Washington D.C., the land of business suits and tourists. This trip was somewhat last minute, but despite the quick planning, it turned out to be a perfect little family-focused, four-day getaway. We traveled to D.C. because my amazing husband was recognized as a Changemaker in Education along with 6 others from around the U.S. David, now 20 years into his career in public education, works tirelessly to make sure every child gets the education and life opportunities they deserve in the elementary schools he leads. It was nice to see that hard work be recognized by legislatures on Capitol Hill. And, we got the added benefit of a mini adventure in a city we had not visited since acquiring our tiny human.

There are plenty of places to stay in DC, but since we were there for an event, they had arranged our hotel stay for us at The Madison. It is a boutique Marriott property that was in close proximity to all the major sites. We walk as much as we can on vacation and staying at this hotel gave us the ability to promenade around town each day as we played tourist.

One truly amazing thing about DC is that there are so many interactive and exciting things to do that are free. Most of the Smithsonian museums and monuments don’t charge a fee for entry which makes it nice when you have little ones and aren’t sure how much time you will actually be spending. These were some of our favorite spots!

Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Beautiful museum with tons to see and do. If your little person likes animals, they’ll love many of the animal exhibits. As with most places, going early is really the best. There are less people early and if you have a little one like ours who wants their freedom to walk (run, and jump), it’s easier to follow them around when the museum isn’t full of people.

Smithsonian Air and Space Museum

The content and exhibits are geared more for slightly older kids, but we still had a great time. Like airplanes, rocket-ships, space, race cars and motorcycles? This museum is a must. Tickets are free, but they are timed so you need to book in advance.

Smithsonian Zoo

A free zoo isn’t something we’re used to seeing, and this one is not only free, but impressive. Plan on spending quite a few hours as the exhibits/habitats are expansive and the overall property is massive - tons of space for amazing animals to enjoy (including panda bears!). (Mamma Pointer: Pack a lunch and make sure to bring quite a few snacks. There are a few food options available, but the lines were ridiculously long and we were there on a weekday (I can only imagine the weekend). If you get the occasional “hangry toddler,” best to have food ready to go).

DC has so many amazing monuments and special places that you can just walk by and enjoy without tickets or reservations. You are able to purchase tours, but with little ones you don’t want to plan too much. Below are some of my favorite monuments/memorials.

We did not have time to check out the Spy Museum or Children’s Museum, but have heard both are great for kids. Hopefully we’ll be back soon to try them!

While the museums, monuments and memorials are all enjoyable and worthy of time and attention, the food scene in DC is equally worth your focus. With so many amazing restaurants, we wanted to make sure we expanded our pallets and indulged in a combination of the outstanding new and old culinary options.

Reservations are basically required at all restaurants because they are so popular. Make sure to have those made at least a month in advance. Our two favorites were Filomena and Jaleo. (Mamma Pointer: While dinner may be tough to book, you can always turn an early happy hour into a lovely (and cheaper) meal while still meeting the needs of your littles. It’s one way we’ve found work-arounds to reservation challenges (and to the issues that arise when you’re dining at a peak hour with a full establishment and your 2 year-old chooses to be 2).

The first day we arrived we walked to Jaleo for an early evening dinner. This restaurant, focused on authentic Spanish tapas, has a few locations in the US (including Chicago, Vegas and Disney). Neither one of us had been, and given the rave reviews, we were delighted to try it. It did not disappoint, and the outdoor patio, coupled with perfect spring weather, was a lovely added touch. (So was our little Samuel taking a short nap, which provided a perfect amount of reprieve from parenting).

Filomena was another favorite. This place is like walking into your Italian grandmothers basement in 1990. It’s over the top with both its decoration and its portions. When you first walk in you see a little door to your right where it looks like they've locked your Nona in a tiny kitchen, demanding she chunks out endless amounts of fresh pasta. She seemed quite happy so we assumed the best. The food was delicious, the staff were great, and it was truly a unique, and quintessential Italian dining experience (*And, they really do it up for the “happy birthday” song when singing to guests so if you don’t have one, fake it, and enjoy the celebration.)

During Samuel’s naps in the hotel room, we like to take turns so that one parent stays with him (reading, working or often sleeping) while the other gets to go have some “me time”. On one of those occasions, where it was my turn to explore, I took myself on a day date, walking around the city, doing some shopping and taking time for a drink and a snack in a truly DC staple. Old Ebbitt is located right by the Department of the Treasury and White House. I had a couple glasses of Rose and Clam Chowder. This is a perfect spot to stop for a ‘time out’ with great food, friendly bartenders and the possibility of anyone making decisions about our nation’s future walking through the door at any time.

As a culmination of our trip, Samuel and I were on hand to watch David receive his award from the National Alliance for Public Charter Schools. It was an amazing moment for our family and I was so happy we were together to cheer on “Dada” and hear him speak on a panel, addressing a range of legislatures on critical topics affecting the public education landscape across our country.

The Capital building has a small educational area inside with the history of DC but there is also a hidden gem with an incredible area for children to enjoy. If you ever find yourself on the Hill with your children in our national’s capitol, be sure to check it out - It is highly interactive and the staff loved playing alongside us.