Washington DC is famous for its monuments.  They can be found everywhere from the National Mall to random street corners throughout the city.  A celebration of those who shaped our nation, you can spend days wandering the city trying to see them all.  With just an afternoon to dedicate to this pursuit, we focused on the monuments on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.  With the boys tiring and the weather questionable, we fit in what we could. We started at the Washington Monument, perhaps the most iconic structure in DC.  This obelisk is the …

After Ford’s Theatre, we decided to head to the White House Visitor Center.  We didn’t plan our trip to DC far enough in advance to schedule a tour of the actual White House through our Congressman but had heard that the visitor center was a neat experience. There was some confusion about where the visitor center was actually located and our GPS seemed to be as confused as we were.  We figured it would be next to or near the White House so we headed that way.  We checked out the front of the White House before asking a security …

Ford’s Theater is the site of President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination.  It is a National Historic Site run by the National Park Service and is made up of four separate parts: the Theatre, the Museum, the Petersen House, and the Aftermath Exhibits.  But part of what is unique about it is that it doesn’t just function as an historic site.  It is also an active theatre.  Amazingly, the same theater where Lincoln was shot is still used for live performances today.  It must be a strange and unique experience to watch a show on the same stage that Lincoln was watching …

After two and a half full days exploring the city of Atlanta, it was time to head home.  We wanted to fit in one last activity before hitting the road and decided some time outdoors would be a good idea before the drive home.  About 25 miles north-east of Atlanta, Stone Mountain fit the bill. Georgia’s most visited attraction, Stone Mountain boasts 3,200 acres of natural beauty and a wide variety of attractions.  Everything from mini-golf to a full-size locomotive to a laser light show can be enjoyed in the park.  But our quick visit on the way out of …

With two Duke alumni in the family, college football is an afterthought in our home.  We are all about college basketball.  But still, with one ticket left in our CitiPASS book and two hours until closing, we decided that the College Football Hall of Fame was worth a stop.  After an emotional visit to the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, burning off some steam (both physical and emotional) was a great idea for the kids. College football fan or not, the Hall of Fame is a fun and interactive experience.  Upon entering the building, you walk onto “The …

The National Center for Civil and Human Rights brilliantly interweaves the history of the American Civil Rights movement with current global human rights issues.  It is a powerful and thought-provoking museum best understood and appreciated by adults and older children. The museum is located on the same grassy grounds as the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola, across from Centennial Olympic Park.  The land was donated by the Coca-Cola Company, giving the museum a prime location adjacent to some of Atlanta’s top tourist attractions.  Designed by architect Philip Freelon, it is an impressive building from the outside.  The center’s …

Our family loves aquariums.  LOVES them.  I’m not sure how (or why) we waited this long to make the 5 hour drive to the second largest aquarium in the world, but it was one of the deciding factors in our spring break location selection.  We could not wait to go here on our trip.  (Although technically we did wait until Monday, figuring that a sunny weekday might be slightly less busy than a rainy weekend.) Funded by a $250 million dollar gift from Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus, the Georgia Aquarium opened in 2005 with over 100,000 different species living …

While the boys have ventured into the world of soda, they very rarely get caffeinated soda so they have limited exposure to Coke.  Maybe that is why they were fascinated with the idea of going to the World of Coca-Cola.  I was interested because I love both the drink and its advertising so I thought it would be a cool museum to explore.  It did live up to the boys caffeinated dreams and there were a few cool features, but overall we found it a little underwhelming. Located across the street from Centennial Park and across the lawn from the …

Our first stop using our Atlanta CitiPASS was the CNN Studio Tour.  CNN’s world headquarters are in Atlanta and the studio tour gives a behind the scenes look at the news network.  I wasn’t sure how much this would interest the boys – they have little exposure to news shows – but I thought it would be interesting for them to see a TV studio. You don’t need to buy a ticket if you are using the CitiPASS book, but you do have to wait on the line to turn in your CitiPASS ticket and get an assigned tour time.  …

Built for the 1996 Summer Olympics, Centennial Olympic Park is 22 acres of green space in the heart of Atlanta’s downtown area, surrounded by some of the city’s top tourist attractions.  We arrived in Atlanta late in the afternoon and decided to walk around the city after checking into our hotel.  The Centennial Olympic Park was just a few blocks away from our hotel.  We entered the park from the north, after passing by the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the Center for Civil and Human Rights.  They were setting up for a festival but for now the entire …