Washington DC or New York City with tweenagers?

Hello...

We are planning a family trip the week of Easter break with our two kids -- great travelers -- ages 13 and 12.

Both of the kids love museums, fun restaurants and clean hotels. (I know, they sound like old people...lol)

Which is a better choice? Washington DC for 4 days or NYC for 4 days? I%26#39;d appreciated feedback from folks who can compare the two.

Thanks for your opinions!

Washington DC or New York City with tweenagers?

The nice thing about DC is that things are a little more organized.

Want to go to museums, you have them all on the Mall, ditto that for most memorials as well. DC has a little more small town than NY with wide open spaces and smaller buildings (no buildiing can be taller than the capitol).

Don%26#39;t get me wrong, NYC is a very fun place. I just think DC is a bit more family friendly and easier to see what you want to see.

Have fun

Washington DC or New York City with tweenagers?

It%26#39;s so hard to say. They are both great trips.

In my opinion, NY is definitely more eye-popping exciting with its tall buildings, the Statue of Liberty and the crowds. But DC has the awe-factor too, with the White House, Capitol, etc. - alot of what the kids will be learning or have learned in school.

Have the kids weighed in? Which would they prefer?

One thing to consider - if you%26#39;re on a tight budget, DC is the way to go. Most of the major tourist attractions are free.

Hope this helps a little. Enjoy your trip, whichever you choose.

I%26#39;d say there%26#39;s a little more to do in NYC for what you%26#39;re describing. But for four days, there%26#39;s plenty to do in DC and you%26#39;ll fill the time nicely. You won%26#39;t be making a mistake choosing either city with kids that age.

On the basis of the ';fun factor,'; I%26#39;d give the edge to NYC. To many tweens, Washington seems like a big homework assignment, as museums, monuments and government are the big attractions. Some obviously embrace that, others won%26#39;t feel like they%26#39;re on vacation.

Museums, memorials and government are fairly easy to do in DC as the majors are grouped together on the Mall. NYC%26#39;s major attractions are spread out all over the city.

NYC is more about fun and entertainment--Some of the fun things you can do in NYC you can%26#39;t do in DC: Media (watching shows getting taped), Broadway, Times Square, the Radio City Easter show, the Toys%26#39;R%26#39;Us megastore, going to the top of buildings taller than 11 stories, great shopping. And a lot more fun, themed restaurants.

But what all of this may ultimately boil down to is your budget. DC is definitely more budget-friendly for tourists. Figure on things like hotels (plenty of clean ones in both cities) and casual restaurants costing about 25% more in NYC. In DC the Smithsonian museums, memorials and government facilities are free (funded by your tax dollars), in NYC you pretty much pay for everything.

And while NYC has more unique, fun things to do, most of them come at a fairly hefty price--$100+ for a ticket to a Broadway musical, $36 to go to the top of the Empire State Building and take the skyride are just two examples. Depending on your budget, you may find yourself saying ';no'; to certain activities on the basis of their cost. I can%26#39;t think of any admission or attraction charge in DC that wouldn%26#39;t be considered affordable to most tourists compared to those in NYC.

Hope this helps--enjoy your trip, wherever it takes you.

FYI- there is no Radio City Easter show anymore.

NYC:

-Faster-paced

-taller buildings

-More ';TV'; stuff to do. Meaning at their ages, they will see alot stuff they find on TV which is always fun to do.

-Statue of Liberty

-Subway system not as clean as Dc and it%26#39;s more confusing

-Hotels (unless you are spending $350 or more p/night) in the central broadway location or Manhattan aren%26#39;t as clean as say a hotel in the DC suburbs or even a cheaper hotel in downtown

-Restaurants are probably more readily available in NYC and probably more options for ethnic food.

-Can be a little scary for an adult who has never been let alone a teenager. Also you are from the Mid-west so I would do DC first then go to NYC later in the year.

DC:

-More educational probably

-Lots of museums (that kids will enjoy and adults)

-Suburbs are there that are clean, and convenient to downtown locations

-Hotels are probably cheaper than NYC

-Not as cultural as NYC

-Metro is clean, convenient, and takes you ';almost'; everywhere you need to go, if not a quick cab or bus ride would suffice.

-Not as fast paced as NYC although can be during Rush Hour.

-The Mall area and othe tourists spots basically shuts down at night M-F after all of the workers go home.

-Saturday%26#39;s in DC are majority tourists in most areas other than like Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, etc.

Personally I would go with DC over NY. When your kids get about 16 or so they would probably appreciate NYC more.

Much as I%26#39;d love to have you visit my adopted hometown of NYC (I%26#39;m a transplanted Midwesterner), I endorse the previous recommendations of making DC your destination -- unless price is absolutely no object.

Because of the exchange rate %26amp; NYC%26#39;s popularity with international visitors (especially those from the UK), Manhattan hotel vacancy rates are at an all-time low. Consequently, hotel prices continue ever upwards and that shows no signs of abating in the foreseeable future. Plus as others have mentioned, so much of what there is to see/do in DC is free -- and even for those things for which there is a charge are less expensive than comparable attractions in NYC.

