My Resources pages on this website have lots of detailed information on destinations, web resources, and other resource materials that I feel can offer you and your family eye-opening looks at the Ecohistory of the Mid-Atlantic Region, and to get the real 'nitty gritty,' go to those more detailed descriptions.  In this abbreviated listing, I have tried to highlight attractions that are lesser known but likely to be of great interest to adults and families with children ages 6 to 12.  Please check individual websites for possible restrictions relating to strollers, the availability of rest facilities, their ability to accommodate wheel chairs, and whether food and beverages are available on site.

 

OUTDOOR/NATURE OPPORTUNITIES

 

Local Parks & Outdoor Organizations:  Click here for a listing of near by parks and regional nature-oriented organizations which have outdoor activities that are perfect for families.

Native Flora Sure Bets:  If you want to see native wildflowers, here are my personal best bets.  It is always difficult to predict when peak bloom will be at each location but all of these locations have a wide range of spring wildflowers which begin their bloom period in early April and continue through until the trees leaf out fully in late April to early May with the Thompson WMA having a spectacular display of Trillium grandiflorum in April, Turkey Run having a great display of flood plain flowers including Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica) peaking about April 18th in most years, and Ferry Hill having a lovely mix of flowers including Twin Leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla) and Shooting Star (Dodecatheon meadia).  Check out a copy of a wildflower field guide (Peterson's; Gupton and Swope) from your local library and head out to enjoy the beauty and magic of regional spring wildflowers.

• Turkey Run Park

• Thompson Wildlife Management Area
• Sugarloaf Mountain Park
• The Native Wildflower Walk at the Virginia State Arboretum
• Shenandoah National Park (Limberlost Trail)
• Ferry Hill Park

For those of you who live in or near Loudoun County, VA, please take at look at my special Loudoun County Outdoors Page.

Additional suggestions can be found grouped by geographic location in the very popular book, "Finding Wildflowers in the Washington Baltimore Area" by Fleming, Lobstein & Tufty, Johns Hopkins Press, 1995.

Picnic Sites: The following sites are excellent places to have a picnic and to have some quality time outdoors as well.  Most sites have admission fees.

• The Burwell Morgan Mill/VA State Arboretum(Clarke County)
• Banshee Reeks Park (Loudoun County)
• Bears Den Center (PATC Facility) (Clarke County)
• Mason Neck State Park (Fairfax County)
• Prince William Forest Park (Prince William County)
• National Colonial Farm/Piscataway National Park (Prince Georges County)

 

Car Camping:

For those who want the nice parts of camping (a nice camp fire, wood smoke, time in a tent, eating outdoors, seeing the stars) but do not want to do without hot water, showers, and flush toilets, Prince William Forest Park is the answer to your prayers.  Even though the park is located only a short distance off of I-95 in Quantico, VA, it offers a quiet, shaded forest setting that seems to be far removed from the rush, noise and bustle of Washington and allows you to drive your car right up to your camp site (or within a short distance of it, for those who want a more 'woodsy' experience).  Heated, lighted toilet/shower blocks are close by and you get nice, pre-cut logs of hardwood firewood as part of your camping fee (in addition to your park entry fee).  The park has excellent hiking trails and even has a dedicated bike lane (one half of the road) on a large segment of their loop road so that you can get in some quality miles on your bikes without having to worry about cars whizzing past your elbows.  I have camped at the park several times and can attest to how enjoyable this is for someone like me who is not a seasoned outdoors person but still wants quality time around a camp fire.

 

 

Canoeing/Kayaking Opportunities: While there are many great places to get on the water, let me suggest five varied and very agreeable places to get your paddle wet:

 

• Antietam Creek: A lovely paddle through beautiful country. Use a web browser to locate outfitters in the area that provide canoes, kayaks, or tubes or BYO and do a web search for authorized put-in locations.

