Updated March 16, 2026
It’s estimated that 1.4% of Washington, DC’s population are spies. That's a pretty staggering number when you stop to consider the city only has 700,000 residents! While there are certainly a lot of secrets here, the city’s role in espionage is definitely not one of them. Spy craft has become a major tourist draw in D.C.
Whether it's bars with names like “Off The Record” to spots that draw in curious onlookers with espionage artifacts, spy tourism is practically its own entity.
From hotels that celebrate their salubrious histories or specialty spy museums to historic sites, here’s where to peel back the layers on the center of world espionage in Washington, DC.
D.C. is not my favorite place to visit. I avoid it like the plague. But Ashley has an interest in a criminal justice career so I told her I'd take her D.C. to not only show her around but meet an FBI agent friend of mine.
We'd hit all the "spy high points" of the city during our visit.
The most commonly used transportation systems for getting around the DC area are supervised by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA).
Visitors can pay for Metrorail by tapping in and out on the faregates with any credit, debit or mobile wallet card. For unlimited one, three or seven-day passes, visitors will need to use a fare machine to get a SmarTrip card. This national capital area system includes Metrorail and Metrobus. For specific directions in utilizing WMATA services, check out their Trip Planner.
Metrobus operates hundreds of routes throughout DC and the surrounding area, with over 1,400 eco-friendly buses. They're run by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority.
One of the best ways to experience Washington, DC is on foot. The city’s wide sidewalks meander past the inspiring monuments and museums found on the National Mall, as well as the intimate museums, world-class theaters and splendid gardens in the city’s collection of neighborhoods.
For those who enjoy exploring on two wheels, Unlimited Biking offers rentals from two locations in DC with a wide selection of bikes, including kids' bikes and attachments. Each rental comes with helmets, locks, and a map, and their friendly staff will help you plan your route through the city. Another option is Capital Bikeshare, which has over 350 stations across DC, Virginia, and Maryland. With more than 3,000 bicycles in its fleet, you can access bikes 24/7 by joining (options range from a Day Key to a year-long membership). The first 30 minutes of each trip are free, with additional fees for each extra half hour.
Visitors can easily travel from DC to its neighboring states, Maryland and Virginia. The region, commonly referred to as the DMV, has a variety of options in order to serve locals and commuters coming into the District for work and play. However, these modes of transportation can easily carry visitors to sites outside the city. Options include the Fairfax Connector buses in Virginia, the Virginia train system known as the VRE and the MARC train in Maryland. Other regional transportation systems are listed on WMATA’s website.
Zero-Fare Bus Bill: The D.C. Council enacted a zero-fare bus bill, eliminating the $2 fare for all city buses. This law officially took effect in July 2023, allowing residents and visitors to ride for free.
Service Improvements: The initiative includes the addition of a dozen 24-hour bus lines and a $10 million investment in service improvements, ensuring that buses arrive at each stop every 10 minutes.
Discounted and Free Programs: The District offers various programs that provide free or discounted access to transportation options for residents who are age 65 and older, living with disabilities, or considered low-income. These programs include access to Capital Bikeshare, dockless bikes, electric scooters, and public transit.
Transport DC: This program provides eligible MetroAccess customers with $5 taxi cab rides to and from any location in D.C. for the first 15 days of each month. For the remaining days, transportation is limited to employment and medical treatment locations.
The one thing you DON'T want to do in D.C. is drive yourself! The streets are laid out in an octagon and many of them are one way. On my first trip to D.C. we got lost for 3 hours just trying to get back to our hotel!
Traffic and parking are an absolute nightmare.
Spy Tourism Hotels in D.C.
The Watergate Hotel
“The Scandal Room” at The Watergate Hotel | Photo credit: The Watergate Hotel
Undoubtedly the most notorious of the D.C. spy hotels, the "Scandal Room" the site of the Watergate break-in that forced President Richard Nixon's resignation as POTUS - preserved in historical ephemera glory with era-appropriate binoculars, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and manual typewriter.
Ask the concierge for a tour of the space which they’ll oblige if a guest isn’t staying the night—which is available for a splashy (and not so secret) rate of $1,069 a night.
The Mayflower Hotel
Behind the Mayflower Hotel’s classic façade hides some of its history of espionage. But what some may not know is that the hotel, which is listed on the National Register of Historical Places, played a key role in developing a significant spy technique. In the 1960s, the CIA used the Mayflower’s lobby to practice and perfect the “brush pass.” Simply put, the seemingly innocuous maneuver is used to pass information between two people briskly and without outside notice.
The Watergate and Mayflower being a tad out of our price range, we opted to stay at the Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites Washington, DC/Downtown. We'd loved our Fairmont Hotel accommodations on our Across Canada rail trip and prices are reasonable. Plus we could use our Award Points. To accommodate all 3 of us, we booked a junior suite.
It had everything we needed, was clean and comfortable, breakfast was included, there was an on site restaurant (Irish!) and several other restaurants within walking distance. Our rate was $387 per night but that was discounted by using our points and a senior discount. Accommodations in D.C. are horribly expensive so this was a good deal. And several buses passed right by or stopped near the hotel, which was handy.
Wherever you book, you want to make sure you receive complimentary breakfast with your accommodations as dining in DC can be very expensive. You also want to get yourself as close to the public transportation you'll be using as possible.
Money $aving Tip: From now until April 12, 2026 Fairmont is offering a book 2 nights get your 3rd night free discount.
Arrive in Washington D.C. and get settled in your accommodations. Familiarize yourself with the transportation system in the area of your accommodations if you haven't already. Your accommodations staff can advise you on this.
Take a spy tour with an actual ex Intelligence operative.
For those interested in a spy-themed walking tour with a former CIA agent in Washington DC, there are several options available. These tours offer a unique opportunity to explore the city's rich spy history through the eyes of a former intelligence professional. Here are some of the tours you can consider:
Spy History Walking Tour on Embassy Row: Led by a former CIA officer, this tour covers topics such as suspicious deaths, espionage cases, and the origins of "Embassy Row." It's a 90-minute experience that included practical activities like spotting signals and decoding dead drops.
