I've always been a fan of Tysons Corner mall. It is huge, has so many options and has seemed "better" than the malls more local to me in Maryland. They have such a large variety of stores, 3 or 4 "anchor" stores, a movie theater and a good selection of food. If you're more in the mood for a standard mall experience, Tysons is the choice.

Tysons Galleria is also known as Tysons II, the second mall after Tysons Corner across the street. This is the more upscale of the two malls, so if you're looking for a nicer meal (Legal Sea Food) or more upscale shopping, this is the place. They have a very nice food court with a huge variety of food so it is a nice place to meet for lunch as well.

Ballston Common is nothing special in the way of malls, but if you're looking for a quick lunch or to get in out of the heat and do a bit of shopping, it's there. They used to have an Express Outlet store, which made it special, but it may have gone away since then. Basically, your standard suburban smaller mall.

Potomac Mills is like many of the outlet malls all over the country. They are all inside, which makes it nice in hot weather. There is an IKEA which has a kids play area, and some other kid related attractions along the way. You can also take your kids to the movies there before or after shopping!

I actually went to Campfire Girls camp here for many years. It is a gorgeous state park that has the usual amenities. They have a Junior Ranger program where if you fill out a brochure you can get a Junior Ranger badge from the visitor center. Definitely worth a trip!