Kids Activities Near Tysons Corner, Virginia

Nature Adventures

• Kids can explore 15 miles of wooded hiking and biking trails at the 800-acre Great Falls National Park, located 7 miles north of Tysons Corner in McLean, Virginia. Great Falls also features views of the waterfalls on the Potomac River, plus rock climbing, fishing and boating. The visitor center, which is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., includes a bookstore, interactive exhibits and a children̵7;s room. Kids can also enjoy Campfire Fridays (or Saturdays), Feed the Animals, and various Nature Quests at the Hidden Pond Nature Center in Springfield, Virginia, just 15 miles south of Tysons Corner by way of Interstate 495, "the Beltway." Registration through the Fairfax County Park Authority is required and can be done online or via mail or phone.

Hands-On History

• For kids who love airplanes and all things space, visit the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum̵7;s companion facility, the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, just 15 miles west of Tysons Corner in Chantilly. The center̵7;s two hangars feature thousands of space and air artifacts, including the space shuttle Discovery, and kids can watch restorations as they take place, attend a special event and even attend the Airbus IMAX theater for a flight-related movie. For a more rustic history experience, visit the Claude Moore Colonial Farm at Turkey Run, just over 6 miles away in McLean. There kids can experience 1771 life on a farm by participating in the farm's daily activities and attend special seasonal events, such as making candles and soap. The Farm is open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.

Staying Active

• For getting physical, Tysons Corner kids have a variety of area recreation and community centers to enjoy. Just 2.5 north of Tysons Corner on International Drive is the Spring Hill RECenter in McLean. Kids of all ages can swim year-round in this heated 44,000-square-foot facility and can take lessons through Fairfax County Park Authority̵7;s Parktakes. For kids who enjoy theater, art, cooking, dancing or even chess, the McLean Community Center, located 3.5 miles east of Tysons Corner on Dolley Madison Boulevard, offers year-round programs. Registration is required, and can be done online, by mail, via fax or in person.

Learning Fun

• Fairfax County̵7;s 23 public libraries offer kids of all ages events and activities to enjoy year-round. Story time, book clubs, drop-in chess or backgammon, and learning to draw cartoons are just a few of the programs at the Great Falls, Chantilly and Tysons-Pimmit branches, all within a drive of five to 15 minutes of Tysons Corner. For a unique science experience, kids can visit the award-winning Curiosity Zone. This science lab -- just 20 minutes west on Interstate 267 -- in Ashburn, offers classes and camps that teach kids age 2 to 11 about science and math in a fun, hands-on way. Registration is required and can be done online.