We also used my Hilton HHonors Points and we stayed at the Capital Hilton just north of the White House. Check out Christine, Madison, and Carson walking from the hotel through Lafayette Square to the North Portico of the White House.
Hard to see, but there is Trump street performer behind Maddi and Carson
As is our Priest family tradition, we started with a city tour, this time with Big Bus Double Decker. Check out the Washington Monument, behind Christine and I. The bus tour was great and laid out our strategy of which monuments and museums, we wanted to visit during our short trip to DC.
We hopped off the Big Bus at the MLK Jr. Memorial Monument. We absolutely loved the MLK Jr. Monument. I loved the statue symbolizing MLK's quote: "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."
From MLK, we walked to the World War II Memorial. Check out Christine in-front of the fountains. Amazingly, the two states and I identify the closes with, are right next to each other.
From WW2, we walked to the Vietnam Memorial. The Vietnam Memorial was very somber, and we didn't take any pictures.
After the Vietnam Memorial, we walked to The Lincoln Memorial. The Lincoln Memorial was packed and amazing. The walls inscribed with two of President Lincoln's famous speeches. Check out our pictures. Carson and I on the Step
My favorite picture of our trip, Maddi photobombing my selfie with President Abraham Lincoln
From the Lincoln Memorial with walked to the Korean War Memorialhttps://washington.org/dc-guide-to/washington-monument. The creativity of the Memorial with the Solider Statues in the field, the Infinity fountain, and the sketchings in the Marble wall, plus the wall reflecting the soldiers in the field. Check out our Family selfie in the Wall with us and the statues:
From the Korean War Memorial, we started the walk back to Capital Hilton, which took us by the Washington Memorial , which is under construction.
We wrapped up Thursday, with dinner near the hotel. During dinner we reviewed the what each of us wanted to do the next day.
On Friday morning, we started of by walking to the White House Visitor Museum. Vice President Mike Pence was visiting the White House, so Lafayette Square was closed, and we had to walk further around. We didn't try to book a White House tour, so I was personally hoping to see a replica of the Oval Office. I was totally disappointed, aka no Oval Office, not even the President's Resolute Desk. So no pictures.
From there, we walked to the Holocaust Smithsonian.
I am so glad we toured. The Museum does an incredible job of showing the horrors, while combining the best of human survival and supporting each other in dire circumstance. We took one simple picture outside of the Museum.
After lunch, we walked to the National Air and Space Smithsonian. Great timing for me, as I just finished reading 'Spaceman', by Mike Massimino (great read). The museum was full and wonderful. We got tickets to the Dark Universe in the Planetarium, highly recommended. Madison and Carson did the Flying 3-D Simulator, where you go upside down.
After the Air and Space Smithsonian, we walked back to the hotel. On our walked back, we detoured through the famous Willard Hotel lobby, where President U.S. Grant termed the word 'Lobbyist'. Seeing as both parties have Lobbyist, check out my picture near the back entrance:
For dinner, we took Gerard White's advice, a former DC Resident, and got dinner at POV Rooftop bar and restaurant top of the W Hotel, and overlooking the White House. The food was okay, however the view was amazing, especially as the sunsetted over the city. Yes, that is the four of us, with the White House beneath us.
After dinner we took the long way around the White House to our Hotel. Check out Maddi and Carson with the White House in the background, then Christine and I in front of the Eisenhower Executive building.
On Saturday, our streak of great weather ended, with three inches of rain. We still had a great time, plus we starting taking ubers and taxis to get from place to place. We started the day off cabbing to Arlington National Cemetery. After seeing JFK's Eternal Flame, we walked over the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Just as we arrived, they did a Changing of the Guard. You can feel the Patriotism of our soldiers guarding our unknown fallen heroes, continually since July 2, 1937. See Maddi Watching the changing of the guard.
We stayed in the Smithsonian until closing. Amazingly all 17 of the Smithsonian's are free.
What a trip! I highly recommend, DC for family vacations!!!
Thank you for letting us share pictures from our summer vacation. If you have any questions, please email Shaun Priest at shaun@closerq.com.
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