art featuring Manet, Monet, Renoir, Van Gogh Degas, Cezanne and many more. The Museum opened in 1986 in the former Gare d’Orsay, which was constructed for the 1900 World’s Fair, and the station’s three enormous clocks are spectacular works of art in their own right.  Our family really loves Impressionism, particularly the works of Van Gogh and Monet.  So, the Musée d’Orsay, which includes 24 Van Gogh paintings, was a particular treat. Our favorite was Starry Night Over the Rhone.

    • Musée d’Orsay Facts:  Because the platforms were too short for modern trains, Gare d’Orsay was closed in 1939.  It may not have been able to accommodate trains but now houses the largest collection of Impressionist paintings in the world.
    • Musée d’Orsay Cost:  €12 for adults or €16 if purchasing a combined admission to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie; kids 0-17 and EU citizens 0-26 are free.
    • Closest Metro Station to Musée d’Orsay:  Solferino
    • Musée d’Orsay Tip:  To avoid ticket lines, purchase tickets online for same day or advance tickets with €1.50 surcharge.  Visits to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie do not have to occur on the same day.
    • Time Spent at Musée d’Orsay:  About three hours

     

    #9:  Place du Trocadéro

    The Place du Trocadéro is located across the Seine River from the Eiffel Tower and offers a picturesque view of the iconic Tower, along with beautiful fountains.

    • Place du Trocadéro Facts:  The Place du Trocadéro is named after the 1823 Battle of Trocadéro in which France defeated Spain.
    • Closest Metro Station to Place du Trocadéro:  Trocadéro
    • Place du Trocadéro Cost:  Free

     

    Right Bank With Kids

    #10:  Louvre Museum

    The Louvre is the world’s largest and most visited art museum with 400,000 art works and a permanent collection of about 35,000 on display.  It is housed in the Louvre Palace, which was once the world’s largest palace, and includes DaVinci’s Mona Lisa, Winged Victory of Samothrace, the Venus de Milo and so many more of the world’s masterpieces.  This vast museum was not nearly as crowded as the Vatican, except for the room displaying the Mona Lisa, which is a nonstop paparazzi scene.  Read our entire review of visiting the Louvre with kids.

    • Louvre Museum Facts:  The Louvre contains more than 380,000 objects.
    • Louvre Museum Cost: €17 for adults, free for kids 0-17
    • Louvre Museum Tips:  We purchased online tickets directly through the Louvre’s website for 9:30 am on our first full day in Paris.  There really weren’t significant lines for either people with reserved tickets or people purchasing tickets, but we were ushered to the front of both lines because we had a stroller.  There are a lot of stairs in the Louvre, but this museum goes above and beyond to accommodate strollers.  There is a special circular elevator in the pyramid so that strollers do no need to use the escalator, and stroller users have elevator access throughout the Louvre.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Louvre Museum:  Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and Louvre-Rivoli
    • Time Spent at Louvre Museum:  About 3 hours

     

    #11:  Louvre Palace and Pyramid

    A visit to the Louvre Palace and Pyramid should be on every family’s Paris itinerary.  The Louvre Palace is a former royal palace that dates back to the 13th century but has been expanded and renovated over the past 800 years.  The iconic glass and metal pyramid that serves as the museum’s main entrance was designed by the Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei and completed in 1989.  There are platforms in the courtyard perfect for staging those forced perspective photos that kids particularly love.

    • Louvre Palace and Pyramid Facts:  The pyramid and underground lobby were created so that the Louvre could better accommodate its daily visitors.  The pyramid was designed for 4.5 million annual visitors, and the underground lobby had to be redesigned between 2014 and 2017 when the number of annual visitors rose from 4.5 million to over 8 million.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Louvre Palace and Pyramid:  Palais Royal-Musée du Louvre and Louvre-Rivoli
    • Louvre Palace and Pyramid Cost:  Free

     

    #12:  Montorgueil

    Montorgueil is a quaint pedestrian only neighborhood lined with cafes along its cobblestone streets.  This is a great place to have an evening drink or watch a World Cup match (which we did!).

