Visiting DC with the kids? You’ve come to the right place! The US capital offer up valuable history lessons everywhere you look, plus plenty of hands-on fun for the wee ones, including interactive museum exhibits, exciting outdoor activities, fun shops and child-friendly eateries. The best part? Most of these kid-tested-and-approved attractions are free – unless, of course, you decide to buy yourself a souvenir.

Best museums for kids

A mini architect hard at work at the National Building Museum. Image by Tom Moore / National Building Museum
<span class="caption">A mini architect hard at work at the National Building Museum. Image by Tom Moore / National Building Museum</span>

Top child-friendly experiences

Feeding the family

  • Baked & Wired makes giant, cream-frosted cupcakes in Georgetown (and it's conveniently located near Georgetown Waterfront Park).

  • Gourmet Neapolitan style pizza keeps the parents happy, while crayons keep the kids busy at 2 Amys, near the National Cathedral.

  • You’d never know it from the swank décor, but Legal Sea Foods in Penn Quarter has an award-winning children’s menu, with classics like mac & cheese and slightly more highbrow fare, like steamed lobster (which is taken out of the shell then put back in, easy for little fingers to handle).

  • Retro Ted's Bulletin whips up smiley face pancakes, peanut butter sandwiches and milkshakes (with a booze-spiked option for parents).

Baked & Wired frosted cupcake. Image by m01229 / CC BY 2.0
<span class="caption">Baked &amp; Wired frosted cupcake. Image by <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/39908901@N06/8645484929/in/photolist-eaYnsZ-PDygS-pbMM18-85X1p4-8pH5uc-85WZMM-dBdyyB-effVEk-8ZjviR-8ZjvkB-8ZjvZP-8ZnzaE-4wfg8C-8ZjvwD-bH5ELZ-bEZskh-4Lxj67-ejmcNd-ejmirE-bTUcaT-bEZrTd-bTUcjx-d8EUVC-x51nF-dQnk-bmWjJf-5GxHvM-9HUnCg-2gYrMC-5cWBub-4Fm4mJ-8fQFVM-6LWXbK-89mHok-8b5gJ2-eaYqeg-d8EqXN-d8ELaj-d8EvZo-d8ERnC-d8ERCw-d8EwfS-d8EwQ9-d8EN6s-d8Ewxq-d8EkHb-d8ExeS-d8ExCW-d8EvwU-d8EMm5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">m01229</a> / <a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CC BY 2.0</a></span>

Best stores for kids

  • Tugooh Toys sells eco-friendly stuffed animals and educational games amid the cupcake and ice cream shops of Georgetown.

  • The store at the International Spy Museum stocks everything from mustache disguises to voice changing gadgets.

  • Dawn Price Baby carries stylish stuff for mom and baby, from designer diaper bags to organic cotton layette sets.

Top tours for families

  • Bike and Roll has all-ages, four-mile cycling tours that zip around the Mall and Tidal Basin. Children's bikes are provided.

  • DC by Foot offers pay-what-you-want walking tours. While they're not specifically geared to kids, they are popular with families. The Mall tour takes about two hours and covers a mile; the route is stroller-friendly.

Family-friendly DC web resources

  • Kids To Go on Lonely Planet's Thorntree forum.

  • LP Kids on Twitter.

  • Smithsonian Kids for educational games and projects, plus the lowdown on pint-sized activities at the museums.

  • DC Cool Kids for activity guides, insider tips from local youngsters on things to do, and museum info.

  • DC Urban Moms and Dads for active forums to post your pressing DC questions; look for the Travel Discussion and Food & Restaurants threads.

Subscribe to our Lonely Planet Kids newsletter and get 30% off your first Lonely Planet Kids book purchase.

Explore related stories

Autumn morning in the Smoky Mountains National Park.
161159009
tn, usa, gap, new, sky, park, view, fall, pass, road, trees, hills, woods, found, smoky, scene, aerial, street, autumn, valley, clouds, season, ravine, forest, colors, sunset, nature, pretty, foliage, natural, sunrise, scenery, skyline, national, newfound, southern, overlook, mountains, tennessee, beautiful, landscape, gatlinburg, appalachia, appalachian, environment, mountaintop, newfound gap, national park, smoky mountains, great smoky mountains

National Parks

The best national parks to celebrate Thanksgiving in 2024

Nov 4, 2024 • 3 min read