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 listing!
I used to be drawn to Charlottesville earlier than I ever had youngsters as a result of it’s on lots 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 way of trails of pure wonders, this state is filled with enjoyable for the entire household.
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to name Virginia house for the previous 15 years, but there’s nonetheless a lot of the state I wish to discover! Thomas and I’ve a objective to do extra smaller, native journeys (possibly with one night time away) with the boys. Whether or not you’re planning a summer time journey to Virginia or a Virginian your self simply on the lookout for methods to maintain your little ones entertained nearer to house, I’ve rounded up a number of the greatest kid-friendly actions which can be on our bucket listing!
15 Issues to Do in Virginia with Children
There are tons of kid-friendly actions throughout the state that allow your little ones study, discover, and burn off all that vitality in one of the best ways. From hands-on museums to outside adventures, there’s one thing for each age and each form of curious child.
Listed below are a number of weblog posts with a number of the highlights we’ve already carried out:
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, when you’re taking a look at Northern Virginia particularly, the crime charges are literally a number of the lowest within the nation. The state additionally takes little one security critically, with superb sources like Protected Children Virginia providing every part from automotive seat checkups to security workshops and even sports activities clinics for households.
Inside Charlottesville particularly, we now have packages that help secure youngsters just like the Protected Routes to College Program, Group Bikes, ReadyKids, nice public faculties 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 the most effective 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 displays stroll you thru every kind of marine habitats from the Chesapeake Bay to the Purple Sea. Plus, contact swimming pools, interactive shows, and day by day animal feedings make studying really feel like an journey.
Grommet Island Park
Grommet Island Park is a good 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 superb. With vast ramps, comfortable surfaces, and sensory-friendly options, this park was actually designed so that children of all skills can play facet by facet.
There are raised sand tables for castle-building, interactive sensory boards, and playful sculptures assume dolphins and surfboards that encourage creativeness and open-ended enjoyable the place each little one 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 verify 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 bought a million-gallon wave pool, a calming lazy river, and tons of water slides that vary from mild to heart-racing. For the little ones, the newly up to date Buccaneer Bay is such a win; it’s filled with age-appropriate slides, splash pads, and enjoyable water options that preserve them busy and secure.
Mother and father, you’ll love the little conveniences that make an enormous distinction: free parking, complimentary interior 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 all the time successful. You’ll discover pleasant goats, sheep, chickens, and extra, all prepared for some mild pets and up-close interplay. It’s hands-on, instructional, and an effective way for little ones to study farm life.
The TreeWalk Journey is one other favourite with elevated walkways, treehouses, and loads of area 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 all the time convey 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 actually seems like stepping again in time to the 18th century.
Unfold out over 300 stunning restored acres, you’ll discover cobblestone streets, charming outdated 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 attempt their hand at candle-making, blacksmithing, and even wander by way of the boxwood maze behind the Governor’s Palace.
We liked 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 displays. Your youngsters can splash round in WaterWorks, make music within the Maier Basis Music Studio, or study 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 area reveals.
Camden Park
Camden Park is the form of place that offers you all the nostalgic amusement park vibes. West Virginia’s solely amusement park is filled with over 30 rides and points of interest starting from traditional thrills to little-kid favorites. The Massive Dipper, a historic picket 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 teenagers underneath 48 inches, with charming rides like Hand Automobiles, Kiddie Boats, and Pony Carts which can be simply the proper velocity for tiny adventurers. And for the entire household? There’s a miniature prepare experience 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 (because of the tannins from fallen hemlock and pink spruce needles nature is fairly superb proper?!). You’ll be able to simply view the falls from the boardwalk and remark platforms, which make it tremendous accessible for households with little ones in tow.
There are additionally climbing trails, together with the Light Path, a wheel-chair accessible path that results in a phenomenal overlook good for all ages and mobility ranges. And, when you’re up for exploring, try Elakala Falls for the breathtaking Lindy Level Overlook for some critically 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 study one thing new.
The Good Zoo is definitely the one AZA-accredited zoo in your complete state, and it’s house to over 80 species together with favorites like pink pandas, lemurs, and kangaroos. Children can stand up shut with the animals, take part on feeding periods, and even study wildlife conservation in a approach that’s tremendous hands-on and interesting. There’s even a veterinary hospital on web site the place you may watch animal care in motion, which is so cool when you’ve bought an aspiring vet within the household!
Outdoors of the zoo, Oglebay Park gives tons of area to discover with strolling trails, stunning gardens, and enjoyable seasonal occasions all year long. It’s the right combine of out of doors journey and animal encounters that retains everybody dad and mom included completely satisfied 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 additionally adults, the second you stroll in. For those who’ve bought a little bit one who’s into planes, area, or something that flies, this can be 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 displays that make studying about aviation and area exploration tremendous enjoyable and hands-on. Plus, an IMAX theater reveals cool instructional movies, and an remark 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 little bit treasure hunt with enjoyable clues and colourful illustrations to information them alongside the way in which. Contained in the Palms-on Historical past Heart, youngsters ages 3–10 can actually step again in time by dressing up in 18th-century outfits, enjoying with interval toys, and making an attempt out themed actions that make studying really feel like play.
For those who’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 carried out 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 probably be speaking concerning the animals lengthy after you’ve left.
Unfold out over 21 acres, the park is house to a enjoyable mixture of home and unique animals assume zebras, camels, lemurs, wallabies, and extra! Children can stand up shut and private within the Contact Space, the place they’ll 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 fitness center, big slides, and a Discovery Room with arts and crafts for if you want a little bit 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 teenagers!
Youngsters’s Science Heart Lab
The Youngsters’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 filled with interactive zones that cowl all issues STEM (science, expertise, 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 little bit steering, whereas the Tinker Store lets them dive into constructing and engineering challenges.
With age-appropriate actions and displays that rotate frequently, the Lab is a type of locations that not solely retains youngsters engaged, however really conjures up them.
LEGO Discovery Heart
Excessive on our household’s listing: LEGO Discovery Heart. Good for teenagers who love spending the day constructing, exploring, and getting inventive. This colourful indoor play area is designed with 12 immersive zones that spark creativeness at each flip. With the DUPLO Park for toddlers, a whimsical Creativeness Specific prepare experience, a 4D Cinema, and even Mini World, there’s something for each child.
Children may also 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 way of play.
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns is a magical pure surprise in Virginia that actually seems like an journey for each youngsters and grown-ups alike. It is a enjoyable household outing that blends nature, studying, and a little bit little bit of wow-factor!
As the most important caverns within the japanese US, the underground views are beautiful. You’ll wander by way of large rooms crammed 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 vitality), a Rope Journey Park with programs for various ability ranges, and Toy City Junction, which options classic mannequin trains and traditional toys that even adults will love.
Get able to discover Virginia by way of kid-friendly actions!
Virginia is full of wonderful locations to discover with youngsters, whether or not you’re into state parks, seashores, charming small cities, or the entire above. I’m all the time on the lookout for enjoyable methods to get the youngsters out of the home and into new, instructional experiences.
For those who’re planning a visit or possibly even fascinated by making Virginia your new house you’ll want to try a few of my different weblog posts beneath the place I share our favourite spots, ideas, and family-friendly finds throughout the state.
