I’ve been humming holiday songs since before Halloween. I can’t help it, I love the holiday season! I try to avoid malls and shopping centers whenever possible, but I love checking out holiday activities in the area. So check out 25 fun holiday things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia this season. Enjoy and have a happy holiday season!

Christmas Wonderland at Adventure Park USA. Photo from AdventureParkUSA.com.

Shadrack’s Christmas Wonderland at Adventure Park USA – New Market, MD
November 5 – January 1: 6 pm

Enjoy a mile of Christmas lights at this drive through light show! Hundreds of thousands of lights, see Santa, toast s’mores and enjoy attractions at the park. Fees: $25 per car. A portion of the proceeds to benefit the American Red Cross and Christmas Cash for Kids. Get your tickets online.

Adventure Park USA is located at 11113 West Baldwin Road New Market, Maryland (map it).

ICE! at Gaylord National Resort. Photo from GaylordHotels.com.

ICE! featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas – National Harbor, MD
Thursday, November 18 – Sunday, January 9

Visit this 15,000-square-foot indoor winter wonderland at Gaylord National Hotel! This year, ICE! features How the Grinch Stole Christmas. See holiday scenes, Christmas icons and more ice sculpture maintained in a nine-degree facility. Dress warm, it’ll be 9 degrees in there! Winter coats will be provided. Weekend admissions: $29 for adults, $23 for seniors (62+), $18 for kids 4 to 12 and free for kids 3 and under. See my review of ICE! and get your tickets online.

Gaylord National Hotel is located at 201 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

FREE: Season Greenings at the US Botanic Garden – Washington, DC
Thursday, November 25 – Sunday, January 2: 10 am – 5 pm

Check out the US Botanic Garden’s annual holiday exhibit, Seasons Greenings, this holiday season. The exhibit features Washington landmark buildings as well as world landmarks from the continents of Africa, Asia, Europe and South America created with plant materials. Free admissions.

The US Botanic Garden is located at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC (map it).

Harbor Lights Festival at National Children's Museum Launch Zone. Photo from NCM.museum.

FREE: Harbor Lights Festival at National Children’s Museum Launch Zone – National Harbor, MD
Friday, November 26: 2 pm – 7 pm

Make your own holiday art projects in the afternoon and enjoy special musical performances and holiday goodies while you watch the National Harbor’s 65-foot tree lighting ceremony in the evening. Free admissions.

The National Children’s Museum Launch Zone is located at 112 Waterfront Street, National Harbor, Maryland (map it).

FREE: Holidays are Here at Reston Town Center – Reston, VA
Friday, November 26: 11 am – 10 pm

It’s a full day of holiday celebration at Reston Town Center! Watch the Reston Holiday Parade starts at 11 am, visit with Santa at 12:30 pm, see Christmas tree lighting and enjoy sing along at 6 pm and go on a carriage ride between 6:30 pm and 10 pm. Also enjoy Those Funny Little People performances at 1 pm, 2:30 pm, 4 pm and 5:30 pm. Free admissions.

Reston Town Square is located at 11900 Market Street, Reston, Virginia (map it).

Mount Vernon by Candlelight. Photo from MountVernon.org.

Mount Vernon by Candlelight – Mount Vernon, VA
November 26, 27 and 28
December 4, 5, 11, 12, 18 and 19

Enjoy an enchanting evening of candlelit tours, fireside Christmas caroling, hot cider and ginger cookies hosted by Mrs. Washington at George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Enjoy merry music and holiday shopping, and tour the home guided by characters from Washington’s world. Admission fees: $20 for adults and $14 for kids 11 and under. Get your tickets online.

George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate is located at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia (map it).

North Pole Express – Cumberland, MD
November 27 and 28: 6 pm
December 3, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 17 and 19: 6 pm

Take the Polar Express to visit Santa at the North Pole! Enjoy hot cocoas and cookies and say hello to Santa when you arrive at the North Pole. The round trip lasts approximately 3.5 hours. Tickets: $29 for adults and $27 for kids. Get your tickets online.

The Western Maryland Scenic Railroad is located at 13 Canal Street, Cumberland, Maryland (map it).

