Today we continue with the story of our fourth and final stop on our East Coast road trip, at The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown, in the nation’s capital.
1. Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
The last stop on this year’s family road trip was Washington, D.C. Red Bear had never been there before, and wanted to see the White House and many other famous places. It’s the seat of America’s government, after all, so it is an exciting place for us.
I was a little sad that we have not been able to get there earlier, like March to April, when the cherry trees are covered with clouds of pink blossoms, but we always have to wait for Red Bear’s summer vacation, and those blossoms just won’t wait with us. But even without the cherry blossoms, there is so much history, and so many monuments and museums, it is always fun to explore our nation’s capital. We were excited finally to get there, after our easy drive down from Philadelphia!
Our place to stay, and base of operations in the capital was The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown. Georgetown was an important colonial river port on the Potomac River, the farthest place up the river where seagoing ships could still navigate. Unlike much of the federal District of Columbia, which mostly has government buildings, the Georgetown neighborhood has walkable shopping and restaurant areas, homes, and Georgetown University. It’s really a pleasant place to stroll around, and The Ritz-Carlton is conveniently located right in the heart of the most interesting part.
What I wore: DVF Dress & Chanel Bag
What We Did in Georgetown / Washington, D.C.
Well, as soon as we started to plan this road trip, Red Bear and his Dad started to plan to go to the Smithsonian Museum. Red Bear even watched to movie, “Night at the Smithsonian,” to prepare for it. The Smithsonian Museum is not just one museum, but consists of a “family” of SEVENTEEN national museums, and admission to all of them is free! Since this was Red Bear’s first visit, we decided to go to the Natural History Museum first, to “get our feet wet.”
We got there before it opened, and there was already a little line of people waiting to get in. But the weather was very nice, and it was worth it to get in early. Red Bear wanted to check out everything in the museum, and we all loved it. There really is so much to see and learn there, it’s impossible to describe it all. There are dinosaurs, and sea creatures, and mummies, and gems, and an exhibit on the development of humans, to just to name some of the major exhibits. In the end, we spent almost the whole day in the museum, and it was so enjoyable, the time just flew for us.
When we left, we had an Uber car take us to look at some of the famous monuments – Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, and (of course) the White House. My husband remembers the time before 9/11, when terrorism was not such a threat, and you could walk right up the White House lawn, but sadly, that care-free time is gone. There is a big security zone around the White House now, so you cannot get really close to it – but our Uber driver did his best, and we had a few minutes to check it out from a reasonable distance.
When we returned to The Ritz-Carlton, we all needed some rest. While Red Bear napped, my husband and I strolled up and down Wisconsin Avenue, which is the major street in Georgetown. It is covered with wonderful little shops, restaurants, and fashionable stores – I loved walking around there, and could go back for more. It is a lively area, being close to Georgetown University, so even during summer, lots of college students were strolling, too. Lively, full of energy!
What I Wore: Cynthia Rowley Dress & Chanel Bag
Also right by The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown is the Potomac River, and it is a beautiful place to walk around in summer, watching the sun set over the river, seeing children playing in water fountains, and so forth.
On our last day in the nation’s capital, before we went to Dulles Airport to fly home, we left plenty of time to visit Mount Vernon Estate which is a few miles away, in Virginia. Mount Vernon was the home and farm of George Washington throughout all the time he was a General, and then the first President. The estate has been well-preserved, and still looks just like it did when Washington lived there. It is undergoing some maintenance now, but that did not detract from our enjoyment of the visit. I found it really fascinating to realize he had an enormous farm, and was one of the richest men in America. I was also interested to see how people lived in those days – before there was indoor plumbing, for example, and electricity. We toured his mansion, and I really enjoyed seeing the furniture and décor, but taking photos is not allowed inside – sorry for that, but rules are rules. The décor is still how Washington had it, and even the bed where he died in 1799 is there. Red Bear even managed to earn a Boy Scout patch during our visit, and he was pretty proud of that.
I highly recommend checking out Mount Vernon Estate whenever you visit Washington, D.C. It was one of the highlights of the trip for us.
What I Wore: Johanna Ortiz Dress & Nordstrom Shoes
Dining in Georgetown
For the first time on this road trip, we did not really make an effort to eat any meals outside The Ritz-Carlton, even though there were many interesting-looking restaurants within a short walk. I think part of the reason was that, near the end of our road trip, we had less energy to explore by foot –but it was also because we discovered that we really loved the food and service at the restaurant within The Ritz-Carlton.
