Customer Reviews

Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you're going to Washington, D.C. with kids, this is not the book to buy. Everything we looked up in the book before and during our D.C. trip was accurate or misleading. We made reservations at a hotel listed as "economical" only to find the real price was $40 more than listed. When we entered the restaurant listed as one that welcomed children, our brood of three was scowled at , mutterings ensued and we were then led to a back table. There was no room to put down food (obviously cocktails were what the establishment had in mind) and the closest thing to food children would like was a plate of fish and chips for an exorbitant price. Every other time we consulted the book, it turned out badly, one way or another. So don't spend $16 on this book because it not only isn't helpful, but it's actually a hindrance. You end up in unsuitable places with unsuitable prices because you think they'll be good for kids.Wrong! So, after our trip, here's what I recommend for 3 days in D.C. with kids: The Smithsonian--as many as you can stand in a day The White House Tour A tour of the Capitol--write to your congressperson beforehand and get a private tour--an aide of Tammy Baldwin's gave us a crackerjack tour and we got to watch Tammy and others vote on the flag ammendment. Buy food and souvenirs from the street vendors--every age can find something cheap to take home that would cost twice, or three times, as much in a store. And it's fun to sit in parks or benches and eat and watch all the different people.

I would strongly recommend you look at other guides to Washington D.C. as Frommer's Washington D.C. with Kids was not helpful and actually was a hindrance. This book gave us misinformation and was completely out of date. I will just share two of our experiences from our first days in D.C. we disregarded the book and relied on our concierge from then on...

The Zoo: Frommer's emphatically advised to get there early (it 'opens' at 6:00) and that you should stop first at the information kiosk to get a map and the daily schedule for feedings etc. They also stated that the Animal Crackers Cafe was open for breakfast. Well, we got there about 8:00 and NOTHING is open until 10:00....not the information kiosk (so we were without maps or schedules and the place is huge), most of the animals were inside the buildings which were closed until 10, none of the cafes were open for anything to eat or drink until 10. What you WILL see before 10 is zoo employees driving trucks and golf carts around setting things up and watering plants. By 10:30 when the elephants were scheduled for their bath my husband announced that he didn't care if the elephants were going to do the cha-cha, he already done enought walking and was ready to leave. Also Frommer's should have noted that the Metro is a pretty long walk to and from the zoo.

The most blatant example of out-of-date information...The National Geographic Museum: Pages 191 and 192 must be from the 1998 guidebook because the permanent displays, interactive exibits, and videos the book describes have been gone (we inquired) for 9 years. No volcanoes videos, no touch and play mammals kiosk, no tornado to 'feel', no flying dinosaur, no orbital flight, no global access video games that "your kids will have to drag you away from", etc. What was displayed while we were there was China and it was good but not at all resemble what we had anticipated based on Frommer's description.

Save yourself $17 and a lot of aggravation and don't buy this guidebook. We are headed to North Carolina and I'll look at Fodors or Michelin.

I got three guides for our D.C. trip - one was the Frommer's Washington D.C. for Kids [8th edition], Fodor's Washington D.C. and "The Unofficial Guide to Washington, D.C. Since we have a preschooler, I felt it would be wise to read up on activities to do with kids, and this guide [the 8th edition of this book] fit the bill perfectly.

I was not sold on the restaurant or accomodations recommendations, but the activities recommended and places to see for kids was spot-on. For example, I'm glad that I read about the various kid-friendly activities at the National Museum of the American Indian, as we were thinking of skipping that initially. The National Zoo is highly recommended predictably, but I liked the fact that the book lists attractions of particular interest for kids such as the Pollinarium, Great Outdoor Flight Cage, Amazonia, etc. The book also convinced me to check out the DAR Museum [recommended for ages 4-10] which has the New Hampshire Toy Attic on the 3rd floor displaying 18th and 19th century toys etc! Every attraction has a recommended age for children beside it which is helpful in deciding whether an attraction is suitable for kids or not [of course it's also up to parents' discretion].

All in all, a worthwhile guide for doing stuff with kids whilst in D.C.

I have four editions of this book and I would not consider going to DC without it. It is worth the investment to make sure that you are getting the latest and greatest information. I have NEVER had a problem with the information if the edition is current. A quick flip through the sixth and eighth editions shows how much info has been updated, plus almost every listing provides a web address (in addition to all the other contact information) so you can get more detailed information if you desire.

When we are in DC, this book stays in my backpack at all times. The maps are clear and conscise, and the authors helpful hints have saved us a lot of time. I have all the info from the washington.org and AAA and just about everything that it covered in scores of brochures and booklets is in this book. It truly is the only book you need!

This book is an excellent guide for things to do in the D.C. area with kids. We live in D.C. and were looking for new things to do, especially with our 3 year old in mind. We bought the book and learned about exciting locations and activites that we never knew about. For example the Doll and Toy Museum, Naval Observatory and Amazonia exhibit at the National Zoo.

The restaurant and dining guides though are way off, the do not include the best food (including child friendly) nor convenient, fun and affordable hotels, infact they recommend some of the worst! Of course we've gained this knowledge from living here for 6 years, still would expect better form a guidebook...for food dining and hotels I'd recommend Lonely Planet's guide to D.C. area.

Only other downer was driving to the Childrens Museum only to find it was closed until 2009. Still I have the 6th edition and the 7th edition hopefully is updated with this info.

This book was a tremendous asset in planning our family's first ever D.C. trip. This was our first real encounter with big city transportation and I felt really sorry for those families who were lined up at the Metro ticket machines trying to decipher them. Also some really great hints for "cheap eats"(Union Station has something for everyone & won't break the bank),beating the heat, and sight-seeing options when the "big attractions" were impossible to get to. This guide was invaluable in planning our days with children who range in age from 7 -16. Purchased Fodor's Around Washington, D.C. with Kids (Around the City with Kids)which was simple for my children to read and enjoy. Using the Fodor's book in conjunction with this Frommer's my family spent many enjoyable evenings over 4 months planning our trip.

If you've never been to DC with kids, you need this book. I used it primarily for its comprehensive reviews of family-friendly hotels and restaurants (of course, you should call the establishments yourself to verify that the information is up to date) smartly divided into geographical areas--downtown, Georgetown, Capital Hill, etc. Maps pinpointing sites and attractions were equally helpful.

We bring this book every time we go to Washington! It really lays out all that's available to do and gives the information you need about each place or activity. The Smithsonian section is especially helpful.