DC trip day 1

I have been waiting for almost 11 years to share one of my favorite places on earth with my boys.  However, we have been waiting until they are old enough to appreciate it, and old enough to spend all day on their feet.  I wanted to make sure that they really enjoy it, and that the experience is great.

No, it's not what you might be thinking.  I am not talking about Disney.

I'm talking about Washington, DC.

We decided a few months ago that the best way to really make this a special trip was to have it be a 1:1 trip.  So we decided that I would take Nate alone over Spring Break.

We traveled on Saturday morning.  It was his first time on an airplane, so we commemorated it with a "selfie."

Unfortunately, when we landed, the weather was cold and rainy.  Actually, it was pouring when we arrived.  Luckily most of this rain fell while we were traveling from the airport to the hotel, and while we were waiting for our hotel room.

While we waited for our hotel room (it wasn't quite ready yet), we walked around, got some lunch at a nearby Quizno's Subs, and visited our first museum of the trip, the Hirschorn Museum of Modern Art.  And yes, Nate picked the museum.  :)  It was pretty neat, although one floor was closed, we were able to see a video art exhibit on the lower level and an extensive collection on the upper floor.  Nate even spied an artist working on painting a wall on the closed level.

One of the key places we wanted to go on this trip was the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.  As we walked around the National Mall area (in the rain), we saw that the line for the Air and Space Museum was 2-3 blocks long in each direction, so we decided that our plan would be to go there first thing on Sunday morning.

Nate had told me of an International Spy Museum that he wanted to go to, so we decided to go there instead.  This museum is not free (it's not part of the National Parks or the Smithsonian), but it was definitely worth the money.  Highlights included selecting our own "secret identity" and getting to see countless types of spy gear.

We hit up a nearby restaurant for dinner, and then the best gelato place we have ever tried.  (it was that good, really).  Then we walked back to the hotel to relax and make plans for the next day.

Total distance walked:  5.4 miles.