The outdoor weekend flea market at Eastern Market
Happy Weekend!
Jurassic Quest Drive-Thru Experience
Where: RFK Stadium Festival Grounds | Southeast DC
When: Through November 15
Admission: Starts at $49/vehicle
Encounter some of the largest dinosaurs to ever roam the earth and eeriest marine creatures to lurk in the ocean’s depths from the safety of your family vehicle. This drive-thru experience features more than 70 true-to-life sized beasts from the land and sea with an audio tour guiding you along.
Saturday Morning Live! at the National
Where: Online
When: Saturday, 9:30am
Admission: Free
The National Theatre is bringing back their Saturday Morning Live! at the National program — virtually! You and your children are invited to to join them in celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the program by tuning in to Facebook Live for free entertainment designed to engage and inspire young minds. Their first series of programs, featuring world-renowned artist and educator Paige Hernandez, debuted on October 10 and will be wrapping up with a final episode on Saturday at 9:30am.
Skaters Gonna Skate
Where: Pentagon City, VA & Reston, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $9/child, $10/adult, $7/rentals
The skating season is starting at a couple of ice rinks around the area! If you’re ready to glide outdoors, Pentagon Row Ice Rink and Reston Town Center Ice Rink have begun welcoming visitors. Extra safety precautions are in place including online ticketing, contactless payments, and masks required. See websites for hours each day.
Presidential Outings
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
In honor of the election, how about a “presidential” activity? Go memorial hopping on the National Mall and see the Washington Monument (you can even go up in it), Lincoln Memorial, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial , and new Eisenhower Memorial. Enjoy a hike at Theodore Roosevelt Island. Visit the digs of first POTUS George Washington at Mount Vernon. Head to the National Museum of American History where you can view relics from many presidencies and exhibits about American Democracy.
Open Studio Friday
Where: Online
When: Friday, 11am
Admission: Free
Get artsy with the National Portrait Gallery is bringing its weekly art workshops to you virtually. Every Friday, they post a YouTube video with a new activity or technique. Just like in the IRL workshops, all ages are welcome to get creative with artist Jill Galloway inspired by the museums’s collection.
Leaf Peeping Hikes
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Take in the brilliant color spectrum of autumn and get a little exercise, to boot, on a family hike. From right here in the city to country locales, you’ve got your pick of places where you can enjoy the fall foliage and some time outdoors. This post about good area hikes with kids started in the early KFDC days, and with many new recommendations added since, there are lots of great suggestions for trails that will make for happy trampers.
Autumn Adventures
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
The fall festival season is winding down, but there are plenty of other fantastic ways to enjoy the season around the area. This KFDC post lists a bunch of awesome places for adventures to make the most of the season.
Market Days
Where: Eastern Market | Capitol Hill, DC
When: Saturday & Sunday
Admission: Free
Eastern Market’s outdoor weekend Flea Market is always fantastic, but it’s especially pleasant and pretty to browse and stroll during the fall. Vendors sell a variety of wares — art, apparel, jewelry, home goods, and food . If you go, plan to make a day of it on Capitol Hill. Visit the market, grab a bite at one of many eateries (either right there or nearby) or make a picnic in the park, and take kiddos to a playground — you’ve got your pick of them at Eastern Market Metro Park, Lincoln Park, Garfield Park, Marion (Turtle) Park, and Stanton Park.
How ‘Bout Them Late Apples
Where: Great Country Farms | Bluemont, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: $10/child, $12/adult
Late season apples are available at Great Country — pick your own Pink Lady and Fuji apples. Admission includes access to the corn maze, apple orchard, and sprawling play area. The apples are sold separately, though.
FALLFEST
Where: Wunder Garten | NoMa, DC
When: Through November 28
Admission: Free, but food/drinks/activities are extra
Wunder Garten, the popular outdoor beer garden in NOMA, is launching a two and a half week celebration of autumn this weekend that will feature crafting classes (for adults) and pop-ups from some of the city’s most beloved restaurants and food trucks. Families are welcome, and I got inside scoop that the best time to go with kids is Sundays when they open at noon — the crowds aren’t big, and the food partners each weekend are family-friendly.
Fun at Fairfax Parks
Where: Parks around Fairfax County, VA
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
There are new events from the Fairfax County Park Authority all the time, and this weekend has a fresh batch of nature-inspired activities for guests of all ages. Gather around a campfire at Lake Fairfax Park. Take a tour of Cabell’s Mill at Ellanor C. Lawrence Park. Join a watershed clean-up with tweens and older at Riverbend Park. Details and registration for these and many more nature activities this weekend and beyond are available here.
Tee Up
Where: TopGolf | National Harbor & Germantown, MD
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies
Take a swing at some fun at an area TopGolf location, where you can hit some golf balls and enjoy food and drinks. Both National Harbor and Germantown are welcoming visitors to play in their outdoor hitting bays with new health and safety protocols. Reserve a bay in advance here. Walk-ins are also welcome, but there may be longer wait times. Pricing starts at $27/hour per bay.
Disc Golfin’
Where: Courses around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
For some golf that’s a little more casual and active, hit the the chain links. Disc golf is a great way to enjoy a nice fall day outdoors with the family. Not only is it fun and challenging, the courses, many of them set up in scenic places, are lovely this time of year. This post has info about one in College Park, and there are also great courses at Seneca Creek State Park in Gaithersburg, MD, and Burke Lake Park in Burke, VA.
Baltimore, Hon!
Where: Inner Harbor Area | Baltimore, MD
When: All Weekend
Admission: Varies by locale
Head up I-95 for a change of city scenery. Explore the exhibits at Maryland Science Center. See some of the quirkiest, coolest art ever at the American Visionary Art Museum. Play the day away at Port Discovery. Get an eyeful of the underwater world at the National Aquarium. Or view history in the works at the Baltimore Museum of Industry. All of these places are open with new safety protocols in place for COVID.
Ride On
Where: Around the DMV
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Free
Family bike rides are perfect for right now. It’s a fun, active way to enjoy the fall weather and foliage — while social distancing, too. The DC area has plenty of good routes, with something for every age and rider level. This post has a bunch of pedal-worthy recommendations, and this recently posted route is ideal for the whole crew.
The Great Indoors
Where: Around the area
When: Throughout the weekend
Admission: Varies by activity
Even with nice weather, not all outings have to be outside. Lots of indoor places have reopened with extra precautions to ensure safety during COVID. This post has details on where you can hang out inside, and this one has suggestions especially for little kids.
***MORE GOOD STUFF***
* Tips for talking about the election outcome with kids
* It’s about that time to start ordering holiday cards, and Minted is currently offering a 30% discount on them.
* Rochambeau, The French International School is hosting a virtual Preschool Open House on Saturday, November 7 at 10am
* The vote-by-mail election, from the inside.
* We just watched and really enjoyed this documentary
* In this house, we believe…
