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 checklist!
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 lovely 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 via trails of pure wonders, this state is filled with enjoyable for the entire household.
I’ve been fortunate sufficient to name Virginia residence for the previous 15 years, but there’s nonetheless a lot of the state I need to discover! Thomas and I’ve a aim 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 few of the greatest kid-friendly actions which might be on our bucket checklist!
15 Issues to Do in Virginia with Children
There are tons of kid-friendly actions throughout the state that allow your little ones be taught, discover, and burn off all that power in one of the best ways. From hands-on museums to out of doors adventures, there’s one thing for each age and each type of curious child.
Listed below are just a few weblog posts with a few 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 few of the lowest within the nation. The state additionally takes youngster security significantly, with superb assets like Protected Children Virginia providing the whole lot from automotive 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 Middle
The Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Middle is hands-down top-of-the-line 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 Crimson 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, artistic, and absolutely inclusive, all proper on the oceanfront.
It’s truly the primary absolutely accessible seashore playground within the US, which makes it much more superb. With huge ramps, delicate surfaces, and sensory-friendly options, this park was actually 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 assume dolphins and surfboards that encourage creativeness and open-ended enjoyable the place each youngster 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 bins for a enjoyable household day. With over 30 rides and sights, 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 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 hold them busy and protected.
Mother and father, you’ll love the little conveniences that make an enormous distinction: free parking, complimentary inside 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 day trip, particularly in case your youngsters love animals and being outdoors 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 find out about 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 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 actually seems like stepping again in time to the 18th century.
Unfold out over 300 lovely 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 strive their hand at candle-making, blacksmithing, and even wander via the boxwood maze behind the Governor’s Palace.
We beloved it at Christmastime!
Issues to Do in West Virginia with Children
Clay Middle for the Arts & Sciences
The Clay Middle 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. toes of interactive displays. 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 totally different jobs, or the Caperton Planetarium & Theater, the place you possibly can see out-of-this-world area 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 filled with over 30 rides and sights starting from basic 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 below 48 inches, with charming rides like Hand Vehicles, Kiddie Boats, and Pony Carts which might be simply the fitting velocity for tiny adventurers. And for the entire household? There’s a miniature prepare journey and swan paddle boats.
Blackwater Falls State Park
Blackwater Falls State Park is a pure marvel that makes you cease and say, “Wow!” It’s the right place to get your youngsters away from screens and take part in some out of doors 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 superb proper?!). You possibly can simply view the falls from the boardwalk and commentary platforms, which make it tremendous accessible for households with little ones in tow.
There are additionally mountaineering trails, together with the Light Path, a wheel-chair accessible path that results in a lovely overlook excellent for all ages and mobility ranges. And, when you’re up for exploring, try Elakala Falls for the breathtaking Lindy Level Overlook for some significantly 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 the complete state, and it’s residence to over 80 species together with favorites like purple pandas, lemurs, and kangaroos. Children can stand up shut with the animals, take part on feeding periods, and even find out about wildlife conservation in a approach that’s tremendous hands-on and interesting. There’s even a veterinary hospital on website the place you possibly can watch animal care in motion, which is so cool when you’ve obtained an aspiring vet within the household!
Outdoors of the zoo, Oglebay Park gives tons of area to discover with strolling trails, lovely 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 House Museum
The Smithsonian Nationwide Air and House Museum doesn’t simply wow the youngsters, but additionally adults, the second you stroll in. For those who’ve obtained slightly one who’s into planes, area, or something that flies, this can be a must-visit.
There are iconic plane displayed, just like the House 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 exhibits cool instructional movies, and an commentary tower the place you possibly can 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 slightly treasure hunt with enjoyable clues and colourful illustrations to information them alongside the way in which. Contained in the Arms-on Historical past Middle, 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.
For those who’re visiting within the hotter months, don’t miss the working farm, the place you possibly can 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 likely be speaking in regards to 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 assume zebras, camels, lemurs, wallabies, and extra! Children can stand 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 in regards to the animals! The park additionally has indoor and out of doors play areas, together with a multi-level jungle gymnasium, large slides, and a Discovery Room with arts and crafts for while you want slightly 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!
Kids’s Science Middle Lab
The Kids’s Science Middle 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, know-how, engineering, and math) in a approach that’s tremendous approachable and thrilling. On the Experiment Bar, youngsters can truly run their very own science experiments, with slightly steerage, whereas the Tinker Store lets them dive into constructing and engineering challenges.
With age-appropriate actions and displays that rotate often, the Lab is a type of locations that not solely retains youngsters engaged, however truly evokes them.
LEGO Discovery Middle
Excessive on our household’s checklist: LEGO Discovery Middle. Excellent for teenagers who love spending the day constructing, exploring, and getting artistic. 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 Categorical prepare journey, 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 House Mission zone. Each exercise is hands-on, partaking, and completely geared towards studying via play.
Luray Caverns
Luray Caverns is a magical pure marvel 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 slightly little bit of wow-factor!
As the most important caverns within the japanese US, the underground views are beautiful. You’ll wander via huge 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 while 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 via 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 all the above. I’m all the time in search of enjoyable methods to get the youngsters out of the home and into new, instructional experiences.
For those who’re planning a visit or perhaps even fascinated by making Virginia your new residence make sure you try a few of my different weblog posts beneath the place I share our favourite spots, suggestions, and family-friendly finds throughout the state.
