OPEN FOR FAMILY FUN Get your fast-action kicks at Six Flags America in Upper Marlboro. With family rides like the Flying Carousel and Renegade Rapids or mega-thrillers like the Firebird floorless coaster, Superman: Ride of Steel, and the insane Bourbon Street Fireball, it’s an adventure for children of all ages. Find more amusements at Adventure Park USA in Monrovia—ride on a coaster, drive a go-kart, or challenge your travel companions to a game of laser tag or a round of bowling. Feeling spacey? Visit the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt and explore the farthest reaches of the universe. The Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope operations are monitored from Goddard, offering spectacular deep-space views, and on the first Sunday of each month, bring your own model rocket and join in a community launch free of charge. It’s the best way to see the galaxy short of becoming a NASA astronaut. Kiddos will also love the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo in Thurmont. Each guest can get “as close to the animals as safety permits.” Creatures run the gamut from the soft and cuddly chinchilla to the fierce jaguar, not that you’ll be invited to snuggle with either. Catoctin, which occupies 50 acres, is home to more than 300 species of amphibians, fish, and invertebrates; all in all, visitors can experience more than 600 animals, large and small. Stay all day, take a vintage safari truck tour, and ride on the back of an obliging camel. The National Wildlife Visitor Center in the Patuxent Research Refuge is another place for animal lovers. This science and environmental research center offers a chance to explore animals in their natural habitat. Check out the interactive exhibits (including a viewing pod overlooking the outdoor sanctuary), walking trails, and on-site art gallery and store. Six Flags America CAPITAL REGION / 73
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2022 Maryland Maryland Official Visitors Guide: Page 73
