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- Hello, I'm Alexis. Welcome to Capitol Momma! I'm always out having fun with my little ones, exploring all that there is to see & do in the DC Metro area for kids. Join us on our adventures!
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Category Archives: Family Travel
Wayside Farm Fun 2017 + 20% off Admission
It’s officially Fall in just a few days, yay! If you’ve been following here for a while then you know how much my girls and I love to visit farms this time of year! I am super excited that Wayside Farm is opening this weekend – September 23rd! We first visited Wayside last year and although it’s about an hours drive away from us, it was well worth it and definitely one of our favorites! The trip out to Berryville, Virginia is so pretty with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the background. And Wayside has the BEST pumpkin patch where you can pick all different colors and shapes of pumpkins! (See the big white one we picked last year in the photo above!)
Also, this year Wayside has kindly offered all my readers 20% off the admission fee. Just mention “Capitol Momma” at the register to receive the discount off the prices below.
General Admission……..$10/person
2 and under………………..FREE
Military with ID…………….FREE
Group (10-20)……………..$9/person
Group (20 or more)……..$8/person
September 23-October 29
Saturdays…………………………10 am – 6 pm
Sundays……………………………10 am – 6 pm
Columbus Day……………………10 am – 6 pm
Here is some more info from Wayside:
Located directly off Route 7 in the heart of Northern Virginia wine country, Wayside Farm Fun is a beautiful working farm set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Known for growing the prettiest pumpkin varieties in the area, visitors are invited to pick pumpkins of all different shapes, colors and sizes in their 8-acre u-pick pumpkin patch. After pumpkin picking, enjoy a variety of fall activities such as the jumping pillow, pumpkin cannons, slides, animals, and more. End your day of fun by getting lost in one of the area’s largest corn mazes – this year our theme is Pokemon Go.
This year we are also hosting Scouting Day on Sunday, October 1. Scouts receive a discounted rate and are invited to participate in a Pass-a-Pumpkin community service project. A flag ceremony will be held at 1 PM before the pig races, and all scouts receive a patch.
On October 20 and 21st, Wayside Farm Fun is once again partnering with Loudoun Valley High School Performing Arts Department to create a Scary Corn Maze. The maze will be open past dark and include a guided tour through a spooky maze inhabited by costumed actors.
A couple more photos from our fun time at Wayside last year:
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POSTED IN: Berryville, Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch VA, VA, Wayside Farm Discount, Wayside Farm Fun
POSTED IN: Berryville, Corn Maze, Pumpkin Patch VA, VA, Wayside Farm Discount, Wayside Farm Fun
National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden is one of my favorite green spaces in the city. I love that it always feels quiet and relaxing even though the Mall is crowded and bustling just steps away. My girls and I stopped here on Sunday while we were museum hopping to rest and refuel. We grabbed treats in the Pavilion Cafe and then took them out to the fountain to enjoy. After we relaxed with our toes in the water for a bit we were ready to head to our next destination – The National Carousel. Another summer must-do if you are in the Mall area with kids. It’s also a great way to reward (or a bribe) for good behavior in the museums!
Click here to see our complete guide to visiting the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden on Mommy Nearest!
Day Trip to Chesapeake Beach, MD
We spent the 4th of July at one of our favorite little beaches on the bay. Brownie’s beach (also known as Bayfront beach) is just an hour away from D.C., so it’s much easier to travel to than the Atlantic. My girls especially love this beach because there are lots of fossilized shark teeth to hunt for and they are very easy to find.
Use our family guide to start planning your trip! Click here to read the article on Mommy Nearest.
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POSTED IN: Bayfront Beach, Brownie's Beach, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Beach, Day trip from DC, Fossilized Shark Teeth, MD
POSTED IN: Bayfront Beach, Brownie's Beach, Chesapeake Bay, Chesapeake Beach, Day trip from DC, Fossilized Shark Teeth, MD
A Day at Dutch Wonderland
I had heard from several friends that Dutch Wonderland was the perfect place for little kids, so I wanted to make sure we experienced it this summer. My family spent the day there earlier last week and had the best time! It exceeded my expectations in every way and I’m sure we will make a return visit next summer!
