Bon Air Park Rose Garden really is a hidden gem--especially if you've never been before. Even on a…read morehot summer day, it was beautiful. I can only imagine how stunning it must be in the spring when everything's in full bloom or during a crisp, colorful fall afternoon. While the heat made it a bit tough to linger, strolling through the garden and taking in all the vibrant colors was still absolutely worth the visit. It's a peaceful spot that's perfect for a quiet walk or a quick break from the bustle of the day.

A gorgeous rose garden with great backdrops and scenery for photoshoots! Peak season when we took…read morethese photos was around June.

Along the Potomac River northwest of Georgetown is a close-knit community called The Palisades…read more This is its recreation center. There's a small parking lot in the front and trails that lead to an actual recreation center, fields and a playground that doubles as a splash park in the summer. My four-year-old daughter loved the playground. It's modeled after an Indigenous American village along the Potomac River with slides, etc. For being in a wealthy neighborhood, it's a little run down, but still a lot of fun. If you like quirky art, take the small dirt path to the right when facing the parking lot. Walk a few yards to a small opening in the forest to find the "Glass Forest" with art hanging on the trees. It's a little creepy, but also quirky!

Hmmm...I suppose I was assuming this playground would be more than it was given the area…read more The good: *a couple slides, things to climb on *dedicated parking lot *fitness equipment *skate park (definitely check this out) The issues: *the equipment is old and run down: pieces of the padded floor are all over the place and kids throw them *back to those kids and why we won't be back....where are the parents, nannies, guardians, SOME adult?! There were lots around but no one was telling their kid to not throw pieces of the ground at people. My son was excited about the slide....until he was trampled while going down it by 4 kids (at least 8 years old so they should know better anyways) running up the slide. This hasn't ever been an issue before since caretakers are usually at least sort of watching their kids but nope not here. Overall the equipment was boring and the playground way beyond capacity, particularly during these times. Not a fan, won't be back.

My cousin and I camebl here this morniing with a couole of kids she was baysitting and it was fun…read more Actually the kids had a better time than we did becaise we were hanging-out on the outdoor playground and it was quite brisk. I think mid 20's which was ok for a littke while. After about an hour into it my ears and fongers were starting to feel numb. The indoor recreation center had not opened yet and I think that would have been better fun for everyone. They do a great job in terms of the maintenace andnthere was also no trash around like what younwoukd see at some other parks in the city. Plus this park and rec center was ckose to where we were at. I wouldn't mind coming back here sometime to check out the actual recreation center.

This playground was ideal for my 4-year-old child. It offered a variety of climbing structures that…read morewere suitable for her age and also engaging. Next to it, there is a bigger playground designed for older children, providing a great mix of options for all ages.

The whole process was very easy and enjoyable. I filled out the waiver online. Parking was easy,…read morelittle difficult to find penguin paddles from the road, but just walk towards the water behind the restaurant on the main strip. Easy rental, chill experience. Everyone, even the Boston Terrier, had a blast!

Easy to use app to put in waiver. Free Bathroom and clean nearby…read more Clean canoes. Good pricing. Parked for free under bridge. Lovely calm river to go up and down and see lots of birds and turtles. Each boat has a hole in the center for the water bottle

Been coming here for toddler swim lessons and just did my kiddo's birthday party. Booked a huge…read morecommunity room which was more than enough space for about 10 kids and 20 adults. Family swim passes are a great deal at $30 per family pass (covers 7 people). Everyone had a great time and were impressed with how new and shiny this facility is, and the kids loved the family pool area.

Craving an indoor pool during the December break, my eight-year-old daughter suggested this newer…read moreaquatic center in Arlington close to the D.C. border. After swimming during their "family time," we will definitely be back. Here's why. 1) Admission: Run by Arlington Parks and Rec, admission is required for everyone. It's slightly cheaper for Arlington residents. Our friends who went right when family time started paid $25 as D.C. residents. We got their with only two hours left and weren't charged anything. 2) Pools: One side has lap pools for adults and lessons. The other side has a large pool, lazy river, little kid space, and water slide for families. The water was clean and the lazy river was fun. (The current is stronger than expected making it fun.) 3) Space: They have family changing areas with showers with hot water, lockers (bring your own locks), and more. Upstairs is a gym and an outdoor terrace bleeding into Long Bridge Park with views of National Airport and Washington, D.C. 4) Parking: With such a large parking lot, you can usually find a space. Of course, parking is free. 5) Area: Afterwards, grab lunch or dinner at nearby Crystal City where you can find fats casual like Rasa and sit-down restaurants.

