Fun Places Not More than 4 Hours from DC?

Updated on February 16, 2012
M.D. asks from Washington, DC
8 answers

We are doing a mini trip over Easter weekend and our favorite place is booked...for now. We love to go to the National Harbor. It's only an hour or so from Southern Maryland and my husband can still go to work if he wants to.

If it doesn't open up, I'll be taking the kids somewhere on Thursday, and he'll join us either that night or on Friday (depending on if he gets the new job he interviewed for) and then we'll all leave on Monday. If I have to go on my own I'm totally okay with that, but I don't want to go more than 4 or 5 hours away. I also don't want to spend a fortune. (The hotel cost is the same regardless of where we go...)

My kids will be 5, almost 7, and 8 over that weekend, if that makes a difference :).

Ideas?

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So What Happened?

Thanks mamas! We have to stay somewhere with a Wyndham Vacation Resort - or the hotel price goes up a lot! We are actually already booked for Williamsburg for Memorial Day weekend and we will do Colonial Williamsburg then (my kids LOVE history).

We have never done the Natural Bridge - that sounds interesting! I hadn't looked into state parks with the need to stay at a Wyndham...but that's great for future planning! I have the travel company looking into Boston (I know it's more than 4 hours away, but it's my "home" and the kids were 4, 2, and 9 months the last time we went) and Hershey as well.

More Answers

R.D.

answers from Richmond on

OMG I JUST POSTED this long thing about stuff to do in Richmond, and my computer crapped out, GRR!!

Richmond's fun, let's just leave it at that ;)

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J.G.

answers from Washington DC on

last Spring Break we rented a cabin at Douthat State Park. You can check out Virginia State Parks and sites that have cabins. It was fun to get away from the city and hang out as a family - no tv, wifi only at the main office. We grilled out and had smores every night.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

If you're in Baltimore, check out Storyville with the little guy. http://www.bcplstoryville.org/storyville_home.html

The aquarium is pretty cool there, too.

If you like hikes and nature, consider a weekend at Deep Creek Lake. There's a nice nature center up there, and you can visit Swallow Falls.

You could also go the other way to Bush Gardens and Williamsburg.

College Park has an aviation museum and you can be close to the Metro to go into DC and see the museums and zoo there.

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L.F.

answers from Chicago on

This is super close to you, so you've probably already done it, but have you toured the Civil War battlefields in the Manassas area? Your kids might be a tad young for it, but they are pretty neat. And there are some cute shops in the Manassas area. And Leesburg isn't too far. You can do a little outlet mall shopping there ;-)

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K.W.

answers from Washington DC on

How about Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg? It's an indoor water park, which is perfect for the winter time (even though it's not really cold right now).

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C.L.

answers from Minneapolis on

Do you think they are old enough for Colonial Williamsburg? I seem to recall they have some interactive things for kids. Food might be a challenge though.

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K.L.

answers from Washington DC on

What about Natural Bridge? I don't know if that's the name of the actual town, but it's somewhere in western VA, off 81. I've had a few friends go and say it's really neat, and I'd love to my kids (ages 8 and 10) I bet if you google it you'll be able to find it.

We just went skiing at Massanutten. They have a water park too. Won't be any snow probably at Spring Break. But it's a really pretty area. And Harrisonburg (where JMU is located) was a nice little town with a few good restaurants that were really cool, but you could still bring kids!

I'll add more later when I've had more time to think (if I come up with anything else!)

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C.C.

answers from Washington DC on

Ew its like 5 hrs but New Bern was so fun and the condo location is awesome

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