Spyher: This tour offers five different spy-themed experiences across Washington DC, based on real intelligence operations by former CIA, ex-FBI, and ex-Foreign Officials. These tours are available in multiple languages and include private experiences upon request. (These are the tours I'd recommend)
Uncover Espionage: This tour dives into the secrets and mysteries of espionage in Washington, DC, exploring the hidden history of spies and intelligence agencies. It promises an unforgettable experience filled with intrigue and adventure.
Georgetown Spy History Tour: A 1.5-hour walking tour of WWII spy sites in Georgetown, led by a former CIA officer. This tour is perfect for those interested in the history of intelligence officers and the spy world.
Tour the International Spy Museum
00 L'Enfant Plaza, SW Washington DC
This place is 5 floors of FANTASTIC! What great, interactive exhibits:
Briefing Center: Receive your cover identity and prepare to test your spy skills throughout the Museum on your UNDERCOVER MISSION. If you want an advance peek at the Undercover Mission interactives and skill challenges, download the Undercover Mission Map.
Stealing Secrets: Come face to face with spies and spymasters, gadget makers, scientists, and engineers from past and present. Take a closer look at the hundreds of imaginative inventions used to steal secrets.
Making Sense of Secrets: How does secret information get turned into useful intelligence? Try your hand at code-cracking, think like an analyst, and experience how decision-makers use intelligence.
Covert Action: Discover the age-old techniques leaders use to secretly influence events abroad. Find out about covert mission failures and successes – from sabotage to lethal action.
Spying That Shaped History: How has spying shaped the world? Explore stories from the American Revolution to 21st century cyber warfare. What happens when secrets are kept…and revealed? Hear what real spies think about on-screen spies.
An Uncertain World: How do spy agencies protect against threats at home? What happens when they go too far? Delve into spy tales from Renaissance Venice to Cold War Berlin.
Debriefing Center: Receive your Undercover Mission conclusion and performance debrief that summarizes your top spy skills.
Photo credit: Intl. Spy Museum
Go Undercover: Ever wonder what it would be like to live the life of a spy? Undercover Mission gives you the chance to find out. Spread throughout the Museum are eight special digital stations that test your spy skills.
Collection Highlights: Explore the largest collection of international espionage artifacts ever placed on public display.
We thought we'd spend a couple of hours in this museum. We spent most of the morning and all afternoon there. It was that interesting!
Afternoon: The Intl. Spy Museum does not allow food and drinks in the museum. However, you can leave the museum for lunch and return to it. You are close to Chinatown and there are countless restaurants there. There are also many restaurants right near the museum itself.
Money $aving Tip: Shake Shack is right next door to the museum if you want a quick on-the-go lunch and currently they're offering a Chicken Shack sandwich or Chicken Wrap FREE with $10 purchase. Use code: SPRINGCHICKEN.
On Sundays they're currently offering a FREE Chicken Sandwich or Chicken wrap with any $10 purchase now through June. Order in-Shack at a kiosk, online or in the Shack App. Use code: CHICKENSUNDAY.
There are even more discounts on their App.
L’Enfant Plaza Food Court is a two-minute walk from SPY (entrance is directly behind the Museum) and is a perfect place for grabbing coffee or a quick bite. Public restrooms are available, along with direct access to the L’Enfant Plaza metro station. Please note, some food outlets are closed on Sundays and in the evenings.
After lunch continue to explore the Intl. Spy Museum and spend the afternoon there!
The International Spy Museum also offers a variety of unique guided tour experiences that bring the world of intelligence to life through its remarkable artifacts and stories. Options include public tours led by docents, private tours for you and your group, and a behind-the-scenes tour of the artifact vault. To ensure a great experience for all guests, the Spy Museum also offers an audio-described tour with tactile experiences. Guests on a self-guided tour can also access translated text and audio highlights are available through a multilingual app.
Advance timed tickets recommended and they sell out frequently. Ticket prices depend no what month and day you book. (Sundays are just a tad cheaper.) We paid the senior rate of $32.81 and the child rate of $23.27 for Ashley.
Be sure to check the website for current hours of operation.
Money $aving Tip: Save up to 30% by purchasing tickets in advance using plan-ahead pricing.
Evening: District Wharf is an eight-minute walk from the museum and offers a variety of bars and specialty restaurants, plus beautiful views of the waterfront. You can also take advantage of the free Southwest Shuttle which picks up outside the museum and stops at the wharf. Check out this list of restaurants and cafes available at District Wharf.
We were hungry for some Southern New Orleans-style food so opted for Milk & Honey 676 Maine Ave SW Ste 710 Washington, DC.
Everything is homemade, the food was great and the prices super reasonable for DC.
Restaurant Hours
Monday-Sunday: 8:00am-8:00pm
We hopped the bus back to the Fairmont.
Morning: Have breakfast at your accommodations.
Our first stop of the morning is the FBI Spy House: 2619 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington DC.
The FBI Spy House
The FBI Spy House
The bedroom that has no doors
The house looked almost normal—except for the three tinted skylights that awkwardly faced the street—and yet, for almost a quarter century, the FBI used it to spy on the Russians, visually surveilling their embassy across the street and probably collecting electronic signals, too. The bureau left about a decade ago, and the house has sat vacant ever since.
Not that the FBI was inconspicuous about the spying it was doing. Neighbors often reported tripod mounted cameras in the upstairs windows, aimed directly at the Russian embassy. No mail was ever delivered to the house and the curtains were always drawn. One local even reported seeing a long telescopic lens sticking out from a window late at night. The first-floor bathroom, for example, is accessed by pushing on a wall-mounted artwork. In an attempt to up its anonymity, two FBI agents eventually moved into the house, though no one who knew of the house was fooled. The house's owner was listed as "FBI" in public records, and its inhabitant's occupation as "Clerk - really a spy."
The FBI's uses for the house may have gone beyond playing paparazzi. Operation MONOPOLY was a secret plan to dig a tunnel beneath the Embassy to record conversations taking place within the building, in the hopes of gleaning secret information. The problem was that the FBI had little knowledge of the Embassy's layout. The agency hoped the tunnel would run underneath a conference or break room, but it was just as likely to lie beneath a storage closet.