    • Montorgueil Facts:  Montorgueil means “Mount Pride”.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Montorgueil:  Les Halles, Centre Georges Pompidou, Hôtel de Ville
    • Montorgueil Cost:  Free

     

    #13:  Musée de l’Orangerie

    The Musée de l’Orangerie features impressionist and post-impressionist paintings, including the Museum’s main attraction, two oval rooms custom designed to each display four massive  Nymphéas (Water Lilies) wall murals completed by Claude Monet in his final years.  My ten year old deemed these two rooms the “best rooms of art” he’s ever seen, and he’s visited many art museums.

    • Musée de l’Orangerie Facts:  The Museum completed a six-year, $36 million renovation in 2006 to move the second floor collection underground so that a skylight could be added to the oval rooms featuring Monet’s Water Lilies.
    • Musée de l’Orangerie Cost:  €12 for adults or €16 if purchasing a combined admission to Musée d’Orsay and Musée de l’Orangerie; kids 0-17 are free
    • Musée de l’Orangerie Tip:  Closed on Tuesdays.
    • Closest Metro Station to Musée de l’Orangerie: Concorde
    • Time Spent at Musée de l’Orangerie :  About 1.5 hours

     

    #14:  Opera Garnier

    The Opera Garnier is Paris’ grand theater, which was completed in 1875.  It seats over 1,900 and boasts one of the world’s largest stages.  The Opera Garnier was completed in 1875 and is the home of the Paris Opera.

    • Opera Garnier Facts:  Opera Garnier was the setting for The Phantom of the Opera.
    • Opera Garnier Cost:  Admission for tours is €7-€12 for adults and free for kids 0-11.

     

    #15:  Tuileries Garden

    The Tuileries Garden is the royal garden of the Louvre Palace, which is located between the Louvre and the Place de la Concorde.  The portion next to the Louvre includes a ferris wheel and green space, but much of the rest of the length has  more pebbles than grass.

    • Tuileries Garden Facts:  The Tuileries Gardens were designed for Henry II’s wife, Catherine de Medici, in the 1500s as a replica of her family’s Boboli Gardens in Florence.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Tuileries Garden:  Tuileries and Concorde
    • Tuileries Garden Cost:  Free to enter.  Rides are available for a fee.

     

    Montmartre With Kids

    #16:  Montmartre

    The Montmartre neighborhood is located on Paris’ highest hill and the former home of some of the world’s most famous artists.  This is still an artists’ haven with many galleries and working artists ready to paint portraits or caricatures.

    • Montmartre Facts:  Famous Montmartre residents include Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Maurice Utrillo, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Salvador Dalí and Amedeo Modigliani.
    • Closest Metro Stations to Montmartre:   Pigalle and Abbesses
    • Montmartre Cost:  Free

     

    #17:  Sacre-Coeur Basilica

    Sacre-Coeur Basilica, a white Romano-Byzantine cathedral, is located at Paris’ highest point.  The Basilica was completed in 1914 . The mosaic above the altar depicts a 60-foot-tall Christ exposing his sacred heart.  The view from the Sacre-Couer steps is absolutely phenomenal both during the day and at night.  The central mosaic is one of the largest in the world.  It’s definitely worth the two long flights of stairs to reach.  We attended a memorable Sunday Mass here.

    • Sacre-Coeur Basilica Facts:  Architect Paul Abadie was the winner of a design competition for the Basilica.
    • Sacre-Coeur Basilica Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Station to Sacre-Coeur Basilica:  Anvers
    • Time Spent at Sacre-Coeur Basilica:  About 1.5 hours – We arrived 15 minutes before Mass, stayed for the duration of Mass and then about explored the Basilica and gift shop for about 15 minutes.

     

    #18:  Wall of Love

    The Wall of Love is a love-themed mural that includes the phrase, “I love you” featured 311 times in 250 languages.  The mural was created in 2000 by Fédéric Baron and Claire Kito.

