Washington, DC - Thanksgiving 2007 - Family Vacation

Packed seven bodies into the minivan - me, my wife, my three kids and my parents - and started our journey East towards the Nation's Capitol at 8:30am.  We chose to leave the day before Thanksgiving so that we could make it a leisurely trip and not have to worry about arriving in time for a nice dinner.  Great decision!  Not only did it make the trip stress-free, but it also gave us an extra day in DC, which we could not have done without. 

With stops, the 7-1/2 hour drive was more like 9 hours, and we arrived shortly before 6:00pm.  After checking-in and settling-in at our hotel, the Embassy Suites Washington DC - Convention Center , we decided we had enough of driving and walked the 1-1/4 miles to a restaurant I found online: Tonic Restaurant.  Fortunately, the weather was unseasonably mild for late-November.

Tonic Restaurant was "ok."  The website and some reviews I read about it made it sound much better than it was.  We didn't have a bad experience, but I wouldn't go out of my way to return - nor would I suggest anyone else do it either - it's just nothing special.  Located among the campus of George Washington University, I'm sure it's a lot more fun when it's filled with students and the campus is bustling.  However, the day before Thanksgiving, it was pretty much a ghost town.  Neat menu featuring sandwiches, gourmet pizzas, and burgers - all reasonably priced.

Our hotel was perfect and I would definitely stay there again on a return visit to DC - especially with the family.  It's conveniently located between the White House and the U.S. Capitol, within walking distance of all the major sites.  Every room is a two-room suite, so our family of five had plenty of elbow room (my parents had their own room adjoining ours).  Hotel amenities include: high-speed internet access, indoor pool, complimentary cooked-to-order breakfast every morning, and complimentary manager's reception every evening.