Love it here. So safe and peaceful. Everyone is very nice and it's super clean. But not so clean…read morethat your kid won't get a little dirty from running around. Nice basketball courts and tennis courts. Big soccer field.

This is a cute playground outside of Friendship Rec center in the Upper northwest part of DC. I…read moretook my toddler here on a Tuesday afternoon. It was pretty quiet (just nannies and a few kids) until the private schools let out and kids in Gucci shoes followed by moms in neon colored Chanel boots showed up and it became quite crowded. We left not too long after this because a few of these unruly children who were not being watched by their moms repeatedly tried to bully my 2 year old out of the sand area. Before these children arrived, we had a great time with the various slides and toys left behind in the sand. There's lots of open space, tennis courts, and a separate section for older kids. Parking is on the street and highly coveted. I noticed many cars circling on our way out. It looks like there's a splash pad here as well. I might take my son back here but would definitely choose to come earlier than later.

Stopped by here while traveling in DC since the crowds there can be overwhelming. It was a warm…read moreSaturday toward the end of March, but it was not crowded at all. We did a round of mini golf, which was nice. The course is mostly well maintained, though one of the holes near the end could use some work since it is a giant pit, with some cobblestone rocks acting as steps that lead down to the hole. It was a little difficult to maneuver, and I just ended up having to get one of my younger brothers to get my ball for me. Most of the holes were well down and the place had a nice grass and water feature aesthetic. Definitely something we wanted in the city. We then admired the obstacle course because it looked awesome. Climbing across surfboards dangling in the sky, bright colors. It looked awesome. We opted not to try it out this time though. We then went for a little walk on a trail. They aren't very well marked, the signs look like someone keeps knocking them down, and all of the trails sort of overlap and are visible from the others since it is literally just a little acre-ish area in the middle of the city. There was also an overflowing trash can that smelled awful, next to someone's abandoned lawn chair on the trail, but nothing a quick cleanup of the area can't fix. It is rather warm being down in a sort of gully, so I would love to see it again when all the trees are green, hopefully that would provide some nice shade. We then went to the playground and it was really nice and well-maintained, and I had to use the restroom which was IMMACULATE. This was by far the nicest playground bathroom I have ever been in, and nicer than most store and restaurant restrooms I have been in. There is also a waterpark that wasn't open yet for the season, and a large blue building that serves as the entrance to the water park, and I do wish that it had a large sign that said something to the effect of "Restrooms are in here, even when the waterpark isn't open" since we were trying to find a restroom for my 5 year old nephew after we had left the playground bathroom, and assumed that the swim building was closed, so we ran him across the parking lot to the obstacle course building assuming it would be in there, and were a little worried when we had to run him across the street when we learned it was in the blue swim building. Overall, this was a really lovely and completely unexpected outing in the middle of a crowded city. This will very likely be on our itinerary next time we have to kill time in DC.

I've always liked coming here. I come here for the batting cages, which are pretty good. I think…read morethere about 10 that throw different speeds. The fastest is either 60-65mph or 70-75; I don't think there's an 80-85 like a lot of places have. They have bats and helmets you can use. The helmets have a wire grillwork covering your face, and while I usually find this very distracting, for some reason I don't think it's so bad here. Of course, you're welcome to bring and use your own helmet and bat. You can get 3 tokens for $5, and each token gets you 14 pitches. In addition to the batting cage, they have an obstacle course that's like 3 stories tall that looks awesome. I haven't done it but it looks cool. They said it takes like 2 hours and it costs adults $50. There's also a pool here. Overall, it's a good place to have some fun.

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.