    • Wall of Love Facts:  While most walls divide people, the purpose of this wall is a place of reconciliation and support.
    • Wall of Love Cost:  Free
    • Wall of Love Closest Metro Station:  Abbesses
    • Time Spent at Wall of Love:  Less than five minutes

     

    Ile de la Cite With Kids

    #19:  Notre-Dame Cathedral

    The Notre-Dame Cathedral is medieval French Gothic cathedral that was one of the first to use flying buttress supports.  Notre-Dame was completed in 1345 and is known for its Rose Window with original medieval glass, gargoyles, two 226-foot towers and of course, the Hunchback of Notre Dame.  Our kids were particularly amused by the statue of St. Denis holding his own head near the left portal.  We attended Sunday evening Mass, and the archbishop presided.

    • Notre-Dame Facts:  Point Zero Paris is a geographic marker located right outside of Notre Dame.  The distance from Paris to all other places is measured from this Point.
    • Notre-Dame Cost:  Free
    • Closest Metro Stations to Notre-Dame:  Cite, Hotel de Ville and St. Michel
    • Time Spent at Notre-Dame:  About 1.5 hours – We arrived 15 minutes before Mass, attended Mass and then walked around the exterior exploring the carvings, gargoyles and flying buttresses.

     

    #20:  Square du Vert-Galant

    The Square du Vert-Galant is a triangular park at the tip of Il de la Cite.  The apex of the Square is shaded by an enormous weeping willow.  We spotted this tree during our Seine River cruise and visited it afterwards and met the picnickers who appeared in my husband’s cruise photos.  This is an amazing spot to watch the sunset.

    • Square du Vert-Galant Facts:  This small public park was named to honor Henry IV, who had been nicknamed the “Green Gallant.”
    • Square du Vert-Galant Cost:  Free (BYOB)
    • Closest Metro Station to Square du Vert-Galant:  Pont Neuf
    • Time Spent at Picnic at Square du Vert-Galant:  About 30 minutes

     

    #21:  Sainte-Chapelle

    Sainte-Chapelle, a 13th century Gothic chapel, is known for the stunning stained-glass windows in its sanctuary.  It is considered as the world’s largest expanse of stained glass.

    • Sainte-Chapelle Facts:  Sainte-Chapelle was completed in just six years and means “Holy Chapel.”
    • Sainte-Chapelle Cost:  €10 for adults, free for kids 0-17
    • Closest Metro Station to Sainte-Chapelle:  Cite
    • Time Spent at Sainte-Chapelle:  About an hour, including security, purchasing tickets and browsing at the gift shop

     

    #22:  Soap Bubbles

    After visiting Sainte-Chapelle, we had a little time before our 9 pm appointment tickets to the Eiffel Tower.  We walked through Place Louis-Lepine and found a street performer creating soap bubbles with accompanying music.  Our kids were absolutely enthralled with the enormous bubbles and joined the pack of kids chasing the bubbles around the square.   There were no long faces or tired faces in the group, and there was a constant clinking of change in the performer’s basket.

    • Soap Bubbles Facts:  The changing colors that appear on the surface of soap bubbles appear because of the interference of light reflecting off the surfaces of the soap film.
    • Soap Bubbles Cost:  Free, but tips appreciated

     

    Family Trip to Paris – Generally

    #23:  Cafes

    Cafes are synonymous with Paris.  Chairs on the patio tables generally face outward so diners can take in the hustle and bustle around them.  Many offer fixed price, three course lunch meals, which we particularly enjoyed.

    • Cafes Facts:  There are 37 bridges in the city of Paris.
    • Cafes Cost:  Varies

     

    #24:  Seine River Cruise

    There are several options for families to take an iconic cruise along the Seine River.  Vedettes du Pont Neuf, Bateaux-Mouches and Bateaux Parisiens all offer similar one-hour boat cruises.  We chose a Vedettes du Pont Neuf cruise because the dock was within walking distance of our Airbnb and had a lovely time listening to the narration and checking out the view of Paris from the River.

