Move from the UK to Washington DC

[Anonymous]

I have a 6 year old daughter and a 4 year old son, my husband is in Washington (Chevy Chase) on business for 6 months with the potential to move here
Permanently. My children and I arrived yesterday to spend the summer holidays here with him. I am looking for things to do with the kids while he is at work?

Can you tell me the best water parks etc to visit?

Thank you x

[Anonymous]

Hi, welcome! I'm from the UK too and have kids similar age to yours, we moved here about 3 years ago. Assuming you mean playgrounds with spray, etc (not huge waterparks like Six Flags), we like the Palisades Spray Park. There's another good one called Ocean Dunes, not far in VA. My kids also enjoy the Georgetown waterfront sprays as well.

[Anonymous]

Hi, I have just googled ‘six flags’ and that was the sort of thing I was after. The kids are on summer holidays so I wanted to make it feel like holidays but $260 for tickets, I can’t do that every day for sex weeks ??

Where in the UK were you from? Are you pleased you made the move?. We have until December to make the decision. X

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I have just googled ‘six flags’ and that was the sort of thing I was after. The kids are on summer holidays so I wanted to make it feel like holidays but $260 for tickets, I can’t do that every day for sex weeks ??

Where in the UK were you from? Are you pleased you made the move?. We have until December to make the decision. X

We're from London. Yes, we love it here - we like living in a smaller city (we do things like walk to work - definitely not possible in London!), we love our kids' schools and we have met really nice people here. Of course we miss family/friends in London but the pace and quality of life here is very good. Rent/house prices are much cheaper than London, but otherwise I find prices for things like groceries, restaurants, etc to be comparable.

As for the hols, there are other big parks like Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens in the general area but for cheaper and more local things, I'd suggest the museums (Air and Space and Natural History are always popular, also check out the American History and Native American museums which have good kids areas, the Building Museum, the Postal Museum, and go to the Air and Space at Udvar Hazy as well), take one of the boat trips from Georgetown to Alexandria (then take the free trolley or walk up King Street to Nice Cream), do a tour of DC on a bus or duck tours, got to the zoo, go to a fruit picking farm like Butlers Orchard, go to Luray Caverns in Virginia, do a mini hike in Great Falls.... I've also heard of a water park called Water Mine in Reston - looks quite fun too.

[Anonymous]

We moved here from London as well. Good recommendations above. Are you driving while you’re here? If so, your kids are the perfect age for the Maryland science center in Baltimore.

Closer to home, check out the blue block room at the Building Museum.

[Anonymous]

At those ages Hershey Park will be better.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi, I have just googled ‘six flags’ and that was the sort of thing I was after. The kids are on summer holidays so I wanted to make it feel like holidays but $260 for tickets, I can’t do that every day for sex weeks ??

Where in the UK were you from? Are you pleased you made the move?. We have until December to make the decision. X

We're from London. Yes, we love it here - we like living in a smaller city (we do things like walk to work - definitely not possible in London!), we love our kids' schools and we have met really nice people here. Of course we miss family/friends in London but the pace and quality of life here is very good. Rent/house prices are much cheaper than London, but otherwise I find prices for things like groceries, restaurants, etc to be comparable.

As for the hols, there are other big parks like Kings Dominion and Busch Gardens in the general area but for cheaper and more local things, I'd suggest the museums (Air and Space and Natural History are always popular, also check out the American History and Native American museums which have good kids areas, the Building Museum, the Postal Museum, and go to the Air and Space at Udvar Hazy as well), take one of the boat trips from Georgetown to Alexandria (then take the free trolley or walk up King Street to Nice Cream), do a tour of DC on a bus or duck tours, got to the zoo, go to a fruit picking farm like Butlers Orchard, go to Luray Caverns in Virginia, do a mini hike in Great Falls.... I've also heard of a water park called Water Mine in Reston - looks quite fun too.

We are from Essex (just outside London), so City life is completely different from what I am used to. We are getting a train to NY for the weekend and meeting my parents in Florida for ten days to break the holidays up but finding things to do while my husband is at work is my issue. Thank you so much for the recommendations, I will certainly be visiting those places.

Really glad you are happy with the nice, it’s a massive decision. I haven’t looked into anything further just yet, burying my head in the sand I think x

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We moved here from London as well. Good recommendations above. Are you driving while you’re here? If so, your kids are the perfect age for the Maryland science center in Baltimore.

Closer to home, check out the blue block room at the Building Museum.

Thank you, I will look into that one too. We are based in chevy Chase at moment but his offices are likely to move to Baltimore harbour so we would be living there if we were to make the big move x

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At those ages Hershey Park will be better.

Thank you, I am writing all suggestion down and we try visit them all x

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At those ages Hershey Park will be better.

Thank you, I am writing all suggestion down and we try visit them all x

Actually, at those ages, Dutch Wonderland is even better. It is also less expensive. OP, you would have to drive up to Pennsylvania for both Hershey and Dutch Wonderland. It is about 2 hours away.

[Anonymous]

Hello OP we are British too and moved here about 10 years ago when the kids were babies.

All of the places mentioned above are great, but also Clark's Elioak farm in Ellicot City (just south of Baltimore) is definitely worth visiting. There is a small petting zoo, goats, etc and an outside play area, a hay ride and the old funpark rides and novelties which you can't ride on, but have been beautifully restored - Crooked house, Goldilocks house, Cinderella's pumpkin coach, etc etc.

Here is a link:http://www.clarklandfarm.com

We used to take our children all the time to this, it was amazing (and there is a farm store for honey and trinkets etc)

Also if you do plan to do, get there just before 10am then you won't have to stand in a long line to get inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello OP we are British too and moved here about 10 years ago when the kids were babies.

All of the places mentioned above are great, but also Clark's Elioak farm in Ellicot City (just south of Baltimore) is definitely worth visiting. There is a small petting zoo, goats, etc and an outside play area, a hay ride and the old funpark rides and novelties which you can't ride on, but have been beautifully restored - Crooked house, Goldilocks house, Cinderella's pumpkin coach, etc etc.

Here is a link:http://www.clarklandfarm.com

We used to take our children all the time to this, it was amazing (and there is a farm store for honey and trinkets etc)

Also if you do plan to do, get there just before 10am then you won't have to stand in a long line to get inside.

Thank you, they love Goldilocks so this would be a great idea. Thank you x

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi, welcome! I'm from the UK too and have kids similar age to yours, we moved here about 3 years ago. Assuming you mean playgrounds with spray, etc (not huge waterparks like Six Flags), we like the Palisades Spray Park. There's another good one called Ocean Dunes, not far in VA. My kids also enjoy the Georgetown waterfront sprays as well.

Thank you for recommending ‘palisades’ my two LOVED it today x

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We moved here from London as well. Good recommendations above. Are you driving while you’re here? If so, your kids are the perfect age for the Maryland science center in Baltimore.

Closer to home, check out the blue block room at the Building Museum.

Thank you, I will look into that one too. We are based in chevy Chase at moment but his offices are likely to move to Baltimore harbour so we would be living there if we were to make the big move x

FYI - if your husband’s office moved to Baltimore you’ll not want to live in dc. His commute will be soul crushing.

[Anonymous]

Hershey