The weather is warming and spring break is fast approaching. Looking to get outta dodge with the kids? Consider road-tripping to these destinations within a five-hour drive of the DMV.
Cass Scenic Railroad State Park
Ride back in time to an era when steam-driven locomotives were an essential part of everyday life. Take a scenic train ride to the overlook at Bald Knob, the third highest point in West Virginia. Then explore historic downtown Cass, where guided tours are available. Grab a bite to eat at The Company Store and soda shop. You can also catch a show at the Cass Historical Theater, visit a lumber railroading museum and see an intricate diorama of the town when it was a logging community. Be sure to check opening dates for seasonal attractions. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours. //12363 Cass Road, Cass, West Virginia
Cartoon Network Hotel
Kids can have a sleepover with their favorite Cartoon Network characters, immerse themselves in the world of animation—and then walk out the door to neighboring amusement park Dutch Wonderland. The hotel’s themed family rooms feature bunk beds and character bedding, including the Powerpuff Girls, We Bare Bears and Steven Universe. Splash in multiple indoor (and outdoor, if it’s warm enough) pools and a kiddie splash pad. Work up an appetite and head to the Land of P’Oool Concession Stand featuring a menu filled with summer favorites. Then dry off and stop by the Toon Room play area where kids can see their candy creations come alive on the big screen and play cartoon-themed games. Bonus: The hotel offers stay-and-play packages that include tickets to Dutch Wonderland and early access entry. Have more time? Check out all that surrounding Lancaster County has to offer. Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours. //2285 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Charlottesville, Virginia
You’re likely familiar with Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and a certain state school located here (hint: it’s UVA), but there are plenty of other activities to round out your visit. Enjoy an outdoor meal on one of the restaurant patios along the historic pedestrian Downtown Mall, check out the craft beer scene and sip chilled wines at more than 40 wineries along the Monticello Wine Trail, recently named Wine Enthusiast’s Wine Region of the Year. (Check this list to find wineries with kid-friendly options, including mini golf, outdoor games and children’s menus.) Kids up to age 8 may enjoy the Virginia Discovery Museum on the pedestrian mall, with hands-on educational and imaginative play spaces. New this year—book a batteau ride to step back in time on an 18th-century replica flat bottomed boat, specifically designed to navigate the shallow James River. If land activities are more your speed, try out the newly opened Biscuit Run Park, or check out the three-acre nature playscape at Wildrock, where visitors can climb on a giant wooden salamander, explore the rock labyrinth and visit the bird sanctuary stations and barn center. Drive time from Arlington: about 2 hours.
Davis, West Virginia
Many people think of Davis as a skiing destination, given its proximity to the Canaan Valley and Timberline resorts, but there’s also plenty to do when the weather turns mild. Resting at 3,520 feet of elevation, this tiny mountain town offers a slower pace of life and multiple ways to enjoy the great outdoors. Known for its system of rugged mountain biking and hiking trails, it’s also home to an increasingly hip and thriving artisan community, with live music venues, unique eateries and craft brewpubs. (Neighboring Thomas is an equally cool and kid-friendly town.) Nearby, find camping, fishing, geocaching and an amber colored waterfall at Blackwater Falls State Park. A short drive away, at Canaan Valley State Park, play a round of golf, visit a wildlife refuge or go fishing. Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours.
Diggerland
You’re used to your kids tearing things up, so how about letting them loose behind the controls of a real bulldozer or excavator? At Diggerland, the nation’s only construction theme park, families can drive, ride and operate specially-engineered real machines. Kids 36 inches or taller can partake in the most rides at this fun zone, which also includes an amusement park, a zipline and, in summer months, a water park. Located southeast of Philadelphia, it’s worthy of a dedicated outing, or it could be a stop-off on a trip up to New York City. Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours 30 minutes. //100 Pinedge Drive, West Berlin, New Jersey
Frederick, Maryland
Hip meets historic in this small city just a short drive northwest of the Washington beltway. Hike a portion of the Appalachian trail, visit craft breweries and wineries and tour a battlefield, all in a day. Downtown Frederick is a culinary hotspot offering a range of dining options, from casual brew pubs to celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s acclaimed Wye Oak Tavern in the historic Visitation Hotel on Church Street. Stroll the canal in Carroll Creek Park and check out a plethora of events, from outdoor concerts to beer festivals. Learn about Civil War events that occurred here by taking a driving tour along the Maryland Civil War Trail. Ride the Walkersville Southern Railroad‘s bunny train, meet the Easter Bunny and receive a surprise gift on board. North of the city you’ll find hiking trails and peaceful wilderness at Catoctin Mountain Park and Cunningham Falls State Park, plus hundreds of fascinating animals at the 50-acre Catoctin Wildlife Preserve, where you can see bears, wolves and jaguars and feed llamas and goats. Drive time from Arlington: 1 hour 30 minutes.
