Start planning your Spring field trip today. Pack the
car for the day or for a weekend getaway that will surely entertain the whole
family. Check out these low-cost family adventures within a short drive of
Fredericksburg.
·
At Virginia
Safari Park see animals run and frolic with
abandon on this 180-acre property. Drive your vehicle over 3 miles of
maintained gravel road and let your children feed the animals through the windows!
Located in the Shenandoah Valley, only minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and
historic Lexington. The park is open from March to November. For tickets and
hours visit: https://www.virginiasafaripark.com/your-visit/tickets-and-hours.
· The
George Washington and Jefferson National
Forests stretch along the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and into parts
of West Virginia and Kentucky. Take the
kids for a hike and choose to set up camp at one of thousands of individual
campsites spread throughout the forests. For more information about recreation
passes and permits https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/gwj/passes-permits/recreation.
· At
Luray Caverns general admission
includes the Luray Caverns Self-Guided Tour that takes a little over an hour
but it is suggested to allow 2-3 hours to tour the Car & Carriage Caravan
Museum, Shenandoah Heritage Village and Toy Town Junction, as well. To plan your
visit: https://luraycaverns.com/plan/
· First Landing State Park
is located on Cape Henry at the north end of Virginia Beach. This 2,888 acre
park offers a wide range of activities for families with children that want to
escape the busier, more heavily developed areas of Virginia Beach yet still
remain in close proximity to all that the local area has to offer. For all there is to do visit: https://www.first-landing-state-park.org/index.html
· Become a Junior Ranger at Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania National
Military Parks. There are four booklets of activities available for kids.
After completing each booklet, Junior Rangers receive a patch to mark their
accomplishment. The booklets are free and highlight each major battlefield in
the park. Pick them up on-site (ask at the information desk) or download and plan
your visit before going to the park. For more information visit: https://www.nps.gov/frsp/learn/kidsyouth/beajuniorranger.htm.
Planning on visiting national parks often? Get the America the Beautiful – the National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands
Pass at https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/passes.htm.
Note: If you have a fourth grader it may behoove you to get them their Every Kid in
a Park pass at https://www.fs.usda.gov/learn/kids/everykid.
This pass provides free access to national parks, national forests, national
wildlife refuges, and more through August 31!
Many places offer discounts to law enforcement, active
duty and retired military on each paid admission. Additionally, if you enjoyed
your visit, many times you can put what you paid for admission towards an
annual membership pass so you can go back again and again.
