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22 Socially Distanced Things to Do with Kids in DC, VA and MD

These crazy times of 2020 have given our family at least one upside: exploring all the wonderful spots in Washington, DC, Virginia and Maryland!

It’s truly been eye opening all the incredible nature, playgrounds and locations our area has to offer! From National Monuments to Wetlands to Epic Playgrounds, below are our family’s favorites.

Go directly here to VIRGINIA and MARYLAND and the Google Map of all the Places Mentioned.

(And check out my full DC with Kids Guide with local mom tips on Smithsonians with Kids, Best Hotels with Kids and Best Places to Eat with Kids.)

Washington DC Socially Distanced with Kids

1. National Mall

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TGIF on the National Mall! ⁣Usually the National Mall in DC is packed with tourists in August but this afternoon it was mostly empty! + low traffic + parking spots aplenty = easiest Mall trip. (But of course, I would rather be out of this pandemic … ehem…political “leaders.”)⁣ ⁣ 🍉 We took a picnic of watermelon and pretzels and read a bit and enjoyed watching the planes fly by the monument. Tons of space even if there were more people! (Check out stories and highlights for an awkward video)⁣ ⁣ ⁣ 🏛Did you know that part of the National Mall where the monuments are located used to be marshland and swamp. In fact, where the Washington Monument sits today is where Tiber Creek used to flow down present-day Constitution Avenue (where we parked!) Two U.S. Presidents even kept pet alligators 🐊 at the White House (Herbert Hoover and John Quincy Adams!)

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2. The Wharf

3. Bishops Garden, Washington Cathedral

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Can you believe this is Washington DC?! This is the beautiful Bishop’s Garden of the National Cathedral @WNCathedral which is open to the public for free (but wear masks!) from dawn to dusk. 💫⁣ ⁣ This week brought some sad news and new anxieties for me and so I wanted to go to a place to pray. This garden was one of my favorite places before kids and I am so glad they loved exploring the stone pathways and this beautiful gazebo. Even though the Cathedral is closed right now, there are 59 acres of parks and woods to enjoy. ⁣ ⁣ After the garden, we walked 9 minutes north to the Macomb Recreation Center’s playground for an hour. It’s a great playground tucked into historic Cleveland Park with a fenced-in kids section, small sandpit, big kids slides, basketball court and baseball field. ⁣ ⁣ We finished up our outing with my fav pizza this side of 🇮🇹 @2amysneapolitanpizzeria and ate on the grounds of the Cathedral where we had parked. So grateful for this morning of lovely breezes, playtimes and prayers! 🙏

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4. Macomb Recreation Playground, Cathedral Heights

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We made it through our first day of virtual school with #FCPS! I wish we had this playground down our street to enjoy after school but thankful to be only a few miles from DC!⁣ ⁣ This is the Macomb Recreation Center playground in #ClevelandPark in NW DC. It is open from 8 AM to 7 PM and includes a big kids area (with this odd but very fun conveyer belt thingy?!), swings, sandpit, little kids fenced area, a baseball field, and basketball courts. We went on a Saturday morning and it wasn’t busy at all and everyone wore masks. ⁣ ⁣ The neighborhood around the park is just beautiful and I put some of my favorite houses up in stories today. We’ll be back soon!

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5. National Building Museum, Murals that Matter (up until November)

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Gorgeous weather + our new decision to homeschool = more time to explore! ⁣ ⁣ Highly recommend checking out the Murals that Matter exhibit @nationalbuildingmuseum on the West Lawn. These 25 powerful murals will be on display until November and there will be an online panel discussion on Sept. 22. ⁣ ⁣ Each mural has a QR code that my kids liked to scan and read more about the murals (tbh they just liked scanning them and I did the reading!) The website has artist interviews and more! More photos and video in stories and DC Outing highlights. ⁣ ⁣ 📍Location: Museum’s West Lawn (5th Street NW, between F and G streets)⁣ ⁣ 😷 Social Distancing: Lots of room and murals so we never were close to people. 1 family was having a picnic in the shade. ⁣ ⁣ 🍜 Food: We got our Chinatown fav @rerenlamen to go!

