It's a good time to plan a trip to Washington, D.C. With national monuments and landmarks as a backdrop, you'll enrich your family's understanding of how and where our political process unfolds.

Here are tips for making the most of your visit.

Do your homework. Spend time online and sort through the array of museums, sights, tours, performances and activities. Create a must-do list. Make reservations and obtain tickets where you can. Having a plan really pays off. If possible, choose a hotel near the Metro light-rail line because parking is scarce and expensive.

Take a tour. This is a great way to get an overview of the area. Three major companies allow you to hop on and off at stops. City and monument lights at night provide a visual feast. Information: www.visitingdc.com.

Visit the Capitol and the White House. Your congressional representatives can help. Write a letter requesting tours and include your travel dates. You'll receive a free tour given by interns.

Savor the Smithsonian Institution. A national treasure, this collection of museums features the history of our air and space programs, magnificent art, science, history, plus the world-famous National Zoo. Bonus: It's all free. Information: www.si.edu.

Don't miss these spots. If it is age-appropriate, visit the Holocaust Museum. It is beautifully arranged and moving. The International Spy Museum will appeal to the James Bond in every visitor with its focus on espionage and tricks of the trade. (The Capitol Children's Museum is great, but it's closed for renovation until 2009.)

More information: www.washington.org.

Lynn O'Rourke Hayes is editor of FamilyTravel.com.