Menorah Lighting at Rockville Town Square – Rockville, MD
December 1: 6 pm

Hosted by Chabad Israeli Center of Rockville, attend the Grand Menorah Lighting Ceremony in Rockville Town Square Center Plaza. Immediately after the lighting, join a family Hanukkah party at Vis Arts.

Rockville Town Square Center Plaza is located between Maryland Street and Gibbs Street, Rockville, Maryland (map it).
Vis Arts is located at 155 Gibbs Street, Rockville, Maryland (map it).

FREE: Rockville Town Square Holiday Open House – Rockville, MD
December 2: 6:30 pm – 9 pm

Get your pictures with Santa, go on a horse and carriage ride, see a tree lighting ceremony and enjoy live entertainment. Free admissions, but parking is $1 per hour in all Rockville Town Square parking lots.

Rockville Town Square is located at 100 Gibbs Street, Rockville, Maryland (map it).

Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Parade. Photo from ScottishChristmasWalk.com.

FREE: Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend and Parade – Alexandria, VA
Friday, December 3: 9 am – 10:30 pm
Saturday, December 4: 8 am – 10:30 pm

Visit Christmas marketplace and watch the Scottish Christmas parade in Old Town Alexandria. Marketplace will open at 9 am on Friday and parade will start at 11 am on Saturday. See 100 Scottish Clans, pipe and drum bands, Scottish dancers, re-enactment groups, Scottie dog groups, dignitaries and Santa Claus at the parade. Other activities during the Scottish Christmas Walk Weekend include children’s tea, taste of Scotland and heather and greens sale. Parade is free, but you’ll need to get tickets for children’s tea ($30 for adults and $10 for kids) and taste of Scotland ($100 for general admissions and $150 for patron pub). Get your tickets online.

The parade will start at the corner of Wilkes and South Saint Asaph Streets, Alexandria, Virginia (map it). Other events will be held at the George Washington Masonic Memorial, located at 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, Virginia (map it).

FREE: Holidays in Leesburg – Leesburg, VA
Friday, December 3: 6 pm
Saturday, December 4: 9 am – 4 pm
Sunday, December 5: 10 am – 4 pm

Celebrate the start of the holiday season in Leesburg! See the tree lighting on Friday, December 3rd, at 6 pm, while enjoying music by the Loudoun Chorale and the Loudoun County High School Chamber Choir. On Saturday and Sunday, check out the Holiday Fine Arts and Craft Show at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, with more than 90 vendors selling unique handmade products.

The annual tree lighting will be held at Town Green, located at 25 W Market Street, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).
The Holiday Fine Arts and Craft Show is located at Ida Lee Park Recreation Center, located at 60 Ida Lee Drive NW, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

Bethesda Winter Wonderland. Photo from Bethesda.org.

FREE: Bethesda Winter Wonderland – Bethesda, MD
Friday, December 3: 8 pm
Saturday, December 4: 1 pm

Enjoy a winter concert on Friday night with performances by American University Gospel Choir, BlueLine a cappella group, Euphonism a cappella group and Georgetown Phantoms a cappella group. On Saturday afternoon, watch a live ice sculpting demonstration, enjoy student concert and meet Santa. Free admissions.

Winter concert on Friday will be held at Imagination Stage, located at 4908 Auburn Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland (map it).
Ice sculpting demonstration will be at Veteran’s Park, located on the corner of Woodmont and Norfolk Avenues, Bethesda, Maryland (map it).

ZooLights at the National Zoo, Washington, DC. Image from NationalZoo.SI.edu.

FREE: ZooLights at the National Zoo – Washington, DC
December 3 – 12 (Friday through Sunday nights): 6 pm – 8:30 pm
December 17 – January 1 (Every night except December 24, 25, and 31): 6 pm – 8:30 pm

Check out thousands of light and animal exhibits, entertainment and a special train ride for kids. See the Zoo-themed model trains at the Visitor Center. The Small Mammal House, Great Ape House, Reptile Discovery Center, Think Tank, and Kids’ Farm will be open every night. Free admissions, but parking fees apply if you park at the zoo. Parking fees: $8 for FONZ members (free parking for FONZ members does not apply on ZooLights nights) and $15 for non-members.