The Greenbrier
One of the country’s oldest resorts (it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places), this stately property offers a scenic getaway from the bustle of Washington with a multitude of enticing indoor and outdoor activities. Try an aerial adventure course, explore the depths of the Greenbrier’s secret bunker-turned escape room, get up close and personal with birds of prey in a beginner falconry lesson or check the kids into the Adventure Zone for a day filled with programmed fun. If you’ll be there over Easter weekend, the resort also offers an Easter package. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours. //101 Main St. W., White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Historic St. Mary’s City
Situated on Maryland’s Western Shore, the city that was once the state’s first Colonial capital commemorates the fourth permanent English settlement in North America. Learn from a 70-acre outdoor history exhibit and archaeological site on the banks of the St. Mary’s River. The Woodland Indian Hamlet tells the story of the Yaocomaco people and other neighboring tribes. Hands-on activities teach some of the skills that were once necessary to build and run a small indigenous village. Step aboard the tall ship Maryland Dove, visit a working tobacco plantation with heritage breed animals and a town center with recreated buildings, and check out ongoing archaeological digs, including St. Mary’s Fort. Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours. //18751 Hogaboom Lane, Lexington Park, Maryland
Kalahari Water Park
Take erratic weather out of your planning equation and opt for an indoor water adventure at Kalahari, where you can spend the night and then spend the next day careening down rip-roaring slides in an 84-degree indoor water park. Launch yourself into a new realm on the VR waterslide—wearing a Virtual Reality headset—and enjoy an immersive experience with a new reality every ride. (Other indoor waterparks within driving distance of the D.C. area include Great Wolf Lodge in Williamsburg, Virginia or Perryville, Maryland; and Massanutten WaterPark in Massanutten, Virginia.) Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours 30 minutes. //250 Kalahari Blvd. Pocono Manor, Pennsylvania
Legoland New York Resort
Let the kids build their own spring break adventure with amusement park rides, mazes and a brand new water park. Located in New York’s Hudson Valley Region, Legoland New York Resort features seven Lego-themed lands. Kids can transform into a mini-figure on the Lego Factory Adventure Ride, master the art of Spinjitzu on Lego Ninjago the Ride, explore Lego-built cities in Miniland. A newly added attraction this spring features Peppa Pig in the Lego Duplo play area. The 250-room Legoland Hotel offers themed rooms, each with a separate sleeping area for the kids, a free breakfast buffet and an in-room treasure hunt and nightly entertainment. // One Legoland Way, Goshen, New York
Luray Caverns
Walk through the largest underground cavern in the eastern United States. Take a tour along lighted, paved walkways into cathedral-size caves with 10-story ceilings, underground lakes and towering stone formations. Afterward, included in the same ticket, see trains and toys from yesteryear at Toy Town Junction; visit the Shenandoah Heritage Village, a seven-acre re-creation of a 19th-century farming community; and take a spin through time at the Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, home to more than 75 historic vehicles on display. Drive time from Arlington: 2 hours. //101 Cave Hill Road, Luray, Virginia
Massanutten Family Adventure Park
Climb, tube, zip and swim your way through this 6,000-acre mountain getaway. Ski-focused in the winter, the all-season resort switches to fair-weather activities come spring. Little ones will enjoy the challenge of a kids’ ropes course and climbing wall, plus the chance to fly down the zip line and bounce at Playland. If the weather is warm enough, check to see if snow tubing has switched over to summer tubing and take turns gliding down a grassy hill. The indoor water park offers enough slides, rapids and pools to occupy a full day. Take a Flowrider lesson and learn to bodyboard on 50,000 gallons of water flowing under you like an ocean wave, or grab a tube and relax on an indoor lazy river. The area also offers numerous treks and trails for hikers and bikers itching to get outdoors. Drive time from Arlington 2 hours 30 minutes. //1822 Resort Drive, Massanutten, Virginia
Natural Bridge State Park
Get your steps in at this park 15 miles south of historic Lexington, Virginia. Once owned by Thomas Jefferson, the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Climb a 137-step stairway to view the 215-foot tall limestone bridge. Then explore six miles of hiking trails, including the Cedar Creek Trail that leads from the bridge to Lace Falls with a 30-foot cascade. Other activities in Natural Bridge include the Caverns at Natural Bridge, where you can venture 34 stories below the earth’s surface. Or, check out unusual and exotic animals at the drive-through Virginia Safari Park or at the privately owned Natural Bridge Zoo, which has been breeding threatened and endangered species for more than 50 years. Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours. //6477 S. Lee Highway, Natural Bridge, Virginia
Pennsylvania Dutch Country (and Hersheypark)
