I first learnt of this place through a coworker, someone who is from the area, went to school at…read moreUniversity of Maryland, and someone that has a little more knowledge of the history of the area as well. Also, I had not clue how extremely close I have been to this area on so many occasion and never discovered this until recently. Well hidden gem. If I hadn't done any type of research on this place, I would have assumed that this had always been here in the state that it is. When you see 'Natural Area' in the title of a place, you usually think that it was always wilderness. But not the case here. How Lake Artemesia is currently is due to the construction of the College Park and Greenbelt Metro stations. Locally sourcing materials from this area aiding in the construction. Once the metro stations were completed the lake as it is now was constructed. Fun fact: there are no naturally occurring lakes in Maryland, they are all manmade. But well before the Metro made its way through the area, the lake was created after stone was quarried in the area in the 1800s. Obviously a bit smaller than what you see today, but it was still there. Another fun fact, the smaller lake was originally used to raise goldfish. The history here also should be know that where the lake is was part of the Lakeland community. An African American community before being absorbed by College Park. This is the one thing I wish they focused on with the park. There are informative signs around the lake, touching on the wildlife you might stumble upon. I wish they would put some in with the history of the land. (I was also a little sad that I didn't get to see an otter) also, if there were some on the history, I just didn't see them or they were some that need some TLC)) This is a great park overall. It can be accessed by so many directions. I came in from the Berwyn Heights area, got a little dizzy on the pedestrian bridge that crosses the Green Line. The paths are ample for walking/bicycling. Sometimes, not everyone observes the fact that there are other people here and may take up the whole path, even though it is set up as a road essentially. Tons of seating throughout if you want to take a break. Great view of the ever changing skyline of College Park. I am sure this is better to visit when it is warmer, not on a cold, blustery winter day.

My thankful Thursday goes to Lake Artemisia. This place is beautiful. When they say some of the…read morebest things in life are free! I agree. The loop is roughly 2.4 miles, it's paved and clean; I've never seen litter or trash lying around. The lake was also home to a historical African American community called Lakeland established in 1890. Walking the park you'll see a few plaques and markers with brief history. Many years ago the citizens of this segregated society, developed their own institutions and cultural traditions, including the area's only high school for African Americans, built in 1928. There is a Lakeland Community Heritage Project that was created to preserve its history and the stories of its people through photographic archives and now the Lakeland College Park Community Center. Thankful that this is a peaceful place to run, walk, ride my bike, or simply sit and reflect. Greenery unique to the area is the mimosa trees that bloom in the summer and the giant reed grass surrounding the lake. Parks & Planning along with other organizations also hosts activities like birdwatching and community walks . In addition to this, there is a small playground and ergonomic gym. Lovely in every season and rich in American history, Lake Artemisia is the beating heart to lots of people in the Greenbelt community. Let's love, honor, and cherish Her for generations to come! #ThankfulThursdays

Dinosaur Park in Laurel, MD (near DC) is the perfect educational gem, family affordable admissions,…read morescientifically significant fossil site. Open regularly, but best visited on the first/third Saturdays for supervised digs, it features authentic, healthy outdoor exploration and paleontologist-led learning for kids, making it a priceless activity. Happy & Active: Kids love finding fossils, exploring the outdoor, fenced-in site.

Unless you go to one of their interpretive programs on the first and third Saturdays of the month…read more (What they said) ...It was pretty much only a few fact boards to look at/read, and like one thing for kids to climb around. So just because the stated hours are open during the week, doesn't mean there's anything going on and you can't like go behind the fence and there's no digs or anything, or even any place to walk. Sure there's picnic tables if you wanna just sit and eat your lunch with a bunch of corporate office buildings all around but it's definitely not something I would drive 45 minutes to unless you're actively going to one of the scheduled interpretive program.

The Eppley pool and gym are world class facilities. The pool is just fantastic, with a warmer,…read moreshallower 25m section (my fav) and a cooler, deeper 50m section for real swimmers and diving. The water is the cleanest and nicest I've ever had in a pool - they use a moss system as part of the filtration and to my feel there are fewer chemicals and a much nicer water feel. Except for my pet peeves - expensive parking, the fairly frequent closings for meets, and the very annoying "oops sorry the natatorium is closed today because a few people called out" it would be 5++++ stars. The combination of these really stinks - pay $6.75 for parking only to find the pool is closed. The gym is amazing with dozens of complete weight setups of all types, I can't really imagine a better equipped gym. Basketball, badminton, and lots of other things go on there that I don't know about. I mostly do strength-training and then laps in the pool. The locker rooms are excellent - clean and well equipped. It's a very good deal as an alum

Just as a background my girlfriend is taking 2 online classes over the summer. She was so excited…read moreto go to the gym, however unbeknownst to her, she is required to take an in person class just to get in for free! This is so weird and such a bad policy. I hope you guys reconsider to give online students access to the facilities. You guys are preventing students from getting the exercise they need. :(

We went today with our two young children. The lifeguards were attentive and followed the rules. I…read moreas a parent really appreciated this...swimming pools can be dangerous so I was grateful that they were doing their jobs. We stayed until they closed for the day. The lifeguards were mopping the locker rooms and lobby. Again I appreciated this to ensure the grounds were clean and sanitary. We will definitely return. Great job! The only thing that I would love is longer hours.