Dutch Wonderland is located in Lancaster, Pennsylvania about 2-2.5 hours from the DC area. We drove up in the morning and arrived when they opened at 10am and then drove home later that afternoon. Everything was very easy and convenient for an outing with little kids. Dutch Wonderland has general parking for $5 or preferred parking for $15. We opted for the preferred, so we could park right in front just steps away from the entrance. The quaint amusement park is surrounded by farmland where you can see cattle grazing the fields. They have 35 rides, shows, and an awesome splash park called Duke’s Lagoon.
The rides are geared towards smaller children – my almost 4 year old and 6 year old could go on pretty much all the rides. There are several rides that the whole family can enjoy together too.
The park is incredibly clean (yes, even the bathrooms) and well-kept. All of the employees were so nice and helpful. The park offers so much and all within a pretty small area – very walkable with small children in tow.
The park has charming Amish touches throughout, like the iconic giant pretzel that also makes for a good photo opp.
My daughter loved playing in this horse and carriage! There is also a life-size cow replica that kids can “milk” and an animatronic display of Amish life.
In addition to all the fun rides, Dutch Wonderland offers several great shows throughout the day. We loved the “Adventures of the Frog Prince” performed on the aqua stage. “A theatrical high dive show encompassing all the magic, mystery, costuming, set design and special effects of a fairytale, plus world class diving.”
After we had gone on all the rides, watched a show, and had lunch we headed over to Duke’s Lagoon for some water fun! This area is also very clean and has lots of seating for parents surrounding the splash park. The kid-sized water slides are great for little ones. There are attentive life guards making sure the children wait their turn to go down the slides.
Before leaving for the day, we stopped in the gift shop so Clara and Mae could each pick out a toy. They have a great selection and I found that the items were not over priced. Dutch Wonderland was a great experience for our family! Add it to your summer bucket list for sure!
Use code CapitolMommaSBlog17 to save $4 per ticket or click the link here.
General admission is $41.99, 4-day advance tickets $38.99, 7-day advance tickets $35.99. All tickets include a preview pass – Enjoy the last three hours of the park the night before you visit for a full day – FREE! Preview after 3:00 pm when the Park closes at 6 pm. Preview after 5:30 pm when the Park closes at 8:30 pm.
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POSTED IN: Day Trip with Kids from DC, DC day trip, Dutch Wonderland, Dutch Wonderland Discount Code, Family amusement park, Lancaster, PA, Pennsylvania, Traveling with Kids
POSTED IN: Day Trip with Kids from DC, DC day trip, Dutch Wonderland, Dutch Wonderland Discount Code, Family amusement park, Lancaster, PA, Pennsylvania, Traveling with Kids
Dutch Wonderland + Discount Code!
The countdown to summer break is on! We just have one more week of school left and my girls are ready for some fun in the sun! I’ve been planning lots of trips and local adventures so we can make the most of it. One thing we are really excited about is a trip to Dutch Wonderland in Lancaster, PA – just a 2 hour drive from the D.C. area. We haven’t been before but I’ve heard so many great things from friends. After our visit, I’ll be sure to share our experience and tips with you all!
Dutch Wonderland has offered all my readers $4 off per ticket with promocode: CapitolMommaSBlog17! Click here for a direct link to purchase the discounted tickets for $37.99 (Reg $41.99). Offer expires 10-8-2017.
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POSTED IN: Discount Code, Discount Code Dutch Wonderland, Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster, PA
POSTED IN: Discount Code, Discount Code Dutch Wonderland, Dutch Wonderland, Lancaster, PA
January 2016 – Monthly Roundup
January is usually a pretty boring month and I start to feel the effects of cabin fever. So every year we take a trip down to Florida to visit my parents. It’s a nice break from cold, dreary DC and it feels so great to be able to play outside with my girls. This year we timed it just right and missed the blizzard! My girls were happy that the snow stuck around and they were still able to play in it when we got home.
Since we spent 10 days in Florida, our list of adventures and activities in DC is short this month. But we did make some time for a few fun outings in the area before and after our trip. At the beginning of the month we visited the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum. It is one of the best hidden gems in the DC area for small children. I definitely recommend checking it out if you haven’t been yet. And last week we visited the Wonder exhibit at the Renwick Gallery. I had been wanting to see this exhibit for quite a while and when it was announced that we were having yet another snow day on Friday, I decided it was a great time to take my girls. I was a little unsure if it was appropriate for small children (especially questioning it for my 2-year old). But I ended up being surprised at how kid-friendly it is and how much my girls enjoyed the experience.
