After training for 4 months the time finally came…Race day…Those 13.1 miles are in my rear view now but glad I met the challenge. We drove to D.C. to stay at our next iconic hotel, Intercontinental The Willard, which was only a few blocks from the starting line (super convenient).
Cars and parking, we learned, is a big no-no. The Willard did have parking for $60+ a day which we had to do because there was nowhere else to park.
Post-race the fam and our (myself, cousin and friend) ended up at a nice Argentinian spot, Malbec Boutique Argentine Steakhouse, for lunch. The kids had chicken fingers and fries per usual and the adults had everything from milanesas to skirt steak, all of which were good…Dad thought the provoleta was quite good as well. From there off to an ice cream spot for the kids, but nope, not kid friendly, so off to McDonalds for a frosty…Sometimes we have to remember kids don’t really care that it’s not from a place, mickey d’s works just as well.
The kids didn’t necessarily care much about the history part in the hotel but they were excited to see the White House and the “pencil,” the Washington Monument. We hit those up after the race and after dinner tried to get down to the waterfront…Tip: Use Uber/Lyft/Taxi…whatever…because you will spend more time looking for somewhere to put your car than actually enjoying your visit. We ended up going 15 min away to a small local arcade in Alexandria so the kids could hang out for a bit.
We closed out the trip with a visit to the Smithsonian Natural History Museum and the kids enjoyed it a lot. Tip: Smithsonian Museums are free entry so they are a great choice for the pocketbook. The lines start before opening time but move pretty quick. There are so many kinds of museums there is surely something for everyone. After some time there, off to a great brunch at Ambar before the long ride back.
What Makes The Willard Iconic?
- The original six structures were constructed in 1816, current structure is dated at 1901
- Notable guests include several U.S. Presidents and members of Congress
- Martin Luther King Jr. wrote his “I Have a Dream” speech at the hotel in 1963
An "Iconic" Family Adventure 
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