Smithsonian National Zoo

Living just outside of Washington DC means that there are a lot of incredibly fun things to do, especially in the summer time. One of these is the Smithsonian National Zoo. Having younger cousins makes these kinds of activities even more fun! Between graduating from law school and starting his new job, the Husband had about two weeks off. We spent some of that time in Charleston, SC and spent the rest of it just enjoying his time off. We decided to take my two year old cousin to the zoo one of the days. The Husband and I have done this before with some of my other cousins and we love doing it! The Smithsonian National Zoo is located in North West DC in a beautiful wooded area. It is set on a hill so if you are going, be prepared to do a lot of walking! While entrance into the zoo is free, you do pay for parking. I believe it is $12 to park. If you take lots of people, it's definitely worth it! I even think that with two adults and a toddler it was worth it! We went on a day that wasn't too hot or crowded (most kids were still in school). I took lots of snacks and even packed a lunch for us. While you can purchase food at the zoo, it can be very expensive. I have found that bringing your own food ends up being the better option.We were lucky the day we went because the pandas were out. They are very rarely outside and I have only been at the zoo when they were in their inside inclosures twice. Over all it was tons of fun and we were exhausted when we decided to head home!