Places we visited:
• Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum – Blog post here
• Lake Needwood – Blog post on nearby Lake Frank here
• MagicGround
• Bowlmor Bethesda
• Wonder exhibit at the Renwick Gallery
• Sky Zone Gaithersburg
• Rockin’ Jump Gaithersburg
Events we attended:
• Snow White at Encore Stage & Studio – Blog post here
• A Year with Frog and Toad at Imagination Stage – no longer showing but “Jack and Phil, Slayers of Giants-INC” is playing Feb 3- Mar 13
Classes and camps we attended:
• Georgetown Prep Tennis Club
• Ballet Petite
• My Gym Potomac
• Funfit Tots
I hope you found some new and fun ideas for your family in this month’s roundup! I am looking forward to all the hearts this month! Kids make the holidays so much more fun and special. And lets hope the groundhog is right and we really will have an early spring!
Also, I use instagram as my everyday blog and share a lot of photos from our adventures in my gallery. I’d love to have you follow along!
Instagram: capitol.momma
And I share more information and photos from our field trips and outings on facebook.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/capitolmommablog
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POSTED IN: Ballet Petite, Bowlmor Bethesda, Encore Stage & Studio, Funfit Tots, Georgetown Prep Tennis Club, Imagination Stage, Lake Needwood, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, MagicGround, My Gym, Rockin' Jump Gaithersburg, Sky Zone, Wonder exibit at the Renwick Gallery
POSTED IN: Ballet Petite, Bowlmor Bethesda, Encore Stage & Studio, Funfit Tots, Georgetown Prep Tennis Club, Imagination Stage, Lake Needwood, Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum, MagicGround, My Gym, Rockin' Jump Gaithersburg, Sky Zone, Wonder exibit at the Renwick Gallery
August – Monthly Roundup
August – summer’s grand finale, was such a good month. I genuinely had so much fun with my girls this summer and am sad that preschool is starting this week. Thinking about how much these little people change in a year and how each summer with them is going to be so different, just makes me want to savor it more. Even though I will miss all the free time for adventures, I will love having a little bit more time for my own projects.
Here is a recap of what we were up to this past month. The BEACH at the National Building Museum was quite a unique experience and is still open through September 7. We also had a fun day trip to Baltimore where we visited the National Aquarium and Pierce’s Park. And another summer tradition of ours in August is the Montgomery County Fair.
Places we visited:
• The “Beach” at the National Building Museum
• Georgetown Waterfront Park
• National Aquarium in Baltimore
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Larriland Farm
• Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens
• Carousel at Glen Echo Park
• Rehoboth Beach, DE
Events we attended:
• Garfield the Musical at Adventure Theater – no longer showing but next up is Caps for Sale The Musical Sep 11-27 – Blog post here about attending a previous show at Adventure Theatre
• Fairfax County 4H Fair and Carnival at Frying Pan Park
• Montgomery County Fair
Classes and camps we attended:
• Geneva Day School Summer Camp
• My Gym Potomac
• Ballet Petite
Parks we played at:
• Pierce’s Park – Baltimore, MD
• Palisade’s Playground – Blog post here about the hidden glass forest at this park
• Hadley’s Playground – Potomac, MD – #41 in a list of the top 50 playgrounds in the US
• North Farm Park – Rockville, MD
• Cabin John Park – Bethesda, MD
• Potomac Woods Park – Rockville, MD
Hope you found some good ideas for your family in this month’s list. We are looking forward the fall! Cooler temps means spending time at the farms picking apples and pumpkins and going for hikes through the fall colors. Happy September!
Also, I use instagram as my everyday blog and share a lot of photos from our adventures in my gallery. I’d love to have you follow along!
