Anonymous wrote:If you go to the Dulles Annex after 4, parking is free.

OMG Dinosaurland! We went there in 1983, I can't believe its still there!

New here: If I trek up to dinosaurland, is there anything else to see out there? On the way? How about where to stay one weekend night?

Pet store

I was there the other day waiting for a pizza next door and wished DD was there. They took the bunnies out for me to pet and we looked at the birds and fish (we being myself and the employees). DD would have enjoyed it.

We always get a hotels.com deal for one nite. Kids are perfect age for that, and a pool is always fun!

I am planning mine, too. Yes, some of it will probably be low key at home type stuff, but I have to get them out of the house or we all go nuts. Laughing to myself at a trip to Williamsburg or Philly being a "staycation!" A day trip to Baltimore, maybe

Among the things we might do:

-swimming at an indoor pool
-picnic at the cherry blossoms
-Building museum trip
-see the Sesame street movie at Air & Space
-visit a farm (Oxon Hill? Colonial Farm?)
-a day in Baltimore (zoo or port discovery or B&O museum, dinner in Hampden)
-easter egg hunt (this Saturday)
-bake something

Anonymous wrote:"IM out of money so tell me about theme parks..."

LOL!

I know PP! Having trouble letting go of spring break. Then after talking all month about how broke we are, DH says today "You need to take me away to a warm island or someplace where I can kick this cold!" Guess I'm not the only one having trouble letting go of a getaway spring break.

Sled riding!

"IM out of money so tell me about theme parks..."

LOL!

Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is very nice. B&O Railroad museum in Baltimore. Fort mchenry. Trolley museum in Silver Spring. Day trip to annapolis or st. Michaels.

The problem is that the weather stinks this week (cold). We had planned to go to Williamsburg and Busch Gardens but decided not to bc of the weather. It's no fun riding rides in the cold.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Air and Space at Dulles to see the Space Shuttle

Spend sometime reading about famous artists and then do a scavenger hunt at the NGA to find some of their paintings.

The Zoo! (Although I think DC has one of the lamest zoos around.)

Really? Besides San Diego, which zoo is better--I've been to a few all over the world and found them to be mostly cages of misery compared to the DC habitats. The worst was the German Zoo in Munich with the hippo in the freezing weather. DC Zoo is at its BEST in the cold weather in the morning @ 9:00 AM. The animals, particularly the monkeys , are incredibly active.

The National Zoo is horrible. We love the fabulous zoo in Tampa Florida of course in addition to the San Doego Zoo.

Luray Caverns (there was a car museum next door when we went years ago). Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens. Baltimore Aquarium. Eden Center for Vietnamese Food and Asian grocery store.

Anonymous wrote:Give letterboxing a try! It really is a fun family activity and it will get you out to new spots around the area (just do a quick search or use a letterboxing app to find boxes in DC, MD, VA).

http://www.letterboxing.org/

http://www.letterboxing.org/kids/

http://kidoinfo.com/ri/letterboxing-with-kids-a-natural-adventure/

Fantastic idea! Thanks, I have just mapped out two hikes/adventures that I will be doing with the kids hopefully this week. Really fun idea!

And someone mentioned Dinosaurland - we took our kids (now 7 and 4) last year and had SO much fun. Very cool little place....

San Diego and St. Louis have much better zoos than DC.

The St. Louis zoo blows ours away - felt sorry for our poor animals after we went there.

And yes, Dinosaurland is still there and probably looks exactly like it did in 1983. Totally worth the gas money. And if you're ever out that way, Bedrock City in AZ can't be beat.

Anonymous wrote:Air and Space at Dulles to see the Space Shuttle

Spend sometime reading about famous artists and then do a scavenger hunt at the NGA to find some of their paintings.

The Zoo! (Although I think DC has one of the lamest zoos around.)

Really? Besides San Diego, which zoo is better--I've been to a few all over the world and found them to be mostly cages of misery compared to the DC habitats. The worst was the German Zoo in Munich with the hippo in the freezing weather. DC Zoo is at its BEST in the cold weather in the morning @ 9:00 AM. The animals, particularly the monkeys , are incredibly active.

I have heard that Busch Gardens gets really crowded spring break weeks. Just fyi. If you do go to Williamsburg, though, hit the candle store where it snows inside. My kids loved it.