Beltway Bambinos

(re) discover Washington DC through the eyes of your children

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    • Introducing Beltway Travel
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    • 5 Days in Costa Rica
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  • Home
  • Indoor Fun
    • Theater & musical productions
    • Guide to Indoor Fun for Kids
  • Fall
    • Halloween guide
    • Fall festivals, farms, orchards
    • Fall Foliage Spots and Drives
    • Fall events
    • Fall classes
    • Fall bucket list
    • Survive Daylight Savings
  • Winter
    • Holiday gift guide
    • Holiday shows, ballets and concerts
    • Hanukkah Celebrations
    • Holiday Tea
    • Christmas Trees, Lights & Markets
    • Ski and snowboard
    • Cut-your-own tree
    • Ice rinks and roller rinks
  • Spring
    • Cherry blossoms
    • Easter egg hunts
    • Easter basket & spring gift ideas
    • Spring bucket list
    • Mother’s Day
    • Memorial Day weekend
    • Tax day steals and deals
  • Summer
    • Summer Camps
    • July 4th
    • Ice cream
    • Sunflower Fields
    • Summer bucket list
    • Live outdoor music
    • Outdoor movies
    • Outdoor swimming pools
    • Splash parks
    • Trains!
  • Camps and Classes
    • Fall classes
    • Spring classes
    • Summer camps
    • Mid-winter break camps
    • Winter camps and classes
    • November 2, 4, 5, 11
    • DCPS spring break camps
    • Schools out, camps are in
    • Year-round classes
    • Gymnastics and dance classes
  • Neighborhood Guides
    • Annapolis, MD
    • AU Park, DC
    • Baltimore, MD
    • Bethany Beach, DE
    • Breweries in the DC area
    • Brookland, DC
    • Chevy Chase, DC
    • Georgetown, DC
    • Philadelphia, PA
    • Lancaster County, PA
    • Madison, VA
    • Frederick, MD
    • St. Louis, MO
  • Outdoor Play
    • 15 family friendly hikes
    • Pick your own fruit and vegetables
    • Beaches and state parks
    • Outdoor fun
    • Trails, marshes and gardens
    • 20 classic outdoor games
    • Trains and carousels
  • Beltway Bambinos Concierge
    • Customized itineraries
    • Introducing Beltway Bambinos Concierge
  • About
  • Beltway Travel
    • Introducing Beltway Travel
    • Family Summer Getaways
    • Traveling with Little Ones?
    • Why Now is the Time to Plan
    • Travel Advisors Save You More Than Money
    • Why You Should Work with Me
    • How Do You Make Sure the Trip Has Something for Everyone?
    • DC Hotels with Indoor Pools
  • Itineraries
    • 5 Days in Costa Rica
    • {Winter} Staycation

Water you waiting for? RETHINK Kids Water is a lunchbox game changer

August 8, 2018

https://www.beltwaybambinos.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/IMG_7698.mp4

I find it incredibly annoying when we go out to dinner with our kids and the server comes by and asks them directly if they want apple juice or chocolate milk with their kids meal. Anyone else? Did you know kids consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar a day or nearly ten gallons of sugar a year? We are not as strict as we once were with the amount of sugar our kids get, however, juices and sodas are not purchases we make. Instead our kids drink water and milk on a daily basis are are perfectly fine with that.

The city of Baltimore recently put into effect an ordinance that bans restaurants from offering sodas and sugary drinks on kids’ menus – the first city on the East Coast to make this change. Enter the Maryland-based RETHINK Kids Water, whose sole mission has been to reduce children’s sugar intake.  In fact, RETHINK Kids Water is the only boxed water line for kids that’s zero calorie, zero sugar, and zero sodium.  

The recipe is the first of its kind, made only of purified water and USDA approved fruit essence, and comes in four fruity flavors: Organic Apple Water, Organic Berry Water, Organic Fruit Punch, and Organic Orange Mango. RETHINK is innovating the kids beverage industry by creating the perfect alternative to juice, and something parents can feel good about giving their kids.

