Heading to Virginia this summer time or within the temper for a staycation? Listed below are 15 issues to do in Virginia with youngsters by myself bucket record!
I used to be drawn to Charlottesville earlier than I ever had youngsters as a result of it’s on most of the “greatest locations to boost a household” lists, and now that I’ve two boys, I actually do love elevating them right here. From the coast to the mountains, there’s a lot to like about our stunning state. And it’s certainly very family-friendly. From exploring our discovery museums and amusement parks, stepping again in time at historic websites, or romping by trails of pure wonders, this state is full of enjoyable for the entire household.
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to name Virginia residence for the previous 15 years, but there may be nonetheless a lot of the state I wish to discover! Thomas and I’ve a objective to do extra smaller, native journeys (perhaps with one evening away) with the boys. Whether or not you’re planning a summer time journey to Virginia or a Virginian your self simply in search of methods to maintain your little ones entertained nearer to residence, I’ve rounded up a number of the greatest kid-friendly actions which are on our bucket record!
15 Issues to Do in Virginia with Children
There are tons of kid-friendly actions throughout the state that permit your little ones be taught, discover, and burn off all that power in one of the simplest ways. From hands-on museums to outside adventures, there’s one thing for each age and each type of curious child.
Listed below are a couple of weblog posts with a number of the highlights we’ve already accomplished:
Is Virginia Protected for Children?
I needed to look this up – do you know Virginia ranks because the eleventh most secure state within the US in 2025? And, in the event you’re Northern Virginia particularly, the crime charges are literally a number of the lowest within the nation. The state additionally takes baby security severely, with wonderful assets like Protected Children Virginia providing all the things from automobile seat checkups to security workshops and even sports activities clinics for households.
Inside Charlottesville particularly, we’ve packages that assist protected youngsters just like the Protected Routes to College Program, Neighborhood Bikes, ReadyKids, nice public colleges and extra.
What to Do in Virginia with Children
Listed below are some concepts and new-to-me locations to take the youngsters this summer time!
Issues to Do in Virginia Seashore with Children
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Heart
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Heart is hands-down among the best spots to go to with youngsters. It’s the right mixture of enjoyable and academic!
With over 12,000 animals and greater than 700 species, there’s a lot for little ones to discover. The reveals stroll you thru every kind of marine habitats from the Chesapeake Bay to the Pink Sea. Plus, contact swimming pools, interactive shows, and each day animal feedings make studying really feel like an journey.
Grommet Island Park
Grommet Island Park is a superb spot for households. It’s enjoyable, inventive, and absolutely inclusive, all proper on the oceanfront.
It’s really the primary absolutely accessible seashore playground within the US, which makes it much more wonderful. With large ramps, delicate surfaces, and sensory-friendly options, this park was really designed so that youngsters of all skills can play aspect by aspect.
There are raised sand tables for castle-building, interactive sensory boards, and playful sculptures suppose dolphins and surfboards that encourage creativeness and open-ended enjoyable the place each baby can benefit from the magic of play, with out boundaries. It’s free to go.
Ocean Breeze Waterpark
Ocean Breeze Waterpark is a type of locations that examine all of the containers for a enjoyable household day. With over 30 rides and points of interest, there’s one thing for everybody from toddlers to thrill-seeking teenagers (and sure, even for us grown-ups, too!)
You’ve obtained a million-gallon wave pool, a calming lazy river, and tons of water slides that vary from light to heart-racing. For the little ones, the newly up to date Buccaneer Bay is such a win; it’s full of age-appropriate slides, splash pads, and enjoyable water options that maintain them busy and protected.
Dad and mom, you’ll love the little conveniences that make a giant distinction: free parking, complimentary internal tubes, and even free sunscreen stations all through the park. I do know my boys would like to go!
Hunt Membership Farm
Hunt Membership Farm is such a candy spot for a household time out, particularly in case your youngsters love animals and being exterior principally each child ever!
The petting farm is at all times successful. You’ll discover pleasant goats, sheep, chickens, and extra, all prepared for some light pets and up-close interplay. It’s hands-on, instructional, and a good way for little ones to find out about farm life.
