Since my last review, I ended up purchasing a family membership to the Children's Science Center…read moreand it is the BEST purchasing decision I have made all year. It's close proximity means that I have a go-to spot to bring the kids on school breaks, rainy days, cold days, or whenever we simply have nothing to do. While there are a few standing exhibits, the staff does a really good job at changing things up (and keeping things topical) so each visit feels special. And the best part... SLIME. We've made slime conductors, spider slime, fluffy slime, snowflake slime, glow-in-the-dark slime .. basically alll the slime. The experiment lab always has a slime option and it is a highlight of every visit. My eldest daughter went from barely reading and needing help at the beginning of our membership to fully reading and creating experiments on her own. It is so much fun to see. For the littles, there is a small playroom with building blocks, magnatiles, books, and those large blue fort/construction material building materials. My two-year old loved spending time in this room but now that she is three she likes making her own hovercrafts and setting them sail in the wind tunnel. The staff is SO kind, SO helpful, and so passionate about what they do. I love how they offer volunteer/internship opportunities to teens and will also set up special traveling science labs to Title I schools. If you are a member you also get discounted or free visits to children's science museums all across the United States which has made this membership 100% worth it for our family. If you are looking for an experience gift to give a little one this year, I highly recommend the Children's Science Center!

Had a great time with my toddler today. She's not quite two so her admission was free and there's a…read more$2 discount for purchasing tickets in advance. I was worried there wouldn't be enough activity for her age but she had a blast playing with exhibits and blocks in the interactive room. She also made "play dough" as an experiment. The staff were all friendly and helpful, we will definitely be back.

Came to check out this amazing spot for families and the kids loved it! Large space with plenty of…read moreareas for kids to explore. Entire space was very clean and staff were attentive . Cute front room with great toys to purchase. Also another private room area for parties. Plenty of parking available in the shopping center. Will be back for more fun!

What a cool place to play for kids! Came here for a kid's birthday party, and my son had such an…read moreawesome time! This is one of the coolest children's museum play spot that I've ever been to. The details inside are so cool!

This is a fascinating little railroad museum in a lovely tree covered setting at Fairfax Station…read more Originally the 1903 local train station, the building was moved to this site and restored in 1980. Today, the museum is opened on Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00, but offers special tours for groups and scouts. Admission is modest ($5) to tour the building. The railroad had historic importance for commerce across North Virginia in the 1850's. During the Civil War, the line was used to bring wounded troops to this location, where they were nursed by Clara Barton. The line also carried supplies. Outside is a 20th century caboose that visitors can look inside. There is also a train car for the 1950s. The parking lot holds about a dozen cars including several handicapped spaces. There are a few picnic tables under the trees to have a snack. The grounds are immaculate and beautiful. This is a great place to bring the kids or you favorite history buff for the afternoon.

Cool free museum from the outside…read more Inside pay a nominal donation for an indoor exhibit. Location: Hidden in Fairfax County VA off Ox Road. Built in 1852; was a depot built by Irish immigrants--Fairfax Station!! Typically, open on the weekends. Mainly Sundays. Check the schedule on the website. For kids -- toy trains to play with inside. Build a toy train track, plenty of toy trains. Parking -- free. With overflow parking across the street.

This is one of the best kept secrets in Loudoun County. This is a phenomenal place all the way at…read morethe end of Loudoun County Parkway and has numerous walking trails and activities for kids and adults. We hosted an annual picnic here and had a great time. This is highly recommended for morning nature walks and evening relaxation.