    • Seine River Cruise Facts:  There are 37 bridges in the city of Paris.
    • Seine River Cruise Cost:  €10+ for adults, €5+ for kids aged 4-12, free for kids under 4
    • Seine River Cruise Tip:  We purchased our tickets on Vedettes du Pont Neuf’s website for the 8:45 cruise as we were leaving our Airbnb and saved €12 over the ticket office price for our four tickets.  We made good time to the dock and ended up using our 8:45 for the 8:15 cruise with no issue.  Cruises leave promptly, so make sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the departure.
    • Time Spent at Seine River Cruise:  About 1.25 hours

     

    #25:  Street Art

    Paris is a major art capital, but art is not only displayed in its fine museums.  We found so many street art gems while wandering around the city.  This Guate Mao creation down the street from our VRBO in Montorgueil was definitely our favorite.

    • Street Art Facts:  Parisian street artist Gaute Mao secretly paints portraits around Europe.
    • Street Art Cost:  Free

    Best Family Attractions in Paris

    The Eiffel Tower may have been Paris’ biggest draw for my kids, but we were all wowed by its art, cathedrals and landmarks.  Planning a family trip to Paris?  Make sure to check out our Planning, Logistics and Itinerary blog post as well as our other blog posts about Paris!

  • Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

    Washington, DC Monuments With Kids

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    The National Mall is a landscaped park located in downtown Washington, DC. Administered by the National Park Service, the National Mall contains and borders a number of Smithsonian museums, national monuments and statues, and cultural exhibits.  Affectionately referred to as “the Mall,” the Mall receives approximately 24 million visitors each year is not a mall in the shopping mall sense. Rather, it is a beautiful expanse of grass and open space in the middle of an otherwise crowded and congested city. I was tickled to learn, earlier this year, that the National Park Service considers the White House to be the President’s Park. Along those lines, the Mall should be regarded as America’s Playground. Here are my top tips for visiting the Washington, DC monuments with kids.

    One of the greatest things about the Mall is that it is always open. 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. 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. Although the Mall is kid friendly, there are a few things every visitor with kids should know when planning a visit to the Mall.

    A look at our crew, as we embarked on our Mall adventure.

    Five Tips for Visiting the National Mall With Kids

    #1: Best Time to Visit the Mall

    The best time to visit the Mall is an early morning weekday during the spring or fall. 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. 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. 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.

    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. 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.

    Experiencing the Tidal Basin at peak bloom never gets old.

    On our recent visit, we had two available days in which we could visit the Mall and chose the day with the warmer weather. It proved to be right decision as the next day, our children were especially cranky during a short hour long outing outdoors.

    #2: How to Get to the Mall

    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. 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. Passengers can also purchase a SmarTrip card containing a one day unlimited Metrorail access for $14. 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. 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.

    The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center, located at 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW was the perfect solution. 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. As it is a federally owned building, don’t be alarmed that a quick search of your vehicle is required prior to entry.

    Parking rates are calculated hourly, but for the entire afternoon that we spent parked at the building, we paid $25. Depending on the size of your group, this could be a bargain compared to purchasing individual SmarTrip cards that may never be used again.

    The red stop signs reflect Metro’s two nearest Mall stops: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle. The Ronald Reagan International Trade Building is marked by the blue star.

    #3: Where to Eat

    There’s really no such thing as a quick visit to the Mall when traveling with young children. Although I have taken many a lunch time stroll along the Mall and around the Tidal Basin, every single trip with a child has required some kind of food stop. The Mall itself, however, contains very few concessions, so be sure to either eat ahead of time, pack a picnic, or plan your visit between meals. As I mentioned earlier, I prefer to visit the Mall in the morning. Not only does this avoid heavy crowds, but whether I am taking Metro or parking at the Ronald Reagan Building, I find that by the time I finish viewing the monuments (and the blossoms!), I can head towards the Smithsonian museums which are centrally located to restaurants and dining establishments.

