Spring Break in Washington, DC

Here’s how our spring break in Washington, DC broke down by days with Beau (7) and Emilia (11).

SATURDAY
Spirit Airlines IAH to Baltimore
Super Shuttle suburban met us outside baggage claim and drove us to the hotel.
Hotel - Canopy by Hilton at The Wharf

Dinner: Shake Shack on the Wharf near the hotel.

SUNDAY
Every morning we ate the complimentary breakfast at the hotel.
We bought 7 day short travel Metro passes to get us around the city for the week. The hotel is near the Green line’s Waterfront stop.
Took the metro to the National Mall and saw:

• Washington Monument (couldn’t go up since it’s under repair/renovation)
• Lincoln Memorial
• WWII Memorial
• Vietnam Memorials (for men and women)

Lunch: food truck. There was a St. Patrick’s Day parade and people playing baseball and a  football league.

• Then we went to the Smithsonian museum of Natural History.

Dinner: Caesar salad, pizza and garlic bread from Pi Pizzeria on Uber Eats.

MONDAY

• Holocast museum-  They have a kid’s exhibit that was great for Beau. There were parts of the main exhibit that we bypassed/didn’t point out to Beau.

Lunch: cafe by the Holocast museum

• Bureau of Engraving (have to get pick up free tickets the day of for the tour so we did that before the Holocast museum)
• Smithsonian museum of American History

Dinner: Firefly - the kids each got a sugar cookie to decorate when we got there with sprinkles and mini chocolate chips and then they baked it while we ate dinner so they had their creation for dessert.

TUESDAY

• I had bought 9am tickets a few weeks before we left for Ford’s Theatre. The house was closed for renovation but we saw the museum, theatre and aftermath museum that is across the street.
• Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
• National Archives - just saw the Declaration of Independance, Constitution and the Bill of Rights

Late lunch/dinner: Founding Farmers - we both wished we had one of these in The Woodlands!

WEDNESDAY

• 9am White House tour
• White House museum

Lunch: Hard Rock Cafe

• The Supreme Court
• 2:30 Capitol tour (private one given through our Congressman’s Kevin Brady’s office)

Dinner: Shake Shack

THURSDAY

• Mount Vernon (had to add some money to our metro passes to take the metro and bus transfer to get there)

Lunch: Mount Vernon
Dinner: Ted’s Bulletin 14th Street location (50s diner that always serves breakfast. Recommend this place too!!)

FRIDAY

• Library of Congress
• Went back to the Capitol to use our passes to see the House chamber

Lunch: Capitol cafeteria

• Zoo

Dinner:

Tracey- Teaism with my college friend Megan

Chris and the kids tried to go to a Chick Fil A but the location hadn’t opened yet. So Beau had McDonalds, Emilia ate Subway and Chris had Chipotle at Union Station.

SATURDAY

• Arlington Cemetery

Lunch: The Portrait Gallery Cafe

• The Portrait Gallery

Dinner: Hank’s Oyster Bar next door to our hotel

SUNDAY
Fly home (reverse from coming)

Things we didn’t see:
Most art museums
the new African American museum
Spy Museum
MLK Memorial
Georgetown

Day 8 Melbourne

We shopped on our last day in Melbourne before heading to the airport after lunch at the Pancake Parlour.  Below is a wrap up of the Instagram pictures taken during the week.

Waiting to board our plane to Melbourne at the Perth airport 

Beau was so excited to see the turtles at the aquarium.

Thank you Moppy for the Easter money.  We bought a penguin and turtle! 

Emilia trying her first Sunkist. 

The Pancake Parlour (Visit #1) 

Me and my girl 

Last day: Emilia wearing her new H&M hat with Beau

Day 7 Melbourne: Shrine of Remembrance and Royal Botanical Gardens

On Wednesday, we went to the Shrine of Remembrance.  We happened upon a Legacy tribute that was for students (they were back in school) was going to start in 5 minutes and we were invited to take a set behind the stage where the Governor of Victoria was sitting (interesting fact: Alex Chernov was born in Lithuania) and take part of the Anzac ceremony.

Afterwards, we toured the Shrine of Remembrance and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

Governor of Victoria Alex Chernov walking up the stairs

Stone of Remembrance 

There was a pool of water on this canvas above our heads and the bird was making concentric circles when she drank. 

Entrance to the children's garden.  

The posts are inscribed with "In memory of Morrie - Edith May Vorris - She nurtured and inspired" and "…where children can delight in nature and discover a passion for plants…"

 Maze

Another maze