It’s a familiar tale for D.C. parents: You envision a summer vacation full of engaging activities that will delight your little ones and create cherished memories.
Then reality intervenes and everyone ends up retreating to an air-conditioned living room and staving off boredom with Idina Menzel, er, Queen Elsa, belting her anthem ad nauseam.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Our city and the nearby suburbs are chock full of ways to escape your Frozen rut. Here are some ideas for family-friendly activities this summer including many that are free or accessible by public transit. Try them with your toddlers, preschoolers and early elementary school-aged kids. We hope you find yourself, if you’ll forgive the phrase, letting go a little.
FREE things to do
National Theater Live – kid friendly Saturdays
On select Saturday mornings, the National Theater’s Helen Hayes Gallery space hosts performances perfect for 3- to 6-year-olds.On July 8, for example, Arco Iris by Arts on the Horizon will tell the tale of Iris and her abuela, inspired by Indigenous myths about the rainbow. (1321 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, FREE-registration required)
Strathmore Live from the Lawn Cool Concerts for Kids
Hop on the Metro to interactive shows meant for young audiences on select dates. On August 3, catch a sensory-friendly performance by Grammy Award winner Dan Zanes and Haitian-American music therapist and jazz vocalist Claudia Zanes. (10701 Rockville Pike, North Bethesda, FREE-registration required)
The Adams Morgan tradition isn’t just about making reading fun. It’s also about learning how everybody is unique and that makes our world wonderful. The event, in partnership with the D.C. Public Library and The Line Hotel, takes place monthly on Sundays at Unity Park. DCPL will have a display with additional books, their famous “book bike”, and information about local library programs. (1771-1795 Columbia Road NW, FREE-registration required)
Children’s Garden, U.S. Botanic Garden
Mini green thumbs can practice planting seedlings from containers in this special section of the U.S. Botanic Garden. They’ll dig in the soil and water the plants with child-sized tools. Then they can wander amid motion-activated misting poles and a terraced climbing structure. (100 Maryland Ave. SW, FREE)
Drop in for five-day-a-week activities at community green spaces around the city. Staff will help kids experience a garden through cooking, art and maintenance activities. (Locations vary, FREE)
Oxon Cove Park and Oxon Hill Farm
If the littles have already grown tired of the National Zoo’s immersive new bird house, maybe they’d like to try feeding some chickens at a living farm museum instead. Oxon Hill Farm has horses, cattle, and heritage hog breeds, and in surrounding Oxon Cove Park, look up to spot bald eagles soaring above you. (6411 Oxon Hill Road, Oxon Hill; FREE)
Every D.C. outdoor pool and spray park is free to D.C. residents. There’s at least one pool and one spray park in each of the eight wards. For the littlest swimmers, look for children’s pools like the ones at Banneker or Rosedale Pools. (We hear the slide at Rosedale is where it’s at.)
Here’s information about other cool-down options:
Toddle or race through a cooling arc of water. Follow that up with a picnic or buy food from any of the nearby eateries, and watch the stand-up paddle boarders and boats on the Potomac. (3303 Water St. NW, FREE)
Plenty of younger kids will leap straight into the interactive in-ground fountain. But if your group includes someone who’s water-shy, multiple playgrounds are also available in a safe, fenced-in area. Families can also watch the planes fly overhead or the trains roll by. (2501 Potomac Ave., Alexandria; FREE)
Forget peak-season lodging prices with this Chesapeake Bay beach that’s a one to one-and-a-half hour drive from downtown D.C. From June 26 through August 11 the park is open to the public on weekends. Visitors must obtain a free pass online to enter. No lifeguard is on site, but the beach has a cove-like protected area for kids to cool off. (4150 Honeysuckle Drive; Edgewater, Maryland; FREE)
Friday Night Fishing across from Nationals Park
Kids can learn to fish with Anacostia Riverkeeper on Friday evenings at Diamond Teague Park. The organization provides bait, tackle, and rods, and staff will be on hand to offer free fishing lessons. (1520 First St. SE, FREE)
This year’s fair takes place on September 10, which one can argue is not technically summer anymore. But it’ll probably still be muggy and hot out and we doubt other fairs have a competition for tastiest mumbo sauce. Kids will get a kick out of the pet parade, too. (1332 I St. NW, FREE)
A private school in view of the National Cathedral has an expansive playground that’s free and open to the public when school and camps are not in session. Think sand pits, a tot-sized cave and swings all integrated with the wooded setting. The pipe slides, rope tunnels, and zipline are challenging for toddlers and preschoolers, but elementary school children will feel right at home. The closest bathrooms are in restaurants on Wisconsin Ave. (3500 Woodley Road NW, FREE)
Watch the airplanes at Gravelly Point
