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Community Resources & Things to Do · Park features · Showing 24 of 35 resources
Gaithersburg
Activity Center at Bohrer Park
A city recreation campus combining a skate park, water park, mini golf and activity center. Skate park, summer water park and mini golf in one place; indoor activity center for rainy days; city-run pricing.
Cost
Entry to the Activity Center at Bohrer Park and at least some exhibits (e.g., Activity Center Gallery) is free; fees apply only for specific amenities/programs such as the Fitness Zone, pickleball, and youth programs, each with its own daily/membership charges.
Best fit
kids, teens
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- indoor fitness center for teens and parents ↗
- two large indoor gymnasiums with basketball courts ↗
- multi-purpose rooms for classes and activities ↗
- outdoor 18-hole miniature golf course ↗
- fishing pond beside picnic areas ↗
- Bohrer Park open space and walking trails ↗
- mini-golf games with per-round and unlimited options ↗
- Recreation Super Pass covering multiple facilities ↗
Programs
- Recreation Super Pass access program ↗
Stafford
Aquia Landing Park
A county beach park at the confluence of Aquia Creek and the Potomac, and a historic Underground Railroad departure point. Free sandy beach and swimming; restrooms on site; excellent bird and dragonfly watching; open daily 8 a.m. to dusk.
Cost
"Free."
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
Programs
- Picnic shelter rentals for group outings ↗
Wheaton
Brookside Gardens
A 50-acre award-winning public display garden inside Wheaton Regional Park. Free admission to a botanical garden; Children's Garden and seasonal Butterfly Garden (ticketed); conservatories; in the same park as the ice arena, train, carousel and Brookside Nature Center.
Cost
Free — "Admission to the gardens is free."
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- conservatories ↗
- Children's Garden ↗
- Rose Garden and Butterfly Garden ↗
- Japanese-style Gude Garden ↗
- Aquatic and Azalea gardens ↗
- Fragrance Garden ↗
- Woodland Walk ↗
- The Butterfly Experience (seasonal exhibit) ↗
- Garden of Lights (winter) ↗
- 50-acre public display garden with themed areas ↗
- Visitor Center with information desk and exhibits ↗
- Brookside Gardens Gift Shop for nature-themed items ↗
Fairfax Station
Burke Lake Park Disc Golf Course
One of the oldest disc golf courses in the region, built in 1979. Professional 18-hole, par-3 course; disc rentals on site so you don't need gear; practice putting basket; inside a park with a train, carousel and lake.
Cost
Disc golf course itself has no separate admission fee; use of the course is free once inside the park. However, Burke Lake Park charges a vehicle entrance fee for non-county residents on weekends and holidays from April through late October ($12 passenger vehicles/vans, $6 motorcycles, $40 buses; $80/$50 season passes), while Fairfax County residents always enter free and all visitors enter free on non-holiday weekdays.
Best fit
teens, ya, families
Before you go
Seasonal. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Non-resident vehicle entrance fee applies weekends/holidays April-late October ($12 car); free for all on non-holiday weekdays and always free for Fairfax County residents
McLean
Clemyjontri Park
A two-acre fully accessible playground where children of all abilities play side by side, plus a carousel. Four color-coded play areas with ramped equipment, a swing for wheelchair users and Braille/ASL panels; a carousel; rubberized surfacing throughout; free.
Cost
Free (park open 7 a.m. to dusk).
Best fit
kids, sen
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
Programs
- Clemyjontri Park Open House ↗
Fairfax County
Fairfax County Park Authority Golf
County golf courses with a summer junior-free promotion. Free August junior golf with an adult; Junior Tournament Series; indoor TrackMan4 studio; group and private lessons for all levels.
Cost
"Kids Play Free in August with Paying Adult (at select courses)"; special pricing for active-duty and veteran military.
Best fit
kids, ya, families
Before you go
Seasonal. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
"Kids Play Free in August with Paying Adult (at select courses)"
What's here
- Youth on Course discounted rounds for ages 6-18 ↗
- junior golf classes teaching skills and etiquette ↗
- parent‑child golf classes at Pinecrest Golf Academy ↗
- summer junior golf camps at multiple courses ↗
- PGA Junior League team play opportunities ↗
- miniature golf available at Burke Lake ↗
- TrackMan4 indoor simulator suite at Pinecrest ↗
Fairfax County
Fairfax County Skate Parks
A network of county skate parks, including a 15,000-square-foot skating area. A 15,000 sq ft skate area; instructional skate classes; multiple county locations; core teen hangout infrastructure.
