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    Watkins Regional Park

    4.7 (170 reviews)

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    Home away from home. When my kids were little we spent hours here. Now I go to walk often on the trails.

    Keisha H.

    I came to Watkins Regional Park for the annual Festival of Lights. This particular festival allows you and the kids to stay in the warmth of your car and drive through to view the lights. I will say it Is quite well organized with one designated entrance and one designated exit. There are also plenty of cones to appropriately ensure the continuous and proper flow of traffic through the park as well. All of the light displays are quite nice and creative. You see some light displays you may expect like Christmas trees, Santa, and snowmen. However, you also see cool ones like Santa shooting presents from a cannon or Santa hitting a baseball. The total experience is just the right amount of time for young kids. Not too long and not too short. Buy your tickets online and check it out when the holidays choke back around!

    Poor girl not faring well at the mini golf
    Karley B.

    This park has been on my bucketlist for yeeeears and I was delighted to finally get to see it in person. The playground was packed with kids having the best time. There seemed to be at least two parties going on in the pavilions nearby. Someone was grilling and it smelled amazing. This park is bigger than I expected. We parked in the wrong lot but that just gave us the chance to see the tennis courts, teenagers playing football while their parents sat under tents, family reunions, people walking dogs. The zoo was closed by the time we arrived, but we did check out the carousel and took some great photos of the mini golf course. The park is marvelously paved, so I had no difficulty getting around in my wheelchair. We had a great afternoon. Would recommend

    Schedule of train, carrousel and mini golf

    Love love this park. It has so much to do! I go here all the time with my family. There's the playground, the nature center, the carrousel, mini golf, Old Maryland Farm, and the newly renovated train. The kiddos always have a blast. Only thing is I wish the nature center and farm were open earlier for the younger kids and to beat the hot days of DMV summer. They open at 10 am.

    Such a cool playground!! My daughter had so much fun here! It was definitely worth the drive.

    I came for the Christmas light and it's always so nice to see with and without kids I love seeing lights and who doesn't love Christmas ! $20 per car up to 6 people , and $15 online ! Turn on your Christmas music and go for a nice drive on this 3 mile lights journey

    Castle, loch ness monster, and a ship!
    Traci N.

    This review is for the Festival of Lights, which we drove through a few days after Christmas, 2021. Planned to be a fun get-out-of-the-house activity for my 4-year-old, the adventure and quality of light displays surpassed all of our expectations. From dazzling arches to a multitude of themed Santas throwing basketballs to shooting presents through cannons into a giant gift bag to penguins splashing into water from an iceberg (all animated through moving lights), each display added to our experience and we were constantly oohing and ahhing from the comfort of our car. It was raining, which made our adventure even better! I think the cost was 10 dollars per car, which was well worth it. Only complaint? We found ourselves at the end of a LONG, slow-moving line of cars for much of the time -- only to find out later that we were stuck behind a horse-drawn carriage. Perhaps the horses should have a separate lane? It's hard to explain the wonders of Watkins Regional Park's playfully curated Festival of Lights without seeing it for yourself, so check it out. Enjoyable for all ages, but especially magical with young kids. We plan to explore the rest of the park another time.

    They represented the cyclist well.
    Rhonda J.

    Awwwww my first time at this park for the Holiday Lights BIKE ride. Normally it's only cars but Watkins thanks to Troy what's his name pushed for a day for cyclist. My friends and I came from Virginia and as far as Richmond for this event. We are going to try to get one of our parks to offer this. AMAZING, family friendly, the staff was great and at the end they had hot cider with a fire pit. Also they handed out mini bike shaped lights. We had a blast and it put me in the season. Can't wait to visit this park in the spring g. Looks as if they have a train ride, Pitt putt golf, tennis and camping according to their web site.

    Old Maryland farm
    Laura W.

    Although it's a trek from Arlington (about 40 minutes), it's well worth the trip even during the off-season. I brought my 13 month old here on an unusually warm December afternoon. There's plenty of free parking available near the playground. During the warmer months, there is a wizard of oz mini golf, a carousel, and a train. On this visit we explored Old Maryland Farm, the nature center, and, of course the Wizard of oz-themed playground. The farm was very quiet. We saw some chickens, turkeys, peacocks, pigs, cows, rabbits, horses, and sheep, although none of the animals were active. There is a path from the parking lot. I brought our stroller but it became cumbersome. The nature center, which is on the opposite side of the playground down a path, was interesting. There's a one in the middle of the room with fish and turtles. There are some birds both indoors and outdoors. In the terraniums there were snakes, frogs, lizards, etc. I appreciated they had step stools positioned near the tanks so my son could view them on his own. The playground is definitely the highlight of the park. The theme is adorable and has everything from ruby slipper slides to Auntie Em's house. There is even a munchkin land area where younger ones can crawl around amidst colored domes. There's a musical section, lots of slides, nd swings. We spent a few hours here, including time picnicking. There are plenty of tables available for this. I'll definitely keep this park in my back pocket of places to play in the DMV and will definitely return in the summer for the train and carousel!

