DelGrosso's Amusement Park

Spend the day with your family at DelGrosso's Amusement Park in Tipton, PA.  For those looking for the most economical way to visit the park, go on the weekend of the Annual Italian Food & Heritage Festival.

Washington, DC to Tipton, PA (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Drive to Tipton, PA (189 miles, 3 hours 32 minutes) - parking is free

2.  Enjoy the park rides (included in all-day fun pass) - family favorites include:

• Crazy Mouse
• Paratrooper
• Yo-Yo
• Tipton Creek Train Station
• Tilt-A-Whirl
• Dizzy Dragons
• Fire Trucks

3.  Try the wonderful food - family favorites include:

• Fresh made pizza
• Murf's Potato Salad
• Funnel cake

4.  Other things to do include:

• Tipton Waterworks & Rapids (during the summer and included in all-day fun pass)
• Altoona-Tipton Speedway (not included in all-day fun pass)
• Championship Miniature Golf (not included in all-day fun pass)

THINGS TO KNOW:

Theme parks can be a challenge with kids.  Adults enjoy racing up and down hills or being spun until dizzy; however, children can make it difficult to go on rides.  If you are like us, you find yourself paying a lot of money to enter theme parks only to watch your kids sit in mini-car after mini-train after mini-plane going in circles.  Full admission seems a waste of money when you become merely a spectator of the more appealing rides rising over the tree line in the distance.

DelGrosso's Amusement Park eliminates this frustration.  DelGrosso's pay-per-ride option allows you to enter the park free of charge and pay only for rides you and your kids actually ride.  If you have no intention of getting on a ride, you can enter the park with your loved ones and applaud your children for holding on tight, capture their joyful expressions on camera, and be the guardian of strollers, jackets and purses for absolutely free!  Finally, what you pay is proportionate to how many rides you go on!

If you prefer, DelGrosso's also gives you the option to pay for an all-day pass that gets you on every ride (except the go-karts and miniature golf).

To make this park even more affordable, click on the "events" tab on their website to find out when dads, grandparents, and veterans ride for free; when you can purchase an all-day pass for $5 off the regular price; when you can purchase an all-day pass for just $5; or when everyone in your car can receive an all-day pass for only $10.  (This $10 per carload deal is ideal for those traveling from the Washington, DC area).  You'll also find free music concerts, antique car shows, and food festivals on the calendar.

The park is small, which makes it easily manageable for children's little legs and grandparents' tired legs.  It also make it easy to find members of your party after you've split up for a time.  The rides are similar to the types of rides you'd find at a traveling fair, so you won't find long roller coasters with loops here.  However, we found that the bigger park rides were enjoyable even for the roller-coaster-lovers in our family while still tame enough for the family members who lack a strong stomach or lack a little bit of height. Many of the rides were suitable for the entire family to enjoy together.  There were only a handful that the very smallest child could not ride and on the opposite end of the spectrum a handful that the adults could not ride.

One more favorite thing about this park was the food.  The pizza was delicious and made with DelGrosso's own sauce that is bottled right across the street from the park.  You can't get much fresher than that!  

A little tip on driving directions:  It's worth it to just pay the money and go on the PA Turnpike.  We went out of our way to try to avoid that road and found that the instructions weren't clear and the roads in a few places were a little confusing.  We wasted enough time trying to get back on the right track that we decided we would've been better off on the Turnpike.  

Explore Great Falls, VA

Visit Great Falls, VA.  Hike a picturesque 5.1 mile loop and see the Potomac River's amazing waterfall.  Stop to see a historic mill close-by before going home.

Difficult Run Trail Head (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Difficult Run

• Leave in the morning and pack a picnic lunch
• Drive to trail head (15.6 miles, 24 minutes)
• Park in the lot just off of Georgetown Pike, a couple miles before Old Dominion Drive
• Walk the 5.1 miles Difficult Run hike, which will take approximately 2.5 hours
• See trees, wildlife, and great views of the Potomac River

2.  Great Falls National Park

• About midway through your hike, stop at Great Falls National Park
• Explore the Visitors Center
• See the "Great Falls"
• Rest and eat lunch (if you didn't pack a lunch, a snack bar is open seasonally)
• Continue hiking and return to your car

Great Falls

3.  Colvin Run Mill

• Relax after your hike by driving to Colvin Run Mill (4.9 miles, 10 minutes)
• Shop in the General Store for something refreshing after your hike and for wheat milled at Colvin Run
• Tour the restored mill
• Wander around the grounds, taking the self-guided tours of the property (not that big)
• Return home (Colvin Run Mill closes at 4:00 p.m.)

