Washington DC With Kids: A Realistic 48-Hour Itinerary for Parents Traveling Alone
Washington, DC isn’t usually the first place people think of for a trip with young kids.
It’s a lot of walking, a lot of history, and on the surface it doesn’t feel especially geared toward toddlers. But after spending about 48 hours there with my two kids, ages 3 and 4, I came away feeling like it’s actually one of the easier cities to navigate with kids, even when you’re doing it on your own.
This trip wasn’t perfectly planned out ahead of time. The whole reason we were there was to meet up with my husband, who had a long layover in DC. I had about 30 hours in the city alone with the kids before he arrived, so we kept things flexible and figured it out as we went.
One thing that stood out right away is how much there is to do here that doesn’t cost anything. Most of the Smithsonian museums are completely free, which makes a huge difference when you’re traveling with kids and don’t want to feel rushed through every stop.
Here’s what our 48 hours in Washington, DC with kids actually looked like.
48 Hours in Washington DC With Kids: How Our Time Broke Down
Day 1 (half day)
- Smithsonian National Zoo
- Hotel check-in and dinner
Day 2
- National Mall and monuments
- Playground in Georgetown
- Lunch near the White House
- Airport views and pick up dad
- The White House and dinner
Day 3 (half day)
- Metro to the Smithsonian museums
- National Museum of Natural History
- Capitol Hill and food trucks
Day 1: Starting at the Smithsonian National Zoo
For this trip, we drove to Washington, DC from our home in Western New York. It’s about a six-hour drive for us, and with it being Easter weekend, it felt easier and more affordable than flying. If you’re flying in, you’ll likely come through Reagan or Dulles and then head into the city by car or Metro, but since we had our own car this time, we drove straight to our first stop.
Visiting the Smithsonian National Zoo
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park was our first stop. It’s part of the Smithsonian Institution, which means it’s completely free to visit. You can reserve entry passes online ahead of time, which I would recommend just to be safe, but there’s no admission cost. The only thing you’ll pay for is parking. When we went, it was $30 if you prepaid online or $40 if you paid when you arrived.
The zoo itself is a large, open campus with animals from all over the world and a strong focus on conservation and research. It’s known for being home to giant pandas and continues to be one of the most well-known zoos in the country.
I’ll be honest, though. It was just okay for us.
It’s very long and spread out, and depending on where you enter, it can feel like you’re walking uphill the entire time. We started near the Kids Farm and walked through the whole zoo that way, which worked out well because the walk back was easier. But there were long stretches where there wasn’t much to see, and several exhibits were empty or under construction.
The kids ended up getting bored, which doesn’t usually happen for us at zoos.
What I will say is that it was extremely stroller-friendly. Anywhere there were stairs, there was a ramp, and the paths were wide and easy to navigate. There were also family restrooms large enough to bring our double stroller right inside, which made a big difference since I was on my own with both kids.
Where We Stayed in Washington, DC
From there, we headed over to our hotel, the Washington Marriott Georgetown in the West End.
This ended up being a great location for us. It was close enough to walk to the National Mall, with the Lincoln Memorial a little over a mile away, and it was surrounded by restaurants. It was also about a five minute walk to the Foggy Bottom Metro stop, which made getting around the city really easy.
After a full day of driving and time at the zoo, we kept things simple and ordered room service. It felt like a treat, but honestly it wasn’t much different price-wise than ordering delivery, and it was a lot easier at the end of a long day.
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Day 2: Monuments, Walking the Mall, and a Perfect Playground Break
The next morning, we headed out toward the National Mall with no real plan other than to walk and see where the day took us.
Walking the National Mall With Kids
We walked down to the Lincoln Memorial and then just kept going along the National Mall. I wasn’t sure how the kids would feel about the monuments. It’s a lot of walking and a lot of history. But they were really into it.
I kept things simple and gave them small, age-appropriate bits of context about what we were seeing, and that was enough to keep them engaged. And in between stops, they ran around on the huge open lawns, which made the whole experience feel much more manageable.
We made our way through the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, and over to the Washington Monument.
Everything along the National Mall was very accessible with the stroller. Even at the Lincoln Memorial, where it looks like stairs would be an issue, there is a clearly marked accessible entrance with an elevator that takes you right up to the top. There were also public restrooms scattered throughout, which was super helpful for my kids and their last minute bathroom trips.
A Playground Break in Georgetown (Rose Park)
After looping back toward the hotel and taking a break, we headed out again to a playground in Georgetown.
This ended up being one of the best parts of the trip.
Rose Park has two playgrounds right next to each other. The first one we came across had climbing structures and slides that were a little better suited for older kids, and my kids loved it. Then we walked over to the Tot Lot, which had swings, a smaller play structure, and a huge sand area with buckets and digging equipment.