(I laugh every time I read that. The CIA agents I knew always said what a bunch of incompetent village idiots the agents running the FBI were. It wouldn't surprise me at all if that tunnel came up in a storage closet! Or in the men's room...or....)
The tunnel was ill-fated from the start. Water regularly leaked into the tunnel, ruining the high-tech listening equipment, which rarely worked underground anyway. Though the FBI acknowledges the existence of the tunnel, they have never revealed which house in the neighborhood they began digging it from. Speculators believe it was either this observation house on Wisconsin Avenue or an abandoned house around the side of the Embassy on Fulton Street. The truth may never be known for sure, as the tunnel has been sealed.
(Or knowing the FBI, it collapsed when a line of men's room urinals fell through the tunnel entrance that came up beneath them. LOL)
While we couldn't go inside, Ahsley wanted photos of the house for her travel journal and to know the story behind the house.
DIA Museum
Explore the DIA Museum: 200 MacDill Blvd SW, Washington, DC
Photo credit: DIA Museum
Amid the sprawling Defense Intelligence Agency Headquarters is one of Washington's least accessible museums. You won't be able to just walk into this museum, as the only way to view its clandestine contents is if escorted by a DIA employee and with permission.
To get that permission, what I suggest you do is contact the DIA Museum, let them know when you'd be in DC and ask if you'd be able to take a tour. (My FBI friend arranged our tour.)
The Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) Museum tells the story of the agency’s nearly 60 years of rooting out the world’s military secrets. The DIA is one of the country's “big five” intelligence services and acts as a combat support agency.
Alongside notorious and celebrated espionage relics are narrations about the villains and heroes in the annals of military history. Prominent among the displays are the stories of DIA analyst Ana Belen Montes, who spied for Cuba from 1985 to 2001, and the rescue of Jessica Lynch.
Afternoon: We really liked eating at the Wharf so we returned there for a budget lunch at Sweetgreen:
Sweetgreen led the locavore revolution, sourcing all ingredients from nearby farmers for a fresh, unforgettable taste (you’ll get it super-fast, too).
You can build your own salad or try one of their signature creations.
Try their Harvest Bowl - Antibiotic-free roasted chicken, roasted sweet potatoes, apples, goat cheese, roasted almonds, wild rice, organic shredded kale and balsamic vinaigrette.
It's great!
The restaurants on The Wharf are my favorites in D.C.
Photo credit: Sweetgreen
Central Intelligence Agency Museum
Photo credit: Reddit
As far as I'm concerned the CIA is the most evil entity in the world. But if Ashley was interested in a career in Criminology I felt she needed to know just what she'd be getting herself into. Not that the CIA Museum portrays anything truthful about its operations...hell, they aren't truthful about anything!
JFK had the right idea - SHUT THEM DOWN!
This is a virtual tour. Seeing this museum IRL requires passing the rigorous CIA hiring process, but thankfully you do not have to assume a secret identity to browse its collection of espionage related artifacts virtually. In 1972, former CIA director William E. Colby had the idea to gather artifacts with unique espionage history to form a museum within the agency’s Langley, Virginia. Over the decades the collection has grown to include pieces from WWII to today—everything from spy gadgets like a makeup compact that conceals top-secret messages to highly specialized weaponry. While experiencing it in person would be the most thrilling, you’ll just have to settle for a screen to browse the CIA Museum’s permanent collection and rotating exhibits (no VPN required, as far as I know).
Take the Embassy Row Spy Tour - DuPont Circle
A 90 minute spy themed walking tour lead by a former CIA agent.
How could there be an entire neighborhood of foreign embassies without some significant espionage activity? For a deep-dive into the diplomat and spy heavy neighborhood, join an investigative walking tour on the area’s past. Led by intelligence community veterans turned tour guides, this walk goes deep into the spy world of Embassy Row—both activities happening beneath the surface and in plain sight.
The experience starts with a (metaphorical) excavation of the death of a Kremlin insider in Dupont Circle, and then branches out to explore where some of the city’s most infamous spies were known (or believed) to have lived and traded secrets.
If the history of conspiracy, cover ups, politics and assassinations interests you, this tour is for you.
The tour does not enter any embassies.
AND you will conduct a 'secret operation' on this tour so bring your map reading skills.
A tour ticket currently costs $86.79 with taxes and fees included. There is no child's ticket price listed on their website.
Spyher offers a variety of different spy tours.
Money $aving Tip: Until June 19th, 2026 an Early Bird discount is available, which will bring the cost of your ticket down to $75.48, taxes and fees included.
A child's ticket (ages 9-13) would cost $52.86 until June 26, 2026, taxes and fees included.
Evening: Have dinner at Old Europe Restaurant. 2434 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington DC $$-$$$
(Near Embassy Row)
I was never that gung ho on German food until I ate at Old Europe! This is one of the top 50 restaurants in D.C. and understandably so. It's also always packed with customers so you want to make a reservation:
202-333-7600
Everything about this restaurant is AUTHENTIC German from the food to the decor to the waitstaff dressed in German attire. And the food is beyond amazing!
From the moment we walked in the door we felt like we'd entered a German home or Bavarian restaurant.
Absolutely everything about our meal was fantastic. It's no wonder so many travelers gave 5 star reviews of Old Europe! (Even those from Germany!) My Schnitzel was out of the world and the piece of veal HUGE, accompanied by homemade spaetzle. Best Schnitzel I've ever had, bar none.
Old Europe gets 6 solid thumbs up from the 3 of us!
Morning: Have breakfast at your accommodations.
Surratt Boarding House
The Mary Surratt Boarding House at 604 H Street is known for its part in the plot of and flight from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln by John Wilkes Booth. | Photo credit: Historic American Buildings Survey (Library of Congress)
Odds are you wouldn't know that the restaurant that occupies 604 H Street, Wok & Roll was the boarding house where John Wilkes Booth plotted the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater. Mary Surratt, who owned the boarding house.
Mary Surratt
Photo credit: Big Walnut History
Days after the assassination, she was arrested for her suspected participation in the assassination conspiracy and was later executed by hanging—making her the first woman to be executed by the United States government. Surratt claimed ignorance of the assassination plot that was drafted in her home, but historians have repeatedly concluded that’s highly unlikely.
