Summer – Page 6

Beaches and State Parks near Washington, DC

July 16, 2019

Do you dread the thought of packing the car for a 2.5+ hour car trip to Delaware and Maryland’s famous beaches or maybe you just can’t make it that far this summer? Below you will find short day trips that will allow you to get your toes sandy and your little ones splashing around without the cost of a hotel and long haul. If you’d rather just get sandy in between grocery runs and camp pick-ups, Rockville’s Pike & Rose has a “beach” set-up (see photo below) with pails and shovels and is conveniently located next to The Baked Bear!

Breezy Point Beach & Campground (43 miles from DC)
Bring the entire family for a fun-filled day at the beach. There’s something for everyone at Breezy Point Beach and Campground. Children will enjoy building sand castles, playing on the playground or searching for shark teeth. Come and spend a relaxing day on one of the area’s finest public beaches. Enjoy one-half mile of sandy beach surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay. Relax in the sun or swim in our netted swimming area. For fishing and crabbing enthusiasts, they have a 200-foot pier. The campground offers seasonal and daily camping. Pack a picnic lunch or use one of the grills in the picnic area.

Calvert Cliffs State Park (60 miles from DC)
The Calvert Cliffs’ Beach area is a sandy quarter mile stretch located on the Chesapeake Bay. The shortest route to the beach is the 1.8 mile Red Trail. Fossil hunting and typical beach activities are common reasons people visit the beach. Over 600 species of fossils from the Miocene era (10 to 20 million years ago) have been identified in the Calvert Cliffs, many of which can be found at Calvert Cliffs State Park.

Cunningham Falls State Park (65 miles from DC)
Outdoor activity is everywhere at Cunningham Falls State Park. Leisure opportunities like swimming, hiking, fishing and canoeing are available. For those who wish to get away for either a night or longer there are campsites and camper cabins available for rental from April through October.

Leesylvania State Park (25 miles from DC)
Leesylvania is nestled along the tidal shores of the historic Potomac River. Native Americans lived on this land for thousands of years. Capt. John Smith visited the area in 1608 on his voyage of discovery! It’s also the ancestral home of Virginia’s legendary Lee and Fairfax families. Listed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks, Leesylvania offers many land and water activities, including hiking, picnicking, fishing and boating. A fishing pier, playground, boat launch, boat storage area, snack bar and store, visitor center and gift shop are available. A 20-station fitness trail and canoe and kayak rentals also are available.

Matapeake Clubhouse & Beach (44 miles from DC)
Located on the Chesapeake Bay on Kent Island, Maryland; the grounds include a public swimming beach, an outdoor amphitheater, family picnic area and trails through the surrounding woods, with views of the Bay Bridge.

Sandy Point State Park (38 miles from DC)
The park’s beaches and picnic areas are well known for their breathtaking scenic water views that overlook one of Maryland’s true treasures; the Chesapeake Bay. Some of these activities and services include swimming beaches, picnicking, fishing, crabbing, boating, hiking and camping, There are areas of historical interest and wildlife viewing also. The park also offers a marina store and boat rentals.

Purse State Park (46 miles from DC)
Purse (part of Nanjemoy WMA) is located on the Potomac River on Wades Bay. Purse is a wooded undeveloped area that is used for hunting, bird watching, shore fishing and fossil hunting. Purse is a part of the Aquia Formation which formed in the Paleocene Epoch about 60 million years ago when a meteor hit the earth. This area was covered with warm shallow water which made it a suitable habitat for sand tiger sharks, mackerel sharks, Turritella (snails) and Eagle Rays more specifically Cownose Rays which all lived during this time period. There are a variety of habitats and miles of marked and unmarked trails. At the end of Wilson Landing Rd. there is an inlet known as Mallows Bay – a unique historical site where you can see the remnants of old ships. Now colonized by plants, these ships serve as osprey nesting platforms and provide fish habitat. There is a boat ramp and the beaches of the Purse Area at the southern end of the property are known for fossil hunting.

Other day trips:
In Shenandoah National Park, hike from waterfall to waterfall, climb the rocky Old Rag Mountain, go biking or take a guided horseback ride. If you need to cool off, head over to Shenandoah River Outfitters and go rafting, tubing or kayaking on the shady river. 75 miles from downtown D.C. at its northernmost point; see all park entrances here.

