Day Tripping for Museum Fun in the DC Area

8/6/2018

Washington, DC is hard to beat when it comes to cities with family-friendly museums. With over a dozen free Smithsonian museums ranging from history to art from all over the world, there are plenty of opportunities to to do some serious museum hopping. But if you are interested in exploring outside of the city, you will be happy to know there are several popular museums within an hour or two drive. Keep reading to learn more about a few favorite museums that my family and I have explored over the years that are perfect for an easy day trip from DC.

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Chantilly Virginia

If you have been to Washington, DC with kids, you most likely visited the popular Air and Space Museum on the National Mall. But did you know there is a companion facility with two hangars filled with aviation artifacts and row upon row of planes showcasing everything from the early days of aviation through modern space flight? It’s the National Air and Space Museum, Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, located near Dulles Airport in Northern Virginia. It’s a must for airplane lovers for so many reasons.

Both kids and adults will love seeing the two huge hangars jam-packed with hundreds of aircraft. You can’t miss the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird as you enter the museum, or the impressive Space Shuttle Discovery. (Fun Fact: The Discovery was transported to the museum on the top of an Carrier Aircraft back in 2012, and almost everyone that lived in the area, including my family, went outside to watch it fly over!) Kids of all ages will appreciate the volume of aircraft, from the colorful Aerobatic Flight exhibition planes that hang upside down to the Commercial Aviation Exhibit with an Air France Concorde on display. It’s an amazing place to learn about the history of aviation and get an up close view to some of the planes that were used during World War II. Kids can look for portable Discovery Stations or ask about other family-friendly activities while visiting.

Local tip: The $15 parking fee is not collected after 4 p.m. if you are making a quick visit (the museum is generally open until 5:30 p.m.)

Airplane lovers will want to take a day trip from DC to visit the Udvar-Hazy Museum in Northern Virginia. It's the companion facility to the National Air & Space Museum in DC.

The Maryland Science Center
Baltimore Maryland

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor has always been a favorite day trip from the DC area for us, with plenty to do to fill a day. Get there early and plan to spend a few hours in the Maryland Science Center. We had the chance to visit recently with my niece and nephew, for the first time in a long time, and I was reminded what a fun place it is. Plus being located in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, there is plenty of outdoor space to explore along the water with other nearby places worth visiting like the National Aquarium and the historic ships that line the Inner Harbor.

Once inside the museum, kids are greeted with the Dinosaur Mysteries exhibit and a full size T. rex, where they can spend some time playing junior paleontologists. The Science and Main Exhibit gives kids a chance to put their thinking and building skills to use (even the “big” kids had fun in this exhibit!) Newton’s Alley is a fun filled room with hands-on physical activities like tug of war that will have kids learning about energy, force and motion as they are running from one demonstration to the next! My only disappointment with our recent visit was that the Kids Room water play area was still under renovation (the updated room reopened just a few days after we visited). Just know that it’s one of those rooms that young kids will probably never want to leave! With room after room of hands-on activities, kids will play their way through the museum

Local tip: The Science Center offers free field trips for all Maryland schools, so you may find it rather crowded during the school year, especially in the middle of the day. We visited on a Monday in June, when the crowds were minimal. Also, check their website for any special rates.

The kid-friendly Maryland Science Center at Baltimore's Inner Harbor | Day Tripping for Museum Fun from the DC Area

Love the view at Baltimore's Inner Harbor! | Day Tripping for Museum Fun from the DC Area

Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
Winchester, Virginia

For younger kids, you can’t go wrong with a morning or afternoon at the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, a wonderful, small town gem located in Winchester, Virginia. While not as big as some of the larger children’s museums around the country, the museum was expanded in 2014, and currently has 14 exhibitions. It’s a perfect stop to make if you are on your way to or from exploring Skyline Drive or Shenandoah National Park, or just want to hang out and enjoy the small town charm of Winchester.

Kids will be entertained with plenty of hands-on fun and room to run. We used to visit at least once a year when my kids were little, and my son still remembers hanging out and loading the apples on the conveyor belt in what is now the Apple Packing Shed! Other fun exhibits include Health Works, Roller Coaster Alley and the Musical Garden. It has been awhile since we last visited, so the Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau was kind enough to provide me with some photos of the new facility.

Local tip: Be advised that the museum has winter hours, and is not open every day. At last check, admission was $9.