The Wok and Roll restaurant that currently occupies the site of the Surratt Boarding House is located in Chinatown.
Afternoon: Since Wok and Roll was right there, we decided to have lunch there.
One wouldn't think this little nondescript park in Foggy Bottom was remarkable in any way whatsoever.
Since is located significantly within close distance from the State Department, it’s not entirely surprising that the green space has seen its share of spy activity.
Typical Oriental fare including sushi.
There are karaoke rooms separate from the restaurant as it's a night club in the evening. The restaurant was a little too dark and neon for my liking but the food and service was good and prices reasonable.
Edward J. Kelly Park
It was here, in the ‘90s, that Stanislav Borisovich Gusev, a Russian technical spy, parked his car and then loitered around the park, moving between fidgeting with his briefcase and feeding coins into his parking meter. All of that was a cover for what he was actually doing: secretly recording transmissions from a bug that had been placed discreetly in a conference room at the State Department.
For his trouble, Gusev was apprehended and detained by the FBI. For anyone interested in the city’s spy history, it’s worth a stroll through the park.
There was only one tourist attraction that interested me in my trips to D.C. and that was the Smithsonian Museums, so we wanted Ashley to see them as well.
The Smithsonian is comprised of 20 museums so don't plan on seeing everything in 1 day or even 2 days.
Most everyone's favorite is the Smithsonian's Natural History Museum. It's the world's largest museum so it will take you at least 1 day to get through it. It's absolutely huge.
Kids will love this museum. Admittance is FREE. Begin exploring the museum until it closes.
Evening: You'll find a lot of very upscale (expensive $$$$) restaurants around the Smithsonian but I'll give you a more budget friendly option since you're within walking distance of the Wharf.
Give Old Ebbitt Grill a try: 675 15th St NW, Washington DC.
Founded in 1856, Old Ebbitt Grill is Washington, DC's oldest saloon and a must-visit destination for locals and tourists alike. The Grill is situated just steps from the White House and I think you'll like this place as it's separated into different dining areas: The Cabinet Room, the Main Dining Room, the Atrium, the Rooftop Terrace - so you can choose the atmosphere you wish to dine in!
This historic landmark offers a timeless blend of classic American cuisine and unparalleled hospitality. Old Ebbitt Grill promises a memorable visit filled with a warm ambiance and a seasonal menu spanning from freshly shucked oysters to house-made pastas and perfectly prepared steaks & chops.
You definitely want to have a reservation as the place gets packed.
Hours
Open until 2:00 AM
Sunday 9:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Monday 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Tuesday 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Wednesday 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Thursday 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Friday 8:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Saturday 9:00 AM - 2:00 AM
Morning: Have breakfast at your accommodations then continue your tour of the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History.
After you've toured the rest of the Natural History Museum, head to the National Air & Space Museum to tour that. It's absolutely fascinating! You'll even see the Wright Brothers original "airplane" and the Spirit of St. Louis! In fact, you'll see darn near anything that ever flew - including a replica of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B.
Reserve your free timed-entry passes now to explore one of the most visited museums in the world.
Admission is FREE but you will still need a free timed entry pass.
Afternoon: I'm going to give you a separate dining rundown here on restaurants for lunch and dinner that are within easy walking distance of both the Natural History Museum and the Air & Space Museum - within 0.2 to 0.4 miles of both museums.
There are dining options within the museums themselves but you'll pay ridiculously high prices in them. (Fried chicken was $25!)
This is what you can expect as far as dining pricing within the Museum:
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Entrees (burgers, pizza slices, sandwiches): Expect to pay anywhere from $10 to $18. A burger and fries, for example, could easily be $15 or more.
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Salads: Pre-made salads generally range from $10 to $15.
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Kids’ Meals: If available, these might be around $8-$12, offering smaller portions and perhaps a drink.
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Snacks (chips, fruit, yogurt): Individually priced, typically $3-$6.
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Beverages (soda, bottled water, juice): Can range from $3.50 to $6.
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Coffee/Specialty Drinks: Standard coffee around $4, specialty coffees might go up to $7-$8.
Air and Space Museum Cafeteria: An In-Depth Guide to Dining at the Smithsonian’s Iconic Hub
A block and half from the Independence Ave. Air & Space Museum entrance (go down 6th St. SW and turn Right on Maryland Ave. SW) are a couple of great family friendly options:
- Cosmo Cafe: buffet style, reasonably priced with vegetarian options
- Rice Bar Capital Grill: Korean rice bowls, casual and fantastic reviews
But what I would recommend heading to is the Ronald Reagan International Trade Center building, which is 0.4 miles away (0.2 miles from American History if you visit there on the way) and has a ton of options in their Food Court including:
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California Tortilla — Fast‑casual Mexican: burritos, tacos, bowls. Located at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Reagan Building
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Subway — Classic quick‑service subs. Confirmed re‑opened in the food court
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Great Wraps — Wraps, bowls, gyro‑style options. Located in food court
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Kabuki Sushi & Teriyaki — Sushi rolls and teriyaki plates, rice bowls
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Nook
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Flamer’s Charbroiled Hamburgers & Chicken
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Forever Young Café
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14th Street Deli
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Sbarro
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Panera Bread
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Larry’s Cookies & Ice Cream
A short walk will save you getting price gouged and the food is better.
After lunch continue exploring the Air & Space Museum.
Take a free highlights tour led by their volunteer docents. Check the Welcome Center (sponsored by Southwest Airlines) for times.
It's well worth your time to do this as you'll learn much more you wouldn't have exploring on your own.
There are two other places in the Museum you don't want to miss: Northrop Grumman Planetarium and Lockheed Martin IMAX Theater.
The planetarium shows offer you an unrivaled view of the cosmos with the ticketed planetarium shows offered daily.
Tickets can only be purchased at the Museum's box office the day of your visit. A variety of different shows are offered.
At the IMAX theater enjoy a short documentary on aviation, spaceflight, or astronomy during the day. Return after hours for Hollywood's latest hits. Tickets to daytime films are only available for purchase on site, on the day of your visit. Tickets for after hours films can be purchased online.
