History Trippin' 

We had a beautiful day for touring today and decided to drive to Mt. Vernon to compare George Washington's home to the other presidents' houses that we've seen.  This one is a must see in Washington DC!  The tour of the mansion is great, with interpreters to explain what you're seeing in many of the rooms along the way.  Being a self-guided tour, you can go at your own pace.  You can visit his grave site and the slave burial grounds, the orchards and the barn (where you can pet the sheep), and stroll the beautiful lawn overlooking the Potomac.  (Make sure your children locate the tree that makes an excellent fort/hideout.  It seemed to be a major attraction for many of the children there.)  Then come inside to the amazing Education Center and the Donald W. Reynolds Museum.  The kids will love the Education Center (and so will the adults!)  There are amazing displays that give you a great sense of what Washington actually looked like and a film documenting how his likeness was made.  There's a hands-on room for children 3-8 years old.  Even his false teeth are on display.  You won't want to miss the Revolutionary War show, located in the theater near the hands-on room.  It's incredible!  It highlights the battles at Boston, Trenton, and Yorktown.  During the show, the seats rumble, smoke billows from behind the screen, and snow falls on you as Washington and his men cross the Delaware!  It was our favorite!

When you've finished at Mt. Vernon make your way to Generous George's Pizza, which is just a few miles down the road.  This tip came to us in our forums and we had a blast there.  The kids menu has a "make it yourself pizza" for $5.29 that comes with 2 toppings and a Chef's hat!  Can't beat that!  They bring the pizza fixins to the table, along with the chef hats, and let the kids pile the toppings on.  When they're done, the pizzas are cooked to perfection.  The atmosphere is wacky and energetic.  You can't go wrong in a place whose motto is "All Children Are Created Equal".