There are actually two different areas to eat in this hotel. The lobby is large and decorated like a comfortable living room – and guess what? The area is actually a food service area called The Living Room, with its own menu, where you can order drinks or small and delicious dishes there, and enjoy them casually sitting on comfy couches and chairs. I saw couples and families with children enjoying that kind of homey arrangement – nice! It felt a lot like dining at home, very relaxed, but with really, really good service and food! I personally can recommend the Tuna Poke, and my husband really went for the Roasted Brussels Sprouts. The Living Room also was a very nice place for an early breakfast.
The other restaurant in the hotel is around the corner from The Living Room, and it is named Degrees Bistro. It is open and warm, with lots of natural light. We found the service to be friendly and very attentive; it couldn’t have been better, and the food always came out of the kitchen quickly. For my breakfasts, I just ordered omelets with exactly the extra ingredients I like, and I shared my toast with Red Bear. My husband really only likes potatoes for breakfast, and he loved the breakfast potatoes they served here. Red Bear went for a “malted waffle” one day (not 100% vegan, we know, but it looked so good – and it was), and a fruit-and-berries plate the other morning.
For dinner, we also went to Degrees Bistro, and I had the “Surf and Turf” (steak and shrimp combination), which was delicious. Most impressive, my husband ordered an off-menu dish of pasta with marinara sauce and vegetables, a dish he orders often, and he said it was THE BEST TASTING pasta primavera he can remember! He loved it, and would go back for it tomorrow, if he could.
About The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown
The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown is in a really convenient area of the District of Columbia. It is about two miles northwest of the White House, the Capitol, and the rest of the nation’s government. It is also a short block one direction from the main shopping and dining area of Georgetown, and a short block in the other direction to the Potomac River, which is nicely developed for tourists (and residents) to stroll along and enjoy the view and river breeze. We loved watching the sunset there, so peaceful, relaxing, and romantic.
The hotel itself was developed from a brick building that was some sort of factory 80 years ago, and the development is well-done and really seamless. I could not tell where the old, original building left off, and the expansion/modernization started! We all really enjoyed the feel of walking through the all-brick hallways to our room; Red Bear said he felt like he was a soldier, walking through an old fort or castle – good imagination, and he liked the feeling.
Our suite overlooked a picturesque old church, and gave a vibe we really enjoyed. (It even had the same name as our church back home, and we liked that, too.) Like every Ritz-Carlton hotel, the rooms were large, comfortable, clean, and well-decorated. The Ritz-Carlton Georgetown is a change from some of the other Ritz-Carltons where we have stayed, in that it is smaller and quiet, like an intimate boutique hotel. But that does not stop it from offering first-class amenities.
I went to the spa for a facial. Thanks to the Spa Supervisor Ms. City Diaz & their Esthetician Jennifer Kelly, who gave me a customized facial treatment, and I really felt re-energized and more relaxed when it was finished. And my skin felt so fresh! While I was getting pampered in the spa, Red Bear and his Dad went a block away to watch the new “Aladdin” movie at the closest theater – that’s convenience for you!
I have to add that in the lobby area, the staff kept several places loaded with changing arrays of delicious and sweet (I hope not fattening?) complimentary snacks and beverages – snowcones, ‘smores, gummy bears, La Colombe coffee, and a lot more. It was so tempting to grab some every time we walked through the lobby . . .
Georgetown was our final stop on our Ritz-Carlton family road trip this year. We originally thought about going on a few more days to include Charlotte, North Carolina, but home was calling to us, we had been 9 days enjoying the adventure, and we were worrying about our pets and plants back home. (Don’t worry, thanks to my sister’s help, they all were fine.)
What I wore: Head to toe by Carolina Herrera
So, with lots of smile and really happy Ritz-Carlton memories in our heads, we finally flew back home. It was a really wonderful family vacation, and at every city, The Ritz-Carlton made our stays comfortable, pampered, and fun. It’s a great partner for family travel adventures!
Big thanks to The Ritz-Carlton for working with us on this story; as always, all opinions are honestly our own.
Beautiful photos, love ♥️the moments captured!
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