See what's playing at www.si.edu/theaters
Money $aving Tips:
Here are some of the current offers available:
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Smithsonian Institution: Members can enjoy exclusive shopping discounts and a subscription to Smithsonian magazine.
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Smithsonian Store: Offers 25% off your first online order, free shipping on orders over $200, and a 40% off coupon code.
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Smithsonian Institution: Active discount codes available for up to 50% off, with a total of 16 active codes.
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Smithsonian Store: 3 active coupon codes available, with an average savings of 23.5% on purchases.
Evening: Have dinner at one of the restaurants listed above. After dinner you can return to the IMAX Theaterr in the Air & Space Museum to see a show if you'd like.
Morning: Breakfast at your accommodations.
Finish touring the Air & Space Museum if you haven't done that yet. Then move on to the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian: Fourth Street & Independence Avenue, Washington DC.
The National Museum of the American Indian in DC with Kids is great! They have an interactive kids area called ImagiNations the kids loved.
The ImagiNations Activity Center at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian is a dedicated space for children, offering a variety of hands-on activities that showcase the ingenuity and adaptability of Native peoples.
Here are some of the activities available at the center:
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Weaving a Giant Basket: Learn about different styles of basketry through a weaving activity.
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Exploring Transportation: Discover how Native peoples used snowshoes, skateboards, and kayaks.
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Building an Igloo: Engage in an igloo building challenge to learn about snowshoe construction.
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Interactive Quiz: Participate in an interactive quiz to test your knowledge of Native culture.
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Sound Station: Listen to different bird noises and learn about the natural world.
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Full-Sized Tipi: Sit inside a full-sized Comanche tipi to understand Native American housing.
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Replicating an Ice Cave: Discover why snowshoes don’t sink and learn how Eskimos build an igloo.
The center is designed to be a safe and enjoyable space for children, with activities that are age-appropriate and educational. It is recommended for children ages 6-12 but older kids and adults can also enjoy the activities. (Yeah, just ask Jay about having to forcibly drag his two "older kids" out of there!)
The center is open from Tuesday through Saturday, 10 AM to 4 PM,
Evening: Union Station is just steps away from the National Postal Museum so head there for dinner.
We went to Sbarro for Italian: . Sbarro at Union Station D.C. in NE Washington, DC serves fresh, traditional Italian cuisine that cooks prepare in exhibition kitchens while guests relax in a casual atmosphere. Besides their famous pizza, Sbarro Pizza offers entrees, pastas, salads, sandwiches, and homemade desserts – tastes to fit every palate.
Their Stromboli varieties are fantastic, especially the Spinach Stromboli.
Jay had the Baked Zita, Ashley had Spaghetti & Meatballs and they said theirs was very good as well.
After dinner, consider a night time tour of DC monuments. I've done all of the monuments and to be honest, they're
over-hyped and visiting them all separately is a hassle. Unless you have your heart set on visiting all of
them, they just aren't all that exciting. Just so Ashley could say she'd seen them, we took a 3 hour Washington DC Monuments and Memorials Night Tour.
Having done it both ways now, I'd never hoof it around to all of the memorials again. I'd take this tour and try to get Ken as our guide again. It cost us a total of $227 for 3 hours: $79 per adult, $69 per child.
You'll start at 850 10th St NW then go to:
Thomas Jefferson Memorial: 20 minute stop and you'll pass by Ford's Theater
White House: 15 minute stop Admission excluded
World War II Memorial: 15 minute stop
U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial: 15 minute stop
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial: 15 minute stop
Vietnam Veterans Memorial: 20 minute stop
Lincoln Memorial: 20 minute stop
Korean War Veterans Memorial: 15 minute stop
U.S. Capitol: 10 minute stop Admission excluded
End tour where you started it.
And in all honesty, the monuments are much prettier at night when they're all lit up than they are in the daytime. You'll see all the monuments worth seeing and while $79 might sound pricey, it's actually not when you factor in any admission costs, transportation, fighting daytime tourist crowds, etc.
Morning: Breakfast at your accommodations.
Today we're going to take a bit of a road trip (35 minutes) to Annapolis Junction, Maryland and the National Cryptologic Museum.
8290 Colony Seven Rd, Annapolis Junction, MD
National Cryptologic Museum
Photo credit: Coffee or Die
Cryptology, as defined by the NSA, is the art and science of breaking and making codes and ciphers. Early uses in American history occurred as far back as the American Revolution, but it was seen prominently during the Civil War, when the Union and Confederate armies delivered and intercepted encrypted messages on the battlefield. As codebreaking technologies advanced with each new war, armies developed increasingly sophisticated means to protect crucial intelligence — such as battle plans and tactical protocols — from the prying eyes of adversaries. These efforts were undertaken on both minute and grand scales.
The NCM is the first and only public museum built and curated by the US intelligence community. Its exhibits feature various encryption and codebreaking artifacts spanning American history, including from the Civil War, World War II, and the Cold War era.
The Cryptologic Museum provides entertaining, fact-filled tours of the museum provided by current and former NSA personnel.
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American Cryptologic History Tour – presents the role, people, and machines of America’s cryptologic history through unique artifacts and stories – 60-90 minutes
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Women in Cryptology Tour – focuses on the role of women in America’s cryptologic history from the American Revolution through today’s cybersecurity – 60 minutes
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Advancing Technology Tour – illustrates through the exhibits and artifacts the intertwined relationship between cryptologic and technologic advances – 60 minutes (limited to 6-20 people)
The National Cryptologic Museum is free of charge for all visitors. There are no admission fees, and visitors
do not need to make a reservation to enter the museum.
Afternoon: Lunch at Bon Fresco Sandwich Bakery. 10907 Guilford Rd Ste B Annapolis Junction, MD.
Their specialty is their London Broil Sandwich, they make all the bread in house on a unique shaped roll that somehow enhances the flavor of the sandwiches. Our food was delivered in a timely manner.
The prices were also decent too, not too bad for a standalone sandwich shop especially for the size of the sandwich you receive. The customer service is phenomenal. The restaurant does get busy at lunchtime though.
After lunch we headed back to D.C. to meet my FBI friend. She'd arranged for Ashley to tour the FBI building. You too can tour it but to do so you must arrange a visit through your Congressional office, as public tours are not available without prior approval.
