Dacha Beer Garden is a popular hangout for DC families. Photo courtesy of Dacha Beer Garden

Family-Friendly Beer Gardens and Breweries in DC

1. Dacha Beer Garden — Shaw and Navy Yard

This beloved beer garden is so kid-friendly that the hashtag #KidsofDacha is a thing. Dacha serves German, Belgian, and American craft beers as well as wine, meads, and ciders. Both locations offer a ton of outdoor seating, with the Shaw location featuring a three-story mural of Elizabeth Taylor. The seasonal menus are inspired by Bavarian beer gardens, and both locations are also open for brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Dogs are welcome, too!

2. Hellbender Brewing Company — Fort Totten

This brewery was the first on the east coast to invest in a masher, allowing it to brew its beers quicker and more efficiently while using less water. Hellbender also uses a hammer mill to grind the grains into a fine powder, extracting 98 percent of the starches from the grain. (A traditional brewery uses a roller mill that only extracts 75 to 80 percent of the starches.)

You can take a free tour every Saturday at 3pm and 5pm to see this unique brewing process in action. Or, simply enjoy one of over 10 beers, eat delicious bites from a food truck, and listen to live music while your kids play one of the family-friendly board games available.

3. The Midlands Beer Garden — Columbia Heights

With over 6,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor garden space, The Midlands is truly an oasis in DC. The venue welcomes children, who will love the giant soft pretzels, the nachos, and the plethora of TVs broadcasting various sports games. For the grown-ups, there are more than 20 beers on tap as well as ciders, wines, spirits, and draft cocktails. Dogs are welcome in the outdoor garden, and you can bring your own food if you choose.

4. Wunder Garten — NoMa

Inspired by Germany's beer gardens, Wunder Garten opened in 2015 as a pop-up, but soon became a permanent gathering place. Open year-round, Wunder Garten offers a variety of spaces in which to enjoy its German and craft beers, wines, and liquors. These include the large tented Bier Pavilion, cabanas, and a Marquee tent. Seasonal fire pits keep guests warm. Kids will love the lawn games, board games, and live entertainment on certain days.

5. City-State Brewing Company —Northeast

This craft brewery has both indoor and outdoor seating areas. The outdoor one is located above the Metropolitan Branch bike trail, and little ones will love to watch the bikes and trains that run alongside it. Older kids can play in the on-site arcade, which offers pinball, Skee-Ball, claw machines, and arcade games. The brewery also has free-to-play board and card games. Grown-ups can enjoy over 15 beers and cocktails. Grab a bite from one of the rotating food trucks, and enjoy live music and other special events on certain days.

Family-Friendly Beer Gardens and Breweries in Maryland

6. Denizens Brewing Co. — Riverdale Park

This family-owned brewery—the first production brewery in Montgomery County—welcome both kids and dogs, though dogs must remain outdoors on the patio. Denizens serves hard seltzers, wine, and cocktails in addition to its variety of craft beers, and its food menu offers comfort foods like pretzel bread and wings. Denizens allows you to reserve a table outdoors, so be sure to do so if you hope to remain outside.

7. Manor Hill Brewing — Ellicott City

This brewery, located on a 54-acre working farm, is open to visitors on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. The tasting room offers a variety of beers and hard seltzers on tap and includes indoor seating, a covered tent, and lots of outdoor space for visitors to spread out on their own chairs. Families can visit the resident farm animals (petting and feeding them is not allowed), enjoy brick-oven pizza from the on-site Pizza Trolley, and bring balls, frisbees, and other games to play with on the grassy areas.

8. The Brookeville Beer Farm — Brookeville

This small-town business combines brewing and farming, with a taproom offering both indoor and outdoor seating that welcomes kids and leashed dogs. A selection of over 20 beers is available at a time, as well as hard seltzers and ciders. When hunger strikes, enjoy delicious homemade brick-oven pizzas. Friday and Saturday evenings feature live music.

9. Peabody Heights Brewery — Baltimore

You can't get more kid-friendly than Peabody Heights, which houses a full arcade with over 45 old-school arcade games and pinball machines. The best part is, you pay one price and get unlimited play! When you're ready to enjoy one of the 10-plus beers on tap, you can choose either indoor or outdoor seating. Fuel up with a smashburger from the on-site Elektra by Fuzzies.

10. Lone Oak Farm Brewing Company — Olney

Lone Oak is a nearly 29-acre farm full of gorgeous streams, fields, a pond, and—yes—a brewery. There are nearly 25 beers on tap, and the food menu features kid-friendly options like pizza, mac and cheese, soft pretzels, and more. There's even a playground for kids 10 and under. Seating in the taproom, fields, and porch is first-come, first-served, but you can reserve a tent or firepit ahead of time. You can also bring your own chairs, blankets, and lawn games. Dogs are allowed in the outdoor spaces. 