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6. Tidal Basin

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Surprise to me…the Tidal Basin is not just for tourists! It is a great place for a family walk on a Sunday afternoon with plenty of room to socially distance! The entire Tidal Basin Loop Trail is 2.1 miles with the Jefferson Memorial on one side, MLK monument a little farther down and tons of iconic shots of the Washington Monument. My kids loved ducking under the branches, watching fisherman and skipping ahead (you just can’t see their smiles from under the Paw Patrol mask!) Some tips below!⁣ ⁣ 🅿️ – We parked at the Parking Area near the paddle boats off Maine Ave. SW. It is metered parking and does cost money (even on Sundays!) but it is super convenient. There were dozens of spots even at 3 PM on a Sunday. ⁣ ⁣ 😷 – There were other families on the path but everyone was maintaining social distance. For much of the loop, there are 2 parallel paths, one for walkers and one more for bikers. Once you get to the memorials, there is tons of space to spread out. ⁣ ⁣ 🍦- Not many food options in this area. There are the food trucks off 14th street for a treat (but low expectations and high cost). The Wharf is a relatively close (probably drive) area for tons of great options!⁣ ⁣ I’m on the lookout for some hidden gems in DC and would appreciate any ideas in the comments❓⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #igdc #washingtondc #dcmoms #tidalbasin #notjustfortourists #washingtonmonument #dctography #dcwithkids #mydccool #kidsindc #dcmoms #dcmom #exploredc #igersdc #igdcfamily #dmv #citygram #lovedc #exploredmv #afarmedia #travelandl

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7. Portrait Gallery Kogod Courtyard, Chinatown

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Rain is coming Sunday and Monday here in the DC Metro Area so here are some places to explore indoors/covered and socially distanced. 🌧 (Save this post for other rainy days!)⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 1️⃣ @smithsoniannpg specifically the pictured Kogod Courtyard! Beautiful and love their Explore Kids Room. As of writing this, the museum has openings for Sunday, October 11. Check the website for the required free time-entry tickets.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 2️⃣ @restontowncenter Pavilion is a field-size covered area with fake grass and tons of room to run!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 3️⃣ @airandspacemuseum in Virginia is the largest Smithsonian by size. As of writing this, it has openings for Monday, October 12. Check the website for free time-entry tickets.⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 4️⃣ @Americanart museum in Renwick Gallery is open now Wednesday thru Sundays 10 -5:30 PM with no pass system! My kids love the dramatic red stairway and there is always interesting art!⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🌧For future rainy days, be sure to check out these other Smithsonians that have timed-entry but no availability for THIS weekend:⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ – American Indian museum @smithsoniannmai⁣⁣ – Museum of African American History & Culture @NMAAHC⁣⁣ – Museum of American History @AMhistorymuseum⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Compiling this list made me realize I need a lot more options as the weather changes! Are there any good indoor socially distancing places to play?

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8. Tudor Place, Georgetown

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I found a unicorn DC Family Outing! 🦄 Free + socially distant + Beautiful + RESTROOM! @Tudor_Place in Georgetown was magical on this gorgeous day! It was the home to Martha Washington’s descendants, enslaved workers, and servants for 178 years. It sits on 5.5 acres of beautiful gardens 2 blocks from Wisconsin Ave. ⁣ ⁣ Check stories/highlights to see my kids dancing under the portico, finding a friendly bunny in the east lawn, learning about the sundial and smelling the incredible roses (even in October?!) I researched a playground closeby to go afterwards if my kids didn’t enjoy the gardens as much as I did. But they ❤ed it so much I had to pull them away when our time ended! The museum gives out free kids maps and my kids looooved using theirs to explore. ⁣🗺 ⁣ Details below and make special note of the required online reservation for a timed entry. All the time slots were available when I reserved the night before. ⁣ ⁣ TUDOR PLACE – Georgetown ⁣ ✨ Gardens open Thursdays through Sundays noon to 4 PM⁣ (Mansion is not open right now due to covid) 💵 Free⁣ but need to reserve a timed entry. Tons of times available the day before! ⁣ 🚻Restroom connected to Mansion but accessible by the outside door (even a step stool for kids) sanitized regularly thoroughly the day. (See highlights for a pic)⁣ 😷 Requires masks and has lawn signs limiting # of people in each gazebo or fountain area. ⁣ 🅿️ Free street parking for 2 hours. I counted 4 available spots at 2pm on a weekday.