Take a step back in time in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Although West Virginia is a small state, it’s packed with history and beautiful scenery. Kids will have fun visiting this National Historical Park. Visit Harpers Ferry for the Civil War history and re-enactors. Hike one of the many trails in the area for a spectacular view of three states—West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland—at once. Amtrak provides one train from Union Station to Harpers Ferry per day but it’s a short at about 67 miles from D.C. Harpers Ferry Adventure Center can get your hooked up with kayaks, tubes and more if you’re feeling adventurous. If you happen to go on Monday, be sure and stay for the Music in the Park Concert at Bolivar Children’s Park from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

Overnight trips:
Depending on the age(s) of your kids, an overnight at The Greenbrier or The Homestead may be a great overnight getaway which provides endless activities! You could also check out Kingsmill Resort or Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Va. They cater to your little ones with daily activities and fun in the water and a spa for YOU!

Family friendly Bethany Beach, Delaware

July 11, 2019

We make the 2.5 hour (with no traffic) drive across the Bay Bridge to Bethany Beach, Delaware at least three times a summer as we are fortunate enough to have grandparents who live there! We love the family feel of this beach and all there is to do besides just hitting the {awesome} surf. There’s no shortage of ice cream which makes me very happy {Bonkey’s & Maureen’s are my go-to’s while Kohr Bros are a favorite among my kids and husband}. Follow us on Instagram and go to our ‘stories’ so you can watch some shots from our most recent trip there that we just posted. If you are looking for anything in particular that isn’t listed below, send us an email. We also love Rehoboth Beach and frequent that most times we are at the beach to go to Funland and our favorite restaurants. The great thing about this shoreline is that you are so close in proximity to multiple beaches so don’t be afraid to venture to a few!

South Coastal Library: Be sure to check out the schedule for children’s events.

Nature Center: Programs every Saturday morning with special events throughout the year. Be sure and walk the trail while you’re there; a playground is also behind the center.

Movies on the Beach: Every Monday evening on the beach in the summer and on Friday’s in September.

Bonfires on the Beach: Thursdays 8-10pm, bring your own chocolate and graham crackers; they provide sticks and marshmallows.

Summer Concert Series at the Bandstand

Delaware Seashore State Park: Scroll to the bottom of the link and see all of the great events they offer. We went on a white ghost crab chase on our last trip.

Burley Oak Brewing Company: enough said.

Don’t miss the .25 cent Trolley ride through town!

The Clayton Theatre: Celebrating 70 years; Delaware’s only single-screen theatre still in operation, The Clayton Theatre offers today’s movie goers a rare opportunity to see first-run movies in a charming hometown atmosphere.

Boat, jet ski, parasailing rentals and more. Banana boat, SUP boards, kayaks and more rentals.

Fenwick Island Lighthouse

There is plenty of entertainment on the Bethany Beach Boardwalk and on the main strip: mini-golf, arcade, toy store, comic store, Candy Kitchen, the most fabulous bookstore and a playground.

Bike or walk the 2-mile Assawoman Canal Trail.

Back Bay Tours: They offer fishing trips, sunset cruises and a sandbar exploration trip.

Jungle Jim’s Waterpark

Guest Post: Frontier Town in Berlin, Maryland

July 10, 2019

This post is written by a friend, Julie Lobb who enjoys taking her two boys on adventures; this Summer they have done many exciting trips already. One was a road trip up to Lancaster County where they went to Dutch Wonderland and most recently they skipped the sand and surf while being in Ocean City one day and spent the day at Frontier Town. When I saw the videos and pictures Julie posted after this experience I asked her to write this to let everyone else know about it.

When I was six years old, I was lucky enough to visit Tombstone, AZ. It was one of my earliest vacation memories. I loved seeing the sandy, cactus-filled streets and exploring an old west town. Now that I have two little boys, I would love to take them there.

Well today, we got to do the next best thing! We visited Frontier Town in Berlin, MD. The park is just across the drawbridge from Ocean City, MD, and right on the way to Assateague Island. Frontier Town has 2 campgrounds, a water park, mini-golf, a high ropes adventure park, and a western theme park. We opted just to do the western theme park and spent 5 hours there. The cost of the western theme park is $14/adult and $12/child ages 4-10.

When you enter the front gates, you immediately walk onto Main Street. There you can explore a western bank, post office, a jail, a barber shop, an old chapel, general store, and the Golden Nugget Saloon. You are also immediately greeted by a character that directs you to the next show. Based on our experience, if you follow the show schedule, you will get the most out of your visit. The daily schedule has shows from 10 AM – 6 PM.

When we arrived, a show was starting at the Native American Village. There we could throw tomahawks, shoot bow and arrows, and get our face painted (fees were $2 for each activity). We watched a Native American dance demonstration that had lots of audience participation.