Didn't know this actually had a name. Who knew! Skip the banter, the answer is YES! VISIT! Everyone…read moredoes! It's a staple landmark in DC! Story Time! I came to the Georgetown Waterfront in my Season of YES, which apparently includes saying yes to waterfront views, questionable boat dynamics, and accidental raccoon contour. My friend wanted to show me all things water for a memorable Holiday weekend, so Georgetown Waterfront was the obvious meet‑up, because this girl was NOT driving to Potomac, MD. Boats, docks... I was getting the full tour of our brown waters of the DMV. And honestly, this area is perfect: lively, scenic, and full of characters to watch. The park area has no tie‑ups, so if you want to have a picnic off your boat, the park grassy area is a short walk away. I grew up in DC and if you did too, you already know the rule: You do NOT get in the Potomac. We were raised on stories about what's in that water; dead bodies, secrets, evidence, probably a missing chapter of DC history. And no, it's not saltwater. It's Potomac, MD water: a very specific shade of brown that politely tells you to mind your business. Fast forward 25 years... Potomac still looks brown, still looks suspicious, still looks like it has a backstory it refuses to share. But here I am, floating on top of it like I'm not fully aware of its reputation. Now let's talk about the people‑watching, because THAT is the real attraction when you come to the Georgetown Waterfront. You've got the oldies but goodies, seasoned gentlemen with boats, confidence, and clearly the budget to sponsor a whole afternoon. And then you've got the young women they're "hosting," who look like they were born after the iPhone. The dynamic is... noticeable. The math is mathing. If I feel out of place with someone who is 16 years older, I can only imagine how these college girls felt. But let me give it to these girls, they laughed at the jokes and listened to stories from these men's "good ole college days"... 45 years ago. It made for GREAT entertainment. I found myself staring like, "Should I ask their ages or just assume this is a mentorship program?" I chose silence. Once a woman can be your daughter... I don't know. It's a little off‑putting. But here I am, on a boat, sharing space with someone's grandpa and someone's young college daughter. Seasoned men taking younger women out is a thing, and here I am watching the circle of life. Very interesting. I realize in this moment older men just want companionship and they will treat women to dinner and fun for the exchange. Eeeek. At one point I caught my reflection and realized the "charcoal contour" on my face. I looked like I'd done a charcoal face mask and forgot to rinse, nope, just hair dye from a hopeful silver fox. Not sure why men do this to stop the aging. Grey is in! Stop putting in dye on your beards gentlemen! It's not cool. Suddenly the college girls' side‑eyes made sense. They were trying to figure out if I was okay or if I'd just escaped from a fight. Nope ladies, it was beard paint all over my face calling me out, like, "Let's give you more attention and Racoon Eyes." Overall, the Georgetown Waterfront is beautiful, entertaining, and full of life. Great views, great energy, and always something to look at, even when you're trying not to. Best place to come, relax, picnic, tie up (if you have a boat), and enjoy the restaurants all along the water. Tip: Use the DC Wharf or National Harbor for gassing up! Georgetown lets you tie up without a fee, chaos in the best way.

Georgetown Waterfront Park is a beautiful park along the Potomac River in the heart of Georgetown…read more It stretches along the banks of the Potomac River on K Street from 31st Street NW to the Key Bridge. It is adjacent to the restaurant district, Washington Harbor, and Lowes movie theater. There are beautiful gardens, sculptures, fountains, greenspace, and pavilions throughout. The park has long walkways for cyclists, skaters, and pedestrians. Over the years, street parking has reduced as the city has prioritized bike lanes, however, there is ample paid underground parking. Street parking is easier to come by during early morning hours and late evenings. On weekends, driving and parking a long K Street is difficult due to pedestrian traffic, so be careful. The views across the river are beautiful as you can see the Rosslyn, VA skyline, Washington D.C. Mall, The Watergate Hotel, and Key Bridge. During warm months, boaters, kayakers, and competitive sports teams use the Potomac River as their recreational space. CONS: Parking - sometimes it can feel like a disappointment not being able to park on the street. The garages don't have the best ingress and egress and seem inconveniently situated. For such a large park, the limited street parking is a concern. At one point the street parking was ample, but the reconfiguration and reduction of street parking to construct bike lanes hasn't seemed like the best use of street space considering cyclists also ride on the mixed-used paths. Rats - at night, the rats run rampant. Trashcans often overflow onto the ground, making an ideal environment for rats to thrive. Narrow sidewalks - sidewalks along K Street are unbelievably narrow. Leading up to Washington Harbor, the mixed-use pathways are incredibly narrow. It wouldn't be an issue if the paths were for walking only, but they also accommodate cyclist, runners, and skaters. Not to mention groups, strollers, and people often casually strolling. Overall, a great space for strolling and leisure.