2025-11-21 10:55:46
From water parks to animal encounters, family-friendly attractions in Fairfax County cater to kids, teens and tweens alike.
Water Wonders
Water slides and a giant dumping bucket cool off kids of all ages at the Lost Continent-themed Atlantis Waterpark in Centreville. A lazy river is one of the gems at The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole, a Gold Rushera park in Reston. Set sail for the huge pool at Lorton’s Pirate’s Cove Waterpark, where landlubbers can dig for buried treasure in the sandy area.
The indoor Cub Run Rec Center in Chantilly has a zero-depth entry pool and spinning water vortex. Let kids burn off energy with slides and sprayers at the Super, Awesome & Amazing indoor water park in Springfield.
Fun & Games
Zones at LEGO® Discovery Center in Springfield let family members bond over activities like designing and launching a spaceship. Also in Springfield, give “trust fall” a whole new meaning as your family traverses obstacles high above the ground at Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park.
Choose the creepy cryptid cavern or another Escape Room Herndon puzzle and see how well your family works together to solve it. Strike up some fun at the neon-lit Bowl America Fairfax or Lucky Strike Tysons Corner.
Animal Encounters
Get up close and personal with the animals that make Reston’s NOVA Wild home. You can even add on a baby capybara or sloth encounter! See what early 20thcentury farm life was like and meet the baby animals at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon. Visitors to George Washington’s Mount Vernon shouldn’t miss the mansion and livestock, including breeds raised on the estate during Washington’s time.
Great Golf
Perch Putt will give families a new perspective on mini golf – one that’s 11 stories off the ground in Tysons. Food trucks and cocktails are available, too! Combine a trip to Lucky Duck Mini Golf with a picnic and a spin on the carousel in Springfield. Oakmont Mini Golf in Oakmont has short paths, making it easier for littles to get around.
Keep an eye out for pirates at Lorton’s Treasure Island Mini Golf. It may be hard to keep your eye on your ball at Monster Mini Golf in Chantilly – not because it glows in the dark, but because of all the spooky-silly animatronics. The new Masterpiece Mini Golf at Workhouse Arts Center in Lorton combines art history with family fun, with each hole a tribute to masters like Monet and Michelangelo.
If only part of the family wants to play, try Burke Lake Mini Golf, where non-golfers can hike or grab a snack from the ice cream parlor in this Fairfax Station park.
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