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I agree with @CanofWorms that you are unlikely to see snow. I live in the DC area, we get like one or two snows a year on average. On a crazy year we might get 5 or more snows. If you drive West or South you might hit some hiking areas that have perma snow in winter. I remember hiking at Old Rag and seeing snow at the top in late November.
One Caveat I'd add to what CanofWorms said: If it does snow, it can look magical, but logistics will be a nightmare. Most DC drivers are not accustomed to driving in snow, making the first snowfall of the season pretty dangerous to be out on the roads, with lots of accidents. Also the DC area is not equipped to handle heavy snowfall. They don't have enough plow trucks. Usually during really bad storms we just have to wait for some Northern city to lend us snow plows.
As I said above, I live in the DC area, but like most natives to a area, I basically never do the touristy things nearby. I generally avoid going into DC whenever possible (I live in northern virginia, but DC is like a 30 minute drive away in low traffic). We do sometimes go to National Harbor in Maryland which has good places to eat, and a cool Ferris wheel that can give you a view of DC and the Potomac. We have also been meaning to make a trip to the Smithsonian Air and Space Udvar-Hazy Anex that @MollieTheMare mentioned.
Yeah, I was very surprised on the lack of snow when I moved to DC. We always got nasty 35 degree rains which is about the most awful weather there is.
I also enjoyed National Harbor, but mostly for the MGM casino.
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Tons to do in DC in the winter. Some of my favorites:
-hike in Manassas National Park. Great spot to bring the dog and usually pretty empty. There’s a nice 5 mile loop if you’re into that sort of thing. About 45 minutes from DC.
-Theodore Roosevelt Island. Another hiking spot in the Potomac River, very close to DC. Small, but cool. Highly recommended.
-Mount Vernon. About a 30 minute drive south of DC, you can visit where George Washington lived and is buried.
-Shenandoah National Park. It’s about a two hour drive from DC, but an amazing hiking spot. There are some cabins up that way, but they might be closed in the winter.
-My personal favorite: Fords Theater. You can go see where Lincoln was shot, and it’s an incredible feeling to look into the viewing window knowing that a monumental piece of history happened right there.
-DC Mall. Just walk the mall. Or better yet, if the weather is ok, ride bicycles around. There are of tons of monuments and statues to see. It may be cold, but definitely worth spending a few hours here.
-Museums: all the national museums are free. My favorites are the Black History Museum and the Holocaust Museum. You’ll probably need to get tickets for both of these, so check out the websites before you go.
-DC is a very dog friendly city. There are regular human parks and dog parks everywhere. Arlington even more so.
I personally doubt you’ll see snow. It doesn’t really snow in DC anymore, and if it does, it’s mostly in January and February. You might get lucky with some snow, and if you do, the city becomes a magical place. Walking around the mall, looking at monuments covered in snow is awesome.
Hit me up if you have any other questions. There’s honestly so much to do in DC, I don’t think you’ll struggle to fill your days.
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If you have any interest in aviation, I highly recommend the Smithsonian Air and Space Udvar-Hazy Anex. It's the one out in the suburbs, but has a much larger collection than the one by the rest of the Smithsonians, including Space Shuttle Discovery, Enola Gay, and a SR-71. The one on the main Smithsonian campus does have the Wright Flyer and the Apollo 11 Command Module, though it at least used to be hard to get a good look because they were always swarmed with people.
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For lesser known attractions:
I am not religious or Christian, but the new Basilica is absolutely gorgeous.
It is relatively under-visited and is derivative of Roman Basilica. But, if your family hasn't seen many Churches outside the US, then this one feels breathtaking. I have been to both the Duomo in Milan, and Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. All 3 are different, but this one still holds up, especially on the inside. The organs and internal acoustics are incredible too.
There is also a pretty Mormon Tabernacle in the DC area.
Glad you like it! FYI that's a temple; tabernacles are for regular church meetings, whereas temples are much bigger, nicer, less common, and are strictly for ordinances.
Thought I might be using the wrong word.
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