Well, we expected a bigger place, for one. I really thought there would be a LOT more than what this place had for being rated as a top museum for families. Not to mention that it was RIDICULOUSLY expensive. It was $8 a person...adult or child, didn't matter, still had to pay the $8 for admission. Forgive me, but I was not playing on the equipment and I shouldn't have to pay to supervise my OWN children. I don't think we'll be back. It was something to do on a whim and wouldn't really want to spend that much again.

If you're looking for a great trip that takes all day, go here! The best part about this place is that you don't even have to drive into DC to enjoy it. My husband and I took the car to the Springfield Metro station, hopped on the train with the kids and rode all the way to the zoo. No parking, no traffic...It took us about an hour total to get there, including driving to the train station. We spent the WHOLE day and still didn't get to see everything since the kids were tired. Great gift shops and great souvenirs. A lot of walking, so remember to take a stroller. Some smaller exhibits require you to leave the stroller at the door to lessen the amount of congestion. Please remember that this zoo is BUSY. Keep an eye on your little ones. It's easy to get lost in the crowds. Going on a cooler day (spring or fall) guarentees that all the animals will be active. Avoid the summer for this reason as the animals are pretty lethargic and the crowds are large. Great time and we plan on going back!

This place was ENORMOUS. My daughter loved checking out all the cool exhibits, especially the butterfly room. We must have stayed in there for 15 minutes! The whale bones were really cool and the static displays of habitats were awesome. We went to the "Story Time" and read a story about Alligators and after we were done, the staff member pulled a real alligator out of a bin! My daughter went crazy and was so excited to pet the gator. We will definitely go here again when we visit my sister in the fall. Cafeteria was kind of expensive. Bag lunch it...you don't want to get stuck paying $3.75 for an uncrustables sandwich...

My daughter had so much fun here! She had just turned 2 when she went, but think she might enjoy it even more now that she's a bit older. She had TONS of fun and was able to play with the other kids quite well. Tons of buttons to push, crafts to make, and things to climb in and out of. Great for parents as well, since many of the areas allow parents to "just watch" if they need a break. Interactive and fun for everyone in the family, though. A lot of educational and cultural exhibits makes it a good place to go to learn about different parts of the world!

We went to the aquarium the same day we drove into VA Beach. It was a Friday morning and the kids were looking forward to it. When we got there, I was disappointed to see a lot of the exhibits were under construction and what they DID have open for viewing, it was absolutely crowded beyond belief. We ate in the cafeteria, which was a LONG line and a longer wait to pay. Beware that they only have ONE cashier for all those people, so I would suggest eating before you go and bringing a light snack. After dealing with the crowds all afternoon, we finally went to the IMAX theater for the 3D Under the Sea program. AMAZING. I am convinced that this IMAX experience saved our day, otherwise, we would've been miserable having seen only a portion of the actual aquarium. Our kids still had a blast, but was glad they had one exciting thing to talk about from the experience!