DC: Smithsonian and a Big White House

Washington DC is full of amazing museums and places to visit.  I think the best part of DC is that everything is free.  Now the food that you purchase is quite a pretty penny, but the museums are amazing.

We started this day of our trip at the National Museum of Natural History.  Every Smithsonian museum is filled with incredible artifacts and exhibits.  The history museum was busy, but we had an amazing time seeing all the floors.  The girls and I love the "Night at the Museum" movies and this museum was the center focus in the films.  Super fun!

After the visit we hustled over to the Washington Monument for our tour to the top time!  I was really looking forward to this experience!

Up over 500 feet in the air we went.  The top of the monument is quite small and there is only enough room for a handful of people at a time. BUT, the views are spectacular!

Evie had a blast using our phone zooms to find the secret service around the white house.  Maybe this kid has a career in spying in her future?

We had a bit of time until our Library of Congress tour so we headed to the American Museum of History.

Grandma Lynn, Bob, and I toured the hall of first ladies while Grandpa and the girls rode the virtual reality ride in the basement of the museum.

I LOVED the hall of popular movies.  To see C3PO and R2D2 from the original Star Wars movie, Offred's costume from Handmaids Tale, and all sorts of other real worn items was pretty neat.

It was finally time for the Library of Congress, and Lily had been waiting for this since the start of the trip!

We had watched "National Treasure 2" before heading here and it was so much fun to spend some time around the building before heading inside.

The library facility is amazing, but we were so disappointed that the only way to experience the famous Rotunda was from 2 stories up behind glass....boo.

But then.......

A very nice library guide told us that the only way to get on the floor is if you have a "library researcher card" which is available to anyone 18 and over who wants one, you just have to go and get it!

So, we left the building and headed across the street to the other more modern library building, headed down the hall to the registration room and Bob and I got one of those library cards.

Lily was so disappointed that she didn't qualify because of her age.  I mean, it was a sad moment.

The best part was that once we got our card we got access to the secret tunnel connecting the old and the new library.  We made our way through the tunnel, up through the old library and onto the Rotunda Floor!

Pictures were technically not allowed, but Bob didn't hear that part of the announcement.

We all had a blast exploring the alcoves and shelves of books.

We finished our day with a stop by the Supreme Court, and ice cream in front of the White House.

The day was another raging success!
 

DC: The National Mall Tour

This was hands down the BEST experience of the trip.  Grandma Lynn scheduled us an evening bike tour of the entire National Mall. Even better?  We all got E-bikes to make the pedalling even easier......well all of us except Bob.  He got to ride tandem with Evie with no E in his bike.

Our first stop was the Jefferson Memorial.  I have been to all of these places before, but each time I see them I am blown away at there grandeur.  The attention to detail is amazing.

Our next stop on the tour was the expansive FDR Memorial which was our favorite by far. The Memorial is broken up into 4 different sections representing his 4 terms. 

We had to do yoga of course.

Grandmas choice of helmet directions made us giggle.

Evie read books about both FDR and Eleanor.  We learned about the Fireside Chats and his entire history.  Evie loved it.

Our next stop was the Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.  Such an incredible man. The monument is cut right out of the stone.  There is so much symbolism here and honestly, I could have stayed here all evening.

We also made a family pact to bring the girls back in 50 years to check out this time capsule.  I will most likely be a Grandma then. WOW.

Lincoln was the next on the list.  This place always gives me goosebumps.  It was quite busy when we arrived, but still every bit as magical.

I especially love the view from the steps of Lincoln.  Its just spectacular and seeing the Washington Memorial across the water is pretty awe inspiring.

The Korean, Vietnam, and World War II Memorials were next and all I can say is that while amazing and heart wrenching, they are solemn places.  Full of beauty and symmetry, mixed with loss and a reminder of suffering.  I do love that the places are full of people sitting, laughing, kids running, and joy.  Its a blaring contrast and I love that Lily and Evie got to experience it.

 The tour finished at the Washington Memorial.  Although all of us were exhausted and ready to turn in for the night, the experience was perfect and I love that we got to experience all of these places in one spectacular bike tour.