Instagram: capitol.momma
And I share more information and photos from our field trips and outings on facebook.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/capitolmommablog
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POSTED IN: Adventure Theater, DE, Georgetown Waterfront Park, Glen Echo Carousel, Glen Echo Park, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, Larriland Farm, MD, National Aquarium, National Building Museum, Pierce's Park, Pierce's Park Baltimore, Rehoboth Beach, The BEACH, The BEACH DC, Theodore Roosevelt Island
POSTED IN: Adventure Theater, DE, Georgetown Waterfront Park, Glen Echo Carousel, Glen Echo Park, Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens, Larriland Farm, MD, National Aquarium, National Building Museum, Pierce's Park, Pierce's Park Baltimore, Rehoboth Beach, The BEACH, The BEACH DC, Theodore Roosevelt Island
May – Monthly Roundup
May was a busy month full of fun adventures with my girls. We spent a lot of time outdoors at different farms and parks. It was filled with lots of flowers and happy moments. I’ve always thought fall was my favorite time in the DC area but I’m not sure anymore because this spring has been pretty amazing. We visited some really pretty places and made a lot of great memories!
Places we visited:
• United States National Arboretum
• Wegmeyers Farm – Oatlands Historic House and Gardens – blog post here
• Homestead Farm – blog post from last fall here
• Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens
• Washington National Cathedral and Bishop’s Garden
• Beauvoir Outdoors
• Scott’s Run Nature Preserve
• Croydon Creek Nature Center
• Fountains at Rockville Town Square
Events we attended:
• Day Out with Thomas – B&O Railroad Museum – blog post here
• Royal Tea Party – Thomas Farm Community Center
• Spring Market Fair – Claude Moore Colonial Farm
• Fairytale Ballet Tea Party – Metropolitan Ballet Theatre
• Hometown Holidays – Rockville Town Square
Classes/Camps we attended:
• My Gym
• Funfit Tots
• FS Soccer
Parks we played at:
• Meridian Hill Park – Washington, DC
• Chevy Chase Playground and Splash Park – Washington, DC – blog post here
• Clemyjontri Park – McLean, VA – blog post here – #4 in a list of the top 50 playgrounds in the US
• Hadley’s Playground – Potomac, MD – #41 in a list of the top 50 playgrounds in the US
• North Farm Park – Rockville, MD
• Cabin John Park – Bethesda, MD
• Potomac Woods Park – Rockville, MD
I hope this roundup has given you some new ideas and inspired you to go out and explore with your kids! Have a fabulous June!
Also, I use instagram as my everyday blog and share a lot of photos from our adventures on my feed.
Instagram: capitol.momma
And I share more information and photos from our field trips and outings on facebook.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/capitolmommablog
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POSTED IN: B&O Railroad Museum, Beauvoir Outdoors, Cabin John Park, chevy chase playground, Claude Moore Park, Clemyjontri Park, Croydon Creek Nature Center, FS Soccer, Funfit Tots, Hadley's Playground, Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens, Homestead Farm, Meridian Hill Park, Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, My Gym, North Farm Park, Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, Potomac Woods Park, Rockville Town Square, Scott's Run Nature Preserve, Thomas Farm Community Center, United States National Arboretum, Washington National Cathedral, Wegmeyers Farm
POSTED IN: B&O Railroad Museum, Beauvoir Outdoors, Cabin John Park, chevy chase playground, Claude Moore Park, Clemyjontri Park, Croydon Creek Nature Center, FS Soccer, Funfit Tots, Hadley's Playground, Hillwood Estate Museum and Gardens, Homestead Farm, Meridian Hill Park, Metropolitan Ballet Theatre, My Gym, North Farm Park, Oatlands Historic House and Gardens, Potomac Woods Park, Rockville Town Square, Scott's Run Nature Preserve, Thomas Farm Community Center, United States National Arboretum, Washington National Cathedral, Wegmeyers Farm
Summer Bucket List – 2015
We are ready for summer! There are so many fun things to do in the DC area and every summer seems to go by faster and faster. This year I decided to make a list of our top activities that we want to do. This is also Clara’s last summer before starting a full day pre-kindergarten program in the fall. So, we want to make this one count! In between trips to Nebraska and Rehoboth Beach, camps, pool time, bbqs, and tennis and swim lessons, we hope to fit these other fun things into our days. Some of these activities are our tried-and-true favorites and some are new things that we will be doing for the first time. I hope this gives you some good ideas of fun things to do with your family. Hooray for summer, it’s going to be a good one!