Difficult Run Trail Head (Point A) to Colvin Run Mill (Point B)

THINGS TO KNOW:

Difficult Run Trail has a parking lot just to the south of the Great Falls Park boundaries.  The trail doesn’t follow the river, but instead leads through the woods to the ruins of Matildaville.  Its interesting to stand by the foundations and read about the history of the area. 

If you can’t handle hiking, drive directly to Great Falls National Park so you can still enjoy the view of the falls.  The park charges $5 per car, or $3 per person entering on foot, bike or horseback, unless you have a National Parks Pass.  Beginning in April 2013, it is a trash-free park, so be prepared to carry out all your trash with you when you go.  There are plenty of picnic tables and lots of grassy area if you prefer to lay out a blanket and sit on the ground.  There’s enough flat space for a game of soccer or frisbee.  The falls overlook is an easy stroll from the parking lot, if you’ve driven directly to the park.  One thing we love about the park is the plethora of boulders that captivate rock climbers of all levels.  Even small children have a blast crawling around on the rocks they can manage.  The visitor center has some educational exhibits on the area and a very small gift shop.

Colvin Run Mill is a small park and doesn’t require a lot of time to explore, but it is worth the stop.  Just down the road from the bustle of Tyson’s Corner, it is a serene park that transports you back in time.  Tours are available for a fee ($7 for adults and $5 for kids) or you can grab a brochure and do a self-guided tour of the grounds.  Check the website to find out when the mill is in operation and when you can see black smith and woodworking demonstrations.  Stop into the general store to complete that feeling that you’ve stepped back in time.  In our warehouse, bulk-buying culture, there’s something amazing about buying grains that have recently been milled a few steps away from the store in which you’re standing.  The store has recipes available for you to try a typical dish from the 1800’s.  If you purchase some cornmeal and want some of the best cornbread you’ve ever had, try this recipe.

Arlington's Point of View

Take several hours to honor those who serve our country and to enjoy Arlington, VA.

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Walk Around the Arlington National Cemetery Area (3.2 miles round trip)

• Park in the Arlington National Cemetery parking lot - there is a fee, but it is next to the visitor's center which has air conditioning, water fountains, and bathrooms
• Begin your walk at the Visitors Center (Point A) - stop and get a map and other information
• Walk to United States Marine Corps War Memorial (Point B)
• On your way back to Arlington National Cemetery, stop at the Netherlands Carillon (Point C) - this is one of the greatest views of Washington, D.C.
• Continue to the Women in Military Service for America Memorial (Point D) - take the time to walk the stairs to the top of the memorial and view the gallery inside the memorial
• Walk to President John F. Kennedy's Gravesight (Point E) - see the Eternal Flame and view the Arlington House
• Finish your visit by attending the Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns (Point F) and visiting the Memorial Amphitheater

United States Marine Corps War Memorial

View of Washington, D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon 

Women in Military Service for America Memorial

Eternal Flame at President John F. Kennedy's Gravesite

Arlington House 

Tomb of the Unknowns

2.  Drive to Gravelly Point Park (4.7 miles)

• Have a picnic
• Watch the planes take off and land at Reagan National Airport

3.  Drive to the Air Force Memorial (3.0 miles)

• Take 20 minutes to walk around the memorial - this a yet another amazing place to view our nation's capital.

Air Force Memorial

4.  End the day at Hayes Park (3.0 miles) - especially if you are doing this day trip with children during the summer

• Cool down at the "spray ground" - be sure to pack swimming suits if you plan to do this - your children can change in the bathrooms
• Play tennis or basketball
• Play on the playground

Arlington National Cemetery (Point A); Gravelly Point Park (Point B);
Air Force Memorial (Point C); Hayes Park (Point D)

THINGS TO KNOW:

This is a great day trip that takes you to some wonderful memorials, but doesn’t pack in so much that you don’t have time to enjoy them.  