    The concessions stand we had lunch at on our recent visit to the Mall.

    There are a limited number of concessions available on the Mall and the offerings are slim: hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken tenders, and drinks. The concession stands typically feature long waits and no bathrooms (so yes, two separate stops are required). On our recent visit, we were fortunate to have three adults, so we divided and conquered. 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. I am happy to report that as of April 2018, the hot dogs were very, very good and that the grassy area surrounding the concession stand was a perfect place for the kids to run around.

    #4: What to Wear

    Be sure to dress for the season and definitely check the weather forecast to determine appropriate clothing. Regardless of season, adequate walking shoes are a must. One visit to the Mall can easily be a 3-5 mile walk and with a relatively newly potty trained preschooler, I found sprinting across the Mall for the nearest bathroom!

    #5: What Gear to Bring

    When visiting the Mall with young children, you’ll want to provide for some means of carrying or strolling them after they’re done walking. Our respective 3.5 year olds are no strangers to walking and rarely use strollers, but the Mall is a different animal and they both ended up in their strollers for a significant portion of the visit. It came as a huge surprise to both Catherine and myself that they would choose to ride in their strollers as it had quite some time since they’ve needed it. I originally brought the stroller for the sole purpose of strapping my son into the stroller as we made our way around the Tidal Basin. During cherry blossom season, crowds can be intense, and there is no railing along portion of the basin, so I had no trouble imagining him going overboard. I was thrilled to have the stroller as the alternative, carrying a 36 pound preschooler, is less than appealing. As an added bonus, both 3.5 year olds were fast asleep by the time we made it back to the garage.

    Although my son is potty trained, I still travel with abundant wipes and hand sanitizer, which came in handy as the kids loved playing in the grass and picking up sticks along our journey, but there was no hand washing available at our lunch spot. Bottom line: there are very few amenities on the Mall so be sure to pack what whatever essentials you might pack for a 3-4 hour long journey in a public park.

    Why Visit the Mall?

    With little by way of concessions, heavy crowds, and often intolerable weather, why would anyone want to visit the Mall? The Mall is truly a monument to America’s past and should be high on anyone’s list of places to visit. The Mall not only recognizes some of the greatest Americans who have ever lived, but the Mall also honors those who have given their lives in sacrifice.

    During our recent visit, our families managed to visit all the major monuments and nearly all the memorials on the Mall. The route we took was as follows.

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    We began at the Ronald Reagan International Trade Building, where we parked and made our way to the Washington Monument. This 555-foot, 5 inch obelisk was completed in 1885 and is the oldest of the monument we visited. There are elevators that take visitors to the top, but the Monument is constantly under renovation and is currently closed until Spring 2019.

    From the Washington Monument, we hopped across the street to the National World War II Memorial. The National World War II Memorial opened in 2004 and includes the Freedom Wall with 4,048 gold stars, each representing 100 Americans who died in the war. The unbelievable loss of life is captured with the message “Here we mark the price of freedom.”

    Pro-Tip: Senator Bob Dole visits the World War II Memorial nearly every weekend, where he greets visitors. Over the years, he’s met hundreds of groups and thousands of people. In September 2015, we were fortunate to bring my husband’s grandfather, who served in World War II,  to see the Memorial and meeting Bob Dole was one of the many highlights of his trip. If you’d like a chance to meet Bob Dole, be sure to make your way towards the Memorial’s Visitor Center, which is where Senator Dole is usually stationed.

    From the World War II Memorial, we walked the length of the reflecting pool towards the Lincoln Memorial. The reflecting pool is over a third of a mile in length and was holds over 6.5 million gallons of water. Overlooking the reflecting pool (and the Washington Monument) is the Lincoln Memorial, which was home to many defining moments in American history.