• Dyke Marsh: Reached via boat ramp at Bellehaven Marina. A lovely paddle close by DC. Paddling may be restricted during certain times of year due to bird nesting. Please check the FODM website before heading out.

• Pocomoke River: Rent a canoe or kayak from the Pocomoke River Canoe Company at Snow Hill or talk to them about where to put in on the river. There are many parks and landings along the river that provide water access where you can paddle past lovely stands of Bald Cypress trees. Fringe Trees are blooming and Prothonotary Warblers singing loudly in mid-May.

• Mason Neck State Park (SE Fairfax County on the Potomac): Belmont Bay, the Potomac River and Kane's Creek with great wild life viewing especially Bald Eagles.

• Jug Bay (off Routes 4/301 near Upper Marlboro, MD): Lovely paddling in a very historic area.

• Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary (Eastern Shore of Jug Bay): They offer canoeing programs from time to time.

• Jug Bay Natural Area (PG County Parks) (Western Shore of Jug Bay): You can rent canoes or kayaks as well as launch your own for a fee from this PG County Park.

 

Lovely Walks:

The Phillips Farm Creek Walk along the banks of Catoctin Creek in the old Quaker town of Waterford is one of the most pleasant and relaxing walks I know of in the Washington area. When you arrive in Waterford, drive down to the 3-story, red brick mill building and find off street parking where you can. Go down behind the mill and to the left and you will find the entrance to a path that goes out onto the open meadow and follows Catoctin Creek for a very pleasant walk out and back to the mill. Wear waterproof shoes as it can be muddy at any time of the year. Waterford is a quiet, quaint and lovely town, so please be respectful of the village and its natives when you park, walk and ramble up and down the streets and leave things as you found them. Note: There are neither public rest facilities nor any restaurants in town so plan your food and rest arrangements accordingly.

 

 

 

 

 

The Snavely's Ford Loop Trail at the Antietam National Battlefield is a treat at any time of the year.  Antietam Creek 'talks' to you more than most creeks do and the trail that follows the creek is thus a very relaxing, peaceful and wonderful place to recharge your spiritual batteries.  You may hike this trail without paying a park admission, but if you want to visit the park Visitors Center or other areas of the park, an admission fee may be required.  With the National Parks budget severely strained, I encourage you to buy an annual Parks Pass at the Visitors Center which will also get you a 10% discount at the Park's Store at the Visitors Center, help provide funds for maintenance and operation of this remarkably beautiful and historic site and get you free admission to any other National Park for the remainder of the 12 month duration of the pass.

 

 

Chesapeake Gateways Events:

There are many wonderful travel destinations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed that have been designated 'gateway sites' because of the great opportunities they afford the visitor to learn about the many aspects of Bay Ecohistory.  You can learn about what gateways are available to visit in your corner of the world and what each has to offer at the main Bay Gateways website.  You can also get help in learning about what events are coming up in the near future at gateway sites by going to the Friends of Chesapeake Gateways website and subscribing to their weekly 'heads up' emails that highlight events of interest for that week.  Gateway sites provide many ways to learn about the Bay and its history so they are great for families where both mom and dad and the kids can all find something that is of interest to them and much that can be shared by all.

 

COMBINATION INDOOR/OUTDOOR OPPORTUNITIES

 

If weather is an issue on the day you want to get out, your allergies are flaring up, or you just want a little mix of inside and outside time, consider the following options which offer quality time both inside and outside.

To The Northeast (DE & PA)

 

Longwood Gardens in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania is about a 2 - 3 hour drive from Washington area allowing for one stop en route (from 120 - 180 miles one way).   With a marvelous mix of gorgeous indoor and outdoor gardens, Longwood will entertain and engage all who visit.  Check out their calendar of events and if you are a parent, take a look for their special events that are geared to children.

The Delaware Museum of Natural History is a 10 minute car ride from Longwood Gardens and a great place to take kids.  The museum is all on one floor, not very crowded, child friendly, and lots of fun.  There is not a dining facility at the museum, so either bring brown bag lunches or be prepared to drive a short way to area restaurants for your meal.

