I believe every United States citizen should visit Washington, D.C. at least once to gain a better appreciation for our nation’s history and founding. With our children now teenagers, we decided it was the perfect time for a family vacation to explore the monuments, museums, and historic sites.

My last visit to Washington, D.C. was in 1998, so when we arrived this summer a flood of memories came back. Sharing this trip with my family was something special. Below is our full itinerary.

Day 1: Travel Day

We caught a 6 a.m. flight from Jackson with a layover in Atlanta and arrived at Reagan National Airport without delays. From there, we grabbed our luggage and took the Metro to Rosslyn in Arlington, just two blocks from our hotel, the Holiday Inn Rosslyn at Key Bridge. This older property was clean, affordable, and perfectly located near a Metro stop.

Pro Tip: Consider staying in Arlington or another Metro-accessible suburb to save on hotel costs while maintaining easy access to D.C.

After checking in, we walked across the Francis Scott Key Bridge into Georgetown. The view of the Potomac River was beautiful, with kayakers below and even the President’s helicopter flying overhead. We ended the day with dinner at Thunders Burgers and Bar in Georgetown – delicious food and reasonable prices.

Day 2: Monument Day

We started early with bagels from Bethesda Bagels and then hit the monuments: the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and National World War II Memorial. The WWII Memorial fountain was the perfect spot to cool our feet in the heat.

We were in D.C. during Memorial Day weekend, so we experienced the Rolling Thunder Rally, the nation’s largest veterans’ motorcycle event. Thousands of bikes roared through the city for hours – an unforgettable sight.

For lunch, we stopped at the Ronald Reagan Building food court, which has lots of affordable options close to the Mall.

That afternoon we toured the Newseum, a paid museum dedicated to journalism and media history, before heading back to Arlington and grabbing pizza at Wise Guy Pizza.

Day 3: Memorial Day & U.S. Capitol

We had a morning tour of the U.S. Capitol arranged through our senator’s office. Holiday Metro hours meant we had to Uber to make it in time. Touring the Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and seeing where history is made was humbling.

We also visited the Library of Congress atrium, the Supreme Court for photos, and had lunch at Good Stuff Eatery (tip: share the fries!). The afternoon included the U.S. Botanic Garden and the Museum of the Bible, one of our favorite stops.

We wrapped up the day with dinner at Ted’s Montana Grill at The Wharf for their famous bison burgers and meatloaf.

Day 4: Smithsonian & Spy Museum

We began at the National Air & Space Museum, though much of it was under renovation. Lunch was a quick hot dog from a food cart outside the museum.

We visited the National Gallery of Art and then the National Archives to see the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, and Bill of Rights. After skipping the long line at Natural History, we ended up at the International Spy Museum, which was a hit with the whole family.

Dinner was at Cheesecake Factory, followed by dessert back in our hotel room.

Day 5: Mount Vernon & Evening Monument Tour

We decided to spend a day at Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home. The grounds and river views are stunning, and walking through his home and resting place was a humbling experience.

That evening, we joined friends on a private Liberty Tours evening illumination tour of the Jefferson, FDR, MLK Jr., Korean War, and Lincoln Memorials. Seeing them lit up at night with historical insights was unforgettable.

Day 6: Pentagon & Arlington National Cemetery

Our final day started with a tour of the Pentagon (tickets must be requested well in advance). We also visited the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, which was deeply moving.

After lunch at Pentagon City Mall, we toured Arlington National Cemetery, witnessing the Changing of the Guard and visiting a family member’s grave via the complimentary shuttle.

We ended the night with fresh pasta at Il Radicchio in Arlington – a perfect last dinner before heading home.

Washington, D.C. is a city you can visit multiple times and still discover new things. With good planning and comfortable shoes, it’s an unforgettable family trip.