Overall, juice + soda consumption has been in decline and the beverage industry isn’t keeping up with the shift in consumer mindset, especially ignoring a huge (rather untapped) group. With the invention of Punchy, the Hawaiian Punch mascot, in 1962, juice makers figured out that the way to sell sugar to moms was to sell it to their kids. Now, RETHINK has figured out how to get their message across to the market that needs to hear the message the most: the kiddie set.

RETHINK (the brand just announced $6.7M in funding) about the importance of going sugar-free and how RETHINK is disrupting the beverage industry. It’s that important. So next time you pack the lunch, add RETHINK, when it’s your turn to bring drinks to the soccer game, toss RETHINK to the players, picnics + bbq’s are another great place to pack the cooler full of RETHINK.

Sold at over 11,000 stores nationwide, in our area you can find RETHINK at Safeway, Target, Walmart, Shoppers as well as on Amazon.

Related Posts:

Healthy food delivery services in our area
Outdoor fun in DC
Not your typical kid gym

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Filed Under: Products I Love, Sponsored Post Tagged: DC, healthy kids, juice alternative, maryland, no calories, no sodium, no sugar, rethink, rethink kids water, water

Sea Rocket offers Bambino friendly boat rides, parasail and fishing trips in Ocean City, Maryland

July 27, 2017

Headed to Ocean City, Maryland? We just got back and added a new must-do to our list of beach fun. Sea Rocket offers a thrilling speed boat guided tour, parasailing trips as well as a fishing charter. If you’ve been to OC this summer (just under a 3 hour drive if timed right) you have definitely spotted the red, white and blue boat speeding past the beach, which is the Sea Rocket! We took our 6 and 2.5 year old on a two-hour fishing trip and had a successful, FUN, memorable time on the water. My son went fishing last summer and had high expectations for this trip as he caught a few flounder last time and was hoping he’d have the same luck this time. He wasn’t disappointed as he actually lost track of how many he caught. The captain and mate were very patient with our kids and even encouraged our littlest to help “steer” the boat. About an hour and half into fishing, we spotted dolphins and the captain was determined to make our children remember this trip. He knew exactly how to make the dolphins follow us in our wake and we were able to get up close and personal with a huge pod of dolphins for about 20 minutes. After that he took us along Assateague Island National Seashore to see if we could spot any wild horses and sure enough our luck didn’t stop with the dolphins. Once we marveled at the wild pony just hanging out on the beach we headed back to dock. When we arrived the captain and mate were eager to capture a family photo of the flounder we caught and even printed out a picture for us. Since we had dinner plans, we let them keep the flounder for their dinner! This fishing trip was such a wonderful experience, we will absolutely be heading back next summer.

Want to ride along the coastline of Ocean City on the enormous Sea Rocket? Enjoy fun music, observe the scenic coastline, and watch for wildlife on the Sea Rocket. They have frequent encounters with Dolphin as they love to play in the rooster tail. They make 8 trips a day during the summer season so there is definitely a time to fit it in!

Prices:
Children Under 3: 
Free
Children 3 – 12: $10
Adult Fare: $22
Senior Fare:$13
Military & First Responders receive $2 off anytime!

Feeling a bit more adventurous? Fly high above Ocean City enjoying a breath-taking birds-eye view of the shore’s beautiful coastline on a parasail. Relax and enjoy your adventure on a state of the art parasail boat and feel at ease with the experienced, safety-minded crews & USCG master licensed Captains. Fly solo or bring a friend (or two) to enjoy approximately 12-15 minutes in the air!! You can choose to go 400ft, 600ft or 800ft. Keep in mind:

  • No experience necessary. Must be 4 to go up. (under 18 requires parent or guardian approval)
  • Weight 100 lbs. minimum, 450 maximum
  • Casual dress recommended shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits
  • Bring a towel, sunscreen, water bottle

Prices:
Parasailers – $85
Observers – $20

UPDATE: They no longer offer the fishing charters that we did, unfortunately.

For more information:
Phone: 410-289-4FUN
Address: 308 N 1st Street.