Discover the culture and lifestyle of the nation’s oldest Amish communities, where tens of thousands still live a centuries-old “plain” lifestyle without modern amenities. Take a tour through Amish farms, go for a horse-drawn buggy ride and visit the covered bridges of Lancaster County. Afterward, shop for handmade Amish crafts and feast on authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking. And if the pace of life gets too slow, stop off at nearby Hersheypark to ride the coasters and see how chocolate is made. Be sure to check the website for opening dates. Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours. //Amish Visitor Center is at 501 Greenfield Road, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The amusement park is located at 100 W. Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Please Touch Museum
Relax and let the kids do what they’re naturally inclined to do—touch everything—at this Philadelphia-area museum focused on learning through play. Hands-on exhibits encourage children to pursue their curiosity. Youngsters can throw on a waterproof smock and plunge their hands into a pint-sized Schuylkill River, where they can float boats and pump water through pipes, and switch dams and locks to adjust water flow. Alternately, they can imagine themselves in a grown-up world behind the wheel of a bus or working at the Please Touch Garage. Then travel down the rabbit hole to Wonderland to navigate Alice’s hedge maze en route to the Mad Hatter’s tea party. (For more kid-friendly fun, check out the touchable exhibits and IMAX movies at Philadelphia’s Franklin Institute, one of the oldest science museums in the country.) Drive time from Arlington: 3 hours 28 minutes. //4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Sesame Place
Sweep the clouds—and the stress—away in a life-size Sesame Street world outside of Philadelphia. Little ones can meet Elmo, Big Bird and Abby Cadabbi, see them in shows and parades, and enjoy rides scaled for every kind of visitor, from gentle amusements for wee ones to thrilling coasters for the older set. In the warmer months, pack swimsuits and splash in a water park with tot-friendly slides. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours. //100 Sesame Road, Langhorne, Pennsylvania
Treehouse Camping
Spend an enchanted, magical forest night camping in a one-of-a-kind rustic shelter. The options in this wooded outpost include a selection of elevated treehouse cabins, or a fun and fanciful retreat in a Hobbit House. Offering lodging options ranging from primitive shelters, to cozy, year-round cottages with electricity and proper beds, the Treehouse Camp in Maryland has 20 acres of forested campground near the Appalachian Trail. It’s not glamping, but there are hot outdoor showers. Drive time from Arlington: 1 hour 40 minutes. //20716 Townsend Road, Rohrersville, Maryland
Virginia Capital Trail
Roll from the present to the past—and back again—on this 51-mile fully-paved cycling trail with dozens of attractions along the way. Bring your own bikes or rent them at one of the many nearby rental shops. The trail connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond, and more than 400 years of history. Stop-offs of interest to families include the Science Museum of Virginia, the Virginia State Capitol, Jamestown Settlement and Powhatan Village and the Belle Isle Bike Skills Course which includes a pump track and beginner course to practice mountain biking. Find more than 50 places to dine along the trail and check out a list of planned itineraries, from gentle 2-mile rides for beginners to excursions stretching 31 miles or longer. Drive time from Arlington: about 2 hours. // Various locations, Richmond, Virginia
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
The captivating sea creatures in this Virginia Beach aquarium include sharks, barracudas, sea stars and multiple species of jellyfish. Interactive exhibits highlight why cuttlefish are the magicians of the sea, how disco clams produce light, and more. Kids can watch veterinarians at work in the animal care center (push a button to ask questions). Outdoors, an enormous science play area gives visitors an opportunity to learn about rivers, bays and oceans in creative ways, including water experiments to see how rivers shape the land and pretend play as marine scientists. Kids can also have fun alongside North American river otters on a cleverly designed slide adjacent to a viewing window. The aquarium is also home to an Adventure Park with 17 climbing ropes courses and 33 ziplines. Drive time from Arlington: 4 hours 30 minutes. // 717 General Booth Blvd., Virginia Beach, Virginia
Williamsburg and Busch Gardens
Enter this 18th century city, referred to as the world’s largest living history museum, where costumed interpreters portray everyday life as it was in Colonial America via an immersive experience. For more history, drive to nearby Jamestown and visit two museums that explore life in the 17th and 18th centuries. Climb aboard replicas of ships that sailed from England to Virginia in 1607 and take a peek inside a re-creation of the colonists’ fort. Both museums can be visited in one day. Then shoot back into reality as you blast upside down at nearby Busch Gardens theme park. Littles will enjoy attractions in the Sesame Street Forest of Fun area. Kids ages 3-5 get in free with a Preschool Pass, but you must register and visit before June 1. Drive time from Arlington: about 2 hours.