    Donyiel C.

    Nice park!! I had only previously been for the holiday festival of lights drive through and honestly never paid attention to the walking trails but then again, at night it would be hard to see all that! I met my sister here early on a Saturday morning. It was chilly but we both were bundled up so we were fine. I was surprised at how big this park is. There's ample trails for walking, jogging or biking! I plan to come back during the season for the lights!

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    Great place to jog ,hike, tennis,walk and see animals for free and train ride for kids and carousel

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    2 years ago

    Very nice, but wish they had more defined hiking trails. Overall very nice park, well maintained.

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    3 years ago

    Nice park for a nice stroll or a bike ride. I haven't any complaints. Every experience has been a great one.

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    2 years ago

    Really nice!!! My children really enjoyed the visit and we took a wonderful walk around the park!

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    Always a good spot to exercise, chill with a book or catch a good league game of some sort. Been coming here for 50 years.

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    Watkins Regional Park Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Watkins Regional Park

    Are pets allowed?

    Absolutely!

    Is the park free?

    Yes, it is free to park, and the playground and farm are free. There are small fees for the carousel, train, and mini golf.

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Watkins Regional Park

    They have a carousel, putt putt, and a train that goes through the park and is really nice and cool on hot days.

    Mentioned in 36 reviews

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    Smithsonian National Zoological Park - Andea Bear

    Smithsonian National Zoological Park

    4.1(1.4k reviews)
    14.3 mi

    I couldn't figure out how to get Google Maps to direct us to the entrance. One of the entrances is…read moreoff of Connecticut Ave NW on the west side of the Zoo. It's less than a 10 minute walk from the Woodley Park-Zoo Metro Stop. Coming here in February with snow still on the ground meant that many outdoor exhibits had no inhabitants. That being said, there are plenty of things to see outside and a ton of creatures to see inside buildings. Sorry in advance for these elementary schooler descriptions- The memorable ones: A Snake Neck Turtle with very long necks A gigantic tortoise A large group of flamingos (a flamboyance) Incredibly cute small bearded monkeys - tamarins Otters, who were catching small fish and scavenging for food on land The obligatory clownfish and anemone which I've seen many times but still fascinates me An adorable guinea pig in a mini home I'm a bit surprised to see lower ratings on this zoo. Maybe it's due to a few feedings and no traditional shows where employees talk about animals and have them perform a little. That being said it is free and there are lots of more unique animals to be seen. I definitely think the National Zoo is worth a visit.

    Big zoo and took about 3 hours to cover everything at a quick pace. They didn't have many gelato…read moreflavors, but $5 for a big slice of pizza seemed reasonable. Again, tickets are free but must be reserved ahead of time. The pandas were definitely my favorite. Unfortunately, the African exhibit was closed so no zebras or giraffes or the bison and the elephant house closed early. I liked some things better at my home zoo (penguins, bigger reptile house, the apes being in more of a social setting), but overall was a nice way to spend the afternoon 2026 #22

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    Alpaca Lane Criations

    Alpaca Lane Criations

    5.0(12 reviews)
    8.1 mi

    If you're looking for a unique, luxurious, and relaxing outdoor experience in the DMV, look no…read morefurther than The Paca Picnic! The ladies of DMVDoes social group had the pleasure of partnering with them for a Sunday Funday, and it was hands down one of the most memorable experiences we've ever had. It's bring your own food and drink. From the moment we arrived, everything felt intentional and beautifully curated. They reserved their largest and most scenic pasture just for us nestled in nature and surrounded by the sweetest alpacas. It felt like a private oasis! The picnic setup was absolutely stunning: And included Whimsical alpaca plates, Fine glassware, Modern flatware and linen napkins and Vintage market umbrellas that gave the space a dreamy, editorial vibe . The experience also included Low boho tables, layered blankets, and plush cushions made it perfect for lounging, connecting, and enjoying good company. They even included chilled ice buckets, Bluetooth speakers, and alpaca treats to complete the experience. This wasn't your typical picnic -- it was an elevated experience, ideal for birthdays, date nights, kids' playdates, girls' outings, or just because! Huge thanks to Abraham, our incredible host, for the warm hospitality.We can't wait to come back. Highly recommend!

    Absolutely loved this! My husband and I had a 9A picnic with the alpacas and it was absolutely…read moreperfect! The customer service is wonderful, and everyone was friendly. A perfect way to de-compress and just relax. Highly recommend this experience

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    Nova Wild - 10/1/23 An area for birthday parties or family gatherings.

