I would never suggest that you visit an airport with your children just for fun.  However, if you are stranded at an airport on your way home from holiday travel, let it be known that some of them have incredibly cool features that will help you kill the time and burn off the kids’ energy so they will pass out on the airplane.  Just don’t let them visit the ubiquitous airport candy store.

My holiday gift to you is a list, below, of links to the major US airlines and their hub airports.  Chances are, if you are traveling across the country, you may have to set foot in one of them, and you may even have to spend many of your precious hours there.  To all of our delight, I am sure, the city editors of Being Savvy, a guide for parents of preschoolers, have found interesting ways to kill time with children of all ages at many of these airports.

Do not be intimidated by the links.  Find your airline, then find the airport you where you will be sleeping changing planes.

Alaska Airlines: Alaska Airlines (AS) uses Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) where Being Savvy helps you locate the children’s play area, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport (ANC), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Portland International Airport (PDX).

Music scape at the American Airlines terminal at Dallas/Ft. Worth

American Airlines: Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) – (check out the terminal’s many cool larger-than-life sculptures), Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD) (check out Being Savvy’s guide to O’Hare), Lambert-Saint Louis International Airport (STL), Miami International Airport (MIA).

Continental Airlines:  Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE).

Delta Air Lines:  Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) (here’s Being Savvy’s guide ),Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) with fully equipped children’s play areas on three concourses, Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).

Frontier Airlines:  Denver International Airport (DEN) where Being Savvy found five fun frolics.  Until December 31st, 2008, kids under 12 fly, ski, and stay free in Aspen.

Jet Blue :  John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Boston’s Logan International Airport (BOS) where Being Savvy visits the Kidport – Also, if you get a chance, show the older kids Logan’s 9/11 memorial.

The Kidport at Logan

Midwest Airlines:  Milwaukee’s General Mitchell International Airport (MKE) and Kansas City International Airport (MCI).

Northwest Airlines:  Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport (MSP) where Being Savvy locates the family services and hits you with family travel tips, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW), Memphis International Airport (MEM).

Southwest Airlines:  technically does not have hubs, but has main activities at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI), Chicago Midway Airport (MDW), Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL), Las Vegas’s McCarran International Airport (LAS), Houston Hobby Airport (HOU), and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX).

Spirit Airlines:  calls their hubs “bases” which are at Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW) where Being Savvy finds you kid-friendly activities, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL).

United Airlines (UA) uses Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport (ORD), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) with its in-house aquarium!, Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) – (check out the Being Savvy layover lifesaver ), Denver International Airport (DEN), and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

US Airways (US) uses Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), Charlotte/Douglas International Airport (CLT), and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL).

[Photos courtesy of Dallas Ft. Worth International Airport and Logan International Airport]

At first glance, the area between The White House and The Washington Memorial known as the National Mall appears immense. In reality it’s a short hike of approximately one mile and it is packed full of things to do and see along the way. The trick is to find them before you’re too tired to care.

Once you’ve walked by all the monuments and peered through the barricades to see the White House, you might find yourself tempted to take a picture with a life-size cut-out of the president and purchase lunch and souvenirs. Once this is done you’ll be broke and the young kids may not be impressed. Don’t be discouraged, I can help add a few free stops along the way that will help keep the little ones interested.

National Postal Museum

While not directly on the mall this museum is just a short Metro ride away. It’s worth the trip. Who doesn’t love the mail? The Moving the Mail exhibit at the National Postal Museum covers the pony express, stagecoaches, railroads, and planes. This is a great place to explore with children. They can climb inside a stagecoach or hop aboard a re-created railway mail train. There is also a collection of postcards and letters on display in the Art of Cards and Letters gallery. They are often touching and sometimes very funny. Try to corral the kids long enough to read a few of these. It’s worth the time.

Freer Gallery

If you’re looking for one stop visual amazement, The Peacock Room at the Freer Gallery is the place to go. Created by artist James McNeill Whistler (famous for his mother painting) for a wealthy London shipowner, it is a testament to artistic vision taken to extreme. And it is stunning in an extreme kind of way. Send the kids on a mission to find all the peacocks while you sit and rest contemplate the mind of an artist.

Sculpture Garden at The National Gallery of Art

The Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art is a requested stop every time we visit Washington D.C. There is something about the size and unusual shapes of the sculptures that fascinate the little ones in ways Mona Lisa never could. This combined with beautiful plantings and a comfortable bench or two makes it a great place to unwind after one too many security check points.

