Last Saturday, a local charity held a Rubber Ducky Regatta. They launched 3,500 ducks in the local lake and the first 25 ducks to cross the finish line would win a prize. People could adopt a duck for $5 or a dozen for $50 and the Grand Prize was a trip for 4 to Washington DC for 8 days and 7 nights. I bought 2 dozen and kind of forgot about it.On Monday morning, my friend Corey called and he said "Congratulations!" and I said "for what?" He went on to tell me that he calls friends whose name appears in the newspaper and he said that I won the Grand Prize for the Rubber Ducky Regatta. I was so surprised! It wasn't until the foundation called me that I truly believed it.
So I will be taking my kids to DC in April for the Cherry Blossom Festival and the Easter Egg Roll at the White House! I have only been to DC once before when I was a college grad and my boyfriend was from New Jersey. We drove down in his Jeep and we ate popcorn for meals. This time, I will be staying at The Madison and order room service! LOL
I can't wait to show my kids our nation's capital and visit Williamsburg and Monticello. Living in California, we don't get a real sense of our history. I'm so excited!
Do you have any recommendations for our visit?
15 comments:
I've never been... CONGRATULATIONS!
WOO HOO! Congratulations!!! That is the perfect time to go to D.C.!!!
The kids will have a blast! The Smithsonian is well worth a visit too :)
Congratulations!! Enjoy the trip!
Donna! That is awesome! Congrats!
I was born & raised in DC. My dad worked at the Pentagon for 30+ years and retired after 9/11. Washington DC is a MAGICAL town - especially seeing the monuments at night!
Cherry Blossom time is amazing & I've been to the Easter Egg Roll at the White House, too! :-)
All of the Smithsonian museums are incredible (and free!) and your kids would love the Air & Space & the Natural History Museum - very cool. The National Zoo is fantastic (and also free!) and fun to do.
You need to get tickets to go up in the Washington Monument (thru the Park service) and you can also get free tickets to tour the Capitol. (Also very cool & impressive!)
There are some AMAZING matinee shows at The Kennedy Center. Or head to the Verizon Center downtown to watch NHL Hockey (Washington Capitals) or NBA Bball (Washington Wizards.)
The Segway tours are awesome! And you must check out Pentagon City for shopping. And Old Town Alexandria!
I could go on & on!
Feel free to email me if you want more info: triciann1 at hotmail dot com.
CONGRATS!!!
How awesome!! Congrats.
OMG! I'm so happy for you! That is just wonderful. I've never been to DC so I have no real tips for you except to make resevations ahead of time to see the White House. I hear you have to do that and can't just show up to tour it.
It is going to be so pretty with all the trees blooming.
Can't wait to hear all about it.
Oh I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy for you. I know I would be thrilled to have won that.
Hugs,
Joanne
WOW-how exciting! Congratulations!
congratulations!
I can't wait to see the Washington DC themed bon voyage party!
That's so exciting! Congrats!
That's soo cool! I'm jealous!
Oh my gosh how exciting!!! I'm so happy for you. I've been to DC twice in the last 6 or 7 years. I have several recommendations -
white house tour - maybe you get that when you're at the easter egg roll- if not book now
US capitol tour - book now
Mt. Vernon - absolutely a must
Bureau of Engraving and Printing -perfect for you and kids - you get to see real money being printed. this is a popular attraction and tickets are gone by early morning
Smithsonian - you have many to choose from - choose wisely the kids will be on overload from visiting so many places.
Arlington National Cemetery
Museums I would do maybe next time -
Ford's Theater
Holocaust museum - I would wait until another time. You have so many museums to see. Your kids might need to be a little older. Though this was a very touching musuem
International Spy museum took hours.
I'm so excited for you - hope this info helps.
CONGRATS!! I know there are plenty of museums there to visit that I enjoyed as a kiddie...haven't been there since =( Enjoy your trip!!
Wow!! Congrats!!! I know you will love your trip!
My hubby and I went there a few years ago--we stayed in a great area called DuPont Circle. I think we were there for three whole days. We visited spots non-stop (including a Gray Line Tour of the monuments). I could have stayed another three weeks. There are so many terrific spots to visit. I was just awe struck seeing the Lincoln Monument..and of course the grave site of JFK in Arlington. However, I just LOVED seeing the pandas at the Nat'l Zoo! :)
I'm so happy for you! L, Dana
Hi! My in-laws live in the area and the kids and I went last summer. Just a hint for the Easter Egg Roll...go online and see what you can find out. I've heard rumors from Park Rangers that you can get tickets online now. When the kids and I went to get them a few years ago, people were camping out overnight in the middle of DC to get tickets. So...do your research!
Also, the Natural History Museum has a live butterfly exhibit you can walk through and the butterflies fly all around. It is beautiful! My daughter LOVED it. It was her highlight of the trip.
A lot of the monuments offer tickets online now to purchase for a couple dollars ahead of time. It is totally worth it! I know you can get tickets to the Washington Monument and several others. You don't have to wait in line and hope for tickets...you know you have them and you show up at your assigned time. I think it is COMPLETELY worth it!
Congrats,
I'm an unofficial tour/event planner for our friends and family so, here are my top choices.
1) night tour of monuments - you can hire a cab to drive you around or book a tour..must do!
2) washington monument - amazing view - online tickets ASAP $1.50 ticket
3) Capital - online tickets - must do! same thing -$1.50 ticket ish
4) Smithsonian American History - very cool for all ages & a quick walk through Air & Space FREE
5)If you're going to do a tour I love Old Town Trolley tours. You can pick up at Union Station and get on and off all day....drivers are informative, funny and helpful and get to see a TON. from Embassy Row, National Cathedral all the way down to Arlington Cemetery..worth every penny.
6) I love Spring in Old Town Alexandria - quick cab ride to quaint town on the water with boutiques, restaurants and a few water taxi/boat tours...Fish Market restaurant for great crab cake sandwich
7) Ford's Theatre - site of Lincoln's asassination - new interactive tour - supposed to be fantastic...great area for lunch in Penn quarter
sequeway tour that someone mentioned is supposed to be great
I would skip the zoo - overrated in my opinion - Baltimore zoo is much better.
Mount Vernon is beautiful but kids might be done...
honestly packing a lunch and hanging out on the Mall (especially by Lincoln Memorial) is one of my favorite things to do!
A baseball game at Nationals stadium although the team is not great it's a great stadium with famous local dining outposts - Ben's Chili Bowl, playground, batting cage for kids etc. found a great family special last year ticket and lunch for $15 a person.
For a little funk and culture early dinner at a rooftop restaurant in Adams Morgan would be fun..Perry's - late night gets a little wild. lots of live music around
great time of year - hopefully the cherry blossoms will be in bloom
Best wishes
Misha
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