11. Waredaca Brewing Company — Laytonsville

This brewery is certainly unique—it's located on a horse farm! Kids can explore the wide-open outdoor area and visit the horses while the adults enjoy some of the nearly 15 beers on tap. Detroit-style pizza is available on Thursdays and Fridays, and on other days you can nosh on warm pretzels, hummus, popcorn, and other small bites. Dogs are welcome, and there's live music on Saturdays and Sundays.

 
Outdoor seating abounds at Caboose Commons. Photo courtesy of Caboose Commons

Family-Friendly Beer Gardens and Breweries in Northern Virginia

12. Caboose Commons — Fairfax

This three-level coffeehouse/brewpub is both kid- and pet-friendly, though dogs must remain in the outdoor spaces. Caboose Commons offers a huge selection of beers and coffee drinks, as well as breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus (including kids' items). The huge beer garden is perfect for cornhole and sidewalk chalk. Employees are paid at least five times the tipped minimum wage, so you can feel good about supporting this local business. Note: Caboose is cashless, so don't forget your credit card!

13. Audacious Aleworks Brewery & Taproom — Falls Church and Fairfax

This small craft brewery specializing in small-batch ales has a tap menu of more than 15 beers at a time, plus seltzers and frozen slushes, in both of its locations. Kids are welcome both inside and in the outdoor seating areas, and there's free WiFi and plenty of family-friendly board games. Dogs are also allowed outdoors. The menu features grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs,  brats, and pretzels. You can also bring your own food or have it delivered.

14. The Garden — Alexandria

Both kids and dogs are welcome at this spacious and colorful beer garden in Del Ray, evident by the metal dog bowls and the children's play area with Little Tikes toys and chalkboards. There's even a kids' menu, though children might enjoy some of the items from the main menu such as the mozzarella sticks and the chicken tenders. The Garden has over a dozen beers on tap, plus wine and cocktails.

15. Lost Rhino Brewing Company — Ashburn

Lost Rhino, which features a rotating list of more than 15 beers, has both an indoor and outdoor seating area. The indoor area, the Tap Room, hosts a variety of events throughout the week and live music on Saturdays. Kids are welcome in both the Tap Room and the outdoor area; while dogs are welcome only outdoors. Lost Rhino offers a hot dog, a cheese sandwich, and mac and cheese on its kids' menu, as well as several non-alcoholic beverages. 

 
The Farm Brewery at Broad Run hosts many family-friendly events. Photo courtesy of The Farm Brewery's Facebook page

16. The Farm Brewery at Broad Run — Haymarket

This picturesque brewery features a six-acre, beautifully landscaped beer garden where you can enjoy a large selection of ales and lagers, wines, and local handmade ciders. Kids can play on the playground, and dogs are welcome. Food for sale includes wings, pizza, hot dogs, charcuterie, and more. Enjoy live music and family events on certain days. Adults and kids ages 12 and up can even try their hand at axe throwing.

17. 2 Silos Brewing Co. — Manassas

Located on the campus of Farm Brew LIVE, 2 Silos is a place for families and friends to enjoy craft beer, cocktails, food, and live music. There is plenty of outdoor space, including a playground for the children, but kids are also allowed in The Pour House tasting room as long as they're accompanied by an adult at all times. Dogs are allowed in all outside areas until 8pm—you'll even find doggy stations throughout.

18. Tysons Biergarten — McLean

Tysons Biergarten, which features both an indoor Bavarian beer hall and a large outdoor beer garden, serves up some of Germany and Belgium's finest beers as well as seasonal specialties, whiskey, wine, and cocktails. There's also a food menu featuring a variety of sausages, brats, and other items. The beer garden features a kids' play area and a fenced-in dog park, so both children and dogs are welcome!

19. Westover Beer Garden & Haus — Arlington

Westover Market opened the DC area's first beer garden in 2009, and it's become a popular hangout for local families. There are 16 varieties of beer on tap and a large food menu featuring organic produce, freshly baked breads, cheeses, and meats that are local, organic, and eco-friendly. The beer garden is open daily and is decorated with colorful murals and twinkling lights. Live music plays on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evenings beginning in April.

20. Vanish Farmwoods Brewery — Leesburg

This 63-acre, family-owned farm-brewery offers lots of outdoor space with gorgeous views and up to 20 beers on tap at a time in its massive taproom. Kids are welcome both indoors and out—there's even a playground and a field where they can play with balls. Leashed dogs are permitted outdoors. Enjoy live music on weekends, as well as family-friendly events like festivals and bingo nights. Pizza, BBQ, and burger trucks will satisfy hunger pangs.