The Chesapeake Bay area is one of most beautiful places in the country for families to watch a sunset, splash at a beach, explore museums, and have fun outdoors. As the biggest estuary in the United States, the Chesapeake Bay boasts seemingly endless miles of coastline for nature lovers to enjoy.

I have vacationed in the Chesapeake Bay area my entire life and even lived there for several years. Now I have the joy of taking my own children back to enjoy it.

Read on for 10 great places to visit in the Chesapeake Bay region with kids. Then check out our Guide to Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for DC Kids for more great nearby areas to explore, like Williamsburg, VA and the Delaware beaches.

When the summer heat descends on the DC area, there are plenty of nearby swimming lakes and watering holes where families can make a splash and cool off. These swimming lakes (all within a two-hour drive) are a fun, natural alternative to the area's swimming pools and water parks. Many of them are within state parks and national forests, which offer a variety of other fun activities like hiking, fishing, and camping.

Here are our favorite swimming lakes and watering holes near DC where families can beat the heat and reconnect with nature. Many of these awesome swimming spots even offer a Tom Sawyer-like adventure that will have the kids swinging, diving, and absolutely grinning.

Check out our Ultimate DC Kids Summer Vacation Guide for even more fun ways to cool off this summer.

Around 20 miles northwest of DC, Gaithersburg is a diverse and vibrant Maryland suburb with a rich history, thriving community, and plenty of kid-friendly activities. Once an agricultural community known as Log Town, the city grew after the arrival of the B&O Railroad in the 1870s, which spurred business expansion and drove summer tourism by DC residents escaping the city’s heat.

Whether you’re looking for parks and playgrounds, museums and arts centers, local fairs and festivals, or kid-friendly restaurants, there’s so much for kids of all ages to explore and enjoy in Gaithersburg.

Read on for 25 fun things to do with kids in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Our Guide to Family Day Trips and Weekend Getaways for DC Kids includes even more fun suburbs to visit, like Fairfax, Virginia and Kensington, Maryland.

Mother's Day brunch is a cherished tradition for many families, including my own. While I'd be thrilled if my family whipped up one of these kid-friendly Mother's Day brunch recipes, I love to go out on Mother's Day and really be pampered. Lucky for me, there are tons of great restaurants in DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia serving up a delicious brunch on Mother's Day 2025, which is Sunday, May 11.

Here are 17 of our top picks in and around DC for Mother's Day brunch with kids. We chose these places because they are especially suited to moms and families with children, whether they have special kids menus, buffet spreads the whole family will enjoy, or even kids' activities.

Looking for something to do with Mom after brunch? Try one of the fun activities on our list of things to do on Mother's Day near DC, or visit our Spring Activities Guide for DC Kids and Families. Happy Mother's Day from all of us at Mommy Poppins!

If you've got a child who loves cows, like my daughter, South Mountain Creamery in Middletown, MD is a must-visit. At this family-owned farm less than a 90-minute drive from DC, visitors can tour the maternity ward and other farm areas, play on a playground, eat delicious homemade ice cream, and even feed baby cows. And the best part is, it's FREE to visit (though you'll have to pay for the calf feeding and certain other activities).

Read on to learn all about my family's visit to South Mountain Creamery. Then visit our Guide to Farms in Washington, DC for more farm fun with kids, from great animal farms and petting zoos near DC to awesome places to pick your own produce.