The TreeWalk Journey is one other favourite with elevated walkways, treehouses, and loads of house to discover and picture. And don’t miss their seasonal occasions just like the Easter Egg Hunt within the spring or the Harvest Honest within the fall. They at all times carry an additional little bit of magic to the expertise.
Colonial Williamsburg
Simply an hour away from Virginia Seashore, Colonial Williamsburg is a type of magical locations the place historical past involves life. It’s such a enjoyable and surprisingly hands-on instructional expertise for households. It’s the world’s largest residing historical past museum and really seems like stepping again in time to the 18th century.
Unfold out over 300 stunning restored acres, you’ll discover cobblestone streets, charming previous buildings, and costumed interpreters who make you’re feeling such as you’re proper there in colonial America. And for the youngsters? It’s not nearly watching it’s about doing! They’ll strive their hand at candle-making, blacksmithing, and even wander by the boxwood maze behind the Governor’s Palace.
We beloved it at Christmastime!
Issues to Do in West Virginia with Children
Clay Heart for the Arts & Sciences
The Clay Heart for the Arts & Sciences is such a hidden gem for households. It’s the right mixture of studying, creativity, and hands-on enjoyable that retains youngsters (and adults!) completely engaged.
On the coronary heart of the middle is the Avampato Discovery Museum, which spans three flooring and over 12,000 sq. ft of interactive reveals. Your youngsters can splash round in WaterWorks, make music within the Maier Basis Music Studio, or find out about wellness within the tremendous enjoyable “Wholesome Me!” exhibit.
And don’t miss the “My City” exhibit, the place youngsters can role-play completely different jobs, or the Caperton Planetarium & Theater, the place you may see out-of-this-world house exhibits.
Camden Park
Camden Park is the type of place that provides you all the nostalgic amusement park vibes. West Virginia’s solely amusement park is full of over 30 rides and points of interest starting from basic thrills to little-kid favorites. The Huge Dipper, a historic wood curler coaster, is a should for courageous riders, whereas youthful kiddos can hop on the Lil’ Dipper for their very own mini model of enjoyable.
Kiddie Land is ideal for youths below 48 inches, with charming rides like Hand Vehicles, Kiddie Boats, and Pony Carts which are simply the proper velocity for tiny adventurers. And for the entire household? There’s a miniature prepare trip and swan paddle boats.
Blackwater Falls State Park
Blackwater Falls State Park is a pure surprise that makes you cease and say, “Wow!” It’s the right place to get your youngsters away from screens and take part in some outside actions.
The park’s star attraction is the beautiful 57-foot waterfall, well-known for its wealthy amber-colored water (due to the tannins from fallen hemlock and purple spruce needles nature is fairly wonderful proper?!). You’ll be able to simply view the falls from the boardwalk and statement platforms, which make it tremendous accessible for households with little ones in tow.
There are additionally mountain climbing trails, together with the Light Path, a wheel-chair accessible path that results in a lovely overlook good for all ages and mobility ranges. And, in the event you’re up for exploring, try Elakala Falls for the breathtaking Lindy Level Overlook for some severely photo-worthy views.
Oglebay Park & Good Zoo
Oglebay Park & Good Zoo is such a enjoyable and well-rounded spot for households the place the youngsters can run wild and be taught one thing new.
The Good Zoo is definitely the one AZA-accredited zoo in your complete state, and it’s residence to over 80 species together with favorites like purple pandas, lemurs, and kangaroos. Children can rise up shut with the animals, take part on feeding classes, and even find out about wildlife conservation in a approach that’s tremendous hands-on and fascinating. There’s even a veterinary hospital on website the place you may watch animal care in motion, which is so cool in the event you’ve obtained an aspiring vet within the household!
Outdoors of the zoo, Oglebay Park presents tons of house to discover with strolling trails, stunning gardens, and enjoyable seasonal occasions all year long. It’s the right combine of outside journey and animal encounters that retains everybody dad and mom included comfortable and entertained.
Issues to Do in Northern Virginia with Children
Smithsonian’s Nationwide Air and Area Museum
The Smithsonian Nationwide Air and Area Museum doesn’t simply wow the youngsters, but in addition adults, the second you stroll in. If you happen to’ve obtained a bit of one who’s into planes, house, or something that flies, it is a must-visit.