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Virginia

9. Chestnut Hills Park, Arlington

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Never seen this before at a Virginia playground! Chestnut Hills Park in north Arlington has 2 unique playgrounds and tons of beautiful areas in its 4 acres. Next to the toddler playground is the coolest sand pit/water run I’ve seen in the area! It felt like a European playground with a trike path around the playground and tons of shade. The big kids playground is older but has some unique features my kids loved like a slidy-zipline thing (sorry not sure what its called!) Thx @arlparksrec!⁣ ⁣ 🥟Pro Tip: Pick up take out at @chefpeterchang ‘s restaurant 0.3 miles away and eat outside on a lovely day! (Our fam’s favorites: Napa cabbage and tofu skin, chicken and 4 types of mushrooms, spicy fried eggplant and don’t forget the bubble scallion pancakes!)⁣ ⁣ What is your kids’ favorite playground? Need to add some more to our explore list!⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #arlingtonva #arlingtonkids #arlingtonparks #chestnuthillspark #loveva #visitdc #dmv #exploredmv #playgrounds #uniqueplaygrounds #exploreva #exploredmv #unpluggedchildhood #peterchangs #hiddengem #forthecurious #travelgram #travelbug #bestplacestogo

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10. Scotts Run Nature Park, McLean

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Another Sunday night remembering a lovely but bittersweet weekend in #coronatimes. ⁣ ⁣ Saturday started off with a wonderful hike on our #northernvirginia bucket list at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve. We arrived around 9:45am and thankfully got one of the last spots in the 2nd parking lot. (Be aware there are very limited spots and we saw a policeman writing many tickets for cars irked on Georgetown Pike)⁣ ⁣ It was a magical place to hike with stone water bridges and swimming holes. But it was also pretty muggy and part of the trail to the waterfall is pretty steep both up and down. Would love to come on a less hot and busy day.⁣ ⁣ When we arrived home, we logged on to a livestream of a memorial service for my wonderful grandma who passed away this spring. I am so thankful for this opportunity to join my family around the country in remembering and honoring her. One of my favorite memories with her was “hiking” around her cul de sac with the kids and her hiking sticks. She would have loved to join our hike this weekend but I am so thankful for her loving example and her resting now with God. ⁣ ⁣ “Collect moments. Not things.” – Karen Salmansohn.

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11. Ever After Alpaca Farm, Broad Run

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🦙Alpaca Joy!🦙⁣ We had the best time at a private Alpaca farm visit in Broad Run, Virginia today! Heidi runs the family farm and wonderfully shares with others her love for these adorable animals! You can book a spot for $12 per person on Saturdays and Sundays on their website: www.everafteralpacafarm.com.⁣ ⁣ It was a perfect #socialdistancedactivity with masks and hand sanitizer provided if you didn’t bring any. ⁣ ⁣ We all learned so much as Heidi is very knowledgeable about each of her 11 Alpaca’s personalities. (Cool fact: if there’s a predator, the head of the herd will try to scare it away and if not, it will lay down and sacrifice itself for its herd family).⁣ ⁣ The best part of the time was seeing my kids run and play freely and having quiet moments feeding the Alpacas. (More cuteness in highlights!🥰) Thanks so much, Heidi for the highlight of this crazy summer!