1. Go berry picking – Wegmeyer Farms, Homestead Farms, and Butler’s Orchard are a few of our favorite places to pick strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries
2. Play at splash parks – Chevy Chase Playground, Palisades Recreation Center, South Germantown Splash Park are some of our favorites
3. Go hiking – Croydon Creek Nature Center, Black Hills Regional Park, Lake Frank, Lake Needwood, Sugarloaf Mountain are some on our list
4. Attend the Hometown Holidays street festival at Rockville Town Square
5. Visit the United States National Arboretum (again)
5. Go see Encore Stage & Studio’s production of Alice in Wonderland
6. Attend at least one of the Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods programs at Wolf Trap
7. Visit a new park – Temple Hall Farm Park, Meridian Hill Park, Yards Park, Burke Lake Park, and Fort Washington Park are on our list
8. Check out a few farmer’s markets – Potomac Farm Market, Rockville Farmer’s Market, Potomac Village Farmer’s Market, Garrett Park Farmer’s Market, and Dupont Circle are on our list
9. Attend one of the Backyard Theater for Children shows at Strathmore
10. Play at BusyBees, a new indoor playground opening in Falls Church
11. Go to a Nationals baseball game
12. Ride the Cabin John train
13. Play in the Fountain at Rockville Town Square
14. Attend the Summer Market Fair at Claude Moore Colonial Farm
15. Take a Boomerang Pirate Ship Cruise on the Potomac
16. Tour the National Cathedral and Bishop’s Garden and play at nearby Beauvoir Playground
17. Explore a new farm during the Montgomery County Farm Tour
18. Visit South Mountain Creamery
19. Ride the carousel at Glen Echo Park
20. Go on rides and visit the animals at the Montgomery County Fair
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POSTED IN: Boomerang Pirate Ship Cruise, Butler's Orchard, Cabin John Train, Glen Echo Carousel, Green Meadows Petting Farm, Homestead Farm, Summer Bucket List, Wegmeyer Farms
POSTED IN: Boomerang Pirate Ship Cruise, Butler's Orchard, Cabin John Train, Glen Echo Carousel, Green Meadows Petting Farm, Homestead Farm, Summer Bucket List, Wegmeyer Farms
Great Wolf Lodge – Williamsburg, Virginia
Great Wolf Lodge
549 E Rochambeau Drive
Williamsburg, Virginia 23188
http://www.greatwolf.com/williamsburg/waterpark
We just returned from a mini vacation at Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Virginia. This year for Clara’s fourth birthday we decided to take a trip instead of having a big birthday party for her. Last year we did the big party with all her preschool buddies at My Gym, so we wanted to do something different this year. It was our first time at the resort and we (especially the girls) had a great time!
After we checked in we hit up the water park.
I was really impressed with the cleanliness of the water park and the attentiveness of the lifeguards. There are several different areas in the water park that accommodate all ages of kids.
Clara’s favorite part of the water park were the big slides that you ride down on an inner tube.
After our first round at the water park, we grabbed dinner at the Loose Moose Bar & Grill, which was actually a not so great buffet. The food at the resort was my least favorite part. I would research some local dining spots nearby if we were to visit again. They do have a Dunkin’ Donuts inside the resort, which was nice to get much needed coffee for my husband and I in the morning.
After dinner, Clara got her face painted as a wolf in the hotel lobby and then we headed to the Northern Lights Arcade. It was the birthday girl’s lucky night – she hit the jackpot!
We took the girls to story time in the main lobby and then it was time to get them settled into the Kid Kamp for the night. The nice thing about the room is the little private kids area with bunk beds and their own TV.
The next day we spent more time at the water park with lots and lots of rides down the water slides! We also checked out the Ten Paw Bowling alley.
As a special treat for Clara’s birthday, we went to Scoops Spa for Momma-Daughter mani-pedis. The spa has an ice cream theme and is super cute but a little pricey.
We enjoyed our first adventure at Great Wolf Lodge! Clara is already asking if we can go back! It is really a great kid focused resort with a lot of different fun activities.
Good to Know:
•Sign up to become a member (it’s free) on the Great Wolf website for the best rates on rooms.
•The water park has puddle jumpers and life jackets available.
•Beach towels are provided in the water park.
•The Scoops Spa is by reservation only, so make sure to book a reservation ahead of time.
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POSTED IN: Family Travel, Great Wolf Lodge, Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, Indoor Water Park, Scoops Spa, Virginia
POSTED IN: Family Travel, Great Wolf Lodge, Great Wolf Lodge Williamsburg, Indoor Water Park, Scoops Spa, Virginia