Below are some family-friendly places to eat. All of which have an outdoor sand area with playground equipment, allowing adults to enjoy themselves on the sidelines and imbibe or eat their meal at a normal pace because you aren’t rushed to get impatient children out of a restaurant. Each one of these are on the bayside so if you time it right you can be there for the sunset.

Ropewalk

Dead Freddie’s Island Grill

Fishtales

Big Eye Jacks

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Filed Under: Summer Tagged: boat, family, fish, kid-friendly, maryland, Ocean City, parasail, restuarant, thrills, water

Splash around at The Yards Park, Capitol Waterfront

July 25, 2017

What: The Yards Park, Capitol Riverfront

The Yards Park, provides green space and water features for all to enjoy the outdoors along the Anacostia River. The Canal Basin and Waterwall pay homage to the historic canal that once ran from the Anacostia River to the U.S. Capitol Building. Visitors enjoy splashing, wading, and cooling off in the fresh water of this decorative water feature on hot summer days. The Great Lawn is a large open green space framed by shading trees, unique wooden benches, and a scenic pathway to the Riverwalk Trail Bridge, leading to Diamond Teague Park and Nationals Park. This lovely spot is ideal for quiet picnics, tossing a ball, and generally enjoying the outdoors. The sculptural bridge is the architectural icon of Yards Park, spanning the Canal Basin as it connects the Great Lawn and the Overlook. The bridge also serves as a landmark link on the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail, a scenic destination for runners, bikers, and strollers to enjoy our river. The Terraced Lawn Steps provide four levels of seating in the park leading down to the boardwalk. These green steps create a natural amphitheater-like space to read, people-watch, and enjoy the river view. If you have a dog, there is also a Dog Run. 

Cons:

  • Limited shade
  • Very slippery surfaces alongside the water (many, many people fell)
  • When we went on a weekend, kids had squirt guns spraying everyone and everything

Pros:

  • Less then 12 inches of water
  • Free
  • Located near Ice Cream Jubilee and many other places to grab a bite or drink
  • Dancing Fountains up above on a separate level (above the waterwall)
  • The water is DC city water and is chlorinated through the fountain pump and filtration system. The chlorine and pH levels are monitored daily.
  • Kids in Canal is a 12-week series of kid-friendly entertainment every Wednesday 10:30 am – 11:30 am beginning June 7th!

Keep in mind:

The park opens at sunrise and closes 2 hours after sunset.

Parking lots are located between Yards Park and Nationals Ballpark, managed by ABM Parking. Availability is first-come, first-served. The rate is $2 per hour for a maximum of 3 hours, then a daily rate charges apply. These prices rise to a flat fee of $35 or more during Washington Nationals home games or other special events.

Two public restrooms are located in the Lumber Shed building that houses restaurants Agua 301, Osteria Morini, Due South, and Ice Cream Jubilee. These restrooms can be accessed via a door on the west side of the building, between Agua 301 and Due South.

No cloth diapers – only swim diapers allowed.

There is no lifeguard on duty so use at your own risk.

This award-winning park is an ideal place for recreation, special events, and festivals throughout the year. Follow Yards Park on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. They offer workout classes, summer movies, festivals and children’s events throughout the year.

Where: 355 Water St SE, Washington, DC 20003

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Filed Under: Outdoor Play Tagged: Anacostia River, DC, outdoors, play, splash, water, yards park

Outdoor fun in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia

July 18, 2016

We’ve pulled together some great outdoor options for you and your Bambinos in the Washington, DC area. This is not an exhaustive list of ALL places outdoors to play and visit. Instead, it’s a running (constantly being updated) list of out-of-the-box options to head to. Please add your suggestions to the comments below and we’ll keep building! Be sure and scroll all the way to the bottom for some already written content that includes outdoor fun.

