Day 4 our our trip started early. We got up, checked out of one hotel, drove 1 hour to the next hotel {near the end of the Red Line of the subway going into Washington D.C.} to drop off luggage, and then headed to the subway to catch a train into D.C. for the day. Olivia has been worried about this aspect of our trip for WEEKS. She did NOT want to go on a subway!!
But she found it was OK after all. We all had seats, everyone was safe, and we made it to the National Mall without the hassle of parking. We figured it would be part of the experience. Never mind that it was a record-breaking 98 degrees in D.C. today. We hit it hard.
On the docket for today, a short visit to the Air and Space Museum {we girls discovered that we are all planed out after various trips to the SAC museum in Omaha and another air museum in Ohio over the last few years--there are only so many things to see in airplanes! But the boys enjoyed themselves.}
We then made our way to the National Art Gallery to grab some lunch and check out some of the American collection. That's about all Jack could take of that one.
After a long walk, we made our way the the Museum of Natural History for a good look and some ice cream.
By this time the exhaustion really set in. We were going to try and hit some of the Museum of American History to round out the day but decided to save it for the morning when we are all fresh and able to appreciate it. {That's really one of my favorite ones.}
After a quick walk to the Washington Monument for a picture, we headed back to the subway for an early evening of dinner and swimming back at the hotel. Seriously, I have no idea how the kids have energy for swimming. I am ready to climb in bed right now. Instead, I am sitting here letting a couple loads of laundry run while I add this entry {yet another great perk of these hotels--guest laundry}.
It's a good thing Livvy cut her teeth on the train ride this morning because coming back was an adventure. When we got on our line to come home we were literally squished like sardines in the door way of the train. Olivia was good natured about it all considering she was "smashed like a pancake" as she put it. The kids were laughing pretty hard for the first couple stops at the funniness of the situation. It felt like they were in the scene of some city movie. {No pics of that adventure. No possible way to reach the camera or take a picture. Just hang on for dear life.} We thought for sure it would lighten up along the way since we were the last stop on the line. No such luck. Everyone on the train was the last stop on the line. Sure makes me appreciate our 3 minute commute in a comfortable car.
TRIP TIP #6 Taking the subway into D.C. is a great option. Just don't try to enter the train in the middle. From my squished vantage point, I noticed that at the end of the car things thinned out faster and everyone was seated. But we couldn't move. Good to know for tomorrow.
TRIP TIP #7 Give yourself two days to do D.C. with four kids--one is NOT enough. Good call, Kris. Tomorrow we will hit the American History museum before visiting the monuments, the capitol, and maybe the White House. We'll let you know how it goes!
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