 

 

The Mercer Museum in Doylestown, PA is a long trip from Washington but is without doubt one of the most wonderful museums I have ever visited.  Thus if you are staying in the Philadelphia or Wilmington area on an overnight trip, it make for a perfect day trip.  Housed inside a bizarre, cast concrete 'castle' is a stunningly complete assemblage of trade tools, domestic items, and conveyances dating from 1750 to 1900 that were collected in the Eastern colonies/states.  Brought together to help document how Americans made, used, and shaped items of daily use before the information relating to these items and the items themselves were lost to posterity, this collection fills in and documents a very important segment of US History.  Interpreted with flair, clarity and a sense of adventure, this museum appeals to young and old alike.  Note: No food on site and no heating or cooling system in the main portion of the museum.

 

 

 

Local (DC Metro Area)

 

 

The National Arboretum has flowers, herbs, trees and shrubs that provide food for the soul and delight for the eye at every turn and in every season.

 

Just a few miles north of Mount Vernon along the Potomac River, the American Horticultural Society at River Farm is a very pleasant visit any time of year for anyone seeking some quality time in a lovely garden setting and a must see for any serious gardener.

 

The Dumbarton Oaks Garden and Museum has gorgeous English style formal gardens, one of the finest private collections of Pre-Columbian art in the world and an amazing collection of Byzantine art and silver as well.  A feast for the eye in every way.

 

The National Building Museum (at Judiciary Square Metro) is a marvelous family visit with a special area called the Building Zone designed to entertain and educate kids ages 2 to 6, and excellent and informative exhibits for adults most notably, 'Washington:  Symbol and City.'  With a small café' on the first floor that serves coffee, salads and sandwiches, a gift shop that has consistently earned the title of 'Best Museum Shop in DC' from local magazines to compliment the exhibits, and easy access by Metro, it is a great destination for a family day trip to DC.

 

 

To The East (Calvert & Prince George's Counties, MD)

 

 

The Calvert Marine Museum in Solomons, Maryland (a 90 minute drive from DC) is my personal favorite for best overall museum in the DC Metro area.  It is very child friendly with lots of hands on exhibits and helpful docents at every turn.  You will LOVE this museum.  See my detailed description for more insights and travel tips.

 

The Anne Marie Garden,Sculpture Park and Art Center in Solomons, MD is just up the road from the Calvert Marine Museum and just WONDERFUL for visiting with children. Where else can you combine a scavenger hunt, art appreciation, natural history education, lovely bayside forest ecology (including 2 species of native orchids !!), a leisurely walk, and a fine gift shop all in one spot?!  I can not recommend this marvelous place highly enough - it is truly a gem for everyone to visit, but especially so for those with children. What a gift!! Download their guide for the sculpture and the scavenger hunt guide for the children before visiting and be ready to go when you arrive and also check out their calendar of events to see what else might be going on when you visit.

 

The National Colonial Farm offers beautiful Potomac riverfront parkland, farm buildings dating from the 1770's with costumed interpreters, an adjoining organic vegetable farm, and nearby Piscataway National Park with is riverfront boardwalk across Piscataway Creek.  Bridging past and present, this is a wonderful place to visit, relax, and learn.

 

To The West

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley in Winchester, VA does a superb job at interpreting the 15,000 years of human history in the Shenandoah River Valley and also offers visitors a chance to see enchanting, furnished miniature house models, world class English 18^th and 19^th century art, and lovely formal gardens.  See my Place of the Month entry for January 09 on this web site for more details on this wonderful museum and its accompanying properties.  Lunch and Tea are served in the small, elegant cafe'.

