We did a long weekend trip to Washington DC in May, and it was a really special family adventure!
One of my favorite things about DC is the Smithsonian Zoo, and it was Trevor’s first time there! We spent the entire morning at the zoo, and Trevor is now at an age to truly appreciate it. He loved learning about the tallest giraffes at the zoo and the heaviest elephants (he’s all about mathematics and numbers!) I had the most fun showing Trevor the pandas. They are just beyond adorable, to the point that they hardly seem real!
Trevor’s full obsession with outer space has subsided, but he still takes an interest in space-related topics. So we took him to the National Air and Space Museum located just outside of DC (the one in the city was closed for renovations). Tru was most interested in the rocket ship simulation ride; he loves adventure and intense speed!
We spent some time exploring a few stunningly beautiful gardens; gardens are always my happy place! The National Arboretum was really scenic and fun to explore. The Dumbarton Oaks museum and mansion was also really special. Trevor kept himself entertained by collecting pebbles along the gorgeous walkways and tossing them into the many fountains. We had fun filming some creative videos on my phone. I always love to visit mansions with acres of gardens and imagine what it must be like to live in a place where endless gardens = your backyard!
We also drove just a bit outside of the city to see Great Falls Park, which included scenic falls and easy nature trails. The older I get, the more I prefer nature to chaotic city environments. We always have fun and connect when we do a nature walk as a family. Tru loves hikes because he always find rocks and sticks to collect and throw. Plus, he’s always eager to collect steps on his Fitbit. As his teacher wisely points out: he’s very competitive with himself!
Tru continues to have a strong interest in rocks and gemstones, so we made sure to visit the National Museum of Natural History. They have a collection of hundreds of thousands of gorgeous and (many enormous!) gems. We all loved exploring that gallery.
One of our most memorable adventures was when we went to the top of the Washington Monument. Chris and I hadn’t made any plans to visit, but as soon as Tru caught sight of the Monument as we drove into the city, he knew he wanted to go to the top! He kept asking when we could visit the Monument. As luck would have it, Chris and Tru were out and about very early one morning (since Tru is always up at 6am!) The morning was slightly chilly with a light drizzle, so the normally very long line for tickets was really short. Chris decided to get into line, and he quickly and easily scored tickets to go to the top! Tru was excited to ride the elevator, and he had fun peeking out of each little window at the top to see the view of the city.