So that you can plan your bathroom/snack/water breaks: our walk around the Arlington National Cemetery area took about 3 ½ hours.  Had it been necessary, we could’ve gotten through it a little more quickly.  If we had the energy to get home very late, we could’ve spent more time enjoying this part of the day.  The gallery inside the Women in Military Service for America Memorial is a great resting spot if you need one.  If you’re too tired for the stairs to the top, take the elevator at the far end of the monument - it's worth the effort to go up there.  When you go to see the Changing of the Guard, try to get a spot on your right hand side as you’re looking at the tomb - that is where most of the ceremony takes place.  You will be asked to stand and remain silent through the 5-10 minute change, so find a place you can do so comfortably.

Gravelly Point Park is a lot of fun for the airplane and boat aficionados.  The picnic area is right next to the water and Reagan National Airport.  The planes fly right over your head and then make the sharp turn necessary to avoid D.C.  Be prepared for the loud noise of the planes’ engines.  We didn’t feel the need to provide earplugs for our family, but we did notice that some parents were protecting their children’s hearing.

The best place to get a photo while on the site of the Air Force Memorial is from the far corner of the parking lot.  As you drive into the parking lot, go all the way back to find the spot we stood to get the shot that we did.  We were pleasantly surprised to find that there is more to the monument than what you see from the road and we enjoyed walking around it and reading about it.

The “Spray Ground” at Hayes Park has a few little tricks.  The first important thing to know if you plan on playing in the water is that the water is only available from Memorial Day – Labor Day, and even then only during certain hours.  Check the website before you go.  Also, the sprinklers run on a timer so as to not waste water while people aren’t there. The local residents all know how to turn it on every 5 minutes or so.  

The Washington D.C. "Castle"

You see it all the time on I-495 and hear it referenced on traffic reports, take a couple hours and get a close up view of the "Mormon Temple" (11 miles, 28 minutes).

Washington, D.C. to Washington D.C. Temple (Point B)

Washington D.C. Temple

• Walk around the temple grounds
• Stop in the visitors' center and see a reproduction of the Christus statue
• In the spring and summer, go during the day and enjoy the flower beds
• During Christmas season, go in the evening and enjoy the Festival of Lights

Washington D.C. Temple at Christmas Time

THINGS TO KNOW:

The Temple Visitor Center (the picture above is the temple; as your looking at the temple from this view, the visitor center is located on your left up a small set of stairs) is open to everyone, regardless of your religion.  There is usually plenty of parking, but it is more crowded in December during the Festival of Lights.   There are permanent exhibits and there are frequently musical concerts, movies, and art exhibits - all free of charge.  Many of the performers and artists featured are local.   Check the website for a schedule of events.  There are restrooms and drinking fountains located inside the visitor center.  

Just Across the Potomac

Spend a peaceful morning on the VA side of the Potomac River.

THINGS TO DO:

1.  United States Marine Corps War Memorial

• Take a picnic breakfast and watch the sunrise over Washington, D.C. from the Iwo Jima Memorial

Sunrise at Iwo Jima

2.  Theodore Roosevelt Island National Memorial

• Walk the nature trails on Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Photograph the wildlife

Fort McHenry National Monument

Spend a morning at Fort McHenry National Monument, home of our National Anthem.  Fort McHenry is located just outside of Baltimore, MD and about one hour away from Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. to Fort McHenry, MD (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

Fort McHenry National Monument

• Plan to arrive around 8:30 a.m.
• Begin your exploration at the visitors center
• If you have children, ask a Park Ranger for a Junior Ranger packet (they will earn a Junior Ranger badge and certificate by completing the packet)
• Watch the short 10-minute orientation film at 9:00 a.m.  (be sure to stand at the end!)
• Make your way to the fort, arriving in the center of the fort in time to participate in the daily flag change at 9:30 a.m.
• Wander through the fort and the rest of the park

View of Fort McHenry from Outside the Visitors Center

• When you are finished with your visit, drive 15 minutes into Baltimore and eat lunch at Sip & Bite Restaurant (the restaurant was highlighted on Food Network's "Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives"and has EXCELLENT crab cakes) 
• If you have time, explore the Inner Harbor

THINGS TO KNOW:

Fort McHenry is owned and operated by the National Park Service.  Consider purchasing an Annual Parks Pass as many of the activities suggested on our blog will take you to a National Park.  Those without the pass will pay an admission fee of $7/person for age 16 and up (15 and under are free).  While you’re at the visitor center, make sure to take note of the scheduled events for the day as there may be a ranger talk you’d like to listen to.  If you’re interested in taking part in the flag ceremony, make sure you find out where to meet the rangers to participate.  If you plan on completing the Junior Ranger Program with your kids, make sure to get your packet from the desk in the Visitor Center before you head out to the fort, as the answers to the packet’s questions can be found in the fort’s exhibits.  The packet can be a little challenging, but it makes your self-guided tour very interesting.  The visitor center has restrooms, drinking fountains, and a gift shop. 