Cost
General public admission to Fairfax County Park Authority skate parks is free; the Lake Fairfax Skatepark page lists only a $75/hour fee to reserve the entire facility, with no per-person admission charge for drop-in use.
Best fit
kids, teens, ya
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- Wakefield Skate Park with competition-style bowl ↗
- wakefield multilevel jump line, hips, mini-ramp and spine ↗
- wakefield sections for beginner, intermediate and advanced skaters ↗
- wakefield late-night skate sessions to 11 p.m ↗
- wakefield viewing area with picnic tables near skate features ↗
- Lake Fairfax 15,000+ sq ft concrete skatepark ↗
- Lake Fairfax inline skate rink for roller hockey and skating ↗
- Lake Fairfax skatepark adjacent to campground and athletic fields ↗
Programs
- Skateboarding and BMX classes and camps (Wakefield) ↗
Vienna
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
A NOVA Parks botanical garden with lakes, a Korean bell garden and an atrium. $4 child admission; special early-morning "Sunrise in the Gardens" openings; Korean Bell Garden and native-plant collections; paved loop suitable for strollers.
Cost
Low-cost: $8 adult / $4 child.
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- ornamental and native plant gardens ↗
- Caroline Lake and gazebo ↗
- Korean Bell Garden ↗
- paved and perimeter trails ↗
- Lilac Pavilion ↗
- Winter Walk of Lights (seasonal) ↗
- art shows at the visitor center ↗
- gift shop ↗
- Winter Walk of Lights half-mile illuminated garden trail ↗
- Paved Winter Walk trail wheelchair and stroller accessible ↗
- Indoor Visitor Center seating and restrooms ↗
- three lakes with surrounding walking paths ↗
Glen Burnie
Sawmill Creek Park Skate Park
A county park with a skate park. County-run skate park; trails and open space in the same park; free-to-access county facility.
Cost
No admission or entrance fee is listed on the official Anne Arundel County Government page for Sawmill Creek Park; the skate park is part of the public park and is free to use during park hours. Program/class fees (e.g., for pickleball) do not constitute park admission fees.
Best fit
kids, teens
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- skate park within larger community park setting ↗
- baseball and softball fields by the skate area ↗
- basketball and tennis courts near skate park ↗
- children's playground alongside skate park ↗
- Access to B&A Trail for family bike rides ↗
- walking trail for biking and jogging ↗
- park-wide sunrise-to-sunset open play hours ↗
- picnic and fishing areas in same park ↗
Programs
- Saturday skateboard lessons at Sawmill Creek Skate Park ↗
Reston
The Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole, Lake Fairfax Park
A Western-themed county water park. Themed slides and a lazy river at county-resident pricing; free for under-3s; inside Lake Fairfax Park with camping, a lake and trails.
Cost
Paid: $17.25 for county residents; children 2 and under free.
Best fit
kids, teens, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- more than an acre of slides and flumes ↗
- Rattlesnake River 725‑foot lazy river for tubing ↗
- interactive water playground with sprays and showers ↗
- tot pool at Tenderfoot Pond for younger kids ↗
- season passes called Gold Rush passes ↗
- sensory hours 10-11am on select days ↗
- Dog Daze event for dogs at season end ↗
Upper Marlboro
Watkins Regional Park
A large county park bundling a farm, nature center, carousel, miniature train and playgrounds. $3.50 antique carousel and miniature train; free Old Maryland Farm and Watkins Nature Center; Wizard of Oz-themed playground; campground and trails.
Cost
Nature center and farm free; carousel and train rides $3.50.
Best fit
kids, teens
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- historic Dentzel carousel ($3.50 res / $3.75) ↗
- miniature train ($3.50 res / $3.75) ↗
- 18-hole mini golf ($6 res / $7.50) ↗
- nature center with live animals ↗
- Old Maryland Farm ↗
- Watkins Tennis Bubble ↗
- hiking trails with Art on the Trails sculptures ↗
- playground ↗
- campground (27 sites + 4 group) ↗
- primitive tent campsites with comfort stations, March-November ↗
- miniature golf course near carousel and train ↗
- animal feed machines to feed farm animals ↗
Stafford
Widewater State Park
One of Virginia's newest state parks, on a peninsula between Aquia Creek and the Potomac. Paved walkways, picnic areas and playgrounds; canoe, kayak and paddleboard launches; fishing for bass, catfish, striped bass and perch; the 1.75-mile Long Pond and 0.9-mile Holly Marsh trails.
Cost
General admission to Widewater State Park grounds is free; Virginia State Parks treat vehicle parking fees as the primary access charge. Passenger vehicles pay $7 on standard days and $10 on weekends April–October; HOV 9–15 passengers pay $15 standard and $20 on peak weekends; buses 16+ passengers pay $40 year-round. Some special programs charge separate per-person fees but do not change general admission.
