Summertime Activities
Washington DC Metro Area
If you are staying here in Washington DC for the summer, the ideas below may help keep you and your children entertained. Enjoy your summer.
Special Events
County Fairs Near Washington DC
There's something special about a good old-fashioned county fair. The counties of Maryland and Virginia that surround Washington, DC each host a summer fair, complete with carnival rides, live animal shows, musical entertainment, arts and craft exhibits, and lots of food. Each county fair has its own specialty, so check out the scheduled events before you go. Here is a guide to Summer 2008 county fairs:
- (Aug 8–15)
- July 28–Aug 22)
- (Aug 2-3)
- (Aug 2-9)
- (Aug 6-10)
August Events
- Asian Festival – Aug 9-10
- Legg Mason Tennis Classic - Aug 9-17
- Strathmore Comcast Film Festival - Aug 15-24
- Maryland Renaissance Festival - Aug 24-Oct. 19
Public Pools
- - Public swimming pool information
- - 4 Indoor Pools & 8 Outdoor Pools throughout the county
Water Parks
- Allentown Fitness & Splash Park- 7210 Allentown Rd., Ft. Washington, MD 301-449-5567
- Bohrer Park Water Park- 510 South Frederick Avenue, Gaithersburg, MD 301-258-6445
- Bull Run Regional Park- 7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, VA 703-631-0552
- Downpour at Algonkian Regional Park- 47701 Fairway Drive, Sterling, VA 703-430-7683
- Great Waves at Cameron Run- 4001 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria, VA 703-960-0767
- Lane Manor Splash Park- 7601 West Park Drive, Hyattsville, MD 301-422-7284
- Signal Bay Water Park- 9300 Signal View Dive, Manassas Park. 703-335-8872
- Splash Down Water Park- 7500 Ben Lomond Park Drive, Manassas 703-361-4451
- The Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole- 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston 703-471-5414
- Water Country USA- Williamsburg, VA 800-772-8886
Amusement Parks
- , MD (301) 249-1500. Located 30 minutes from downtown Washington, DC, features 100+ shows and the area’s largest water park. Open April-Oct.
- , PA (800) HERSHEY. More than 60 rides and attractions with the theme of Hershey’s Chocolate. Visit Hershey’s Chocolate World and learn how chocolate is made. Located about 2 hours north of the Washington, DC. Open May-Sept.
- , VA (800) 343-7946. Dozens of rides, shows, animal attractions, a water park and much more. Located near Colonial Williamsburg, about 3 hours from the Washington, DC area.
- , 3848 Stonewall Jackson Highway, White Post, VA (540) 869-2222. Features 37 fiberglass replicas of prehistoric creatures in a small outdoor park that is open March-Dec.
Nature
Time: Open Wed- Sun 9-5, Closed on Independence Day
Address: 5200 Glover Road, NW
Exhibits tell about the park's wildlife and forest, and a library has many books on natural history. A Discovery Room will encourage handson activities. An observation beehive is located on the back wall of the exhibit room where visitors can watch the bees at work in the hive. Guided nature walks and curriculum based environmental education programs take place daily.
: Evening stargazing sessions (held at Military Field, off of Military Road), are held monthly, April- Nov. Programs are canceled due to rain and a completely cloudy sky. The planetarium holds regular shows on Sat & Sun at 1 pm for children 4+ (4-7 year olds must be accompanied by an adult) and at 4 p.m. for children 7+. Free tickets for the planetarium shows can be picked up at the information desk in the Nature Center. Exploring the Sky is an informal program that for nearly fifty years has offered monthly opportunities for anyone in the Washington area to see the stars and planets through telescopes from a location within the District of Columbia. Sessions are held on in Rock Creek Park once a month on Saturday night Apr-Nov, in the field south of the intersection of Military and Glover Roads, near the Nature Center. A parking lot is next to the field. All are welcome---AND IT'S FREE! Call the Nature Center at (202) 895-6070.
Public tours of the USNO are offered on selected Monday evenings from 8:30-10 pm.
Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (MNCPPC) operates four nature centers in Montgomery Co. The nature centers provide fun and enriching opportunities to nurture you and your child’s curiosity about our natural environment.
- Black Hill Nature Center- 20926 Lake Ridge Dr., Boyds, MD (301) 916-0220
- - 1400 Glenallen Ave., Wheaton, MD (301) 946-9071
- Locust Grove Nature Center- 7777 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda, MD (301) 299-1990
- Meadowside Nature Center- 5100 Meadowside Lane, Rockville, MD 20855 (301)924-4141