Pack a picnic and a Frisbee and head to this popular spot at the edge of the runway for Washington National Airport. It gets loud when planes fly overhead, so bring headphones if the kiddos have sensitive ears. There are no bathrooms so plan accordingly. (George Washington Memorial Parkway, Arlington; FREE)
Just about every Smithsonian museum has spaces that the entire family can enjoy. And we’re not just talking about spotting the newborn gorilla at the National Zoo or visiting the under-construction Air and Space Museum. The Postal Museum tends to be less crowded than museums on the National Mall, and kids can hop into a stagecoach and semi truck before they try their hand at tossing (hopefully fake) packages into sorting bins. (Addresses vary, FREE)
You don’t need to keep buying skates for growing feet to enjoy this covered outdoor pavilion. Rentals are free with a government-issued ID. (1500 Anacostia Drive SE, FREE)
Animal fans might spot beavers, ospreys, or bald eagles at this peaceful park south of Old Town Alexandria. Little explorers can take a three-quarter-mile-long trail into the wetland preserve. The trail is not stroller friendly, so bring a baby carrier if needed. (George Washington Memorial Parkway, Alexandria; FREE)
Kid-friendly performances
Wolf Trap Childrens’ Theater in the Woods
Movie theaters are great and all, but you can also watch The Little Mermaid as performed by the Maryland Youth Ballet. Or get in tune with nature through the Okee Dokee Brothers Grammy Award-winning Americana folk. Wolf Trap will stage dozens of performances for kids this summer. Recommended ages are listed in performance descriptions. (1551 Trap Road, Vienna; $12+ per person)
Discovery Theater on the National Mall
For those lucky enough to have a free weekday, Smithsonian’s Discovery Theater is bringing back in-person performances this summer. The season includes traditional dances from the African diaspora, science fun with electromagnets, and rockabilly tunes that teach shapes and colors. (1100 Jefferson Drive SW, $7+ per person)
The great outdoors
U Pick Fruits at Homestead Farm
Cut back on plastic clamshell containers and teach kids about eating local and seasonal by visiting this family-owned farm. The website and Facebook page are regularly updated with what’s ripe for picking. (15604 Sugarland Road, Poolesville; $3 per person plus cost of fruit picked)
Give kiddos 30 inches and up a supervised equestrian experience at the city’s Rock Creek Horse Center. Be advised, though, that these popular pony rides fill up at least as fast as the city’s summer camps did before the new lottery system. The center adds more rides periodically, so check the booking page often. (5100 Glover Road NW, $30)
While swimming is not allowed in Fairfax County’s Burke Lake, fishing and boating are encouraged. Families can rent a boat, play frisbee golf or try biking the almost 5-mile trail that loops around the water. Kids can play mini golf or ride a carousel on weekends. If they just don’t want to leave, consider renting a campsite. (7315 Ox Road, Fairfax Station; $12 per car entry fee for non-Fairfax County residents plus optional rental/activity fees)
This is a playground, spray park, and hiking area all rolled into one family-friendly package. Of note: the 2,160-foot stroller-friendly hike is designed to keep little ones entertained, with music stations and wildlife sculptures. Don’t miss the treehouse or the carousel. (6601 Telegraph Road, Alexandria; free admission and carousel $4.50 per person on weekends)
Escape the city and hit the stroller-friendly trails at this park in southern Fairfax County. Bicycles, kayaks and canoes are available for rent. The park is close enough to quaint Occoquan to stop by for ice cream after the hike. (7301 High Point Road, Lorton; $10 per vehicle parking fee plus optional rental/activity fees)
Air conditioning a priority? We’ve got you
The ultimate LEGO family experience opens to the public on August 10 in the Springfield Town Center. The attraction’s 12 themed zones include a station where kids can build their own minifigure companion, a train ride that takes kids into an oversized LEGO world, and a 4D cinema. Timed tickets can be purchased online. (6563 Springfield Town Center, Suite 12004, Springfield; $28.99 per person)
At this imaginative space, kids can push a grocery cart through a pretend store sized just for them, fire up a perfectly safe toy chainsaw at a mini-construction site, bench press a few ounces at the “gym” and more. Bring babies as young as six months to the special soft play area. (4931 Wyaconda Rd, North Bethesda; $25 per child)
Happy hour on the roof deck can be yours at Ivy City’s family-friendly social club. On Friday evenings, The Lane hosts Bar and Bounce, where grown ups can savor a Chardonnay while the kids wear themselves out in the bounce house. (1408 Okie St. NE, $20 per child, $5 per adult plus food and drink costs)
Your kid doesn’t need to be invited to a birthday party to express their inner artist at this Cleveland Park studio. Tables are first-come, first-served for groups of three or fewer. All the paints are nontoxic, food-safe and (thank goodness) washable. The staff cleans up messes and holds onto creations for glazing and firing. You’ll pick them up in 7-10 days. (3413 Connecticut Ave. NW, $6+)
