Kid-friendly places in Washington DC
The play structures are modelled on city landmarks, so kids get to climb the sights they have been looking at all day.
A pirate-ship climber by the river at the Nicholson Street end. Another play structure in the park is closed, so head for this one.
Every room has a kitchen, so snacks, breakfast and quiet evenings in are easy.
Dinosaur skeletons, animal halls, minerals and ocean displays under one roof, so each kid finds a room they want to stay in.
The climbing equipment is turtle-themed, so small kids get something to pretend with while they climb.
A labyrinth set into the ground and wide paths along the river, so kids can trace the maze and then run.
Loaner cribs, baby baths and swings at the front desk, so you can pack less. Ask ahead, there are only a few.
A tall Wallholla climbing tower packed into a small city park. The tower is what school-age kids head for.
A big climbing area plus a train-themed play section beside the park paths, so train fans know where to start.
Wide green grounds, garden paths and a bonsai collection, so kids can run around and then look at the tiny trees up close.
Pinball and arcade games around the tables, so kids have somewhere to go while the food comes.
Boardwalks run out over the ponds, so kids can look straight down into the water. The lotus blooms are a summer thing.
A huge seated Lincoln with his famous words carved on the walls beside him. Kids can read along while you look up.
The founding documents themselves, with interactive displays that explain them. The line can run long, so go early.
Galleries inside and a sculpture garden outside, so when kids are done with paintings there is room to walk among the big pieces.
Portraits and a courtyard, plus Explore, a hands-on space for 18 months to 8, so the youngest have their own room.
Artifacts and stories from Indigenous cultures, plus the imagiNATIONS activity center where kids get to try things with their hands.
Mail trucks, stamps and interactive delivery stories, so kids see how a letter actually gets to the door.
A glasshouse of tropical plants and desert displays, so kids can go from jungle to cactus in a few steps.
Holocaust history told through one boy's life, made for kids eight and up. Plan to talk it through with them afterwards.
A kids' concierge for 11 and under and a library of kids' books, so the hotel helps you plan the day around them.
Duckpin bowling next to the sandwich counter, so lunch comes with a few frames.
Pizza and ping pong tables, so kids can play a game while it bakes.
The pizza oven is in plain view, so kids can watch their pizza go in and come out.
Landmark planes and spacecraft overhead, and a gallery on how flight works with a plane kids can sit in. Book the timed passes first.
Carved horses and an accessible chariot for riders who can't climb on, right between the museums.
Wonderplace for small kids and Spark Lab for young inventors. Check the play areas are open before you go.
Giant pandas, a kids' farm of cows, goats and alpacas, and a carousel. The paths are hilly, so bring a stroller with good wheels.