A Weekend Trip to DC with the St. John's

When we found out our nephews would be in Washington DC for their Spring break, we knew we couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them.  Tickets in hand, we left out early Saturday morning on the Megabus. A little after 1:00, we pulled into Union Station and took the Metro towards Woodly Park to our hotel. The Omni Shoreham was elegant, quiet and comfortable. I chose it based on its proximity to the zoo and the reviews on TripAdvisor. 

After quickly checking in and dropping off our things, we walked the 5 minutes to the National Zoo  and met the St. John's.  While it was great to be with my nephews, out of the three other  zoos I've visited (L.A., San Diego and Bronx), it was last on the list. The National Zoo was incredibly overcrowded, and this made it impossible to see any actual exhibits. The animals that were featured out in the open were few and far between, and seemed to be set back  from the  path for walking.  The only upside to the National Zoo is that there is no charge for entrance.

We walked back to our hotel from the zoo and rested before dinner.  Selecting a  kid-friendly spot to eat within walking distance from Meg and Jeff's hotel (Hotel Rouge) in Dupont Circle was challenging. I managed to get a reservation for seven at the Logan Tavern. Unfortunately, one of my nephews wasn't feeling well, and paired with the incredibly slow service, we were forced to break apart the group. Meg and I headed back to the hotel with two of the boys, and Jeff and Chase stayed with the other two. The service didn't seem to pick up after we left, and the food was  later reported as uninspiring. My favorite part of the night was eating Gelato (Jeff's treat!) from Dolcezzo while the boys modeled their robes- compliments of the hotel.

We decided to walk the two miles from Dupont Circle back to our hotel, and it was a great chance to check out all the tucked away neighborhoods throughout downtown DC. It was fun to think about possibly living there someday and daydreaming about the Kalorama Heights neighborhood in particular. The brownstones have such character, and it's fair to say that the city is clean and respected by those who occupy it.

 

Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera out to the pool area at the Omni, but it was spectacular. The pool is expansive and overlooks 11 acres of Rock Creek Park (which we did not actually see much of at night). There were complimentary drinks, and it was such a serene atmosphere, I couldn't help but think it would be beautiful for a wedding.

On Saturday, we checked out of our hotel and walked two blocks to the Metro. We had brunch reservations in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood at Founding Farmers. Based on the reviews and recommendations from friends, I figured it would be a great restaurant. I was unable to get reservations for all seven of us, but Chase and I went together and were easily sat. Reservations are recommended though, because many parties were still waiting for a table long after we were done eating. The coffee was easily the best I've ever tasted, and I would go back for that alone!

After breakfast, we walked the 6 or so blocks to the White House where we met up with my sister and her family.  Following the White House, we walked to the Washington Monument and the Vietnam Memorial. While it was a long day for little legs, there are so many wonderful parks and benches in DC, it made it easy to stop and rest with the kids.

At the Lincoln Memorial, there was a marble slab which was used by kids as a slide . While reckless, it provided great entertainment for the boys! 

After a long weekend in DC, we were exhausted and headed to Union Station with just enough time to grab a bite to eat. We'll be back to DC with Chasen's family at the beginning of May, and we  definitely look forward to exploring more of the city.