From there we explored Boot HIll (a graveyard) and an old mine. Next, they ushered us to a show on Main Street where we watched the Legend of Amos Cash, which was a gun duel. From the gun fight, guests were directed to the Golden Nugget Saloon for a can-can show. This show had some parts that brought up questions from the kids later. There is an actor who acts drunk and interrupts the show. My kids had some questions about alcohol and if the actors were really drinking. So just a heads up….

During the can-can show, most of the audience got lunch. The food options were limited (burgers, hot dogs, fries). My 8-year-old has never met a burger he doesn’t like…until Frontier Town. He thought it was pretty gross and didn’t finish it. There is a also a snack shop with pretzels and popcorn and an ice cream shop.

After lunch we saw more gun duels, a bank robbery, and a trial. We then rode a train and were robbed by outlaws. We had a stage coach ride; we were given gold, and then robbed by outlaws again. Pony rides were included with the price of admission.

Many of the kids at Frontier Town had toy western-style guns and were shooting at outlaws throughout the shows, train, and carriage rides. There was also quite a bit of jokes about drinking and cultural references that were used in the 1880’s, but may raise eyebrows now. That said, my kids loved the shows and being able to participate in them and it also spurred some research on famous cowboys.

Frontier Town lends itself to a day away from the beach and one that doesn’t involve all of the stimulation and noise of the arcade and rides on the boardwalk. It’s also a good way to schedule in a time to see the ponies at Assateague before or after Frontier Town. If you are a camping family be sure and check out the grounds for your next stop!

More from the Frontier Town website
Get yourself ready for a trip back into America’s Wild West with all its purdy nostalgia and tons of colorful characters! Visit the replica western town circa 1880 and enjoy a revamped Wild West Show, which features an all new Best of the West Exhibition, while still keeping in tradition with Bank Holdups, Native American Dancing, Can Can Shows, Gunfights, and Jailbreaks. Take the youngins to pan for gold, go for a ride on the pony swings, or take a turn in our stagecoach and steam train! Browse about the quaint western gift shops, chow down in the town’s eateries, or just rest your doggies a spell and let the youngins romp ’round while you lose yourself in the thick atmosphere of the Ol’ West.

Related post
Sea Rocket in Ocean City, MD

How we’re making the most of our Summer in DC

July 9, 2019

Ahhhh sweet Summer! We countdown to our favorite season because we get to spend quality time with the kids, but spend much of it refereeing sibling fights. How many days until school starts? I’m not quite there yet, so what better time to share my ideas on how to have the best summer with kids in DC?

You may have seen our family bucket list we published at the beginning of summer (see photo below). It’s always a fun way to kick off the summer as everyone gets excited as they remember what they loved about the prior summer. We have crossed off four of our must-do’s so far; Jazz in the Sculpture Garden, Wolf Trap Theatre-in-the-Woods, a few trips to Bethany Beach (a blog post coming soon about kids + Bethany Beach) and a few Nats & Big Train baseball games. Up next is our annual trip to Dutch Wonderland where we are actually going to sneak in a few days in the Poconos for the first time, followed by the Montgomery County Agriculture Fair in August where Stefanie Harrington Photography and I have something exciting in the works that we will share with you afterwards. All of these things combined with a few weeks of summer camp, more frequent scoops of ice cream, later bedtimes and less hustle + bustle help to make for a pretty sweet Summer.

*Does your family create a bucket list of sorts to accomplish each summer? Let us know in the comments what is on your list!*

Need a reprieve from the heat or bugs? Here are some of our favorite family-friendly places to visit that are indoors.
Michaels Camp Creativity
U.S. Botanic Garden (Children’s Garden is outdoors but magical so don’t miss it)
Badlands
First Studio at The Kreeger Museum
Zava Zone
Drop-in at Red Panda Art Studio
Port Discovery Children’s Museum

Our family enjoys having neighbors and friends over for a bbq, pulling out the sprinkler followed by s’mores over the fire pit. Summers in DC are hot and wet –which inevitably bring mosquitoes. We wouldn’t be able to be outside as much as we are if it weren’t for Mosquito Squad of Greater Washington DC treating our yard. We have a shaded backyard which means the excess water sometimes sticks around longer and that actually attracts the bug. As a result, we have been getting our yard sprayed for three Summers and it makes an incredible difference. No more dousing ourselves in bug spray and running inside to find shelter and Benadryl itch cream. Just good old Summertime fun, the way it was meant.