My kids had the time of their lives (toddler and preschool age)... perfect for kids. We came for a…read morebirthday party, which was awesome - you can set up your own space and bring your own food. Great for groups. It was so big we didn't even explore the whole place! Outdoor space too (wish they had a pool outdoors). There's a line if you come in the afternoon. Areas of needed improvement: -airflow needs to improve... the air in there is so gross and it's so chlorinated my eyes were burning so badly. I wish it were open air. Having some doors open wasn't enough. It was SO HOT and stuffy. -they do "adult swim" every 15 mins of the hour, which seems silly about pool that is literally for small children. -multiple areas closed off -they keep the door locked and only let you in small groups at a time (feels excessive when it's almost 100 degrees outside). Overall good but I wouldn't come back to this place without some of these areas of improvement being fixed...Particularly the airflow, my eyes still hurt.

Chaperoned my Kids to the park as an incentive, nick was pretty cool handling the group. Although…read morethe weather was cloudy over cast and wet, the venue was worth the trip.

My son and I were visiting Baltimore and we came here for the day. We had a blast! Kai was great…read moreand super patient with us. I'd recommend it for any adventure seekers.

I live very near here and when I go on my walks I sometimes venture in here as the trail leads this…read moreway. I just happened to walk into the grounds a week or two ago and finally got a good look at them. I have been through here many times while on the Metro Bus and only get a glimpse. It is well used and not just in the warm months. There are always people here throughout the year. As expected, during the warmer months this place is packed. With the amount of things on property to do during those months, I can see why. There is minigolf, playgrounds, spray playground, and tons of walking trails. I also see the horse crossing signs along the road and trails through the area, so be aware of that. The only downside to this place, and it is of no fault to the owners, is the amount of traffic that passes by and may cause a bit of a hectic situation when it comes to entering and exiting. They have widened the road in front of the entrance to allow for a turning lane and an entrance lane to the road, but a lot of the people traveling the road seem to not understand that. I don't see the road widening any further until the brides that cross over I-495 are replaced and widened themselves.

The park is clean and the staff is friendly…read more It has all the attractions, pools and pond. The park is really close to the freeway and very loud. It is really a park for tourists and families with kids. They have a rental ballroom which had non-campers racing through the park. The little train/tactor ride around the park stopped in front of our site beeping the train horn with people yelling as we were trying to cook. I don't need to be on someone elses vaction. They also allow golf carts with sound and light systems to race around the park blasting music and yelling. It was a different RV experience than we expected. Not a real RV or camping spot, but probably great for families on summer break.

Has a nice gym and fun trail. Me and my sibling absolutely booked it down the steep hill on our…read morebikes, scary but fun.

Nice little Parks Commission building tucked away in the woods. Spot the entrance by the digital…read moresign across from the back gate to BARC. Winding road for 1/4 mile to the parking lot. They have a gym (mostly for basketball, an activity room for classes (dance, judo, etc) and an exercise room with free weights, machines, and treadmills. The men's room has a shower and a few lockers (BYO lock). Outside: athletic fields, playground, tennis courts, picnic area.The entrance to the Little Paint Branch Park, reviewed separately, is across the parking lot from the building. I will try to keep this place in mind as I write the check for my property tax.

We've visited this location a few times and it's been a great option for homeschooling families…read moresince they offer a consistent weekly timeslot. It's never overly crowded or loud, which makes it easy to enjoy the space. You're also allowed to bring your own lunch and drinks, which is a nice bonus. Another big improvement is the change in music. They now play jazz--no singing and no inappropriate lyrics--which creates a much more wholesome atmosphere. The only downside is the arcade setup. Instead of using quarters, you now have to purchase a game card loaded with credits. The simplicity of old-school coin-operated games is definitely missed.

ClimbZone lived up to our highest of expectations. On our list for a long time, ClimbZone was the…read morehost of my daughter's classmate's birthday party. We signed waivers ahead of time and were checked in right away when we got there. Under one large roof are dozens of themed indoor climbing walls. There's a Candy Land one, a rubber duck one, one with emojis, and more. Once you go through a quick training, you get a harness. Every wall has an auto belay making it easy to clip in and out while being safe. There's a wall for all experience levels. There are restrooms, drinking fountains, party rooms, and an arcade. It was a blast and worth the longer drive from Washington, D.C.

Realllyyyy funnnn!!! It was my first time snow tubing. It was such a great family bonding activity…read more They have this conveyor belt thing that takes you up so you can slide down and repeat. There's a restaurant on site and bathrooms. You can book the fire place and bring items to toast smores. Very enjoyable!

We stayed on the campsite. Initially we had a site in the overflow lot, but staff reached out to us…read moreprior to check-in to let us know other spots had become available and they would upgrade us free of charge. Staff was friendly and helpful in person and over the phone, the campsite was in good condition, and the view from our site was perfect. Will be staying at the site again, highly recommend.