Things to do with teens in DC

Face it, it can be a pain to have teenage visitors over the holidays, and even your own wonderful kids can get grumpy if they're at home too long. They complain they aren't with their friends, they're tired of being with the dweeby adults, and they definitely don't want to be dragged off to another museum. What's an aunt or grandma to do? No need to worry. The DC area has an amazing number of entertaining (and, can you keep a secret......... educational) options.

An absolutely undiscovered gem is The Voice of America, located at 330 Independence Avenue., S.W., Washington, D.C. Studio tours are free and are offered M-F (except Federal holidays) at noon and 3pm. Make your reservation online or at (202) 203-4990. You'll have the opportunity to watch live radio and televised broadcasts to countries around the globe. Fascinating! You'll go behind-the-scenes and have a chance to observe the technical equipment as well as the broadcasters. An added plus is the chance to see the room where the President and other heads of state and dignitaries are filmed when they are interviewed. A final bonus is that the VOA is located across the street from The Botanical Gardens which provides a lovely respite from walking.My son thought it was especially thrilling that we were evacuated from the Gardens on the afternoon of our visit because of a "suspicious package." No harm done, and just another exciting day in DC.

Another favorite stop with teens is the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. Love to see where the money is made. It's fascinating to learn about all of the security features embedded into our currency and to watch it roll of the presses. This is a self-guided tour but everything is easily visible, clearly explained, and the machine workers love looking up to see the visitors. The Bureau is located at 14th and C Streets, SW and admission is also free. What a place to live!!! Tours are M-F, from 8:30-3:30pm, and closed for all federal holidays as well as the week between XMAS and New Years. A ticketing system is used to prevent overcrowding, and same day tickets are available at a kiosk on the 15th street side o\f the building.The gift shops a must-see.

The last stop on this week's tour for crabby teens, is the Koshland Science Museum of the National Academy of Science. Before your kid freaks out, be assured it's a small, rather intimate, museum that feel very manageable and limits itself to 2-3 main exhibits at a time so it's not overwhelming. We visited the Infectious Disease Exhibit which was so jammed full of hands-on, highly interactive activities, including an electronicmicroscope, that the staff literally had to turn off the lights to nudge my son and I out of there. There were so many activities to try, that we were unable to finish all of them. If learning about bacteria, parasites, fungi, etc; is your kids' thing, you'll love it!!! It makes a great destination for science projects too. Current exhibits also include global warming .The only downside was parking....I had to circle the building many times, so take mass transit if you can. The museum is located in NW Washington, DC at the corner of 6th and E Streets, NW. There is a small entrance fee for the Koshland.

There's a lot more to do in and around DC with kids and teens, so check back soon for more ideas!