Present heat-wave aside, DC during July and August tends to be pretty hot and humid even when the weather is “normal” – but it’s still hard to beat visiting DC with kids when so many of the attractions are free and educational (not to mention indoors and air-conditioned!). Hotel stays are often cheaper during the hottest part of the summer in order to entice people to come visit, and if you can wait until the end of August you can benefit from thinned-out crowds.

Congress is usually on their summer break by August, so you won’t get to sit in on a rousing Senate debate, but you can still tour the buildings. Flights to Washington DC in August aren’t the cheapest ones you’ll find all year, but consider all the free attractions and cheaper hotel rates and you might still come out ahead budget-wise.

Here are some of the things going on in August in Washington DC that could make a visit even more interesting:

• Movies on the Potomac – Sunday nights are “family” movie nights all summer long, and August’s theme is “fantasy films.” August films include Jumanji, Chronicles of Narnia, and Willy Wonka. (nationalharbor.com for more information)
• Family Fair in Georgetown – August 19 – At Dumbarton House; includes games and crafts ($10/child, $5/adult chaperones) (DumbartonHouse.org for more information)
• Race to the End of the Earth – Through August 21 – At National Geographic Museum; about the historic race to the South Pole between Norwegian Roald Amundsen and Englishman Robert Falcon Scott ($8 adult, $4 child) (events.nationalgeographic.com for more information)
• Strathmore Free Summer Outdoor Concert Series: UkeFest 2011 – August 24 – At Strathmore; among uke performances and lessons, they’re also trying to break a Guinness record for the largest ukulele ensemble (strathmore.org for more information)

>> What’s your summer family vacation destination of choice? What’s your favorite family activity to do in Washington DC?

photo by smith_cl9

 

When to go

The best time to visit DC is when the blossoms begin to peek out. This is predicted to be between March 29 and April 3. At this time the trees are in fullest bloom and offer the prettiest pictures. Tip: Get out to view the blooms early morning before the crowds descend. Or get out to enjoy the festival by renting a paddle boat on the Tidal Basin. Make advanced reservations!

 

 

What to see

From sustainable sushi tasting and the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade to photo safaris and fireworks, there’s plenty going on for everyone. Other interesting events include: Cherry Blast: Art + Music Dance Party, Make your own Bonsai Demonstration, Monuments-by-Moonlight River Cruises, Tudor Nights: Blossoms & Bubbly, Lantern Walks, as well as Cinematic Tourist Series: Japanese Film, Animation and Cultural Workshops. For the packed list of festivities going on, click here.

Getting around

During the Cherry Blossom festival, let alone on a regular day parking around the monuments can be a pure mess; avoid the disaster by taking the metro. Get off at the Smithsonian stop (orange and blue lines). From here you can expect a 10-15 minute walk to reach the Tidal Basin. If you prefer a shuttle service, take Tourmobile from Virginia’s Haines Point parking area to the Tidal Basin. You may also consider getting on a bike and using the free bike valet at the Jefferson Memorial’s parking lot from 10am to 6pm. For $15 a day on a five day pass, you can rent a bike through Capital Bikeshare.

Download mTrip’s Washington Travel Guide to navigate around the festivities!

The wax figures take about three to four months to complete. Artists work tirelessly to make the wax figures as lifelike and realistic as possible by studying hundreds of photographs and hours of video, where available. In other cases, artists rely solely on paintings and historical accounts but they still manage to make these figures extraordinarily life-like.

In anticipation of the exhibition opening, some of the already completed wax figures have been making appearances at events around the country - Thomas Jefferson and George Washington stopped by the Independence Visitor Center in Philadelphia on Independence Day, while Gerald Ford made his appearance at what would have been his 97th Anniversary party at Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. In a recent appearance, Presidents Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson, and Lincoln took a road trip to Mount Rushmore for the anniversary of the monuments completion!

Not only will this be an exciting tourist attraction for Washington D.C., it will also serve as a rich educational resource. It will include a curriculum focusing on the history of the U.S. presidents and will allow educators to offer exciting lesson plans for their students. Field trips, here we go!