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Washington, DC-

The Yards Park– (355 Water Street SE Washington DC 20003)
Come experience DC’s new waterfront destination and centerpiece of the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood! Located just south of Capitol Hill and to the east of Nationals Ballpark, this thoughtfully designed park is a place to be active or relax and enjoy the outdoors. At the Yards Park you’ll find open grassy areas and well-landscaped outdoor rooms, a waterfall and canal-like water feature, an elevated overlook, an iconic bridge and light sculpture, terraced performance venue, and a riverfront boardwalk.
[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Outdoor Play Tagged: animals, boating, carousel, Farm, ferris wheel, fishing, gardens, holiday, lake, music, nature center, outdoors, tour, trains, water, zoo

Weekday Adventures: Our favorite places in and around Washington, DC

August 17, 2014

We’re switching up the Weekday Adventures this week and providing you with a list of some of our favorite and fun places to visit in and around Washington, DC.

See live animal encounters, pet an alpaca and feed the goats at The Leesburg Animal Park.

Rent a paddle boat, go fishing or hop on a pontoon ride on Lake Needwood.

Big_Bus_Company_10-5-07Take a fun ride on the hop on and off bus that tours around DC, your Bambino(s) will love the double decker Big Bus.

Pick your own raspberries and blackberries at Butlers Orchard. Stay and play on the climbing equipment and have a picnic.

Your kids will want to spend all day at Clemyjontri Playground. Designed for children with all abilities, this playground is colorful and has something that will appeal to every child. Arrive early as parking becomes hard. The carousel costs $1.50 to ride.

Your airplane enthusiast will love sitting at a picnic table and watching the airplanes from Reagan fly over their head at Gravelly Point. 220px-Gravelly_Point_airplane_couple

Celebrate Bao Bao’s birthday a few days earlier, beating the crowd at The National Zoo.

Taxi! Grab a water taxi from The National Harbor and relax on a 20 minute ride to Alexandria. The Potomac Riverboat Company charges $10 for children 2-11 and $16 for adults for a roundtrip.

Take a quick and simple trip to a farm at Oxon Hill Farm. Check schedule of events for the week as they offer story time, wagon rides and a chance to feed the chickens. Be sure and check driving directions before leaving since the newly 295 has been finished, my directions took me an old way and I couldn’t find the farm.

Looking for indoor fun on a rainy or hot day?

There’s many splash and water parks in our area to spend the day.

All aboard the choo choo train!

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Filed Under: Indoor Play, Playgrounds, Summer, Weekday Adventures Tagged: airplanes, animal, bus, indoor, lake, orchard, outdoor, paddle, playground, water, zoo

Weekday Adventures: Storytime on the Lake, UkeFest and a Drive-in

August 10, 2014

Need some more carnival rides and fried twinkles in your life? How about a tractor pull? Head over to the Montgomery County Fair. It is happening through Saturday, August 16. Fair hours are 10am-12midnight and carnival hours are 12:00pm-12:00am and animal exhibits in Old MacDonald’s Barn are open each day beginning at 3 pm. Children 11 and under are FREE while adults cost $10. Check the schedule for daily events. Address is 16 Chestnut Street, Gaithersburg, MD 20877.

Prince William County Fair is also happening through Saturday, August 16. Adults $10, Children over 5 $5.

Washington, DC Library events for the week can be found here. 

chicagoTASTEcarnivalfestival

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Filed Under: Weekday Adventures Tagged: adventure, boat, film, geocaching, library, movie, music, science, story, ukulele, water

Summer Spray and Splash (and boathouses) in Washington, DC

August 4, 2014

We’ve got you covered for summer splashing and swimming. Cool off at one of these amazing outdoor waterparks and splashparks. 

 

(Yards Park)

Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole (Reston, VA)

This family water park captures the excitement of the Old West’s Gold Rush with attractions tailored for all ages. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole offers more than an acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables, and an interactive water playground. Careen off covered wagons, float on wild animals and dash through showers tipped from water-filled ore carts. The activity pool is encircled by Rattlesnake River, a 725 foot lazy river you can enjoy a relaxing float as the current gently nudges you along.