Best fit
families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
Programs
- Seasonal ranger‑led interpretive programs ↗
Annapolis
Annapolis City Dock / Ego Alley
Harborfront promenade, water taxis, Chesapeake Children's Museum nearby, Wednesday sailboat races from the seawall.
Cost
Free. Website: https://www.visitannapolis.org
Best fit
Students
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- waterfront promenade for boat and duck watching ↗
- public benches for ice-cream and snack breaks ↗
- historic harbor views at head of Ego Alley ↗
- access to harbor sightseeing and sailing cruises ↗
- public moorings and transient boat slips ↗
- circulator bus stop near City Dock area ↗
- street performers and seasonal festivals on dock ↗
- walking access to downtown shops and eateries ↗
Programs
- harbor boat tours from City Dock ↗
Washington
Bishop's Garden & Cathedral Grounds
Walled medieval-style garden and 59 acres of grounds at Washington National Cathedral. Gargoyle tour (paid), Darth Vader grotesque hunt, Olmsted Woods.
Cost
Free (grounds); cathedral interior is ticketed for sightseeing .
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Timing not listed. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Grounds dawn to dusk.
What's here
- Bishop's Garden with plants of the Bible and legends ↗
- Olmsted Woods stone footpath and contemplative circle ↗
- prayer path winding through Cathedral Close ↗
- athletic fields associated with Cathedral schools ↗
- audio and virtual tours of gardens and woods ↗
- Docent-led Bishop's Garden tours April-October ↗
- Docent-led Olmsted Woods walks April-October ↗
- outdoor amphitheater within Cathedral Close ↗
Arlington
Bon Air Memorial Rose Garden
Arlington County park rose garden (hundreds of varieties) along Four Mile Run / W&OD. On the W&OD trail — combine with a bike ride.
Cost
Free.
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Usually May–June · 2027 dates not yet posted. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Dawn–dusk; peak May–June.
What's here
- memorial rose garden with 120 plus rose varieties ↗
- azalea, shade, sun, and ornamental tree gardens ↗
- Master Gardener demonstration beds for home gardeners ↗
- informal paths with labeled roses and plantings ↗
- free access for family photo shoots and picnics ↗
- seasonal nature walks highlighting blooms and wildflowers ↗
Programs
- Nature and history walks at Bon Air ↗
DC
Capital Bikeshare (teen access)
Regional bikeshare; riders must be 16+; Capital Bikeshare for All = $5/year for SNAP/EBT households .
Cost
Single trip / day pass (~$8–10 day pass; 2025 price rise) .
Best fit
Students
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Washington
Dumbarton Oaks Gardens
Terraced historic gardens in Georgetown overlooking Rock Creek. Fountain terrace, rose garden; a free Dec walk.
Cost
$15 per person Mar 1–Oct 31 (final sale); free Nov 1–Dec 31 with advance reservation; closed Jan–Feb .
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Tue–Sun 2–6 pm (regular), 2–5 pm (winter) .
What's here
- terraced gardens with multiple themed garden rooms ↗
- orangery serving as portal into the gardens ↗
- docent-led 30-minute introductory garden tours ↗
- free winter-season garden visits Nov 1-Mar 14 ↗
- Museum with Byzantine and Pre-Columbian collections ↗
- self-guided garden exploration with online resources ↗
- timed-entry afternoon garden visits via online tickets ↗
- virtual walk-through videos of garden highlights ↗
Programs
- Docent-led walk-in garden tours ↗
Baltimore
Federal Hill Park, Druid Hill Park, Patterson Park
Three signature free city parks (Inner Harbor overlook; reservoir loop + zoo/conservatory; pagoda, lake, ice rink).
Cost
Free. Website: https://bcrp.baltimorecity.gov
Best fit
Students
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- Patterson Park swimming pool and kiddie wading pool ↗
- Dominic Mimi DiPietro indoor ice rink ↗
- Patterson Park Boat Lake for fishing and wildlife ↗
- Patterson Park Audubon Center nature programs ↗
- Virginia Baker Recreation Center indoor activities ↗
- multiple playgrounds, tennis and basketball courts ↗
- three miles of paved paths for biking and scootering ↗
- Patterson Park City Farms community garden plots ↗
- Druid Hill Park Lakeside Loop Trail around reservoir ↗
- Druid Hill Park disc golf courses for families ↗
- Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory botanical exhibits ↗
- Druid Hill Park playgrounds, pool and sports courts ↗
Washington
Georgetown Waterfront Park & Washington Harbour
NPS riverfront park with an interactive fountain kids splash in, river steps, and the Washington Harbour ice rink in winter.
