Your children have a week off of school in the spring, and you'd like to take them somewhere for spring break. You've already done the Disney World vacation in Orlando, Florida, and you are looking for something new. So, what about some trips with a little education and fun mixed in? Explore our nation's capital and surrounding area. Take a trip to Seattle, and visit the Space Needle. There's always an adventure to be had at the Grand Canyon, and children will remember that spring break trip for a long time.
A trip to Washington, D.C., is great to take with children in elementary or middle school. Besides all the obvious sightseeing spots such as the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House and Capitol building, you can also visit the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo with your children (see References). The Smithsonian website has a special section for kids to help plan your trip for your whole family to enjoy, especially because the Smithsonian Institution is so large (See Resources). In Vienna, Virginia, which is very close to Washington, there's a small zoo, the Reston Zoo, for younger children if you have some toddlers and preschoolers along on your spring break trip. Washington, D.C., also has a National Aquarium, which is a sure hit with kids. If you are lucky, you might see some cherry blossoms in the spring.
Washington Monument: (202) 426-6841, www.nps.gov/wamo
Lincoln Memorial: (202) 426-6841 www.nps.gov/linc
White House: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, DC (202) 456-1111 www.whitehouse.gov
Capitol Building: E Capitol St NE & 1st St NE 20001 Washington, DC (202) 226-8000 www.visitthecapital.gov
Smithsonian Museums: (202) 633-1000
Reston Zoo: 1228 Hunter Mill Road, Vienna, VA (703) 757-6222, www.restonzoo.com
National Aquarium: Commerce Building, Room B-077, 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC (202) 482-2825 www.nationalaquarium.com
In Seattle, children will love to see the city from the top of the Space Needle on their spring break. But there's more to do than just this. You can also visit the Children's Museum in Seattle. This museum offers hands-on experiments and exhibits mostly for infants through 10-year-olds. You can also visit the Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, which has hands-on exhibits for children as well as dinosaur fossils, which no kid can resist. Like other large cities, Seattle also has a zoo and aquarium. But children will also love to ride the Ducks in Seattle. The Ducks are boats that allow you to take a tour of Seattle from water. Coast-Guard certified captains take you on a hilarious, musical adventure that children will be talking about the whole spring break trip.
Space Needle: 400 Broad St. Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 905-2100 www.spaceneedle.com
The Children's Museum: 305 Harrison St, Seattle, WA 98109 (206) 441-1768 www.thechildrensmuseum.org
Burke Museum: 17th Avenue NE and NE 45th Street (206) 543-7907 www.washington.edu/burkemuseum/info/contact.php
Ride the Ducks: 516 Broad Street , Seattle, WA 98109 1 (800) 817-1116 or (206) 441-DUCK
www.ridetheducksofseattle.com
The Grand Canyon National Park is a huge place with a lot of opportunities for fun, sightseeing and education at one of the most magnificent wonders in the United States. Planning your spring break trip and keeping the age of your child in mind is a good idea. In the spring, you can go to the South Rim or the Desert View because these spots are open year-round. You can stay in lodges in the national park and ride shuttles to get to where you want to go. You and your family can take a guided tour of the Grand Canyon by air, foot or bus, depending on what best fits the needs of your family. If you walk or hike, a ranger will lead your trip. Some people prefer to go by mule or horse, and even more adventurous families may take a whitewater rafting trip. At the Grand Canyon, you can currently use your cell phone to hear a narrated tour by a ranger at different stops in the park.
Grand Canyon: (928) 638-7888 www.nps.gov/grca/contacts.htm
