This is a great zoo with a lot to see. Go early if you can to avoid the heat in th summer or just go in the fall and spring. The animals are great. They have a bit of everything. The pandas are a big draw. Go see the pandas first thing if you can manage it. There are crowds year round but there are fewer crowds in the late fall. It is a major hike getting through the zoo. If you have children younger than 5 you will definitely want to bring a stroller. The metro drops you off about a block away but it is still the best way to get there and not get lost. The parking at the zoo can fill up quickly and be hard to find. There are two restaurants in the zoo and several snack stations. The prices for food are very high. You can bring in any drinks and snack you desire and there are restaurants just outside the zoo. I would bring drinks and snacks and eat outside the zoo to save the cash. The zoo itself is free. The gift stores have some really neat things in them and the Friends of the National Zoo benefits from the sale of most of these items. Go have a blast and stay cool. There is also a petting zoo/children's area in the zoo. This is a great place for children 10 and under to visit.

I worked here as a volunteer in high school. It is a cute little farm. There are many animals to see as well as a good history lesson in how farms used to be run. This is a great day trip. The kids will love it. Expect to get dirty if you go and bring your own snacks.

This place is beautiful. We rented it for my daughter birthday. You can rent the atrium or the old house on the hill. We rented the house and picnic area. It was great. If you go at the right time the place will be full of butterflies. Weddings would be beautiful here also.

If you have a horse this is a great place to go riding. You will need a park permit to do so however. This is also a great place to go hiking. You will run into old civil war trenches. Sometimes you will find bullets, buttons, and other things left over from the war. There is a lot of history here to take in. The kids will have room to run and be safe from roads.

If you are looking for a fall festival in Northern Virginia there are others you can go to without all the school crowds and mud. This used to be a fun spot but now everyone knows about it so it is very crowded in the fall. I would try the lesser known festivals like Leesburg Animal Park or Ticonderoga. There are also many apple festivals at the local apple orchards. Picking your own apples and watching them make apple butter is awesome.