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12. Mosaic Park, Arlington

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New park! 🚨 Mosaic Playground in Ballston just opened a few weeks ago and it lives up to hype!⁣ ⁣ This playground has tons of unique features including a climbing wall (bette view in stories!) hills to roll down, rope bridge and more will be added including a splash pad!⁣ ⁣ We did go at peak playground time (2pm on a Sunday) which meant the park was very busy for my comfort level. BUT since there are so many different sections, we were able to play mostly separately. (Surprisingly, the climbing wall wasn’t busy and we rolled down a ton of the hills!) ⁣ ⁣ MOSAIC PARK – Arlington ⁣ (*Not to be confused with Mosaic District in Fairfax)⁣ 💵 Free and huge free parking lot right next to park! ⁣ 🚻 No restrooms at the park but lots of restaurants and businesses close by? (&pizza and Super Pollo right next to Park but I can’t confirm they have open restrooms) ⁣ 😷 Busiest Park I’ve been to recently but that’s probably bc we went on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. Still room to spread out but to be honest we just stayed about half the usual playground time bc I wanted more space between kiddos. ⁣ 🅿️ Parking lot of Pollard St. was huge! ⁣(Edited for add: I’ve had two helpful woman share to be aware of parking in the large lot next to Gold’s Gym. So I called the gym yesterday and they said playground people can park in spaces without golds gym stamped on the space. The playground was finished only weeks ago so I hope the parking will have clearer signage ASAP.) ⁣ Going at a peak time got me thinking if I would prefer a new playground that’s busy or an old playground that’s quieter? What would you say??

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13. Nall’s Produce, Alexandria (near Kingstowne)

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Yep, I did go to @Nalls_produce for the gram! 😂But can you blame me when they have such a cool photo wall and Penny the Pig?! (More photos and videos of the hidden gem that is Nalls in Kingstowne Alexandria) ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ It’s been a while since I did a #fridayintro so… I’m Jennifer and I’ve lived in northern Virginia for the last 10 years (except for a wonderful year in Taiwan 🇹🇼!) I live with my amazing but private husband and 2 kids ages 7 and 4.⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 🌍I grew up moving about every 2 years and lived in the US, Germany, Netherlands and Egypt. Having kids actually made the traveling bug increase as we wanted to explore the world twice… once thru our eyes and once thru our kids! ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ 😷We are strict social distancers but that hasn’t stopped local adventures! We’ve loved exploring the DMV area and will continue now that we are homeschooling for this year. ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ Random facts:⁣⁣⁣ 👚 I ❤️ thrift shops and my best find of the year is this Madewell shirt in the pic which I found at Unique in Falls Church for $5!⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 📚 I love reading to learn and escape. Recent favs The New Jim Crow (finally finished but so worth the long read), One to Watch (*****), This Book is Overdue: How Librarians Save us All⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ 🏮We love celebrating Taiwan festivals and my fav is coming up next week…Mid Autumn Festival! ⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣ I would love to hear something fun about you in the comments…fav book or place to explore?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #alexandriava #dcmoms #nallsproduce #visitvirginia #novamoms #fairfaxmoms #pumpkins #falltime #nalls2020 #exploreva #visitfairfax #fairfaxcounty #dcmomblogger #momblogger #fridayintro #pumpkinselfie #virginiaisforlovers #exploredmv #virginiaisbeautiful #loveva #dmv #kingstowne

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14. Burke Lake Park, Fairfax Station

