Jennifer Marino Walters

Latest posts by Jennifer Marino Walters

End of Summer Bucket List: 20 Things to Do in DC Before School Starts

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 08/05/2022 - 10:14am

Beat the August heat at a splash pad or sprinkler park. Photo courtesy of Gaylord National Resort

If you haven't yet crossed everything off your family's summer bucket list, no sweat—there are still so many things to do in DC with kids before school starts. Take your pick from plenty of fun options every day of the week, like water parks and splash pads, family-friendly beaches, a temporary STEM exhibit at the National Children's Museum, and more.

Even better, many of these summer events and activities are free! We're talking free summer concerts, free outdoor movies, free children's programming like Kids Day on the Plaza at National Harbor, and more fun that won't cost a dime.

Read on for your family's ultimate end of summer bucket list in DC and its surrounding areas. Your kiddos will have so many fun memories to share once school starts back up again!

Peach Picking near DC: 10 Great Pick-Your-Own Farms

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 07/08/2022 - 10:52am

Peaches are ripe for the picking in the DC area!

It's summertime and the pickin' is easy—peach picking, that is! July and August are the months to go peach picking near DC because the fruit is ripe and ready to be enjoyed. Many farms in Virginia and Maryland also offer other fruits in the summer like berries, nectarines, plums, and more. Throw in some fun extras like petting zoos, playgrounds, and jumping pillows and you've got the perfect summer day at the farm for the whole family.

Here are 10 great places to go peach picking near DC. For more farm fun this summer, check out our lists of the best pick-your-own berry farms near DC, 6 sunflower fields near DC for pick-your-own flowers, and 10 great animal farms and petting zoos near Washington, DC.

Visiting Arlington National Cemetery with Kids: What to Know Before You Go

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 07/03/2022 - 12:54pm

Place wreaths at the graves of fallen soldiers during the annual Wreaths Across America event. Photo courtesy of the author

Arlington National Cemetery is one of the oldest and most famous cemeteries in the US. Established in 1864, this hallowed ground serves as the final resting place of over 400,000 veterans and their spouses and children. Service members from every major American war are interred there, as well as many famous Americans including Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and astronaut John Glenn.

With its rows and rows of perfectly aligned, identical white headstones, Arlington National Cemetery is a truly breathtaking sight. But while it is indeed a solemn place, it is also a wonderful place to visit with kids and teach them about American history. Arlington National Cemetery's beauty and historical significance have landed it on our lists of 100 things to do in DC with kids before they grow up and the top tourist attractions in DC.

Here's everything you need to know about visiting Arlington National Cemetery with kids.

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurants with Outdoor Seating Near DC

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 06/26/2022 - 11:59am

Have fun on the patio at True Food Kitchen. Photo by @classicchickenspicymomma

For families with young children, eating at a restaurant can sometimes seem like more trouble than it's worth. But when the weather is nice and you can dine outside, a restaurant meal with little ones suddenly becomes way less stressful. Luckily, there are so many family-friendly restaurants with outdoor seating near DC, it would be impossible to list them all.

Instead, we've picked 13 great restaurants for kids with outdoor patios, gardens, or rooftops where they can stretch their legs, soak up the fresh air, and even (at some of them) run around. A few of these restaurants with outdoor seating near DC also offer extras like lawn games and dog menus.

For more yummy restaurants for kids and families, including restaurants near DC where kids can play and great breakfast restaurants near DC for kids and families, check out our Kid-Friendly DC Restaurants Guide.

10 Parks with Beaches near DC for a Day Trip with Kids

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Sun, 05/15/2022 - 10:00am

Leesylvania State Park has a larger beach and several smaller sandy areas that kids love to explore.

Families living in the DC area are fortunate to have so many things to do at our fingertips—free world-class museums, amazing destination playgrounds, loads of delicious restaurants, you name it. But when the ocean beckons, we have to drive 2.5 hours or more to find family-friendly beaches near DC. So what's a parent to do when the kids are begging to build sandcastles and splash in the water and you don't have the time or energy for a weekend trip? Just head to one of several parks with beaches near DC.

Most of these parks with beaches near DC charge a small per-person or per-vehicle fee to enter in the summer, and their sandy beach areas are located on rivers or lakes rather than the ocean. Also, some of them don't allow swimming, only wading. Still, families can bask in the sunshine, feel the sand between their toes, and pretend they hear waves crashing ashore.

Here are 10 parks with beaches near DC for family fun by the water. Go early on weekends to avoid the crowds, and don't forget the sunscreen!

Best Tot Lots and Toddler Playgrounds near DC

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 04/22/2022 - 10:00am

Buzz over to the Me and the Bee playground at the Smithsonian National Zoo. Photo courtesy of nationalzoo.si.edu

Anyone who's ever taken their toddler to the playground when older children are there knows it can be stressful for the grown-ups, frustrating for the big kids, and downright dangerous for the littles. But bringing the under-5 set to a playground designed just for them (i.e. a tot lot or a toddler playground) allows for a safe, fun, and (mostly) stress-free day of play for everyone. Here are 12 tot lots and toddler playgrounds near DC that are perfect for new walkers and younger kids.

Most of these toddler playgrounds and tot lots near DC are part of larger parks that also have great play structures for older kids. So, if you've got children of different ages, everyone will have a fun and safe place to play.

For more playground fun, check out our lists of destination playgrounds near DC and DC-area playgrounds that received upgrades in the past two years.

10 Great Animal Farms and Petting Zoos near Washington, DC

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 04/08/2022 - 10:00am

Make some new friends at Green Meadows Petting Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm

Got a little animal lover in the family? The Smithsonian National Zoo probably springs to mind as the first place to visit in DC, and for good reason—it's famous, it's free, and it's home to more than 2,500 animals. But there are many animal farms and petting zoos near DC where kids can get up close and hands-on with all kinds of animals, from barnyard friends like goats and sheep to bison and zebras. Families can even feed the animals at many of these petting zoos and farms, and really—who wouldn't want to bottle feed a baby cow?

Here are 10 great animal farms and petting zoos in Northern Virginia and Maryland where kids can have memorable animal encounters. For more zoo and farm fun, check out our Guide to Farms in Washington, DC and our list of the best zoo in every state.

Great Skate Parks Near Washington, DC for Kids and Families

Submitted by Jennifer Marino... on Fri, 04/01/2022 - 10:00am

The award-winning Powhatan Springs Skate Park is perfect for younger skaters. Photo courtesy of Arlington Skaters, Facebook

Got a young skater looking to work on their ollies, kickturns, or heelflips? There are plenty of skate parks near Washington, DC that welcome everyone from newbies to experienced skateboarders. Some of them are strictly skateboard parks, while others allow in-line skates, rollerblades, and/or bicycles as well. Most of these skate parks near DC require helmets (but even if they don't, your kiddo should totally wear one), and many require elbow pads and kneepads as well.

Here are 12 great skate parks near Washington, DC for kids and families. For even more outdoor fun, check out our lists of destination playgrounds in the DC area and great mini golf courses near DC.