Cost
Free (rink and boat tours extra) .
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Timing not listed. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Dawn–dusk.
What's here
- seasonal fountain for splashing and water play ↗
- labyrinth walk for contemplative or playful laps ↗
- river steps for picnics and watching boats ↗
- pollinator gardens with native plants for wildlife spotting ↗
- rain gardens to observe stormwater filtering ↗
- car-free paved trail for biking and skating access ↗
- connections to nearby regional bike trails ↗
- Washington Harbour fountain shows in warm months ↗
Hollywood
Greenwell State Park & Sotterley Plantation
Free waterfront park with trails/equestrian programs; adjacent historic plantation with tours and kids' programs.
Cost
Greenwell free; Sotterley grounds pass/tours paid.
Best fit
Students
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- ten miles of marked multi-use trails ↗
- Patuxent River shoreline for kayaking and fishing ↗
- beach area for swimming and small-boat launch ↗
- historic Rosedale Manor House exterior views ↗
- Bonds-Simms historic tobacco barns complex ↗
- paddle-in campsites accessible by boat ↗
- large open fields for picnicking and games ↗
- accessible and inclusive recreation focus ↗
Baltimore
Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory & Botanic Gardens
1888 Victorian glasshouse in Druid Hill Park (next to the zoo) with five themed plant houses. Desert and tropic houses; combine with Maryland Zoo.
Cost
Paid — modest admission (historically ~$5; price not on the fetched page) .
Best fit
kids, teens, ya, families
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
Wed–Fri 11–3, Sat–Sun 10–4; closed Thanksgiving/Christmas .
What's here
- Historic Victorian Palm House with tropical plant displays ↗
- Orchid Room showcasing diverse orchid species ↗
- Mediterranean House with drought-tolerant collections ↗
- Tropical House with rainforest plants ↗
- Desert House featuring cacti and succulents ↗
- outdoor gardens surrounding conservatory building ↗
- free self-guided cell phone audio tour ↗
- suggested-donation general admission, open year-round ↗
Millersville / Pasadena
Kinder Farm Park & Downs Park
*Kinder Farm is in manifest.* Downs Park: bayfront county park with playground, dog beach, fishing pier.
Cost
~$6 per vehicle county resident. Website: https://www.aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks/downs-park
Best fit
Students
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- bayfront walking paths with Chesapeake views ↗
- open lawns for kites, frisbee, and picnics ↗
- shoreline birdwatching for herons and ospreys ↗
- seasonal ranger-led winter photo contest ↗
- youth-group camping area for organized groups ↗
- bicycling and hiking along wooded trails ↗
- fishing from pier and shoreline ↗
- Mother's Garden for quiet family walks ↗
Triangle
Locust Shade Park
A county park next to the Marine Corps Museum with a Ninja-Warrior-style obstacle course. Warrior Challenge Course (Ninja-Warrior-style obstacles); three playgrounds; paddle boats, mini golf and batting cages; pairs perfectly with the free Marine Corps Museum next door.
Cost
Park entry and parking free. Attractions charge: mini golf youth 3-16 $5.75 / adult $6.50 / senior $5.75 (under 3 free with paying adult); batting cages $5 (15 pitches) or $10 (105); driving range buckets $10.50-$12. Prices per pwcva.gov, labeled 2025.
Best fit
kids, teens
Before you go
Open year-round. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
What's here
- 3.2 miles of scenic nature trails for family hikes ↗
- 15-station outdoor fitness trail along the woods ↗
- nearly seven miles of mountain bike trails ↗
- eight-acre pond with bank and pier fishing ↗
- seasonal boating on the park pond ↗
- Jean C. Smith Amphitheater family shows in summer ↗
- science in the Park hands-on lessons for K-6 ↗
- Urban Trout Fishing Program designated pond ↗
Sterling
Loudoun County Splash Pad (Claude Moore Recreation Center)
A county spray ground with activator features. Water-squirting spider, water cannons and a bucket drop; long season — 2026 hours run May 4 through Sept 20; adjacent to the Claude Moore rec center and free park.
Cost
Daily admission to Claude Moore Recreation & Community Center (which covers splash pad access) is charged: ages 2 and under free; youth 3–17 $6; adults 18–54 $8; seniors 55+ $6; non-participating supervisors age 16+ accompanying a fee-paying youth or person with a disability are admitted free.
Best fit
kids
Before you go
Seasonal. Check hours on the official site before travelling.
long season — 2026 hours run May 4 through Sept 20
What's here
Programs
- Splash pad season ↗