Plan B, but Better: How Washington, DC Surprised Us All
Our summer didn’t end quite how we planned.
We had been expecting to wrap it up with sandy toes and tropical breezes in Maui—but when that trip unexpectedly fell through, we scrambled to find a backup plan. Enter: a last-minute, totally unplanned family trip to Washington, DC.
To be honest, the excitement level at first was…underwhelming. The kids were less than thrilled with the idea of a "vacation" being filled with museum visits and learning.
But something funny happened once we got there.
We came home with sore feet, tired legs, and kids who couldn’t stop talking about how much fun they had. Kids who wanted photos of everything inside those “boring” museums.
Here's what we squeezed into our whirlwind trip:
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The Museum of American History
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The Museum of Natural History
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The National Archives*
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A nighttime trolley tour of the monuments (highly recommend!)
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A tour of The White House and The People’s House**
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A moving visit to the 9/11 Memorial at The Pentagon
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Arlington National Cemetery and the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
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The Holocaust Museum*
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The Spy Museum** (a hit with everyone!)
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The Library of Congress*
- The Capital Building*
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A visit to Old Town Alexandria
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A quick stop at Union Station and the Reagan Building
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The National Zoo*
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And for a special treat—Les Misérables at The Kennedy Center
We even managed to witness an organized protest (very cool for about five minutes) and a full presidential motorcade for a visiting foreign dignitary. Real-life civics class, right there on the sidewalk.
Oh—and let’s not forget the part where I lost my driver’s license and had to fly home anyway (I shared that whole saga inside my Facebook group, Lemon Drop Families: Theme Parks, All Inclusive, Europe & Cruise Vacations 🤦).
The best part?
Even with all we saw, there’s still so much left to explore. DC is a city packed with stories, memorials, hidden gems, and moments that really stay with you.
This wasn’t the summer send-off we imagined, but I’m honestly glad it turned out this way. Plan B ended up being better than we expected.
And now, just like that, school is back in session...and summer officially comes to a close. 👎
Until next time, DC. We’ll be back.
*These museums are free but require a ticket "purchased" in advance
**Entrance available for a fee. Advanced purchase suggested.