Arranging a Visit
What to Expect
Can I Tour FBI Headquarters in Washington, DC?
Location & Transportation
The FBI Headquarters is located between 9th and 10th Streets NW, on Pennsylvania Avenue.
Closest Metro stops:
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Federal Triangle (Orange, Blue, Silver Lines)
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Metro Center (Red Line)
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Gallery Place/Chinatown (Red, Yellow, Green Lines)
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Archives/Navy Memorial (Yellow, Green Lines)
Photo credit: Matt C via Flickr
The tour of the FBI is actually one of the oldest ones around. It started in 1937, when headquarters was in the Department of Justice building. In 1975, the FBI moved to its current location, the J. Edgar Hoover Building, on Pennsylvania Avenue NW.
After Sept. 11, the tour closed for security reasons. Never fear, sleuths of all ages. It’s now back open and, we’d say, better than ever. The tour was modernized and updated in 2008, as the FBI created a full-fledged Education Center to assist in teaching the public the importance and central role of the FBI in law enforcement and national security.
Evening: Dinner at District One. 701 7th St NW, Washington DC.
(Located in Gallery Place Mall)
A favorite among D.C. locals and tourists alike, District One is a great place to get a bite to eat with a warm and friendly staff.
District One serves starters, soups and salads, handhelds, pan style pizza, vegetarian options and desserts. They also have a kids menu. Full bar. Prices are in line with what you'd expect to pay.
HOURS
Thursday - Friday
3:00 PM - 11:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday
11:30 AM - 11:00 PM
Morning: Breakfast at your accommodations.
The O Mansion
Visit the O Mansion: 2020 O Street N.W. Washington, D.C.
When you visit the O Museum, you will be walking in the footsteps of presidents and freedom fighters, historians and authors, artists and musicians, athletes and scientists, scholars and more. You will find your way through immersive exhibits and over 80 secret doors - making it one of DC's most unique fun attractions. (We found 20 of them)
O Museum offers an experiential experience like no other, here you will leaf through manuscripts, touch sculpture, hear rare studio cuts, and tour through an array of diverse exhibits, architectural styles, and our legendary themed rooms - like the Log Cabin, the John Lennon Suite, the Safari room, and Mrs. Rosa Parks' room.
In the 1930s, the home was converted into 3 rooming houses for FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover’s G-men — covert federal agents tasked with combating organized crime.
By the 1960s, 2020 O housed student protest leaders, later chronicled by Norman Mailer in Armies of the Night.
From 1977-1990, 2016 O was home to America’s Black Forum & Sounds of the City. ABF, was one of the longest-running syndicated TV shows, is now produced by TV One.
UniWorld Group, led by Walker Williams and Byron Lewis, also operated from 2016 O Street until the property was acquired and reconnected to the main buildings in 1990.
The O Mansion is unlike any museum you've ever visited before. It's an amazing collection of quirky collectors items, kitsch and not-so-kitsch spread among 100 rooms and 80 hidden doors.
Money $aving Tips:
Groupon Deals: The O Street Museum frequently features fantastic deals on Groupon, making it an incredibly accessible way to dive into one of D.C.’s most genuinely unique and off-the-beaten-path attractions at a significantly reduced price.
CapitalCityTickets.com: This online resource offers a selection of cheap tickets for The Mansion on O and O Street Museum, with a 100% money-back guarantee.
Afternoon: Lunch at Founding Farmers. 1924 Pennsylvania Ave NW, Washington DC. $$
Founding Farmers crafts dishes and drinks from scratch, using high-quality ingredients from farmers they know and trust. They are a full-service restaurant and bar majority owned by American family farmers.
The restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and a an ala carte weekend brunch.
Their chicken pot pie (left) is incredible! They have a nice substantial menu selection and service was good.
Peirce Mill Spy Station
2401 Tilden Street NW, Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C. during the Cold War spared no expense in the pursuit of an information edge over communist adversaries, and the city is replete with examples of black budget spy houses and million-dollar listening tunnels.
One of the more unlikely (and low budget) points in the atlas of top secret spycraft is an unadorned attic space in Rock Creek Park where intelligence officers logged uncomfortable eight-hour shifts inside a former pigeon coop - Peirce Mill Spy Station.
This modest spy station can be found atop a two-story blue granite shed beside the historic Peirce Mill, and just across the street from the Embassies of Hungary and Czechia (née Czechoslovakia). The aged structure was built as a carriage house in the 1820s and fell into National Park Service jurisdiction in 1936.
While the ground floor space was leased to an “alternative” art collective circa 1970, suit-wearing spies moved in up the creaky stairs behind a wooden partition and padlocked door. Here they peered out through grated windows, snapping pictures of the Warsaw Pact diplomats and monitoring bugging equipment directed at the diplomatic consulates.
The spy station was first brought to light in a 1992 Washington Post interview with Art Barn Executive Director Ann Rushforth, who explained that “We always knew which guys were the CIA guys because they always wore sunglasses indoors, had real sharp creases in their pants, short haircuts and shiny shoes.” The Post reported that all spy equipment had been removed the prior year and that the effort was actually FBI led, as the Bureau normally takes point on domestic counterintelligence.
Today the Art Barn is no more, and the ground floor of the carriage house is used for a small Park Service museum space. What was once a top-secret intelligence community perch is now blocked off by nothing more than a rope barrier.
National Law Enforcement Museum
Tour the National Law Enforcement Museum: 444 E Street, NW | Washington, DC.
Museum offerings
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Daily museum highlight tours, led by resident law enforcement museum guides, take visitors through the museum’s exhibits, showcasing a handful of artifacts and telling the complex story of American law enforcement.
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Educational workshops are available for group bookings, which include Forensic Pathology 101, CSI Crash Course, and a True Crime Breakout Scavenger Hunt.
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The patrol driving simulator, the only of its kind in the country not housed in a police training academy, along with their decision-making simulator, create a one-of-a-kind experience for visitors, allowing them to step into the shoes of law enforcement. (Ashley's favorite part!)
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Tuesdays and Wednesday are reserved for private group visits so their team can provide you with the exclusive experience of having the museum to yourself.
