Museum Focus:
This is the annex of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.
Where is it:
14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, VA 20151. Just outside of Washington D.C. to the west.
What does it cost:
Free! Well, sort of. It’s $15 for parking although every time I go there is no one at the gate and you go right in. Maybe I’m stealing, I dunno.
How long should I plan to stay:
This is an all-day museum. Bonus is that it’s so spacious, you can bring the kids and let them run a bit. There’s a McDonald’s for lunch in the museum. Nothing shuts them up faster than a happy meal!
Best Exhibits:
The actual Enola Gay is here. The entire plane in all it’s glory. Not many airplanes can give me goosebumps but that bad boy sure as hell did.
There’s a small exhibit for hot air balloons which I am irrationally in love with.
They also have the entire spaceship Discovery in one of the hangars. I’m not a space nerd but it’s still pretty cool. I didn’t see any aliens but that doesn’t mean they aren’t there.
There’s also a bunch of old timey and contemporary aviation doohickeys.
Is it worth it:
Heck yeah. Come for the Enola Gay, stay for the kids running around so much they will actually sleep in the damn car on the way home. Read more here!