But don't just take our word for it. For families on a budget, Washington, D.C., is the closest you can get to a free vacation. Most of the city's 70 major sites and attractions are free, and it's easy to get around on the clean, safe Metro subway. What's more, hotel rates drop on weekends, during holidays, and in late July and August when Congress is in recess, making those appealing times for families to visit our nation's greatest monuments and museums. It's a terrific place to satisfy a child's curiosity.
Admission is free.
A trip to the Federal Bureau of Investigation introduces children to high-tech crime detection and includes a firearms demonstration. Admission is free. Our families found the long lines to tour the White House and the Washington Monument were not worth the wait. We'd advise admiring those structures from the outside, then heading for the Lincoln Memorial. You can't beat the prices and convenient downtown location of Sholl's Colonial Cafeteria, which has been serving up hearty home-style meals since 1928.