Best Bets For Family Fun In And Around Vienna On Memorial Day Weekend

This could be a one sentence post: Go to Viva! Vienna! There is something for everyone: rides, vendors, entertainment and food. Since the whole town will be there, park at the metro station or Madison and take the free shuttle over. Be sure to wear hats, pack water and coat on the sunscreen, there is very little shade.

(Patch will publish a full guide to Viva!Vienna! tomorrow).

 However, if you want to explore other options:

 Friday:

Pack hot dogs and your own roasting sticks (aka metal coat hangers) and go to a campfire at Gulf Branch Nature Center in Arlington. (The one being held at Cub Run Rec Center is full.) They will have snakes and skinks for you to check out!

Introduce your kids to baseball at a  Potomac Nationals game. Minor League games are very family-friendly. They are low key and have lots of entertainment between the innings to keep everyone engaged, even if the game is moving slow. The team is in town through Sunday playing Lynchburg.

Saturday:

Delaplane's Strawberry Festival packs in the old-fashioned fun. Field games, fair food, and even a monkey will fill the day!

If the thought of dragging everyone down to the Mall for the Memorial Day Concert with 100,000+ of your closest friends sounds like a nightmare, go to the rehearsal at 7:30pm. All the performers will be there, but the crowds won't.

Sunday:

Summer Blasts Off at Wolftrap with a free performance by the United States Marine Band and fireworks. Space is limited, arrive early in order to see the show.

Coastal Flats in Fairfax Corner has their first annual Beach Blast from Noon-6pm. Music, food, drinks and kids activities will get you to the beach without having to deal with Bay Bridge traffic.

Monday:  

If you prefer to stay a little closer to home, but still want to see a parade, you can see Rockville's at 10:30 a.m. or Falls Church's at 2 p.m.

So, are you going to Viva Vienna? Headed out of town? Going to see something else in the area? Doing a traditional family event?

For more Fun Mama posts, visit her blog.