It would be a nice place to visit if there was more to see, that admission is not so ridiculously…read morehigh, and the grounds were better kept. We really felt that we're offsetting owners' costs by helping them get a tax break in addition to the shamefully expensive entry fee for tickets for an art festival that was, sadly, not really a festival. Probably less than 10 vendors and only 2 food trucks. No music. No party- or festival-like atmosphere. It just felt like we were walking the grounds of some wealthy people who charged us a ridiculous amount to be there for an hour or two. Bathrooms are in portable trailer, so if you're not a fan of portables, you'll want to hold your bladder. Their 250-year old house of which there was much pride sounded more interesting than the gardens, and a tour of that would have made the visit slightly more of a value. But like others have said, if this was run as a non-profit organization, it may have made the high entrance fees slightly more easy to swallow. I can't see their current business model being a successful one unless only very wealthy people take an interest in visiting, financing, and renting their facilities. They have taken landfill & turned it into a pretty place, but for the average family, it's too expensive and not sufficiently entertaining or educational to make a trek out to visit really worthwhile. BLUF: Skip it unless they put some amazing work into the property, reduce entrance fees significantly, and let the public visit more often.

Great small museum, rich in local history! I visited the…read moreManassas Museum in downtown Manassas and thought it was a fantastic, bite-sized immersion into the area's past. The museum reopened in 2023 after major renovations, and it feels both fresh and inviting while still honoring its roots. Highlights: Free admission makes it an excellent stop for visitors or locals alike. The museum is compact a few rooms covering settlement, Native American history, railroad development, and the Civil War so you can fully explore in about 30 minutes.

I attended National Night Out!…read more What a great family event! So glad I was about to attend.

Small kids play area located on the first floor of the American history museum. Nothing big or…read morefancy but a good spot that is enclosed with staff at the doors so kids can play freely in the area.

If you have littles, the Wegman's Wonderspace on the first floor of the National Museum of American…read moreHistory is a great place to get your wiggles out on a cold or rainy day. Concept wise, this place is tops! There is a special seating area for parents, a child-sized replica of Julia Child's kitchen, farm replica complete with a hen house, construction area, and the piece de resistance -- a discovery climbing station. There is a museum employee at the front door who helps check guests in, but I suggest having an actual play space attendant to make sure that things do not go array. It can get crowded quick and there are lot of really big kids mixed in with the babies/toddlers and I feel like if there is not dedicated eyes on all corners things could get pretty crazy. Bring a pack of sanitizer wipes, lower your expectations, and make sure you are keeping an eye on your child and you'll have a great time!

Family fun farm in the Shenandoah! This farm features a huge pumpkin patch where you can pick your…read moreown pumpkin - and an enormous Corn Maze. The maze is well cut and fun. Other activities included: hay ride , pumpkin bowling, pillow bounce, truck sand pit, basketball toss, football toss, baseball toss, lots of different slides, duck races, pig races and more . They also have animals to see : chickens, goats (and a goat walk), donkeys, ducks, pigs, sheep, and alpacas. They also have tractors you can climb all over. Prices were reasonable for the amount of stuff available. They also have classes for children to learn about how pumpkins are grown and a fun story time session. What could be better ? - some of the games need new balls- as some are worn out and old. They also have a pizza barn, beverages (soda,water), and kettle korn.it would have been nice if they had burgers , hot dogs or sandwiches- but some of that was closed on Friday. Views of the mountains and valley are amazing! Great fun for the family- check them out ! ( Seasonal )

Be very careful folks! Loaded shotgun shell found at this farm, in the dirt by the mini train ride…read moreentrance, while my 4 kids were running around and playing among a couple hundred more kids. I showed it to the manager and she pulled it out of my hands rudely while refusing to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and claiming the shell could've come from outside the farm... I was perplexed hearing only stupid excuses and refusal of acknowledging the danger! I'm gonna take this further with the sherif department!

I forgot I even went to the Aldie Mill. Bored at home. Took a ride. Stopped in here. The outside…read moreself tour is one grassy area at the back of the mill and a short 200 yard path over a creek to the FD. The building looked great but not much to report on. Oh. I did find a 1/2 inch screw in the gravel driveway and also when coming out of the mill onto the road (50 West) there's not a good view of oncoming traffic. Hold your breath and gun it.

Our homeschool group did a field trip here and the kids loved it. We were still in the parking lot…read morewhen my 7 year old asked when we are coming back. The staff was so kind and Informative. They really took their time to explain everything to the kids. The mill and grounds are beautiful and very well kept. Highly recommend.