What I’ve learnt about Washington, D.C. in 2 days

Our travel schedule for the United states of America was completely insane. We tried to do too much in a short space of time – definitely not something you should try when you travelling with a 3-year-old. It was a good learning experience for me but I do regret a lot. I wish I planned my holiday better and researched more about the cities before arriving there.

Having a checklist is so important when you travelling with kids.

I thought I could see a lot of  “tourists” attractions in the time I had allocated for each city but I was so wrong. The USA has so much to offer and trying to do the amazing race in the country isn’t an option. You miss out on so much!

Honestly, every city I visited was beautiful but Washington, D.C is something else. It’s a place I could call home because of the gorgeous doll-like houses. I was so fascinated by it – I felt like I was living a childhood dream.

There’s luscious green everywhere!

We stayed in a town called Maryland which is not far from the central district. Everything is so free and spacious. No burglar guards or electric fences to worry about.

2 days in Washington, D.C. just wasn’t enough. There’s so much to see and do there, I wish I spent a week. It is a perfect place for family vacations.

Washington, D.C. is the opposite of New York. Much quieter and laid back. The capital is filled with history; iconic monuments and fascinating museums.

HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR STAY IN WASHINGTON, D.C:

• We visited the Washington Monument (once the tallest building in the world, at just over 555 feet). According to Kitana, Rapunzel lives in there! Haha.

• The Lincoln Memorial – definitely a must see! It’s opened 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

• The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History – Kitana really enjoyed the museum. It is very different from our museums in South Africa and the best part is entry is free!

• Embassy road – One long road where all the embassies are situated. It’s beautiful.
• World War II Memorial – The memorial honors the spirit and sacrifice of the 16 million men and women who served overseas and the more than 400,000 that perished.

• Nandos! It does taste a little different from ours but the flavour was there. This was the closest thing to home and one of the best meals I had during my trip – I really missed home food.

Did you know?

The Smithsonian Institution Museums boast a collection that includes nearly 138 million objects, works of art and specimens. Source: www.washington.org

WHAT I’VE LEARNT ABOUT WASHINGTON, D.C:

• You have to book months in advance for a security check if you want to visit the white house.
• Most of the museums are walking distance from each other. You end up walking a lot!

• Their ice cream trucks are better than ours.
• It can get really humid in summer. Best time to visit is October or April.
• Visit the American History Museum, the Air and Space Museum, the Natural History Museum, the National Museum of the American Indian and much more for FREE! There is a few museums that charge an entrance fee.

• Visit Washington, D.C. in April to see the cherry blossoms. It’s a must see.

• The houses are amazing! Beautiful architecture.
• The people are welcoming.

I will be back Washington, D.C and this time it will be with my entire family! 😉 Definitely want to take Kiaan to the USA when he gets a little bigger. Kitana loved this leg of our trip and actually cried when we left – I guess because she felt like she was back home (we stayed with my husband’s family). She loved the open space and beautiful scenery but her favorite was our exciting adventure at the museum.