15. Monticello Park Challenge Course, Burke

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Challenge Course FINISH at Monticello Park in Burke! This small park was opened 2 years ago with a large dog park next to it. ⁣ ⁣ 🅿️ Medium size parking lot off Guinea road. (Note: No restrooms that I could see!)⁣ ⁣ 😷 I love this Challenge Course for social distancing bc there is a “path” through the course that helps a lot with spacing! (Of course, younger kiddos might not understand the order but since there are 12 climbing structures you can keep to your own one. ⁣ ⁣ ⏰ When we arrived at 3pm we had the course to ourselves but then at 3:30 when virtual school lets out for elementary, 3 families joined. 2 in masks and 1 not. ⁣ ⁣ Note: there are signs that say the Challenge Course is designed for ages 13+. All the kids I saw were ages 3-10 ish but definitely be aware of the higher climbing structures. ⁣ ⁣ #fairfaxparks #virginiaparks #playgroundreview #visitvirginia #burkeva #playgrounds #novamoms #fairfaxmoms #exploreva #visitfairfax #fairfaxcounty #virginiaisforlovers #exploredmv #virginiaisbeautiful #loveva #dmv #challengecourse #getoutside #1000hoursoutside

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16. Pohick Bay Regional Park, Lorton

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A Playground With a View! (5 seconds into video)✨ Last weekend, we explored Pohick Bay Regional Park in Lorton, VA. My husband cycled the Tour de Mount Vernon (so fun 🚲!) so we had a couple of hours between cheering him on to play! ⁣ ⁣ This Treehouse themed playground was the highlight for the kids and the view of the Potomac was my favorite! Its really a beautiful destination park for camping, hiking and boating. ⁣ ⁣ 🅿🚻 – Parking is plentiful and at least 2 separate bathroom facilities. ⁣ ⁣ 💲 – It is $8 a day per vehicle if you are from outside NOVA (Free for Arlington, Fairfax & Loudoun Counties; Cities of Alexandria, Fairfax & Falls Church) ⁣ ⁣ 😷 – We were there Saturday morning and it got a little busier around mid-morning but plenty of things to explore to social distance. ⁣ ⁣ 🛶 – Boat Rental Open until Oct 12 on weekends from 10 AM to 4:30 PM. ⁣ ⁣ ⛺ – Tent camping and rustic cabins available, check out their website for more details. ⁣ ⁣ Now I’m spoiled for playgrounds with beautiful views! What are your Park preferences?⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #playgroundswithaview #lortonva #dcmoms #visitvirginia #visitfairfax #novamoms #fairfaxmoms #exploreva #FXVA #potomacriver #fairfaxcounty #virginiaisforlovers #exploredmv #loveva #dmv #novaplaygrounds #novaparks #playgrounds #optoutside #exploremore #liveadventurously #wondermore #getoutside #exploreeverything

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17. Lake Accotink Park, Springfield

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We’re having the most glorious October weather and we love biking at Lake Accotink Park! We’ve already biked twice at this Springfield VA park in the last week! ⁣ ⁣ What makes this park special for me is this little sandy peninsula pictured here, the dam “waterfall” and the lovely dam wall bike trail (see stories and highlights to see more what I’m talking about. ⁣ ⁣ 💲 – FREE to enter. The weekend Carousel is $3 per person.⁣ ⁣ 🅿🚻 – Large parking lot by the railroad bridge and a smaller lot near boats and carousel. Big Bathroom pavilion. Parking is plentiful and at least 2 separate bathroom facilities. ⁣ ⁣ 😷 – We’ve been here on weekdays and weekends and it got a little too busy on a Sunday afternoon for my comfort. Weekdays and mornings were great and of course, boating and biking are great for social distancing. ⁣ ⁣ 🛶 – They have pedal boats and kayaks to rent Monday Thru Sunday (check the website for hours and prices.) ⁣ ⁣ We’ve been sticking close to VA this week but hope to explore more in Montgomery County and Prince Georges County this weekend. What are you fav social distancing locations in MD? ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #kidsbiking #lakeaccotink #fairfaxparks #visitvirginia #visitfairfax #novamoms #fairfaxmoms #exploreva #FXVA #exploreeverything #fairfaxcounty #virginiaisforlovers #exploredmv #loveva #novaparks #pursuehappy #letthemexplore #candidchildhood #nofilter #virginiaskies #lonelyplanet #exploreva #fairfaxparksandrec #springfieldva #springfieldparks