Mosquito Squad of Greater Washington DC is our communities’ leading choice for mosquito, tick, stink bug and gnat control, as well as other forms of backyard pest control. Their work has made it possible for customers to enjoy their backyards for the first time without fear of bug bites or vector-borne diseases. Their work is backed by a 100% customer satisfaction guarantee. If you don’t like the results, they promise to spray your yard again for free or refund your money. Schedule your mosquito control treatment by calling (571) 364-6956 and find a service that is right for your family here.

This post was written in partnership with Mosquito Squad of Greater Washington DC who is providing standard barrier treatment for our yard this summer.

Top ice cream spots to cool off at in Washington, DC

June 20, 2019

You scream, I scream, we all scream for ice cream in Washington, DC! It doesn’t have to be summer for me to grab a scoop (or two). But with the hot summer weather we have, all of us need a place to head to for a quick cool off which also involves a sweet treat. There’s nothing like a good scoop of ice cream or an ice cold popsicle.

Did you know Maryland has nine dairy farms that offer fresh, delicious on-farm ice cream? Together, they make up the “Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail.” Visit each creamery and get a trail passport stamped to be named Maryland’s Ice Cream Trail Blazer! Sounds like a delicious summer bucket-list item.

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream

THE. BEST. (#notanad) Always a line, definitely worth waiting in, enough said, go and get some scoops, many scoops and report back.

The Baked Bear

Homemade cookies from original recipes and hand-scooped on site, cookies are made with the highest quality ingredients and baked fresh from scratch every day, so you can imagine the aroma flowing from Baked Bear! You can choose your base (brownie, doughnut and/or cookies), then your ice cream flavor followed by toppings and sauces. Don’t forget to ask to have it pressed if you want a warm end result. Recipe uses an all-natural mix made only with rBGH-free cream, pure cane sugar and natural stabilizers.

Trickling Springs Creamery

An old-fashioned dairy store serving ice cream, milk shakes, milk and cookies at Eastern Market. Do you want to take some ice cream home with you after hanging out at Union Market? No problem. They have 3 full freezers stocked with ice cream.

Ice Cream Jubilee

I found out about ICJ because of the mouth-watering Instagram photos everyone posts and then I realized you can order from UberEats! The best flavors come from the best ingredients. They use only all-natural cream and milk from a local creamery, just 50 miles from our scoop shop in Washington, DC. and are proud about the small-batch technique – just a few gallons at a time; allowing to create the highest-quality product and the freshest flavors.

Millie’s

Brought to you by the owners of Surfside & Jetties. Walk up to an outdoor ice-cream stand (attached to the take-out hut) and grab delicious scoops and toppings.

Sugar Fox

The creators behind Little Red Fox bring you house-made ice cream, milkshakes, cake and cupcakes. Stop in for a scoop of small batch ice cream, or place an order for a one-of-a-kind custom cake.

Class 520

The very first Thai-inspired ice cream establishment in the state of Maryland and now in Virginia. Handcrafted rolls made with no preservatives or stabilizers, so you know it’s fresh; add toppings to your bowl.

Broad Branch Market

A market that has most everything you need at a higher price but you feel like you live in Mayfield when you walk in. They have a freezer of about 8 flavors to order scoops from and milkshakes are available also as well as a freezer of novelties.

Nicecream Factory

Handcrafted ice cream is their passion. They start the process by combining fresh milk and local ingredients from nearby farms. Using a freezing agent, liquid nitrogen, then freeze the ice cream on the spot in front of guests, creating the freshest handcrafted cup of ice cream you can get.

Larry’s Ice Cream

This family business, open since 1985, is well-known for the owner’s surly demeanor and delicious, homemade ice cream. With classic flavors like cookie dough and unique flavors like Key West chocolate, there’s something for everyone here.

Thomas Sweet

A Georgetown staple. This extensive sweets shop is complete with homemade fudge and chocolates—in addition to ice cream. The specialty here is the one-of-a-kind ‘blend ins’ with homemade ice cream. It’s not a place for the indecisive as they have a chalkboard full of flavors like peanut butter chip, vanilla cherry and our favorite, coffee oreo. Keep in mind that the kiddie-sized cup is very large—about 2 scoops of ice cream.

The Dairy Godmother

This summer, you’ll find some exciting new additions at this custard shop. Stick with what you know and get Wisconsin-style frozen custard in vanilla or chocolate every day, or try the flavor of the day. Tollhouse cookie and toasted almond are both on the schedule; see all the upcoming flavors of the day here. They’ll also be offering homemade marshmallows and sorbet this summer along with puppy pops—a treat for your dog!