There are iconic plane displayed, just like the Area Shuttle Discovery, SR-71 Blackbird, and Air France Concorde, in addition to interactive reveals that make studying about aviation and house exploration tremendous enjoyable and hands-on. Plus, an IMAX theater exhibits cool instructional movies, and an statement tower the place you may watch actual planes taking off and touchdown at Dulles Airport close by.
George Washington’s Property in Mount Vernon
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Property is such a enjoyable and enriching place to go to with youngsters it brings historical past to life in essentially the most hands-on, partaking approach.
Younger guests can seize an Journey Map, which turns the property into a bit of treasure hunt with enjoyable clues and colourful illustrations to information them alongside the way in which. Contained in the Fingers-on Historical past Heart, youngsters ages 3–10 can actually step again in time by dressing up in 18th-century outfits, taking part in with interval toys, and making an attempt out themed actions that make studying really feel like play.
If you happen to’re visiting within the hotter months, don’t miss the working farm, the place you may meet animals and watch demonstrations of how farming was accomplished in George Washington’s day.
Leesburg Animal Park
Leesburg Animal Park is such a candy, fun-filled spot for households the place your youngsters will likely be speaking concerning the animals lengthy after you’ve left.
Unfold out over 21 acres, the park is residence to a enjoyable mixture of home and unique animals suppose zebras, camels, lemurs, wallabies, and extra! Children can rise up shut and private within the Contact Space, the place they will pet and feed pleasant cattle like goats, sheep, and llamas.
However it’s not simply concerning the animals! The park additionally has indoor and outside play areas, together with a multi-level jungle gymnasium, big slides, and a Discovery Room with arts and crafts for if you want a bit of downtime (or shade!).
And don’t miss their seasonal occasions just like the Pumpkin Village Fall Fest and Christmas Village, full with hayrides, moon bounces, and festive decor that’s simply as enjoyable for grown-ups as it’s for youths!
Kids’s Science Heart Lab
The Kids’s Science Heart Lab in Fairfax is ideal for curious youngsters who like to discover and get hands-on.
Tucked contained in the Honest Oaks Mall, the Lab is full of interactive zones that cowl all issues STEM (science, know-how, engineering, and math) in a approach that’s tremendous approachable and thrilling. On the Experiment Bar, youngsters can really run their very own science experiments, with a bit of steerage, whereas the Tinker Store lets them dive into constructing and engineering challenges.
With age-appropriate actions and reveals that rotate often, the Lab is a type of locations that not solely retains youngsters engaged, however really evokes them.
LEGO Discovery Heart
Excessive on our household’s record: LEGO Discovery Heart. Good for youths who love spending the day constructing, exploring, and getting inventive. This colourful indoor play house is designed with 12 immersive zones that spark creativeness at each flip. With the DUPLO Park for toddlers, a whimsical Creativeness Categorical prepare trip, a 4D Cinema, and even Mini World, there’s something for each child.
Children can even construct their very own LEGO automobiles, create customized minifigures, or launch spaceships within the Area Mission zone. Each exercise is hands-on, partaking, and completely geared towards studying by play.
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns is a magical pure surprise in Virginia that really seems like an journey for each youngsters and grown-ups alike. This can be a enjoyable household outing that blends nature, studying, and a bit of little bit of wow-factor!
As the most important caverns within the japanese US, the underground views are beautiful. You’ll wander by large rooms stuffed with towering stalactites and stalagmites, go by the glassy Dream Lake, and listen to precise music echoing from the Nice Stalacpipe Organ an actual organ that makes use of the cavern formations to play notes.
The enjoyable doesn’t cease if you head again above floor! There’s a one-acre Backyard Maze with fountains and a lookout tower (nice for burning off power), a Rope Journey Park with programs for various talent ranges, and Toy City Junction, which options classic mannequin trains and basic toys that even adults will love.
Get able to discover Virginia by kid-friendly actions!
Virginia is full of fantastic locations to discover with youngsters, whether or not you’re into state parks, seashores, charming small cities, or the entire above. I’m at all times in search of enjoyable methods to get the youngsters out of the home and into new, instructional experiences.
If you happen to’re planning a visit or perhaps even fascinated with making Virginia your new residence make sure to try a few of my different weblog posts under the place I share our favourite spots, suggestions, and family-friendly finds throughout the state.