It's fun living in Washington, DC. So many things to do and see - museums, monuments, national exhibits, The White House, the Capitol, the list goes on and on. Being surrounded by so many obvious attractions, it's easy to overlook the regular fun spots. But not us, we are always looking for fun. Here are some of our "around town" adventures during the past two weeks...
Frying Pan Park. It's a public park that has a farm complete with cows, pigs, sheep, chickens, and even a peacock! You can ride on the carousel, climb on several tractors, and check out the barn. They also host a cool, hour-long puppet show once a week.
Upton Hill. This place has three swimming pools, two water slides, and a splash park. It also has a batting cage, mini golf, and a traditional outdoor park. Lots to do and really close to our house - always a bonus!
The Library. Arlington has TONS of libraries and they are ridiculously popular. We went 20 minutes early to story time the other day and were told the room was already to the 70 person capacity - are you kidding me?!! Luckily I didn't care and instead pulled out a zillion books in the kids section, sat down, and "read" for a few hours.
The National Zoo. Okay, so this one is listed on all brochures as a must-see tourist stop BUT what most people don't know is there is an awesome "pizza park" at the zoo. It's a little hidden, so most visitors never see it. It's one of my most favorite stops at the zoo - some times I spend more than an hour there. Who needs to see pandas when you can jump off a tomato onto over sized mushrooms, slide down a slice of cheese, and climb through an olive?!?
The Bus. While perhaps not obvious to some of you, riding the bus is a fantastic adventure. Luckily we live three blocks from a major bus line, so my relentless persistence to take a bus ride the other day resulted in this happy face. Waiting at the bus stop is exciting and people always say hi to me. Then onto the bus to our unknown destination. Once we get "far enough," we get off, buy a lemonade or treat, and hop back on the bus going the other direction - sheer genius! We pay again - though I'm free because I'm tiny - and off we go. No car seats to restrict me, just ample space and lots of people for me to socialize with; what could be better?
Wolftrap In the Woods for kids. Again, while Wolftrap may be an attraction, most people have never heard of the daytime performances for kids. This theatre is tucked WAY back behind the main structure. It's simple and the wood bench seating can probably hold about 300 people. Performances are an hour. What's even better are the surroundings. You can get there early and throw rocks in the creek or play tag on the gigantic lawn. You can check out their garden with the biggest sunflowers on the planet or stay late and have a picnic. It's definitely a hidden gem.
Playseum. This is a row house on Capitol Hill that has been converted into a kids' play place. The former bedrooms on one level are dress up room, a library full of books, a Presidential room (with a creepy life-sized wax Abe Lincoln), a courtroom complete with a judge seat and gavel, a grocery store with mini shopping carts and plastic food, and a cafeteria-like kitchen with plates, utensils, and pretend food. Downstairs is a place for story time, a room filled with balls, a cupcake making station, and an indoor mini park. It's a fun way to use a small, city-space, to make an indoor kid-friendly environment.
We're always looking for more adventures. Please share your favorite "hidden gems" in the Washington, DC area with us.
Then Saturday we hosted our annual dunk tank party. This year we had an awesome addition - a giant blow-up slide. Our super fun friends, the Nelsons, just moved to Thailand. And before they moved, they gifted us their HUGE slide. So the slide made a debut at the dunk tank party and frankly, it may have out-funned the dunk tank. Thanks Nelsons! 