Moorenko’s Ice Cream

This ice cream brand, which is sold around the NE corridor, is made right here in D.C.! They even have a small shop where you can go for freshly made, hand-crafted ice cream. They’ve got the classic flavors as well as some unique flavors like Guinness, Rice Pudding and Cotton Candy Gummy Bear.

Captain Cookie and the Milkman

What started as a food truck serving milk and cookies and ice cream sandwiches, now has 3 food trucks you can hunt down in the city or hire for an event. For those of us who can’t make it to a truck stop, there are 2 actual locations you can visit. They also deliver!

Jetties

Serving Gifford’s ice cream, Jetties is not just an ice cream shop, but also well-known for delicious sandwiches and salads. It’s the perfect place to grab lunch followed by a scoop for dessert, with the option of adding toppings like sprinkles and crushed oreos to your cone.

Sfoglina

Italian soft serve gelato: your choice of Tahitian vanilla or strawberry sorbetto. Sounds boring but I promise you will want to go back the next day for another!

Bon Matcha

Bôn Matcha is committed to serving the Washington, D.C. area with the authentic flavors and ingredients of their Asian heritage, in new and familiar ways, and thereby add just a few more pages to the great book of flavor that is this great nation. Check out their soft serve including a vegan flavor option.

Reader Recommended:
Sarah’s Handmade
Carmen’s Italian Ice

Oldies but Goodies:
Dolcezza Gelato
Milk Bar
Dolci Gelati
Pitango Gelato
Godiva
Ben & Jerry’s
YogiBerry

And for those who enjoy a nice, cold popsicle we didn’t forget you– Your first stop should be the rooftop at the Watergate for popsicle spiked ‘poptails’.

Pleasant Pops

All original recipes made with fresh ingredients. Flavors rotate constantly as they run out. These can also be found at various Farmer’s Markets and food trucks, check site.

Maracas Pops

Originally from Mexico, the owner, Julia has been inspired by tropical flavors and refreshing treats. She fell in love with paletas, also known as Mexican ice pops, and was inspired to share her love for their unique flavors by starting her own company, Maracas Ice Pops.

FrutaPop

A small-batch, hand-crafted ice pop company, specializing in natural fruit and juice ice pops, coffee ice pops and alcohol infused ice pops. FrutaPOP is the first of it’s kind to contain healthy, natural ingredients without any added sugars. All of the alcohol-infused ice pops, also known as “POPTAILS” contain 5% ABV or less. You can order in quantities of 12, 24, 36 & 48. Order online and use code: BELTWAYBAMBINOS for 15% your order!!!

Washington Nationals offer deals, giveaways and themed nights for families

June 13, 2019

Schools across the D.C. area are closing for summer, but the month of June is packed full of fun events, giveaways, and theme nights at Nationals Park! The Nationals invite families to spend their next family night watching the boys of summer and enjoying one of the many family-fun activities at Nationals Park during the upcoming homestand, including STAR WARS™ Day, Friday Night Fireworks, and even a pair of memorable Father’s Day gift ideas. The Nationals are excited to share with you two special offers for families to choose from on their next trip to Nationals Park!

According to a survey, one of the largest obstacles for families attending Nats games is parking availability. So, for ALL JUNE games they offering FREE PARKING with the purchase of at least four tickets through a special ticket offer found here.

Coupon code 19NATSKIDS gives fans a 20% discount on select tickets available here with a $10 food and beverage credit preloaded to each ticket that can be redeemed at any concessions stand in the ballpark. This coupon code is valid for the Saturday, June 22 game or the Sunday, June 23 game against the Atlanta Braves, which features the Screech Hooded Towel giveaway.

Fireworks Friday: June 14
BANG! ZOOM! Fireworks Fridays return to Nationals Park for another installment!
All fans are invited to stay after the game to enjoy the fireworks spectacular.

STAR WARS™ Day: June 15
The Nationals will host the fifth annual STAR WARS™ Day at Nationals Park, featuring special scoreboard elements, unique food items, and more.
STAR WARS™ characters will pose for photos with fans, stage live combats, and participate in the GEICO Presidents Race.
Specialty food items will include a Wookie Cookie, Dark Side Nachos (with red tortilla chips), a Lightsaber Skewer (buffalo chicken street skewer), and more.
Fans are encouraged to join the fun by dressing up as their favorite STAR WARS™ character.
As part of STAR WARS™ Day, the first 10,000 fans to enter through ALL GATES will receive an Obi “Sean” Kenobi Bobblehead.