Their exhibits were really better than I imagined they would be:
911, History Time Capsules, History Beat, Officer's Stories, Reel to Real, Take the Case, Tools of the Trade,
Corrections, To Serve and Protect, Hall of Remembrance, Being An Officer.
They have everything law enforcement related, from helicopters to police phone boxes.
I have to agree with Ashley that the squad simulator was the best part of the museum. It was pretty realistic as far as what we'd encounter on the road on patrol - complete with radio calls from Dispatch.
Both simulators are actually used to train law enforcement officers at the Academies and the scenario/situation you're presented with and its outcome will change according to the action you take and decisions you make.
Squad car simulator
Admission
Individual admission prices are as follows:
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Law Enforcement Officer (active or retired) – $18.00
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Military (I.D. Required) – $18.00
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Survivor – $18.00
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Survivor First Year – $0
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Stand With Honor Member – $0
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Adult (18-64) – $22.00
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Youth (17 and under) – $0
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Seniors (65 and up) – $20.00
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Student 18 or older with ID – $20.00
Evening: Have dinner at the 2fifty BBQ: 414 K St. NW, Washington, D.C.
People travel from far and wide to experience this spot's Texas-style meats, which are slow cooked over many hours and kissed by flames and the restaurant's own sourced oak to impart that signature smokiness.
For those of us who take BBQ seriously, there's one place worth traveling for in the District—2fifty BBQ. The briskets are the stars of the show here, and you can't go wrong with any of them, although the Prime Brisket is the most popular.
In terms of sides, all the classics are here including braised beans, mac n' cheese, sweet potato mash, corn bread, and more. Save room for the banana pudding or seasonal mango tiramisu.
Check out the specials board, which changes every week and includes interesting flavor combinations inspired by different cultures and collaborations with other local businesses.
Expect to pay: $30 per person that will get you a half pound of meat and some sides.
You can make the theme of this party spies/espionage, law enforcement, CSI, intelligence agent...whatever you wish because it's very versatile.
Since I was in law enforcement, this was the easiest thing to stage, using my law enforcement equipment.
The jail photo backdrop was $10. The desk was a painted corrugated refrigerator shipping box. The computer on the desk was my desktop computer, the handcuffs were mine. The booking chair was from my basement. I made the mugshot height chart out of white Kraft paper. The camera on the tripod was one of mine. The intox machine was a Plano tackle box that I decorated and set my desktop keyboard in front of. The fingerprint scanner is cardboard. I dressed my mannequin in my CERT gear.
If you want to put a spy/espionage spin on your party, consider DIY versions of these espionage items:
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Security Spy Pen
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Mobile Phone Jammers
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Security Spy Necktie with mini camera
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Security Spy Sunglasses
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Wall clock with spy camera
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Table clock with spy camera
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Spy wrist watch
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Key holder with spy camera
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Alarm padlock
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Anti theft briefcase
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Spy camera
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ID card holder with spy camera
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Detective Mystery Party Crime Scene Evidence Decorating Kit - 15 Pc.
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Mini Magnifying Glasses 40 pc
Use small craft/scrapbooking adhesive clear acrylic half domes for camera lenses attached to your DIY items to give them a more realistic spy camera look.
Things a detective would use:
DIY Fingerprint Scanner
Dawn at lockpaperescape.com came up with a brilliant idea for a fingerprint scanner!
She used a tablet for her event. She pre-scanned the QR code to get the video loaded onto their device and had this laid out on a table, ready to scan people’s hands.
This set the scene nicely. You will have to press the play button each time you pretend to scan someone.
For the fingerprint scanner, Dawn popped the QR code printable onto the door. As the kids arrived, she would get them to scan the QR code with her phone and then let them into the party when the scan was done.
The fingerprint scan works really well as a prop for your spy party. The fingerprint scan works really well as a prop for your spy party. Once your guests have completed their scan you can issue them with a HQ spy badge! You can have the ID badges pre-made and ready to hand out to guest or have them fill in their own ID names. Once your guests have completed their scan you can issue them with a HQ spy badge! You can have the ID badges pre-made and ready to hand out to guest or have them fill in their own ID names.
Grab your Free Spy Fingerprint Prop
The spy fingerprint props are totally FREE for you to use.
Dawn's Spy Party Pinterest Board Lot's of great stuff there!
Photo credit: Catch My Party
I made a Mission Folder in my computer graphics program and printed a page out of each guest. I used spray adhesive to glue the page template to a black manilla folder.
I temporarily used these folders as 'placemats' at the table. (Before any food was served at the table)
The Mission Folder
Inside, they’ll find their spy ID, a list of training tasks, a decoder and a coded message they need to decipher. This sets the stage and gets everyone excited for the action.
The training tasks:
While kidified (I just made that word up) for fun party experiences, the above tasks are based on actual tasks those of us in the criminal justice system had to complete in order to qualify to even get on a waiting list for our future jobs in law enforcement.
You'll need to do some preparation to make the mission folders but I've made them easy and inexpensive to do and not overly time consuming. Note that if you have a couple of adult volunteers helping you, things will go a lot easier and smoother at the party itself.
Materials you'll need:
LASER FIELD: Plenty of red yarn, red crepe paper streamers or red ribbon. You're going to set up a field of lasers using one of those materials and kids will be crawling under those 'lasers' so you want to set your field up where they have space to do that and where you have a place that you can easily tie the ends of the red yarn (for example) to create the 'lasers'.
There are 2 ways you can set up your laser field:
1. String all of the laser yarn before the party
2. Put up only the first 'laser' length of yarn. After each child gets under the first 'laser', add another laser the kids have to get under without touching the yarn, then add a third 'laser' and so on, making your laser field harder to get through each time. This was the way we did it and the kids loved this task so much we ended up doing it 5 times!
COORDINATION: On your computer printer, print out at least 21 (you can go more if you wish) 8.5x11 sheets of a combination of handprints and footprints. As seen in the Coordination photo above, tape them to the floor in horizontal rows of 3 sheets across. This task is similar to the old game of Twister. The child must start at the first row of 3 sheets and work their way to the finish line putting their hands only on the handprint sheets and their feet only on the footprint sheets.