    The Memorial, which appears on the back of the $5 bill and the penny, was designed like a Greek temple, and inside holds a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln, along with inscriptions of two of his most famous speeches, “The Gettysburg Address” and his “Second Inaugural Address.” The 36 columns represent each of the states in the Union at the time of the Memorial’s dedication in 1922. The Lincoln Memorial is best known as the location where Martin Luther King Jr. gave his “I have a Dream” speech after the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Pro-tip: The Lincoln Memorial is a good place to visit the bathroom.

    From the Lincoln Memorial, we cut up north, briefly, to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Memorial, which is commonly known as “The Wall” was completed in 1982, and the 144 panels of the Memorial Wall include the names of 58,272 Americans who were declared dead and missing in action during the Vietnam War. The Three Servicemen is a bronze statute on the side depicting the soldiers solemnly looking at the names of their fallen comrades.

    The Three Servicemen
    At the Vietnam Memorial, there are stands where you can look for your relative’s name and it gives you the corresponding location on the memorial. We located a distant cousin during a recent visit.

    The Vietnam Memorial was designed to be viewed in a specific manner. The bend that forms a corner at the center of the Wall features the year 1959 on the top left of one panel and 1975 on the bottom right of the other panel. Service members are listed in chronological and alphabetical order, with the first appearing just after 1959 and the last appearing just before 1975. For more information, visit Free Tours by Foot, which I consulted prior to our visit for assistance in locating our family member’s name on the Wall.

    Our next stop was the Korean War Veterans Memorial, which was dedicated in 1995 to honor the 5.8 million Americans who served in the U.S. armed forces during the Korean War. Nineteen stainless steel statues represent a platoon on patrol.

    From there, we made our way down to the Tidal Basin, where we were able to view the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. This Memorial was dedicated by President Obama in 2011, and our visit was only two days after the 50th anniversary of King’s assassination. The 28-foot granite boulder shows King looking toward the Jefferson Monument on the opposite shore of the Tidal Basin.

    View of the Jefferson Memorial from the north end of the Tidal Basin

    In an ideal world, we would have walked the circumference of the Tidal Basin, but alas, the two 3.5 year olds in our party were done by that point, and the crowds slowed us down substantially. So, we took the short cut along the north side of the Tidal Basin to view the cherry blossoms, which were simply glorious. In 1912, the mayor of Tokyo gifted 3,000 cherry trees to Washington, DC and that legacy provides DC with about two weeks of beautiful blooms each year. Along the way, we enjoyed the view of the Thomas Jefferson Memorial. This neoclassical Monument was completed in 1943, and the bronze statute was added in 1947. We then cut across the Kutz Bridge, stopping briefly at the Floral Library, before heading north back to our vehicle.

    Tulips in bloom at the Floral Library.

    If you are fortunate and have the time to walk the entire length of the Tidal Basin,  you will benefit from fewer crowds on the southern portion of the basin. I also typically find that photographs taken from the south basin tend to have less glare/reflection than those taken from the north basin. And, of course, you’ll be able to visit the Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial, which we did not get a chance to visit this time.

    If time, weather, and temperament permits, a great activity is to rent paddle boats at the Tidal Basin Boathouse. My kids absolutely love doing this, but it is definitely something that requires all the stars to align – it’s rare that we have the time, good weather, and sufficient parking to make this experience happen.

    Final Thoughts?

    Walking the National Mall is a wonderful experience that any visit to Washington, DC should include! Many visitors skip the Tidal Basin because it’s a long walk in DC’s temperamental weather, but it is truly something to be relished. In the summer, where the heat prohibits long walks without shade, consider planning a walk around the Mall during the early morning hours or at night. Years ago, when my husband and I were but wee college kids, we spent a few nights in Washington, DC where we enjoyed seeing the lit monuments and memorials in the dark of night and I can’t wait until our kids are old enough to experience the monuments at night!

    Be sure to check out our entire category of posts on things to do and places to visit in Washington, DC with kids, including White House Tour With Kids, Renwick Gallery With Kids, and more Smithsonian Museum visits than we can count! We are so lucky to call this place home and hope that our tips and tricks come in handy as you plan your own adventure in Washington, DC!