Father’s Day Catch on the Field: June 16
June 16 is Father’s Day and Nationals fans will have a special opportunity to create the memory of a lifetime by playing catch on the field with Dad after the game!
A ticket package purchased through this special offer includes a 20-minute session of catch on the field, a photo opportunity in the visitor’s dugout, a $30 concession credit, and one official MLB baseball.

Youth Baseball & Softball Day: June 16
The Nationals welcome all area teams and leagues to Youth Baseball & Softball Day presented by Inova Children’s Hospital.
Fans who purchase a special ticket to Youth Baseball & Softball Day will be invited to participate in a pregame parade around the warning track.

PLAY BALL Weekend: June 15 & 16
The Nationals will join all of Major League Baseball in promoting the Play Ball initiative designed by MLB to celebrate youth baseball and softball participation in communities throughout the U.S. and Canada.
As part of Play Ball Weekend, fans ages 12 and younger will receive a Nationals Arm Sleeve upon exit of the ballpark after both the Saturday and Sunday games.

Summer bucket list in and around Washington, DC

May 30, 2019

We always make a summer bucket list and very rarely do we get through it because you know, there’s summer camps, beach trips, playdates and late afternoons at the pool in addition to all the wonderful activities DC has to offer. Not on the list are some of our previously popular summer spots like drop-in at Michael’s Camp Creativity, Strathmore Backyard Theatre this only takes place on Thursday’s in July and Regal Summer Movie Express, where movies are just $1 on Tuesday & Wednesday’s. Leave us a comment and let us know what’s on your summer bucket list!

Quick links below:
Jazz in the Sculpture Garden
Wolf Trap Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods
Wolf Trap summer performances
Ballpark Boathouse, Fletcher’s Boathouse, Mariner Sailing School, The Wharf
County Fair
Hop on/off bus
Union Market drive-in
Dutch Wonderland and Lancaster County
Delaware beaches
Nats and Bethesda Big Train baseball games
Party cruise on the Potomac

Overnight trips from Washington, DC for the entire family

May 23, 2019

Saddle ride at Lil Country Store & Miniature Horse Farm

The options for overnight trips are endless as we live in such a great area that allows us to travel to a variety of places from DC in a short amount of time (although sometimes those car rides seem forever).

Lancaster, Pennsylvania (about 2.5 hours from DC)

Winchester, Virginia (1.5-2 hour drive from DC)
Rocking S Ranch
Dinosaur Land
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
Wilsons Wild Animal Park

Theme Parks
Hershey Park
Six Flags
Kings Dominion

Natural Bridge, Virginia (under 4 hours from DC)
Natural Bridge State Park VA has been designated as a Virginia Historical Landmark and a National Historical Landmark. Natural Bridge VA is located in the Shenandoah Valley.
Dinosaur Kingdom II
Virginia Safari Park
Caverns at Natural Bridge
Great Valley Farm Brewery

Eastern Pennsylvania (2.5 hours from DC)
Longwood Gardens: American botanical garden. It consists of over 1,077 acres of gardens, woodlands, and meadows in Kennett Square, PA.
American Helicopter Museum
Oasis Family Fun Center

Philadelphia (under 3 hour drive, Amtrak accessible)

**Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake**
***Photo: Stefanie Harrington***

Calvert County (under an hour drive from DC)
Anne Marie Sculpture Garden
Calvert Marine Museum
Pirate Adventures on the Chesapeake
Calvert Cliffs State Park
Solomon’s Island
Chesapeake Bay Outdoors
Chesapeake Beach Railway Museum
North Beach

Reader recommended campgrounds and hiking:
Little Bennett: Montgomery County’s only campground
Fun activities include laser tag, pedal cart track, movie nights, crafts, big jumping pillow and so much more for families. Enjoy miles of hiking, biking and trails throughout 3,700 acres of forests and meadows. With more than 25 miles of trails to explore, 91 wooded campsites from which to choose, 3 cabins, 3 yurts and a variety of weekend activities available in season for all age groups and interests, Little Bennett Campground is a perfect weekend getaway or vacation spot.
Cherry Hill: Closest campground to Washington, DC.
You can rent a cabin, pod, yurt, pitch a tent or pull up your RV. On-site amenities include 2 pools and a splash park to tractor rides, movie nights, and 18-hole mini-golf.
Camp Twin Creeks
Bushkill Falls
Cabins in Virginia

Beach & State Park day trip

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