To make the handprints and footprints, I copied online graphics of each, saved them as a jpeg file, then printed them out on my computer. You can use the links above to save and copy the handprint and footprint. Enlarge them if necessary before printing them out.
DIFFUSE THE BOMB: You'll need a roll of string cut into lengths long enough to tie around your agents' ankles and 2 balloons for each child. Tie the string to the end of the inflated balloons, then tie the inflated balloons one to each ankle of your agents. You'll want to do this activity outside or in a large open area because utter chaos will ensue as your agents try to diffuse the other agents' balloon bombs by popping them while keeping their own 'bombs' from being diffused (popped).
FIND A HIDDEN ITEM: You'll need one item to hide for each child. The item can be anything espionage or law enforcement related or even a picture of the item.
What we did was purchase a Nerf N-Strike Elite Jolt Blaster (Green) ($10 each) for each agent and extra darts. We put an equal number of spare darts in an evidence bag with the agent's name on it so they knew which gun was theirs by their name on the evidence bag. Hide the guns and evidence bags (together) around your party venue for your agents to find.
The ability to keep secrets is crucial to an agent so explain this to your agents and that if they find another agent's gun and ammo, they cannot tell anyone they found it or its location.
You don't have to go to this extent if you don't want to or it's not in your budget... it just makes the task much more fun for your little agents.
It helps to write down where you hid each agent's item to find!
MINE FIELD: You'll need 30 sheets of cardboard computer printer paper, blank and a roll of masking tape.
Lay out the sheets of cardboard paper as shown on the grid.
5 sheets across, 6 rows of sheets deep. Tape them to the floor.
You're going to make some of the sheets 'land mines' that will "explode" if an agent steps on a mine sheet. But you're not going to mark them in any way that an agent can tell which sheets are land mines and which aren't.
Be sure to draw yourself a diagram showing which sheets are the "land mines" so you don't forget and can refer to it during the task.
Agents must start at one end of the grid and make their way to the opposite side of the grid without stepping on an "exploding land mine" sheet. They get 2 tries to do this. If they can't complete the task successfully, they're eliminated from the task.
POWER OF OBSERVATION: Screenshot a Find The Hidden Objects game board like the one below:
Print out the screenshot on a piece of paper, one sheet per child. Give each agent a red Sharpie marker, crayon or something to mark their sheet up with that's clearly visible on their sheet in circling the hidden objects they're going to have to find. Give them a 10 or 15 minute time limit to find all of the listed objects. You can give younger children more time than that if you wish.
TRUST YOUR TEAM: Trusting your fellow agents/officers is a critical component of the job as your life may depend on them in critical situations.
You'll need a bunch of plastic drinking cups and a blindfold for this task. Scatter them randomly around the floor, leaving enough space between them for an agent to put their foot on the floor - but not so far apart as to make this task too easy.
Pair the agents off in 2's. Blindfold one of the agents, the other agent must direct the blindfolded agent through the maze of cups without knocking over or stepping on any of the cups. Then the pair can switch places and the previously blindfolded agent talk his/her blindfolded partner through the maze of cups.
All you'll need for this task is a container for the dead drop. We planted a piece of PVC pipe in the ground and put a USB stick in it.
You can get very complicated in setting up a dead drop to make it more realistic, but we felt that was a whole lot of horsing around just to give the agents an idea of what a dead drop involved. So they just had to find the PVC pipe dead drop location and return the USB stick to us.
IMPORTANT: Make sure you use PVC wide enough for the kids to get their hand in to easily retrieve the USB stick! When you 'plant' the PVC pipe lay the pipe ON ITS SIDE, not vertical.
Each time an agent returned the USB stick to us, one of we adults would run back and put it in the pipe for the next agent to find.
If you want to make the dead drop task more difficult, scatter other container type objects in the same area as the pipe with the USB stick in it to confuse the agents and make the actual dead drop harder to find. (Which container is the dead drop USB stick in?)
We used fluorescent spray paint to mark off an area in the yard in which the dead drop container could be found and instructed the agents the dead drop would be within the painted boundaries we'd laid down.
OTHER OBJECTS IN THE MISSION FILE:
ID BADGE:
That completes your mission folder preparation.
You can get a FREE, editable printable to make ID badges or do what I did... design them in my computer graphics program and print them out on computer cardstock. You can put them in badge holders or not so the kids don't destroy them or just buy some laminating sheets, laminate them, punch a hole in the badge, then put them on string large enough to go around the child's neck.
I just found the badge holders with clip to be a whole lot less work and not that expensive.
(10 holders with clip, $6)
DECODER RINGS:
Last task -
Frugal Fun 4 Boys & Girls has a great FREE printable spy decoder ring in which kids can send 27 different coded messages to one another. Download & Tutorial here.
(Those are 2 different links: 1 for the download and 1 for the tutorial)
You can put the decoder rings together yourself or let the kids assemble them. We assembled them ourselves and stuck them in the mission folder - but you can do it either way.
You do want to print the 2 circles out on computer cardstock, however as it will be more durable.
You can include an index card with a code written on it that the kids will have to decipher to read the message on the card. (Gives them wind down quiet time doing this!)
There are many different varieties of codes but the reverse code will be the simplest for you to remember.
SECRET AGENT BINGO
30 Printable Secret Agent Bingo Cards, Secret Agent Party Game. $1.99
I know a lot of party sites advise you to use cocoa powder and such... I wouldn't unless you want one hell of a mess to clean up.
Others recommend using a black ink stamp pad for fingerprint powder but again, not unless you want little black fingerprints all over and again, one hell of a mess to clean up.
This is why you should invest in a fingerprint kit specifically designed for that purpose.
I used real fingerprint powder just because I had it on hand, but then I've taken thousands of sets of fingerprints so no mess to clean up afterwards.
LEARN HOW TO FINGERPRINT: You'll need a fingerprint kit, something like this one. You'll also need some fingerprint cards. You won't be able to get official legal fingerprint cards so make your own on your computer and print them out on card stock.
Or you can purchase a 25 pack from Amazon for $8.48
Print out a FREE fingerprint maze sheet of paper for each agent. The first one to find their way through the maze on their sheet wins a prize.