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3-Day Washington, DC Itinerary to see All the Favorites with Teens

    Visiting Washington DC with Teens

    It can be hard to plan a DC itinerary, there’s so much to do, and because the time to cover the museums will vary depending on your family. Another factor to consider is the time of year which will add the issues of the length of time to go through security lines and navigating crowds.

    Some museums, such as the African American History and Culture Museum, may require timed entry passes. Please check their websites before visiting.

    We visited the week of Thanksgiving and found the crowds to be minimal. None of the museums we visited required timed entry passes.

    Here I list our planned itinerary. Be sure to click on each day to see how we actually did and what we changed around due to weather and visit length.

    With three teens and an adult college student, our family of six was able to cover a lot of ground each day. We walked 18+ miles over 3 days!

     

     

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    Washington, DC Day 1 Places to See:

    When visiting DC, if the weather doesn’t cooperate for walking outside to view the memorials, swap the day with a museum day.

    • White House
    • Washington Monument
    • World War II Memorial
    • Vietnam Veterans Memorial
    • Lincoln Memorial
    • Korean War Memorial
    • Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
    • Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
    • Thomas Jefferson Memorial
    • Lunch at the US Holocaust Museum Cafe – vegetarian cafe fare.
    • US Holocaust Memorial Museum
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    Washington, DC Day 2 Places to See:

    Honestly, you could spend the whole day at the Air and Space Museum; there’s a lot to cover! We only spent half a day because we had Capitol tour tickets.

    • Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
    • Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
    • US Capitol Tour
    • Library of Congress
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    Washington, DC Day 3 Places to Visit:

    • National Archives
    • Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
    • Smithsonian National Museum of American History

    Suggestions for additional days:

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    Read more about Washington, DC:

    More National Parks travel inspiration:

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    Theresa Jorgensen

    Theresa Jorgensen is a mother to four children including twins. She recognized the necessity for a comprehensive resource of hotels that cater to big families with rooms and suites for 5, 6, 7, or 8 people in a single room while traveling with her own family. In 2008, she established SixSuitcaseTravel to compile a database of such hotels. Over time, the website has grown to include travel advice, itineraries, road trip suggestions, national park guides, and more. Theresa takes pleasure in assisting other big families in creating unforgettable travel experiences.