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18. Riverfront, Old Town Alexandria

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TGIF feels sweeter after our first week of virtual school! In all the busyness, I need to skip DMV Outing recs for this weekend. ⁣ One quick rec is for the Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. We had a wonderful afternoon walk there earlier this summer and loved being by the water, watching the ducks and people fishing. King Street is a pedestrian and outdoor dining area now for a couple blocks closest to the river. It was a little too crowded for my comfort, so we walked on the mostly empty side streets to get to the river walk along the Potomac. ⁣ .⁣ .⁣ .⁣ #oldtownalexandria #alexandriava #visitalex #dmvthisweekend #waterfront #visitvirginia #novamoms #fairfaxmoms #exploreva #alexandriamoms #virginiaisforlovers #exploredmv #virginiaisbeautiful #loveva #dmv

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19. Shenandoah National Park

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Happy National Park Week! ⁣ Way back in March we went to Shenandoah National Park and it was such a wonderful trip for all of us to enjoy nature before they closed. Swipe to see my daughter trying to fake out my husband! 😂⁣ ⁣ Have any of you done the Junior Ranger program, did you kids enjoy it? Def on the list for post-quarantine! ⁣ ⁣ From @nationalparkservice “The National Park Service is modifying its operations on a park-by-park basis… While most facilities and events are closed or canceled, outdoor spaces in some parks remain accessible to the public. Before visiting, please check with individual parks regarding changes to park operations.”⁣ ⁣ (And thanks to @abroadwife and @kidfriendlydc for the heads up!)⁣ ⁣ #nationalparkweek #havekidswilltravel #nationalparks #shenandoah #nps #travelfromhome #cantwaittotravelagain #dcroadtrip #nofilter #virginiaskies

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Shenandoah Hikes for Kids ✨ We ❤️ @shenandoahnps with kids, esp, at this time of year! This is probably the busiest couple of weeks of the season with the changing leaves, so 2 tips before my 3 hiking recs:⁣
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✔️ Check out the park’s Instagram to find out which parking lots are full for the day. (Don’t worry tho, Skyline Drive is 105 miles long with dozens of parking lots and pull over spots to see the views!)⁣
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✔️ Buy your entrance pass online ($30 per car) so you can avoid some of the lines at the entrance stations. Coming from DC for the day, I recommend Thornton Gap Entrance Station rather than Front Royal (a little less busy and you can go both north and south on Skyline)⁣
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KIDS HIKES/WALKS (Feel free to DM me if you want me to send you these links so they are clickable!)⁣
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1️⃣ Pinnacles Picnic Ground: The easiest spot we’ve found so far with kids. Park at Pinnacles parking lot just south of Thornton Gap Entrance Station. You can walk north or south on the real Appalachian Trail. Highly recommend the 0.3 mile walk to Jewell Hollow Overlook We brought hot dogs and charcoal for a picnic as they have fire pits. We last went this April so I am not sure the busyness level but stunning views! ⁣
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2️⃣ Limberlost: Lovely walk through the forest on a fully accessible (STROLLER!) 1.3 mile trail. (Note: no sweeping views) The park’s website for the hike is here.
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3️⃣ Dark Hollow Falls: My friend said this was a great one and she has prek and elementary age kids. Check out the Park’s website for this hike here.
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P.s. I’ve found that actually the best sweeping 📷 s for kids are at the numerous overlooks. Many of the serious hikes will be very busy right now and some might be not at kid level. ⁣

