Family Travel Diary to Washington D.C.

This post is in Partnership With The Capitol Hill Hotel. All photos are copyright of Chocolate and Lace, LLC.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.

Washington D.C. has been on my travel list for some time. With Bailey now 5, this was the perfect time to adventure to our nation’s capitol. What made our stay the most enjoyable for my little family of four, was staying at the beautiful Capitol Hill Hotel in the heart of the Historic District of Capitol Hill, D.C.

The Capitol Hill Hotel is situated just blocks away from the Capitol Building, The Library of Congress and a short walk down the hill to the National Mall. Staying in an area that is centrally located to everything we wanted to see really made the trip feel so easy to us. This trip I had my heart set on showing Bailey the monuments and even though at 5 she can’t completely understand, as she learns through school and growing up she will have the trip to remember what she saw and what it meant to her along the way. Of course she took to her own photography and was showing off her photos when we returned home.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel. Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel. Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.

The Capitol Hill Hotel made us feel like we were at a home away from home with such spacious rooms! Our room featured a sitting area with pull out couch, a full kitchen and dinette and not one, but two closets! Bailey was pretty excited to have her own closet for the trip. When you’re traveling with littles, space is so important. Another feature of the hotel that I loved and made it easy for us to plan our days was the continental breakfast included with our stay. When you have a bucket list of things to see combined with the fact that traveling with children always leaves for some surprises along the way, having breakfast only an elevator ride down could not have been more perfect. Coffee always available for this tired Momma didn’t hurt either.

There is nothing I love more than a boutique hotel in a pretty area. I loved the modern feels and jewel toned decor of the lobby at the Capitol Hill Hotel. Welcomed with smiles and cookies (I think Bailey and Joey ate the hotel out of cookies that weekend), the service was also amazing. The hotel is nestled in a beautiful residential area. There were so many restaurants and coffee shops close by. I of course ran around with my camera taking photos of the stunning D.C. houses.The hotel is pet friendly which is super important to traveling dog moms and offers beautiful bikes for you to get around town.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.

The first night we walked to the Capitol Building for what turned out to be a beautiful sunset and some special moments with Bailey. The sky turned to cotton candy colored dusk as we walked about the grounds of the Capitol Building making friends from foreign places as we went. From the top of the hill on the Capitol Grounds we could get a gorgeous view of the Washington Monument as the sun went down. Fall was the perfect time to visit, we felt like we had the place all to ourselves and the weather was perfect.

Also check out this guide to the San Genaro Festival in New York City!

The next day we woke up, had a filling breakfast downstairs at the hotel and marched down to The National Mall to see the monuments and visit the The Smithsonian Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian Institute is a cluster of Museums and Zoo’s which most offer free admission. The Museum of National History was fascinating and fun for all of us. From touching and playing with live butterflies, to learning about the cavemen of evolution to seeing the Hope Diamond, there was much to see and take in. Lined up around the grounds of the Washington Monument was a line of Food Trucks where we stopped and had lunch. We headed back to our hotel for a rest before venturing out again in the early evening to see The Washington Monument, Abraham Lincoln Memorial and the reflection pool.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C.

Walking up the grounds to the Washington Monument with my family was special to me as it hit golden hour on our way to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. It’s a little trek to see all the monuments right in a row but the sights along the way in the crisp warm early fall air was worth it. We stood in the circle of the fountains at the base of the reflection pool as I read to myself quotes of war heroes and imagined the sacrifices. Bailey is like any other little kid and loves to see fountains. (seriously fountains are like Disney world to this kid!). We walked around the reflection pool as the sun started to slowly drop and up the steps to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial. Once to the top, what a view! The sun slowly sank into shades of peach and pink and then all at once deep blues and royal purple. What a sight to see in our Nation’s Capitol.

We trekked back to the hotel area and finished the night in our favorite family fashion, with tacos at Burrito Brothers just around the corner from The Capitol Hill Hotel. The next day we were up early to see a bit more of the restaurant district and historic charm and breezed back to Philadelphia. Thank you so much to the The Capitol Hill Hotel  for a fantastic stay our family will always remember!

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel. Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.

Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.Lifestyle Blog Chocolate and Lace shares her family trip to Washington D.C. staying at the Capitol Hill Hotel.

Photography by Joe Resignato and Jenny Meassick, all photos are copyright of Chocolate and Lace, LLC.

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4 Comments

  1. Stacey
    October 15, 2017 / 12:41 pm

    I’ve been off the social for a bit! Congratulations on your new arrival! Yay!

    • Chocolate and Lace
      Author
      October 17, 2017 / 5:24 pm

      Aw thank you Stacey!

  2. October 15, 2017 / 10:04 pm

    This looked like a beautiful trip! I would love to see our nations Capitol! The photos taken are PHENOMENAL!!!

    Xo Jenna
    http://www.sylviajade.com

    • Chocolate and Lace
      Author
      October 17, 2017 / 5:24 pm

      Ah thank you so much! XO Love your blog.

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