Ocean Dunes Waterpark (Arlington, VA)

Enjoy a day at the beach at Ocean Dunes Waterpark, Arlington’s favorite place cool off and have fun! Located within Upton Hill Regional Park, Ocean Dunes is loaded with fun features for adults and kids. Ocean Dunes includes a 500-gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls and squirters! Visitors will find themselves amidst dune grasses and the feeling of being at the beach, but without the drive! Next to the park is a 18 hole mini-golf course and 6 batting cages. 

upton-hill-2010-49

Great Waves Waterpark (Alexandria, VA)

Great Waves offers some of the most unique and fun water attractions in Northern Virginia! Whether you’re zipping down the speed slides, shooting through the tube slides or body surfing in the massive wave pool, you’ll enjoy hours of water fun the whole family can enjoy! And we certainly didn’t forget the little ones – our Kids Zone is a great place for you and the kids to cool off while having a great time – whether it be speeding down the rock slide at the Lagoon, or relaxing in the waterfalls at Minnow Bay. And don’t forget about the giant splash pad!

Atlantis Waterpark (Centreville, VA)

Discover all the fun of the fabled lost continent at Atlantis Waterpark, Centreville’s biggest and best waterpark! Loaded with fun features for your campers and kids, Atlantis includes a 1,000 gallon dumping bucket, water slides, waterfalls and squirters! Visitors will find themselves amidst mermaids, dolphins, Greek architecture and images of the deep! And keep your eyes peeled for the mighty Neptune himself!

Water Park at Bohrer Park (Gaithersburg, MD)

Enjoy a summer day at the Water Park! Intended for recreational swimming, the main pool is like a dream vacation on an island resort with palm trees, multiple slides, floatable animals, and a “tumble bucket” water feature for children to enjoy. The pool also has a zero-depth entry, making it accessible to all.

Chesapeake Beach Water Park (Chesapeake Beach, MD)

At the resort community of Chesapeake Beach, less than an hour from Washington, DC, you can have a splash-in  fun- in- the- sun time in our eight water slides, fountains, waterfalls, a lagoon, kids activity pool and more, guaranteed to treat everyone to a cool time! Prices listed here, twilight hours offer a discount and Calvert Chesapeake residents also get a discounted rate. 

big-slide-picture-waterpark

Special Harbor Spray Park at Lee District RECenter (Fairfax, VA)

If you like running through the sprinkler, you’ll love Special Harbor spray ground at Lee District Park in Franconia. The fully accessible complex features Chesapeake Bay-themed attractions including a spraying osprey nest, Chessie the sea serpent, misting sunflowers and a lighthouse. The beach area is quieter with softer bubblers and interactive water tables. The computerized water maze and dumping crab basket provide more lively activity. Children will also enjoy the fully accessible tree house and the accessible Tiki Village playground in the nearby Family Recreation Area. 

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Washington, DC Parks and Recreation Spray Parks

Washington, DC Outdoor Children’s Pools

Yards Park wading pool

Canal Park dancing fountains

Georgetown Waterfront Fountain

Arlington, County Spraygrounds

Montgomery County Outdoor Pools

Want to head on to the Potomac with a kayak or canoe? Try these boathouses:

Ballpark Boathouse

Fletcher’s Boathouse

Mariner Sailing School

The Wharf

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Filed Under: Playgrounds, Summer Tagged: boathouses, canoe, DC, kayak, maryland, pool, splash, spray, sprayground, virginia, Washington, water, waterpark

Weekend Picks: Ukelele Festival, Dino Rock & Ultimate MegaMAZE

July 10, 2014

The forecast calls for an amazing weekend! Check out the Harbor Spray Park at Lee District for a day of fun splashing around in the sprays and water. Theres a great playground steps away as well with ample spots to picnic. Worth the drive from DC. 

The Capital Fringe Festival runs from July 10 to July 27, 2014. Be sure and check out Balloon Plays for the kids. 

sixteen

 

Saturday-

9:45am-5:00pm: 5th Annual Lake Anne Ukelele Festival
(1609 Washington Plaza, Reston, VA)
The ukulele is the happiest instrument in the world and it spreads joy wherever it appears.Come down and join us rain or shine. You’ll find vendors selling ukuleles of all kinds and hear wonderful music all in the picturesque setting of Lake Anne Plaza in Reston, VA. It will be one of the best days you have all summer!

[Read more…]

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Filed Under: Weekend Picks Tagged: building, dino, Farm, festival, french, maze, music, splash, theatre, water

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