They could have stayed there all day.
It was one of those rare moments where I could actually sit and relax for a bit while they played, and the whole setting felt really nice with the Georgetown rowhouses in the background and a walking path running through the park.
Lunch Near the White House (Immigrant Food)
From there, we made the walk over to Immigrant Food at The White House.
This was such a cool place to eat. It’s not just a restaurant, it’s built around the idea of using food to highlight immigrant cultures and support immigrant communities. They call it “gastroadvocacy,” which basically means combining really good, globally inspired food with a purpose.
It felt thoughtful without being overcomplicated, and everything we had was really good. It also worked really well with kids.
They were very accommodating with the stroller. I was able to bring it inside and keep it near our table, which made things much easier.
After lunch we made the trek back to the hotel. We walked a lot on this trip because I enjoy it and we have a stroller that handles it well, but all of these areas are connected by the Metro. If you don’t want to walk this much, it would be very easy to get around using public transportation.
Planes at Gravelly Point, the White House, and Dinner
Later that afternoon, we headed toward the airport to pick up my husband. We left a little early so we could stop at Gravelly Point Park.
This is right at the end of the runway at Reagan National Airport, and planes take off and land directly overhead.
The park itself wasn’t anything special. It was crowded, there was some trash around, and the porta-potties looked like they hadn’t been serviced in a while. But the experience of watching the planes that close was incredible. My kids and I absolutely loved it.
After picking up my husband and parking back at the hotel, we walked over to see the White House.
While we were there, there was a large black fence surrounding the entire property, and you couldn’t really get a good view at all. I’m not sure if that was temporary or not, but it was a little disappointing.
We ended the day at Chef Geoff’s West End, right across from our hotel.
We were originally told there would be a long wait for an indoor table, but they ended up seating us right away when they saw the kids. They let us store the stroller behind the host stand and had a great kids menu with more options than just the usual basics. The food was excellent, and it was an easy, relaxed way to end the day.
Day 3: Metro, Museums, and Capitol Hill
The next morning, we headed back toward the National Mall, this time planning to try the Metro and visit one of the Smithsonian museums before heading home.
Taking the Metro With a Stroller
I wasn’t sure how it would go managing the Metro with a double stroller, but it ended up being very straightforward. Every station we used had elevators, the accessible gates were wide enough for the stroller, and the train cars were level with the platform so we could roll right on.
Even when it was crowded, people made space without hesitation.
We bought tickets right at the station, which was simple to figure out, and kids under 5 ride for free.
Visiting the Smithsonian Museums (and What to Know)
Our original plan was to visit the National Air and Space Museum, but we didn’t realize you need to reserve timed entry tickets ahead of time. There weren’t any available for the time we had, so we pivoted to the National Museum of Natural History instead.
This ended up being a perfect choice.
Like all Smithsonian museums, it’s completely free, which is one of the best parts about visiting Washington, DC with kids. You can go in, explore at your own pace, and leave whenever you want without feeling pressured to stay.
The museum was crowded, but it was very stroller-friendly and easy to navigate. There were also large family restrooms where I could bring the stroller inside, which always makes things easier when you’re managing everything on your own.
After the museum, we walked along Independence Avenue where there were food trucks lined up along the road. We grabbed ice cream and headed over toward Capitol Hill, where the kids ran around on the grass for a bit before we made our way back to the hotel to pack up and head home.
Is Washington DC Stroller Friendly?
This was one of my biggest questions going into the trip, and it ended up being much easier than I expected.
Washington, DC is very stroller-friendly.
Sidewalks are wide and well maintained, and anywhere there are stairs, there is almost always an accessible option nearby. The National Mall in particular is very easy to navigate with a stroller, and the Metro system worked well for us too.
Everything we did, with the exception of the airport park, was accessible by walking or public transportation, making it super easy with our Zoe Twin+ double stroller in tow.
Would I Recommend Washington DC With Kids?
I’ve always enjoyed visiting Washington, DC, but this trip felt different doing it with my kids.
It’s one of those places that ends up being much more manageable than you expect. The city is clean, easy to get around, and there’s so much open space for kids to just run around in between stops. And the fact that so many of the major museums and attractions are completely free makes a huge difference.
That said, it’s not the kind of trip where everything is going to feel easy every minute. There’s a lot of walking, and not every stop is going to hold a young child’s attention for long.
But overall, it felt very doable, even on my own with both kids.
And for us, it was absolutely worth it.
We’ll definitely be back. There’s still so much we didn’t get to see.
Have questions about these tips or want advice from other solo parents? Join my free Facebook group for parents traveling alone with babies, toddlers, and young kids. You’ll find support, real-life answers, and tips from parents who’ve been there, wherever you’re headed in the world.
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