How to Choose Activities Everyone Will Enjoy

Look for Attractions with Multiple Types of Activities in One Place

You'll notice the spots on our list have activities for all ages, like a park that has a toddler playground, a nature center, and a mountain-bike course.

Find Spaces that are Interactive for Young Kids and Immersive for Older Ones

For example, even if a museum is geared toward older kids, teens, and adults, a younger child will be happy as long as there are interactive elements like buttons they can push, activities they can try, etc.

Head to Spots with Food and Rest Areas

If a place doesn't have an on-site cafe or food court, make sure outside food is allowed and that there's somewhere to sit to eat it. Also check out the bathroom situation—porta-potties may not cut it with little kids!

Tips for a Stress-Free All-Ages DC Day

Mix Active Time with Rest Breaks

Younger kids won't be able to go as hard as older ones, so don't forget to build in time for them to rest. Perhaps you can find a bench to sit on near an attraction the older kids can enjoy, or let little ones sleep in the stroller while the big kids continue to explore.

Divide and Conquer

Your big kid is not going to want to sit around while their toddler sibling plays in a sandbox, so perhaps you can stay with the little one while another adult takes the big one to shoot hoops, for example. If you have teens, send them off with money and a designated meeting place!

Have Snacks on Hand

Nothing can spoil the fun like a hangry toddler, so be sure to pack plenty of snacks!

Know Where the Restrooms Are

You don't want to be caught off guard by a bathroom emergency, so be sure to know the location of restrooms ahead of time!

Toddlers will love the miniature train at Wheaton Regional Park. Photo by ssfaulkn / Public Domain

Outdoor Adventures for All Ages

1. Wheaton Regional Park — Wheaton, MD

A great playground, gorgeous gardens, hiking, biking, horseback riding, fishing... this 538-acre park has adventures for all ages!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: This park's Adventure Playground includes a dedicated toddler area filled with concrete animals and a sandbox. Little ones will also love the miniature train and carousel.

For Big Kids: Explore the children's discovery room, live animal exhibits, pond, and gardens at Brookside Nature Center.

For Teens: Go for a ride at Wheaton Gravity Mountain Bike Park, where you'll encounter dirt and wooden berm turns, rollers, drops, and ride-through features.

2. Cabin John Regional Park — Bethesda, MD

With over five miles of hiking and biking trails, sports courts, a fantastic playground, a nature center, and a fully enclosed ice rink that's open year-round, families with kids of all ages will find plenty to entertain them all day long at Cabin John. You can even spend the night at one of seven walk-in campgrounds!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Hop aboard the Cabin John Miniature Train for a scenic, two-mile ride through the park.

For Big Kids: Climb, crawl, swing, slide, and make music on the Adventure Playground.

For Teens: Play tennis, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, and more on the various sports courts.

3. Burke Lake Park — Fairfax Station, VA

This 888-acre park has something for everyone. Walk some of the 4.7-mile trail around the lake, where you can also fish and boat. Enjoy various forms of golf, from mini golf to disc golf to a full 18-hole course. Play on one of four playgrounds. And enjoy a delicious scoop (or two!) from the Burke Lake Ice Cream Parlor.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Take a ride on the miniature train and carousel, conveniently located next to each other.

For Big Kids: Go head-to-head in a game of mini golf on the 18-hole course.

For Teens: Perfect your swing at Burke Lake Golf Center's driving range.

4. Upton Hill Regional Park — Arlington, VA

Families with kids of all ages can spend the whole day at this awesome park and not run out of things to do—especially in summer, when the water park is open!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Cool off during the summer at the sprayground or wading pool at Ocean Dunes Water Park.

For Big Kids: Perfect your swing in one of six baseball and three softball batting cages.

For Teens: Conquer Climb UPton, the largest ropes course in the Mid-Atlantic.

Get hands-on at the National Museum of the US Army's Experiential Learning Center. Photo by the author

Museums that Wow All Ages

5. National Museum of the United States Army — Fort Belvoir, VA

This hidden-gem museum's Experiential Learning Center has an area for young kids and a Training Center even teens and grown-ups will enjoy. Add to that Army vehicles, uniforms, and many other objects from various wars and time periods on display, and you've got a full day of fun for the whole family.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: At Fort Discover, little ones can use imaginative play to climb an Army tower, radio friends, drop cargo supplies, launch a space rocket, drive a Jeep, serve chow in the dining facility, and check out different uniforms.

For Big Kids: In the Training Center, kids can simulate work done by Army soldiers in the fields of geography, science, technology, engineering , and math.

For Teens: Get your adrenaline pumping during a virtual-reality adventure at the Army Action Center.

6. National Museum of American History — Washington, DC

From history to art to pop culture, this museum has a ton of exhibits to wow those with any interest. Plenty of interactive elements and dedicated kids' spaces mean even the youngest museum-goers will stay engaged.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Wonderplace is an exhibit just for the 0-6 crowd full of interactive elements including a construction area, a climbing structure, a soft-play area for crawlers, a pretend farm and kitchen, and more.

For Big Kids: At Spark!Lab, kids ages 6-12 can create, explore, test, experiment, and invent as they work on various STEAM activities.

For Teens: Marvel at the pop culture artifacts in the Entertainment Nation exhibit, from R2-D2 and C-3PO costumes to Prince's guitar to puppets from The Muppet Show.

