Go Outside and Play
Give the gift of togetherness and learn something new with an outing for the whole family.
Love airplanes? Here’s your chance to see both modern and vintage aircraft in action, and even step inside the cockpits of a few of them to chat with the pilots. The Joint Base Andrews Air Force Base Air & Space Expo returns this year May 11-12, featuring flyovers by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, plus presentations of aircraft like the KC-135, the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the UH-1N Iroquois and many more. Free parking will be available at FedEx Field with shuttles to and from Andrews Air Force Base. Attendance is free and open to the public. Pro tip: bring headphones for the little ones. The demos are spectacular but loud.
Alternately, take a road trip in search of some serious U.S. history and explore some of Virginia’s lesser-known Civil War sites. Many of the historic sites are within an hour or two of home (and some are even local).
You can’t go wrong with a nature walk. If it’s a beautiful day, grab the kids and try one of these 8 Great Hikes Close to Home. Most of the options are gentle hikes that are conducive to multi-generational participation. Or pay a visit to Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna for a casual stroll, surrounded by beautiful landscaping.