P.S. I think 12 %26amp; 13 is the perfect age for a first visit to the Holocaust Museum (best to purchase tix in advance). It%26#39;s extraordinarily well done (you certainly need not be Jewish to be bowled over by it), and young adolescents are just beginning to ponder the world outside their own sphere. Certain to spark some great conversations amongst you all. Also, check the National Cathedral%26#39;s web site in December-January when the schedule of events for April should making its appearance -- the Gargoyle Tour is especially popular with this age group, but if it%26#39;s not offered at the time of your visit (usually conducted on the 4th Sunday of the month), something else may strike fancy. And the National Building Museum -- with its interior courtyard which is almost the size of a football field -- is pretty darned awesome too :-)

http://www.ushmm.org/visit/

www.cathedral.org/cathedral/visit/index.shtml

http://www.nbm.org/Info/visit.html

Much as I%26#39;d love to have you visit my adopted hometown of NYC (I%26#39;m a transplanted Midwesterner), I endorse the previous recommendations of making DC your destination -- unless price is absolutely no object.

Because of the exchange rate %26amp; NYC%26#39;s popularity with international visitors (especially those from the UK), Manhattan hotel vacancy rates are at an all-time low. Consequently, hotel prices continue ever upwards and that shows no signs of abating in the foreseeable future. Plus as others have mentioned, so much of what there is to see/do in DC is free -- and even for those things for which there is a charge are less expensive than comparable attractions in NYC.

P.S. I think 12 %26amp; 13 is the perfect age for a first visit to the Holocaust Museum (best to purchase tix in advance). It%26#39;s extraordinarily well done (you certainly need not be Jewish to be bowled over by it), and young adolescents are just beginning to ponder the world outside their own sphere. Certain to spark some great conversations amongst you all. Also, check the National Cathedral%26#39;s web site in December-January when the schedule of events for April should making its appearance -- the Gargoyle Tour is especially popular with this age group, but if it%26#39;s not offered at the time of your visit (usually conducted on the 4th Sunday of the month), something else may strike fancy. And the National Building Museum -- with its interior courtyard which is almost the size of a football field -- is pretty darned awesome too :-)

http://www.ushmm.org/visit/

www.cathedral.org/cathedral/visit/index.shtml

http://www.nbm.org/Info/visit.html

My kids are younger (8 and 9) and would vote for New York over DC- they still talk about the world%26#39;s largest pokemon store (two floors- recently changed over to an entire nintendo store) and are less thrilled with the presidential memorials. I guess Pikachu is more exciting than Abe

DC is a great place to spend 4 days, however. Easter is a good time to visit and lots of the attractions are free.

have a great trip!

This is a really hard choice to make, but if I was a teenager I will pick NYC. Do not get me wrong, I ladore DC. I was born and raised there, but NYC is more exciting from a teenagers point of view.

Comparisons:

Both have great public transportation, however NYC is much better. There is not a subway stop on every corner in DC like there is in NYC. So you will find yourself walking more.

Even though NYC hotels cost a bit more than DC, you do not have to fork over more than $200 a night. I usually stay at either of the Sheratons in Midtown and I never pay more than $200 a night.

DC is cheaper for budget travels because most of the attractions are free.

NYC has MTV, lots of neat shopping, broadway, more diverse neighborhoods with lots of activitites, Times Sqaure, and it offers more things that a teenager is attracted to.

Both have great restaurants

Both have great museums, but they are free in DC

DC has lots of historical landmarks, but walking through the neighborhoods in NYC offers a great historical feel.

I could go on and on, but there are more things to do in NYC than there are in DC to me. Also, in DC you are mostly stuck to doing touristy things in the touristy neighborhoods as in NYC exploring the different neighborhoods allows you to really experience the city.

Easter is an awesome time to visit NYC. The weather is nice during that time. They also have an Easter parade on Easter Sunday. There is also a huge Mass at St. Patrick%26#39;s Cathedral.

By the way if your teenagers are girls, they will love exploring the Fashion District in NYC (SoHo %26amp; Tribeca)

I%26#39;d say DC over NYC, but then again, I%26#39;m a little biased. They%26#39;ll have time enough to visit DC on class trips or taking various programs like the Presidential Classroom or Close-Up before they graduate from high school. And with the right connections, they might end up as an intern or page for your congressman or senator, during which time you can visit THEM!

Given all that, I%26#39;d recommend NYC, despite the higher costs (multiplied times four). There are ways to cut your NYC expenses. Stay in Newark instead of Manhattan. Take a free ride on the Staten Island ferry. Take the aerial tram to Roosevelt Island. Take a free walk down Fifth Avenue. Hang around Times Square and watch the free shows on the sidewalk (and look for the Nekkid Cowboy). Buy half-price theater tickets at TKTS. Eat at Papaya King instead of the Four Seasons. And take lots of pictures - those will be priceless in the future!