20. Huntley Meadows Park, Alexandria VA

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Today, we almost missed out on one of the best homeschooling days bc I was worried about the weather. Turns out, we all had boots that fit us (mostly!) and last years’ raincoats worked just fine! ⁣ ⁣ We had the best time at @fairfaxparks Powhatan Clay Pots and Corn Grinding class by Mr. Malcolm at #huntleymeadowspark! He shared that the wetlands were like a giant grocery store for indigenous peoples pointing out all the different ways they used nature for food, tools and medicine. (Can you guess what he’s pointing out here?) ⁣ ⁣ The class was held in a beautiful outdoor classroom pavilion (swipe right) with masks which made me so happy to be in nature but also covered by the rain.⁣ ⁣ My kids declared it the “best day all month!” We got to learn about dozens of indigenous artifacts, grind corn, go on a 1 hr guides nature hike and the grand finale: make clay pots with clay that Mr. Malcolm pulled from the wetlands! ⁣ ⁣ For me the best part happened when our guide shared that they have found many artifacts used by Indigenous peoples at Huntley Meadows and when they don’t know what something was used for, they simply ask a member of the tribe now! (Like a stone they thought was a hammer but actually was a net stone for fishing!) It finally clicked for my daughter that indigenous people are living and have been living in Virginia for thousands of years. ⁣ ⁣ HUNTLEY MEADOWS PARK – Alexandria, VA⁣ 💵 Free⁣ 🚻Porta potty in parking lot ⁣ 😷 Requires masks, not too busy (although it was raining!) ⁣ 🅿️ Tons of parking ⁣ ✏️ Visitors center closed but check out their classes and outings on Parktakes or https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/huntley-meadows

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Maryland

21. Walker Mill Regional Park, Capitol Heights

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“That playground was kinda like a Blippi one!” – the highest compliment from my 4 year old son! The Walker Mill Regional Park was so much fun this morning! Thanks to @austinkgraff for sharing this new to us playground! (he has great DC father-daughter outings on his page!)⁣ ⁣ The park is located in Capitol Heights, MD which was 34 minutes for us in Fairfax county (24 mins from Capitol Hill DC).⁣ There was only one other family there with us at 10 AM and we all wore masks. TONS of space for everyone to play with about 10 different play structures each with their own slide. Even the walk to the playground was fun with a joke-telling gnome statue! Check out my stories or MD Outing highlights for more pics of the fun!⁣ ⁣ 🍎Food Tip: Less than a mile away is a great shopping center with drive through Chick Fil A, Sonic, Mezeh and Starbucks ☕️

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22. Jug Bay Wetlands, Upper Marlboro

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Did you know there is a Wetlands Sanctuary just 21 miles east of DC?! Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary near Upper Marlboro, MD is such a unique place to visit! We explored the Marsh Boardwalk trail (one-way trail that begins right before the Visitor’s center). My daughter even got to log her wildlife sightings in the Visitor’s Center log book nailed to the door. (a 🦋swipe right for the log!) ⁣ ⁣ (One note from a non-bug lover: there are definitely more bugs and critters than other hikes…its a sanctuary after all! I would consider bug spray and do a good tick check when you get home. ⁣ ⁣ 💎 – Don’t miss this hidden gem which is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. About 21 miles east of DC and 27 miles from Arlington⁣ ⁣ 💲 – Sign says to pay $6 at Visitor Center when open but wasn’t open when we were there. (Free for military and veterans with ID)⁣ ⁣ 🅿🚻 – Parking lot after a lovely gravel road. Bathrooms are currently closed for COVID but there is a portable bathroom in the parking lot. ⁣ ⁣ 😷 – Hardly anyone there! We only saw one other hiker in the parking lot. Love the Marsh Boardwalk trail which is a one-way trail! ⁣ ⁣ (Thx again to @AustinKGraff for sharing his trip earlier this summer with his daughter!) ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ ⁣ #jugbay #jugbaywetlandssanctuary #UpperMarlboro #marshland #visitmaryland #mdmom #mocomom #exploredmv #exploremd #lovemd #simplychildren #childhoodunplugged #letthemexplore #candidchildhood #letthembelittle #optoutside #exploremore #liveadventurously #wondermore #getoutside #exploreeverything #igdc #dcwithkids #dcmoms #dcmom #exploredc #hiddengemdc #getoutdoors #travelmatters

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