Other Madam Tussauds wax exhibits include: Political, Historical, Hollywood Stars, Popular Musicians, Sports Stars, Cultural Figures, and World Leaders.

Download your Washington D.C. travel guide

Image courtesy of Madam Tussauds

For starters, avoid the opening rush. Instead of lining up at 4am, look for stores that offer midnight-madness sales. Often, less people are aware that these sales are happening (since they only occur at certain stores) so you may get the same great deals with a lot less hassle (plus, you should be wide awake following your post-tryptophan afternoon nap). By skipping the opening bell you may forego some door-buster deals, but you’ll also avoid a lot of stress (and chances are you can do without the crappy printer they’re giving away for free).

You can also make your life a lot easier by being discerning when it comes to choosing which stores you will visit. This pertains not only to the chains you decide to patronize, but the area you frequent. High-end shopping centers in heavily populated areas are likely to receive the lion’s share of visitors, as are big-name retailers like Best Buy, Apple stores, and large outlet malls. So consider giving your consumer dollars to local businesses that offer the same items. Call ahead of time to see if they’re willing to price match the chain stores and you may be able to get the same low prices with a lot less stress.

Finally, you can get more done by employing some help. You’ve no doubt heard of people paying others to hold their place in line (outside a store) starting at 2 or 3am so they can show up just before the doors open and avoid a wait. However, this is probably a waste of funds that could be put to better use on sale items. Instead, ask some friends or relatives to come along. You can bring a thermos full of coffee and camp out in front of a store, then spread out once you get inside to get all of your shopping done quickly (before the lines get too long).

Of course, there’s always online shopping to consider. With Cyber Monday following fast on the heels of Black Friday, you can opt to avoid physical shopping altogether. And even though many companies designate Monday for the beginning of their biggest online sales, some of them actually post lower prices starting on Friday to boost sales and get the jump on their competition. So if you really want to make the most of the biggest shopping day of the year, do a little research ahead of time to find out who’s offering what and how you can save a lot with the least amount of hassle.

If you need help navigating your way around the city while shopping, download one of mTrip’s US iPhone Travel Guides.

~ Sarah Danielson writes for RAC Breakdown offering the best in breakdown cover and car insurance guides.

Drop-in on a Parade

Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the universal Thanksgiving Day traditions. Kids always marvel at the massive balloons that portray their favorite cartoon characters and the acts from popular television shows. While the parade looks fun on television, attending could become a cherished family memory. While the kids might love seeing the Spiderman balloon now, the parade’s magic will last forever.

So, let the grandparents entertain their friends this year and take off for New York.

If New York still seems to out of reach, then consider taking in a parade at a closer or more affordable location. Chicago has a holiday parade on Thanksgiving morning that offers a show to rival the more famous Macy’s event. The parade is an unforgiveable experience featuring giant marching bands, inflatables, dancers and more.

Look at Off the Beaten Track Locations

Vacationers often target iconic locations that come with outrageous price tags. Rather than splurge on New York or Paris, travelers might find plenty of big city fun, friendly accommodations, and great deals in mid-sized cities that often get overlooked.

San Francisco has enough squares and boulevards to rival Paris. The Thanksgiving trip to San Francisco can be a chance to break away from the norm. Instead of the traditional turkey, consider dining out in some of the exotic city restaurants and pubs to enjoy a lobster (instead of a turkey) just for a change.

If dinner is not the most important part of the holiday for you and you are looking for some special events, consider going to Washington to witness the famous Presidential Turkey Pardon ceremony where the President formally pardons a turkey and spares it from ending up on the Thanksgiving table.

Volunteer for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the best time to volunteer to help the homeless. Every city has plenty of charitable organizations that need volunteers to prepare and serve the food. If you’d like to help, here are some organizations to contact:

• Washington: SOME (So Others May Eat)
• Chicago: The Night Ministry
• New York: godslovewedeliver.org
• San Francisco: Glide Memorial

Travel affordably:

Thanksgiving should be enjoyed. Ignore conventions and start a new tradition of having fun.

Is the trip too expensive? Consider:

• Web-based budgeting programs
• Emergency loans
• Saving tips

to help you on the road to enjoying your trip memories.

This is a guest post by Annie