Scenes from the 2018 Washington Auto Show

Ridin’ with my top down, and my jewelry on

The Washington Auto Show rolled into town at a good time for our family. We’re actually thinking about getting a new car, and the event is an excellent way to get a look at a lot of them all at once. But even if we weren’t in the market, we still would have gone. Levi is somewhat of a car enthusiast, so the show is kind of nirvana for him. On top of that, we think it’s a really fun outing with the kids — which I wrote about a few years back.

This year, you can check out more than 600 new car and truck models from over 30 manufacturers on three levels of the Washington Convention Center. And by check out, I mean you can sit in most of the models on the floor to get a close look at interior details, sign up for test drives and ride alongs, see demo drives of a few models on indoor courses, and talk to representatives from the manufacturers.

Especially for children is a Family Fun Zone located on the lowest level. There are craft activities and shows for little ones, plus characters from PBS. Fun photo ops in sports gear and with Stars Wars characters as well as some interactive games are scattered around the expo floor. Of course, kids also love climbing in the cars and checking them out, too. And when they get hungry, concessions are available at several stands throughout, and there are also lots of restaurants nearby the Convention Center if you want to plan for a meal before or after.

If you can get to the Washington Auto Show during the week, it’ll likely be less crowded. On weekday evenings, there are also celeb appearances, mostly local sports stars — check the schedule for specifics. Nearby street parking is limited, but Metro is a great option. Take yellow/green line to the Mt. Vernon Square/7th St. Convention Center stop or the red line to Gallery Place.

Washington Auto Show
Where: Washington Convention Center | Mount Vernon Place, DC
When: Through February 4
Hours: Mon – Thurs 12-9pm, Fri 12-10pm, Sat 10-10pm, Sun 10-6pm
Tickets: $12/adult, $5/age 6-12, free/5 & under

You can bet we totally took the backseat opportunity to squabble and demand they play that one Taylor Swift song over and over again

Accessories like kayaks make the cars look even more fun

Donuts on your lawn (pleeease tell me others got that, so I don’t feel old)

Crazy that this will be reality in a few years

Extra room for the carpool 😉

Guests can sign up to 4-wheel in the Range Rovers

Fun to watch drivers zoom around this course, too

Mustang Alley

Digging the Mini

Shop for souvenirs, too