26 Things To Do in DC With Kids

Right outside the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains is Great Country Farms, a 400-acre working farm that offers an amazing u-pick experience. First, containers are provided for all customers and then they are taking on a wagon to and from the fields. Once they get to the fields, they'll get to pick from a variety of seasonal crops, such as strawberries, cherries, plums, peaches, raspberries and more.

Take a trip back in time with the scenic Walkersville Southern Railroad tour through the Monocacy Valley. The 1hr 20 min trip in 1920s passenger cars or open flatcars take visitors along tracks originally built in 1872 takes visitors past turn of the century buildings and a 100 year old lime kiln. Seasonal train rides include an Easter train, Santa train, Teddy Bear Train, Super Hero Train, steam trains, Civil War reenactments and more.

Bring your kids out to Frying Pan Farm Park to let them experience what farm life was like in the 1920s to 1950s. This park offers the perfect combination of nature and cultural activities that your kids will enjoy. As part of the park, Kidwell Farm, demonstrates a working farm from this time period and houses many animals, like cows and horses that the kids will love seeing. Additionally, they have a covered picnic area for a nice lunch, grass fields, playgrounds, and an old country store with games and snacks. This is such a unique experience for all.

The 800-acre Great Falls Park is an absolute stunner! If you love hiking and the outdoors, round up the family, bicycles, a picnic lunch and head on over to Great Falls Park. Take a scenic hike to one of the clifftops with dramatic views, check out the museum exhibits with hands-on activities for kids, or take a bike ride along the tow path and boardwalk over the river. While this is a hiker's paradise, there are hiking paths good for people of all ages and experience. Be sure to bring comfortable shoes and a camera.

Scramble calls themselves "the ULTIMATE indoor play space for kids" and they hit the nail on the head. This indoor play space is perfect for kids of all ages - from infants to older kids that are ready to take on a sporting match. Between the sensory stimulation for infants and the ball courts or role play zones, where kids can work in the race car shop or coffee shop, kids are guaranteed a great time. Be sure to bring socks, as everyone must have them on at all times.

While Great Waves Waterpark is a full-blown waterpark, it’s perfect for both older and tiny kids to have a great time. The older kids will enjoy speed slides and an enormous wave pool, and the tiny tots can run around Minnow Bay. This area boasts a splash pad with many water features (dump buckets, water tables, twisted pipes), a waterfall and much more like batting cages, wave pool, food and cabanas. It’s the perfect place to cool off in the summer heat, especially at reasonable daily rates.

Our Special Harbor, an interactive and imaginative Chesapeake Bay-themed spray park, will impress everyone in the family. This sprayground boasts a spraying osprey nest, Chessie the sea serpent, & a misting lighthouse and sunflower. There is also a beach area that's not as busy with softer bubblers and water tables. Oh, and we can't forget the computerized water maze and dumping crab basket!

Wheaton Regional Park is a children's dream playground outside of the busy city! Children of all ages will love the playgrounds suitable for younger and older kids, various nature hikes, fishing ponds, children's gardens with tropical plants, carousel, little train and so much more. There are also picnic tables and grassy areas, so be sure to bring a blanket to eat on. Some visitors have said that you might even spot flying squirrels after sunset - whoa! As if this isn't good enough, parents have even commented on how clean the bathrooms are here. Now that's a relief!

The best part about the Georgetown Waterfront is the view to across the Potomac River, where you'll get to see the beautiful Kennedy Center. And why not have fun in such a stunning space? The Waterfront has an arching splash fountain that the kids will love. At night, the fountain is illuminated by lights & is quite the scene. If your feeling more adventurous than the splash fountain, there are several boathouses you can rent canoes & kayaks from to use on the Potomac River. While there are several nearby restaurants, think about packing a picnic lunch to enjoy on the Waterfront.

Come discover the history of street cars and how they helped build the communities where they were established at this museum full of educational displays and real, full-sized street cars from around the world. Kids love that admission here includes unlimited rides through the woods surrounding the museum on real, working trolleys. Be sure to check the museum calendar to find out about special events, like Holly TrolleyFest when you can catch Santa riding the rails.

For such an impressive array of animals (including some of the only pandas in the US), it's hard to believe this beloved DC zoo is free. Families looking for a hands-on zoo experience can visit a petting farm that's home to cows, alpacas, goats and more.

If you and your family are the outdoorsy type, then a hike around Roosevelt Island will suit your fancy. This uncomplicated two-mile loop is perfect for kids and will have some brief history signs throughout. Everyone will be close to nature along these forest-y trails. You'll also love views of Georgetown, overall D.C. and all of the people in canoes along the water. Finally, at the end of the trail, you'll meet the Theodore Roosevelt Monument - the very man whose legacy is honored by this incredible island.

Escape the action of the city and go on a hike with the family at Rock Creek Park. After the hike, you and the kids can explore the Nature Center, where you'll learn about the many plants and animals living within the park, and visit the Planetarium.

What's more entertaining than seeing millions of dollars being printed right before your eyes? The answer is not much, so go take a tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. This 40-minute tour will teach you and the family everything you need to know about U.S. paper currency. You'll actually get to see how the money is printed, stacked, cut and then examined for any defects. Your kids will be impressed!

While the history might sound boring to some kids, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History makes this trip through America's history fun! Here you'll get to see the Star-Spangled Banner (the flag that inspired the national anthem), the original ruby red slippers that Dorothy wore in the Wizard of Oz, Julia Child's Kitchen (and a smaller version for kids to play in), Abraham Lincoln's top hat, & so much more. Make sure to ask staff about the kids' programs of the day & visit the Spark!Lab, where kids become inventors. This museum's a must-visit for all, so don't miss out!

Tim Ponisciak said:  This is widely considered to be one of the best, most all-encompassing museums for the U.S.A. Your kids can learn about the founding of the nation, can see examples of advertising and product marketing, can hear old music and can learn about some of the harsher times faced by many Americans through the years. Truly experiencing this museum will take at least a day.