The nation’s capital is overrun with strollers in summer. Families with young children navigate the Metro platforms, wind their way through Smithsonian museums and, laden with drinks and snacks, work their way along the National Mall.

But Washington, D.C., is arguably a better destination for those with teens, not toddlers.

Fresh off U.S. history classes in school, teens take in the sights and culture of D.C. in a way that young children can’t. They have the stamina required to cram as many museums and cultural sites as possible into one day. And, let’s be honest: it’s a lot easier to descend the impossibly long escalators into a Metro station with teens than it is with youngsters in tow.

For the ultimate summer trip, plan to be in D.C. for the Fourth of July. Nothing compares with watching fireworks with thousands of others from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, with the Washington Monument in the background and the bright display lighting up the nearby reflecting pool.

It’s not too late to plan a D.C. vacation for this summer. Or, think ahead to 2016 and start researching now. Books and websites with tips abound, but here are a few quick ideas for crafting a trip with teens that everyone will enjoy:

– Ask your teens what sights they want to see. At this age, they’re able to participate in planning the trip, and they’re likely to have an opinion pegged to some fact of history they’ve studied.

Museums? There are Smithsonians galore. Government sites? Consider the Library of Congress, or book a tour of the U.S. Capitol in advance. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum isn’t simply another tour when an inquisitive teen is walking beside you.

– Look for attractions that go beyond government sites. The Newseum makes a great destination for a day, or for a few hours. Its 9/11 Gallery “explores the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and the extraordinary first-person accounts of journalists who covered the story.”

Most teens have some recollection of 9/11 so, for them, this exhibit goes beyond a historical account they read in a textbook.

– Consider venturing outside the core of D.C. Georgetown is a cab ride away and offers its own treasures.

Stroll through the campus of Georgetown University – your teen might be thinking about life after high school. (If you’re checking out colleges, D.C. also is home to George Washington University, among others.)

The Old Stone House in Georgetown dates to 1765 and is the oldest known structure standing in D.C. Legend has it that the house, which is property of the National Park Service, was headquarters for George Washington and Pierre Charles L’Enfant when they arrived to create the federal district in the 1790s.

Dumbarton Oaks Museum and Gardens (not to be confused with Dumbarton House, which is its own attraction, a historic museum house), also is in Georgetown, and is the former home of Mildred and Robert Woods Bliss, a diplomat. They envisioned Dumbarton Oaks as a “home of the humanities” and created what is considered one of the outstanding residences in D.C.

After viewing the collections of Byzantine and pre-Columbian art in the home, tour the spectacular and seemingly endless gardens.

– Remember destinations outside D.C. too.

Gettysburg National Military Park is a few-hours drive from D.C. in Pennsylvania and can be turned into an overnight destination. It’s impossible to see Gettysburg’s many battlefield sites in one day, but if that’s all you have, start at the visitor center, which features the historic Gettysburg Cyclorama. The cyclorama is a 360-degree painting, one of several completed in the 1880s, that depicts Pickett’s Charge, one of the battles there in 1863.

A trip into Maryland, West Virginia or Pennsylvania is only a couple of hours away.

Near where the states converge, consider stopping at Cumberland Terminus of the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal to learn how the canal became a transportation route in the 1800s.

The 184.5-mile canal stretches along the Potomac River all the way into Georgetown. A path along the canal, maintained by the National Park Service, provides a trail for walkers, hikers and bicyclists and features remnants of locks, dams and lockhouses.

Don’t forget to bring along or buy a Passport To Your National Parks book. No matter your age, it’s fun to put a stamp in the passport every time you visit a National Park site.

And in this part of the country, your passport will fill up in a hurry.