Real Mom Review: The Capital Wheel & Carousel at National Harbor

By Elizabeth DeLeon, CertifiKID Subscriber
Posted Aug 20, 2018 Real Mom Reviews Things to Do DC/MD/VA

My minions and I had the opportunity to ride and review The Capital Wheel and Carousel. This was our first time going to National Harbor. There is so much to do there and plenty to see.

First, we stopped at The Awakening (a giant statue of a man coming out of the ground). The minions loved climbing it and it made for great photo opportunities.

We took our time and walked around to see what else the Harbor had to offer. There are plenty of places to eat and spots like Ben & Jerry's, Dippin' Dots, and the Peeps store to get your sweet tooth fix. The Peeps store had a yellow Volkswagen beetle with a large Peep on top that my kids loved.

As we made our way to The Capital Wheel, the minions spotted a pirate ship, which of course they begged to ride, as well as water taxis. We didn't ride either, but they were both reasonably priced and would make for a fun little adventure.

The Capital Wheel was a nice relaxing ride. Each cart has air conditioning you can control and plays music. The views from the Wheel were beyond beautiful. You could take a lot of great shots of the harbor and surrounding areas.

If you don't get the pictures you want your first time around, no worries. The Wheel goes around 3-5 times depending on how busy they get. We were lucky to sit in it for five cycles. Younger kids about 7 and under will enjoy the views but are ready to get off by the second cycle. My teenager enjoyed the ride.

After the Wheel, we walked over to the Carousel. All my minions loved this one. It's unlimited rides so we were on it for a long time.

The kids had fun changing which animals they rode each turn. The pace was perfect. It wasn't going too fast or too slow. The staff was very friendly and ensured each child was buckled and seated before they started the ride. Once you're done with the ride there is a playground right behind the Carousel where the minions can play and some colorful lawn chairs you can lounge on while your minions play.

The day was filled of lots of photo opportunities and places to see. The minions and I had a great time and definitely plan on going back to the Harbor for one of their outdoor movie nights.  

Elizabeth is a member of CertifiKID's MOM Squad Ambassador program. She was given free admission to the Capital Wheel and Carousel at National Harbor in exchange for her honest review. 

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