7. National Museum of Natural History — Washington, DC

From the iconic African elephant display to fossils, Ancient Egyptian mummies, and more, the National Museum of Natural History is one of the most visited of the Smithsonian museums. There's so much to see, you likely won't get to it all in one day!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Marvel at the massive dinosaur skeletons in the Hall of Fossils on the first floor.

For Big Kids: Look for the four mummies in the second-floor Ancient Egypt exhibit.

For Teens: Be wowed by the museum's collection of minerals, crystals, and gems in the GeoGallery, including the world-famous Hope Diamond.

8. National Museum of the American Indian — Washington, DC

While this museum's regular exhibits are more interesting to teens and adults, toddlers and kids will have a blast in its awesome activity center.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Build an igloo out of soft blocks, play in a tipi, read picture books in the book nook, and do crafts at the imagiNATIONS Activity Center.

For Big Kids: Do more advanced activities in imagiNATIONS such as basket weaving and a skateboarding simulation.

For Teens: Explore the Americans exhibit and see how many American Indian names, images, and logos you recognize from pop culture, toys, and brands.

Super, Awesome & Amazing has physical activities for kids of all ages. Photo courtesy of Super, Awesome & Amazing

Entertainment Everyone Can Get Into

8. Super, Awesome & Amazing — Springfield, VA

Located within the St. James sports complex, Super, Awesome, & Amazing is an interactive water park, eSports and VR gaming facility, rock-climbing gym, trampoline park, and obstacle course all in one. There's even a Nerf Battle Zone!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Splash and play at the fully enclosed indoor water park, which has toddler-friendly elements like a splash pad, sprayers, dump buckets, and some smaller slides.

For Big Kids: Go head-to-head with friends in the NERF Battle Zone.

For Teens: Tackle the ropes course and the ninja warrior course.

9. Scramble Parkour — Arlington, VA

Finally—an indoor activity gym that has something for all ages, from toddlers through adults!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Build a masterpiece with the largest collection of JollyHeap blocks—soft, magnetic blocks—in North America.

For Big Kids: Tackle several parkour courses of varying difficulty levels.

For Teens: Show off your ninja skills at the Upper J Street Parkour course, an advanced course full of balance, climbing, and other challenges.

10. Pinstripes — Washington, DC & Bethesda, MD

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: On the second Saturday of each month from January through November, enjoy the FREE Kids Club from 9-10am, featuring themed activities like crafts and puppet shows. You'll get a voucher for a free same-day brunch starting at 10am, so plan to stick around to eat and bowl!

For Big Kids: Big kids of all all skill levels enjoy bowling—just be sure to put up the bumpers for those who need some extra help!

For Teens: Teens looking to learn something new should try their hand at bocce.

12. Immersive Gamebox — Arlington, VA

Families can experience the feeling of being inside a video game at Immersive Gamebox in Ballston Quarter, where they'll control the action through interactive tech-driven adventures that appeal to a variety of age groups.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Join Ryder and your favorite four-legged friends for fun rescue missions in "Paw Patrol: New Recruits."

For Big Kids: Challenge yourself in "Floor Is Lava," based on the hit TV show.

For Teens: Conquer challenges with friends in "Squid Game."

13. Tysons Corner Center — Tysons, VA

This large mall has a variety of stores, restaurants, a movie theater, and entertainment destinations for all ages, meaning the whole family will be happy!

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Step into the world of Peppa Pig—and meet Peppa herself!—at the immersive PEPPA PIG x CAMP experience at the CAMP store on the mall's lower level. Then head upstairs to ride the train and blow off steam at the indoor play place.

For Big Kids: Make slime at CAMP's Schmutz Bar, have brunch at the American Girl Cafe, and build your own minifigure at the LEGO Store. If you're into the Labubu craze (learn more about in our post), try your luck at the Pop Mart Robo Shop near the food court!

For Teens: Create your own rug at Tuft Tuft (tufting is one of our favorite trending and out-of-the-box activities), then tackle over 50 real-world physical and mental challenges and games at Level99, a first-of-its-kind social gaming playground.

Food Stops That Make Everyone Happy

14. Boardwalk Bar & Arcade — Washington, DC

This fun, laid-back beach-themed restaurant has all the elements you'd find at a seaside boardwalk—hot dogs, nachos, pinball machines, and even cotton candy. Kids will love the many games, including arcade games, shuffleboard, and Skee-Ball. It also has a kids' menu with grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and more.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Pint-size tables and chairs give toddlers the perfect place to eat and play with the restaurant's toy trucks.

For Big Kids: Bust a move playing Dance Dance Revolution, race a sibling or friend in the Cruis'n Blast car racing game, or try your luck on the plush or duck crane games.

For Teens: Play a game of shuffleboard, Mortal Kombat, or Connect 4 Basketball, then take pics in the photo booth to post on Insta.

15. Hi-Lawn — Washington, DC

This rooftop restaurant and green space offers stunning city views while you partake in food and drinks at the colorful picnic tables or on a blanket on the turf. It's only for ages 21 and up on Fridays and Saturdays after 7pm, but Hi-Lawn welcomes kids at all other times. Certain evenings feature live music.

Don’t miss:

For Toddlers: Little ones will love being able to run around and play rather than sit in a stuffy restaurant!

For Big Kids: Lawn games like corn hole provide a fun break between bites of tacos, burgers, and other kid-friendly eats.

For Teens: Teenagers can show off their knowledge by helping their parents during Tuesday trivia from 7-9pm, or watch sports on flat-screen TVs in the tented area.