    Nova Wild

    3.6(260 reviews)
    28.7 mi

    I came here on a homeschooling trip, but none the less the staff was so nice. Educational generous…read more The they had signs to educate you everywhere you turned. Healthy live stock, and an awesome wagon wide and tours where we got to see the camel, bisons, and other animals from the safari region of Africa. After the wagon ride we took off to walk the zoo and saw a beautiful anteater, wallabies, red kangaroos, turtles, koa fish, and other animals. I definitely want to come back because they have a butterfly exhibit and I really wanted to try it. It just wasn't in our purchased packet. The butterfly exhibit is $8 per person.

    Nova Wild (formerly know as Roers) is back with a local owner who is committed to animal welfare…read moreand conversation! It had been a minute since I visited but I was really happy to see the massive facelift on the place -- the animals looked clean and well taken care of and there was beautiful landscaping everywhere. There were lots of zookeepers around and you could tell they were very passionate about their jobs. We went on a summer morning for a field trip and lasted only two hours due to the heat but the children loved seeing the capybaras, monkeys, cheetah, buffalo, deer, goat, cows, and pigs. There is also a new butterfly enclosure! I'll have to go back with my entire family to check out all the updates.

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    Nova Wild - Baby roo - Margot (4 months)

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    Nova Wild - 10/1/23 This is Tara, The new owner of Nova Zoo.

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    National Aquarium

    National Aquarium

    3.9(1.4k reviews)
    29.0 miInner Harbor

    The National Aquarium in Baltimore is normally $49.95 for adults, but on Friday nights there is a…read morewell known secret - Half-Life Friday Night, when you may enter 5pm-9pm for $24.95. The line was long, and we had to pass by it to buy our tickets. Go early to have enough time to see everything including the surprise! exhibit located by the gift shop. Yes, we sadly missed the Australian exhibit with birds that might land on you. My personal favorite were the Jellyfish which were tucked off and away from the hanging jellyfish decorations. If you arrive early or are all done with the aquarium on another day, take your crew out on a paddleboat! There's two sorts - pirate ships and Loch Ness monster (my words/description, not necessarily theirs). No idea what they charge though.

    Visited on a Sunday morning, we got there at 9:30 am and were excited that it wasn't packed as I…read morehad read in previous reviews. The aquarium is pretty big, the exhibitions were not crowded at all and we were able to pace ourselves and watch all of them without feeling rushed or crowded. The positives: - overall it was very clean - lots of fishes to see! - 2 interactive tanks for kids to touch the jellyfish and some other fish - the layout with the big fish tank in the center that can be seen from all the floors is pretty spectacular - toy store has nice items - steps for younger kids to see the tanks - beautiful views Cons - it is SOOOOO expensive - no strollers allowed - we saw mice in the tropical exhibition, I'm still a little traumatized lol. Overall it was a great day! I do wish it wasn't as expensive so we could go more ofter

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    Maryland Zoo in Baltimore - Cute postcard sign.

    Maryland Zoo in Baltimore

    3.7(252 reviews)
    30.9 miDruid Hill Park

    The Maryland Zoo is not nearly as flashy as the National Zoo in DC, but it is a lovely way to spend…read morean afternoon. It is a small zoo, so you can feasibly see all of the animals in one bisit. The exhibits are well maintained and the animals are surprisingly active. It's not nearly as crowded as larger zoos, so you can easily see the animals and even sit for a moment and watch them. My only complaint is that there is flat admission fee of $33 for anyone over the age of 2. Most zoos and museums have a children's rate, but I think the cost is worth the experience.

    The Maryland Zoo has potential. It looks like there is a lot of ongoing construction so hopefully…read morethey grow into a better zoo. Admission is pricey for what is on view. It does include carousel and train rides though. The zoo had some nice kid-centered exhibits that were fun-namely the bat cave, the tree house/slide, and the goat coral. We enjoyed the penguin feeding. We also saw the elephants being fed. You can get closer to the lions here than in DC. There are rhinos too. Several animals were out of exhibit still "hibernating ". It looks like at one point they had polar bears but not currently. They have flamingos. Walking down from the entrance were several empty and overgrown enclosures. One had a deer in it who I don't believe was a zoo animal. While you can bring food in, there are two places to grab meals with several other stands scattered throughout. We waited about 45 minutes for my kids meals and this lost a lot of time since the zoo closes at 4pm and we arrived around 11:30. Parking is free. We rode the carousel a few times but never made it on the train. The zoo is in what looks to be one of the worst areas of Baltimore. The whole drive there once we entered the city consisted of driving down whole streets where every building was boarded up. With the free DC zoo in our backyard, I can't really justify returning except my kids have asked to return so whether I want to or not, I'll be back.

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    Maryland Zoo in Baltimore - Such a cute porcupine.  09-06-25

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    Watkins Regional Park - playgrounds - Updated May 2026

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