Slide lovers, meet your match. Kiddos age 5 and up can clamber up a three-story slide inspired by clouds, while littler visitors have a pint-sized slide. If everyone is in the mood for exhibits, they can learn about math, science, and engineering with this summer’s visiting exhibit featuring fictional monkey Curious George. (1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, $15.95 per person age 1 and older)
Brick City at the National Building Museum
Escort children straight to the interactive LEGO area, where they can build masterpieces at the exhibit’s “graffiti wall”-style canvas. Brick City is the brainchild of U.K.-based artist Warren Elsmore, and visitors of all ages can admire Elsmore’s toy brick reproductions of Chichén Itzá and Rome’s Colosseum, among other icons of global architecture. (401 F St. NW, $7 per child 3 and up, $10 per adult, admission desk will issue a timed ticket)
It’s not summer without water activities…
Tucked behind an Arlington shopping center is a local favorite among the NoVA Parks collection of waterparks. It has the requisite waterslides and spraying fountains, but the pièce de résistance is the 500-gallon dumping bucket. Dry off and finish the day at the adjacent mini-golf course. (6060 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; admission price varies)
Maybe you’ve noticed the beachgoers here as you idled in Bay Bridge traffic. This park has public restrooms and showers, a nature center that opened in 2022, and a recently-built nautical-themed playground. Reviewers recommend showing up early because spots fill quickly. Exercise caution; they also occasionally report jellyfish. (1100 East College Parkway, Annapolis, Maryland; $5 per person on weekends)
Long Bridge Aquatics & Fitness Center
Check the schedule for Family Play Time and enjoy a pool, a waterslide and a lazy river in air-conditioned bliss just across the Potomac. (333 Long Bridge Drive, Arlington; admission fees vary)
…or fairs
Montgomery County Agricultural Fair
Where else can you attend a free toilet decorating contest, watch a demolition derby, visit an alpaca, and gorge on fried dough all in the same location? This agricultural fair and carnival takes place August 11-19. (501 Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg; $12 per person age 12 and up plus individual event and ride costs)
Impart lessons about portion control by entering your tot in their age division for the pie-eating contest. Then have them take on the bounce house obstacle course. The fair will have a sensory-friendly hour on August 20 and a sensory break tent at various hours. Public transit and biking options are available. The fair will take place August 16-20. (3501 2nd St. South, Arlington; admission free, ride ticket cost varies)
Retro amusements
On your next road trip, catch the kind of kitsch you’d see along old Route 66: giant dinosaur statues, some up to 50 years old. It isn’t clear how scientifically accurate the displays are, but hey, maybe they’ll spark a conversation with the dino lovers in the family. (3848 Stonewall Jackson Highway, White Post, Virginia; $6 ages 2-10, $8 ages 11 and up)
This onetime amusement park’s varied attractions include a century-old carousel, a tiny aquarium, a puppet theater, and a playground and picnic area. (7300 MacArthur Blvd.,Glen Echo; free admission, carousel $5 per person on weekends)
Catch a family-friendly movie under the stars
Community spaces and parks across the city will be playing outdoor movies all summer long. Peruse DCist’s guide or this spreadsheet by C. as reported by Popville and bring a blanket to your family’s favorites. (Locations and prices vary)
The nation’s oldest continuously-operated mini-golf course is right here in the District. What it lacks in pirate- or Atlantis-themed decor it makes up for in pleasantness on a sweltering day; because it’s located between the Potomac River and the Washington Channel, it is reportedly one of the city’s breezier spots. (972 Ohio Drive SW, $8 per adult, $7 per child 18 and under)
Give back
Volunteering can be fun! Try these activities with older kids so that they can feel good about helping the people, plants and wildlife in their community.
We Are Family DC build community for low-income seniors in Columbia Heights and North Capitol neighborhoods by conducting phone check-ins and delivering groceries and fresh produce. Volunteers can sign up to visit a senior or deliver groceries. Volunteers ages 5 and up must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. (Location varies, FREE, registration required)
Get plastic out of DC waterways
For Plastic-Free July, Anacostia Riverkeeper will be cleaning up the waterfront in Kenilworth Park on Saturday, July 15. The group will be providing all equipment, but be sure to wear closed-toe shoes and long sleeves and pants to protect from the brush. (1500 Deane Ave. NE, FREE, registration required)
Take down invasive (plant) species
Join Casey Trees to care for green spaces around the city. No prior skills are needed; volunteers will receive a short training along with tools, supplies and lunch. Wear closed-toe shoes and long sleeves and pants to protect against sun, bugs and poison ivy. (Locations vary, FREE)
