Play it cool at Canal Park
Monday – Spend the hot day inside a cool (literally and figuratively) museum! Head to Chantilly for Air & Space exploration beyond the National Mall. The Steven F. Udvar Hazy Center showcases even more fascinating artifacts of flight than DC venue. See all kinds of air and space crafts, pretend to pilot in a flight simulator, get hands-on in a discovery station, and much more. Hours are 10am – 5:30pm. Admission is free, but parking is $15.
Tuesday – Check out some fascinating interactive exhibits at the National Geographic Museum. Indiana Jones and the Adventure of Archaeology showcases props, video, and fun facts from Indy’s cinematic adventures along with interesting artifacts and details about real-life archaeological studies and discoveries (recommended for ages 8-80). All ages will enjoy Monster Fish: In Search of the Last River Giants. Museum hours are 10am – 6pm. Admission is $11/adult, $7/ages 5-12, free for 4 and under, and this gets you in to both exhibits.
Wednesday – Play in the sprays at Canal Park. The recreational space in the Capitol Riverfront neighborhood in southeast DC has both a gentle, shallow fountain that is perfect for really little ones, plus a bigger one for more enthusiastic play where the ice rink is in the winter. Admission is free. Grab a bite to eat at the Park Tavern on premises or at another nearby eatery (there are options right across the street and food trucks in the area often), or pack lunch for a picnic.
Thursday – Hit the trail at Riverbend Park. Make that your starting point on a 2-mile hike to Great Falls, where you can take in magnificent vistas, visit the Nature Center, and have a picnic. Or just wander around Riverbend and enjoy the Visitor Center and views there. Park hours are 7am to dusk, Visitor Center 9am – 5pm. Admission is free.
Friday – See a show on strings at The Puppet Co., where Snow White and the 7 Dwarves is the current main stage production. Showtimes are 10am and 11:15am. Tickets are $10.