Sip and Bite is clearly a local favorite and for good reason: the food is amazing.  The diner was highlighted on the Food Network’s “Diners Drive-Ins and Dives.”  Its always fun to eat at a place that’s been on TV, but when you begin eating your meal you’ll forget that the place was highlighted by Guy Fieri and all you’ll be able to think about is how much you’re enjoying your lunch.  The crab cakes live up to the hype they receive.  It’s a fun and casual atmosphere where the owners and employees treated us like we could be their personal friends.  The wonderful thing about this place is that they draw you in with both their food and their personalities.  

Independence National Historic Park

Explore Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia, PA, birthplace of our nation.  Philadelphia is only 3 hours away from Washington, D.C. and worth the drive!

Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia, PA (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Independence Visitor Center

• Park in the underground parking by the visitor center (all "things to do" are within walking distance)
• Pick-up your reserved tickets for the Independence Hall tour (reservations are recommended - see Independence Hall website linked below)
• Watch the 28 minute film Independence
• Eat a picnic on the lawn outside of the visitor center (or buy lunch at the visitor center cafe)

2.  Independence Hall

• Take the guided tour (reserve tickets for after lunch)
• Go in and see Congress Hall afterwards

The Plaque that Proves Philadelphia
IS the Birthplace of America!

Statue of George Washington in
Front of Independence Hall

3.  Liberty Bell Center

• Go see the Liberty Bell
• Take a moment to read the history of the bell





Liberty Bell

4.  Franklin Court

• See the site of Benjamin Franklin's home
• Visit the Printing Office
• Stop in to see the Postal Museum

5.  Sonny's Famous Steaks

• Go to Sonny's Famous Steaks for dinner (order their cheesesteak with cheese whiz - it was awesome!)

Virginia Safari Park

Leave early in the morning and drive to Virginia Safari Park for the day.  The park is located in Natural Bridge, VA, 3 hours and 25 minutes away from Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. to Virginia Safari Park (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Enjoy a Picnic Lunch

2.  Explore the Safari Drive-Thru Zoo

Feeding the Camels

• Buy one bucket of feed for each person in your car
• Drive the 3 mile loop to familiarize yourself with feeding animals from your car window
• Drive the loop at least one more time (you can drive it as many times as you like) and be more daring, feed the most exciting animals, take great pictures, and laugh

Befriending the Camels

3.  Spend Some Time in the Village Walk-Thru Zoo

• Take any left-over feed to hand-feed the animals
• Walk around the zoo

4.  Visit the Gift Shop

Visiting the Giraffes at the Village Walk-Thru Zoo

THINGS TO KNOW:

This place is a blast.  The animals are very tame and comfortable around humans.  Be prepared to hold on tight to the buckets--these animals have figured out a variety of ways to knock, push, and pull buckets out of timid hands.  Many of the animals are not afraid to make themselves at home in your car, so don't be surprised when a camel pokes his head in the car window and then reaches clear across the car to get to the bucket of food.  The road through the park is not paved, but it's fairly smooth. Driving the park loop will leave your car filthy, both inside and out.  When we went, we were surprised how much of the feed ended up inside the car: startled children spilled buckets; deer and elk shoved their noses into the buckets and pushed half the food into our car in their eagerness; camels slobbered on our upholstery while sniffing for their meals; ostriches and emus pecked on our windows expecting an offering.  However, the experience is worth the effort to clean the car afterwards.  Just be sure to leave things that can’t get dirty in your trunk or at home.

Most of the animals in the petting zoo can be fed with the same buckets of feed that you use for the park.  However, the giraffes and birds have different feed for an additional cost.  It's fun to take a treat into the Lorikeet Landing and coax the birds to land on your hand or shoulder.  Make sure that the giraffes are willing to come close to the feeding platform before you pay for a handful of food.  They’re less apt to come running from across the field just because they see a few people and you don’t want to be left standing there with a handful of food without anything to feed.