A Memorial Day Weekend Getaway to Washington, D.C.

Somewhat impulsively (or as impulsive as you can be with a couple kids in tow), we made a quick trip down to Washington, D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. This beautiful city, steeped in history and national pride, is a fun-filled and educational destination for families. Our goal for the weekend was ambitious: visit a few of the city's historic sites, a museum or two, the zoo, and oh yeah, maybe relax a little bit. Luckily we were able to achieve that last part in spades, thanks to our stay at The Omni Shoreham Hotel. This luxurious hotel made us feel at home and comfortable almost immediately, and frankly, kind of hard to leave once we arrived!

First, a few words on why The Omni Shoreham is a great space for families visiting the DC area:

Location. The hotel is within easy walking distance of the Smithsonian's National Zoo, which is a must-do for any animal lover. We arrived mid-afternoon and headed straight for the panda exhibit (got to see them munching on bamboo... too cute). We also saw an Asian elephant, cheetah, crocodile & more snakes than I care to remember. My personal favorite was the gorilla habitat. So many adorable animals! And admission is free, too, by the way.

And speaking of location, because The Omni Shoreham is situated away from the main part of town in leafy Woodley Park, it felt like we had sort of gotten away from it all when we returned each day. The hotel grounds back up to Rock Creek Park, so the pool area and hotel "back yard" are very quiet. At the same time, you're not far from the heart of the city - a metro stop is one block away (though for this quick trip, we took Lyft everywhere and nothing was more than a 10 minute drive). Hurrah!

Second, Omni Kids! The hotel is very welcoming to kids and families, and their Omni Kids program is an excellent example. Upon check-in, kids receive a backpack filled with fun items designed specifically for them (our contents included a coloring book & crayons, game and a cool pair of binoculars). Kids also receive milk and cookies to their guest room on the first night. Naturally, my girls loved them! And if you dine at Robert's Restaurant in the hotel, they'll bring you a coloring menu and crayons-- always a benefit when eating out with kids.

Third, and I think this goes without saying, the POOL! The pool area itself is huge and we loved having access to the snack bar and wait service (I highly recommend the Mango Mule, for the record). While the girls and Husband swam, I made use of the hot tub. So relaxing! Wish I'd had a chance to check out their spa and gym, but there just weren't enough hours in the day.

Much like NYC, Washington, D.C. is a city you can keep coming back to, seeing something new on every visit. There are SO many world-class museums (many of them free, thanks to the Smithsonian) and monuments, tours, parks and restaurants. On our main day, we visited the Lincoln Memorial, walked along the Mall and past the National Monument, then all the way down to the Air & Space Museum. After lunch at the American Indian Museum, we walked over to the National Portrait Gallery. I think we walked almost 3 miles that day! And still, only the tip of the iceberg.

We'll be back, DC. You're a bit of a treasure. You, too, Omni Shoreham (I'm ending with a few more pics because clearly, I wish I was back on vacation)!

Disclosure: I was provided with two nights lodging in exchange for promotion and this review. All opinions herein are my own.