 

The Burwell Morgan Mill is beautifully restored grist mill where docents explain the workings of the mill and will give demonstrations of the mill operation on weekends.  The 'Art and the Mill' Shows in May and October are always a treat and help support mill operations.  A visit to the mill is a fine picnic opportunity since really excellent food (freshly made, pricey but worth every penny)  is available directly across the street at the Locke Store [also at Mr. B's Pit Barbeque (6967 Lord Fairfax Hwy, Berryville, VA 22611 (540) 955-1131)  which is about 6 miles away North on Route 340 just south of Berryville] and there are picnic tables out behind the mill next to the millrace stream on the greenest grass you can imagine.

 

If you have small children (ages 4 to 8) and are open to experiencing a truly amazing piece of real kitsch, stop by Dinosaur Land which is at the stoplight where Route 340 makes a left turn toward Front Royal.  While adults are apt to roll their eyes when they see this place, it is soooooo different it is kind of fun if you let go of wanting it to be Disney and if you have kids in your party, it will probably be a HUGE hit with them.

 

The Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum at Claude Moore Park offers a marvelous opportunity for the entire family to reconnect with the agrarian way of life that is quickly disappearing beneath sprawl.  See my Place of the Month entry for October 2009 for a detailed look at this fine museum.

 

To The South

 

The Frontier Culture Museum in Staunton, VA is a great day trip destination.  With period farm buildings from the 18^th Ireland, England and Germany set up on site (NOT Busch Garden recreations), visitors can get a first hand feel for the architecture, customs, farming practices, and food crops that each of these Valley immigrants brought with them and how these each influenced the design, feel and operation of 1860's Virginia Farm that is also on site.  I know of no better way to get the entire family interested in the cultural history of these three countries plus West Africa (the African village exhibit recently opened) and to grasp how each of these cultural traditions left its mark on the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.  Fun, educational and personal with the inputs of the living history interpreters at each farm, this is really a day well spent.  There are snacks on site and many restaurants (most fast food) nearby.

 

 

The Flying Circus in Bealton, VA will be beginning its flying season on Sunday, May 6^th and will have shows almost every Sunday until October 28^th.  I can not recommend this highly enough for a day of family fun where everyone gets to experience the smoke, smell, sounds and thrills of good old-fashioned subsonic propeller driven flight.  This is flight as it was meant to be and the show is full of genuine thrills, laughter and 'wow' that will have you leaving with a big grin on your face.  Speaking of which, TAKE SUN SCREEN and use it unless you want one of the worst sun burns in your life - there is little or no shade - great for seeing every bit of the air show but bad for your face and arms!!  Their hamburger stand at the park provides good lap food at a fair price but picnics are an option if you wish.  I will bet that ticket sales do not begin to cover their costs, so please go out and see the show while these amazing pilots can still afford to buy the gasoline.  This is an amazing piece of aviation history that you should see while you still can.

 

 

The Mariner's Museum, in Newport News, VA offers careful, interesting and technically precise interpretation relating to the ships, the technical innovations, the tools, the regional maritime history, Bay ecology, and the men and women who made the Bay and its tributaries home over the 150 centuries of human presence in this area. With a superb collection of boats, maritime art, maritime artifacts, maritime memorabilia, and beautifully crafted exhibits that explain everything from oysters and crabs to steam engines and long canoe construction, this is a truly fine museum that educates, illuminates, and invigorates the visitor. The new wing housing the special exhibits of the salvaged artifacts from the USS Monitor and related to the famous encounter between the USS Monitor and the CSS Virginia (former USS Merrimac) is superb and should not be missed!

 

 

 

First Landing State Park An unsung natural treasure at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay close by the city of Virginia Beach, this park is home to the finest and most beautiful Bald Cypress Swamp in Virginia.  Of special interest, the trees in the swampy areas are draped with 'Spanish Moss' which is at the very northern edge of its range.  Beautiful, enchanting and blessed with miles of trails to bike or walk, this is a destination well worth the trip if you are in the Williamsburg/Norfolk/Virginia Beach region.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Copyright © River Stories LLC February 2012