The National Museum of Natural History

The Natural History Museum is packed full of exhibits. Everything from animals to insects can be found here. There are also some impressive rocks and fossils. Even if you don’t have the time or energy to see everything at the Natural History Museum, a quick stop to see Henry is a must. Another must see is the above head whale and the fish fossils in The Sant Ocean Hall. It opened in September 2008 and is a very well done interpretive exhibit. It covers ocean life from tiny plankton to giant whales and will give even the smallest visitors an appreciation of the ocean’s ecosystem and the role the oceans plays in our lives.

This is my short list of top stops in Washington, D.C. There are many more kid-friendly attractions that are either free or low cost. I’m always looking for a new place to take the girls. If you have any suggestions let me know.

Photo Credits: A whole sack of thank you notes to Cliff1066 for the mailbag photo. A full stream of gratitude to NCinDC for the Sculpture Garden Fountain Photo.

Back in June, when I posted my Local’s Perspective on Palo Alto, I tagged three UpTake friends to participate too: Claude from Les Explorers, Erica from Travel Blissful (formerly Blissful Travel) and Guido from Happy Hotelier. Reading their blog posts puts me in a mood for a European Adventure! Check out what they had to say:

Erica writes about her hometown Halmstad, in southern Sweden. Sweden, and most of Scandinavia, is on my travel wish list. Erica’s recommendations make me want to take off for the whole summer and visit those northern countries.

Guido writes about The Hague, Netherlands, a place I visited as a college student. Guido highlights several reasons to go back as an adult.

And Claude claims he is too busy to write about Provence! Oh, Claude, please write about Provence. My birthday is coming up soon, and I have almost convinced my husband that a trip to France would be just the way to celebrate!

Be sure to check out our other Local’s Perspectives, from Nancy Brown’s Carmel Revealed to Washington D.C. Revealed by Priscilla Macy. Would you like to share a perspective on your hometown? Send us your details at feedback at uptake dot com.

Happy Traveling!

We have invited friends and bloggers from across the country to share their expertise…give us the “inside scoop” on different travel destinations. We hope you enjoy this insider’s look at Washington D.C. It was written by Priscilla Macy in between flights between Vietnam and Africa. She is a global traveler, (50 countries and more) political activist and one of my closest friends. She introduced me to the idea of local travel on a trip to Mexico years ago and I have sought that local flavor ever since. She lives in Washington D.C. and is the ideal source for insider tips about this political city.

1. Give five adjectives that you would use to describe the “feel” of Washington, D.C and its residents?
Conservative, self-important, power, educated, political

2. What is your favorite neighborhood in your area?
My favorite neighborhood is Clarendon (Arlington). It has good food, good bars, great ethnic restaurants and it is a great place to live.

3. Which cuisine do you think D.C. does best? What is the runner-up?(feel free to share your favorite restaurant)
Middle Eastern and Central Asia cuisine(e.g. Afghani)- these are quite common here but hard to find in other cities.

4. What is the best free thing to do?
Visit just a few of the 19 museums that are part of the Smithsonian Institute, and of course the National monuments.

5. What is your favorite type of entertainment?
This is probably one of the most political cities in the world. I highly recommend attending a few presentations, debates and author talks on political and international issues to get a sense of the city’s unescapable, political culture.

6. List the best family friendly activity?
The best things to do with kids are the Smithsonian Institute, the national monuments and the National Geographic Museum at Explorers Hall.

7. What spot would you send a couple, looking for a romantic weekend?
Hmmm… not quite the city for romance.

8. Describe the perfect day…one that captures what your area/city is all about? In three sentences or less.
Hike at Great Falls; picnic on or near the National Mall; visit a couple of museums; go out for dinner and attend one of the many lectures and debates around town.

9. Tell us about a place that you love to go even if it is in all the guidebooks.
Taking a hikes along the Potomac- for example the Great Falls Loop or Turkey Run Park–a beautiful refuge from suburbia.

10. What question did we not ask that we should have (and answer it, of course!)?
Avoid the over-rated or too touristy areas.

Want to share, brag or tell all about your town? If so, send an email or comment and you can be the next local expert.

Here is a good resource for Washington DC tours.

White house garden photo by Patrick Tierney
Turkey Run Park photo from the Turkey Run Park web site.