The National Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Historic Tudor Place, Washington, DC. Photo from TudorPlace.org.

Christmas in Washington: Two Centuries of Yuletide Traditions – Washington, DC
Saturday, December 4: 4 pm – 8 pm

Experience traditions of different time periods at Anderson House, Dumbarton House and Tudor Place in Washington, DC. Live music, kids’ crafts and refreshments are available at all three locations. Free admissions for members. Admissions for non-members: $15 for adults and $10 for kids. Get your tickets online.

Anderson House is located at 2118 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC (map it).
Dumbarton House is located at 2715 Que Street NW, Washington, DC (map it).
Tudor Place Historic House and Garden is located at 1644 31st Street, NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Renwick Holiday Festival – Washington, DC
Saturday, December 4: 11 am – 2 pm

Enjoy music, holiday crafts, ornament making, exhibition tours and more at the Renwick Gallery. Visit their special exhibitions The Art of Gaman and A Revolution in Wood while you’re there. Free admissions.

The Renwick Gallery is located at 1661 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Santa Fly-In at College Park Aviation Museum – College Park, MD
Saturday, December 4: 12 pm – 4 pm

Watch Santa Clause fly into the historic College Park Airport! Get your pictures taken with Santa and enjoy holiday arts and crafts in the museum. Admission fees: $4 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for kids ages 2 to 18 and free for kids under 2.

College Park Aviation Museum is located at 1985 Cpl. Frank Scott Drive, College Park, Maryland (map it).

Old-Fashioned Country Christmas at Frying Pan’s Farm Park – Herndon, VA
Saturday, December 4: 1 pm – 7 pm

Enjoy a fun, old-fashioned country Christmas at Frying Pan’s Farm Park in Herndon! Activities include storytelling, blacksmithing demonstrations, pony rides, wagon rides and musical performance. Meet farm animals, watch carolers sing and take pictures with Santa and his sleigh. Free admissions, but some activities are not. Pony rides are $5, wagon rides are $3 and photo with Santa is $5.

Frying Pan’s Farm Park is located at 2709 West Ox Road, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Merriment in Georgetown, Washington, DC. Photo from MerrimentinGeorgetown.com.

FREE: Merriment in Georgetown – Washington, DC
Sunday, December 5: 2 pm – 5 pm

See live performance by kids’ rock band Milkshake at 2 pm, go on a horse-drawn carriage ride through the cobblestone streets of Georgetown, say hello to Frosty, Rudolph and Santa! In the evening, see a tree lighting at Washington Harbour and boat parade of lights. Free admissions.

Merriment in Georgetown will be held at Wisconsin Avenue and M Street NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Wolf Trap's Holiday Sing-A-Long, Vienna, Virginia. Photo from WolfTrap.org.

FREE: Wolf Trap’s Holiday Sing-A-Long – Vienna, VA
Sunday, December 5: 4 pm

See performances by the United States Marine Band and choir and vocal groups from Washington, DC, metro area. Bring a bell so you can ring along to Jingle Bells. Also bring a candle so you can light it while exiting the concert with a candlelight processional during the last verse of Silent Night. Free admissions and free parking. You can also bring new, unwrapped toys for Toys for Tots collection.

The Filene Center at Wolf Trap is located at 1551 Trap Road, Vienna, Virginia (map it).

The National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC. Photo by Terry Adams, from NPS.gov.

FREE: National Christmas Tree Nightly Performances – Washington, DC
Friday, December 10 – 31: 6 pm on weeknights and 1 pm on weekends

If you missed the opportunity of winning lottery tickets to see the lighting of the National Tree, you can still see the tree and enjoy live performances! During the month of December, enjoy musical entertainment on the Ellipse stage. Weeknight performances will be held between 6 pm and 8:30 pm while weekend performances will be held between 1 pm and 8:30 pm. Free admissions.

The Ellipse is located between the White House and the National Mall, Washington, DC (map it).

Home Sweet Home Gingerbread Workshop at the National Building Museum – Washington, DC
Saturday, December 11: 10 am – 12 pm and 2 pm – 4 pm

Build your own gingerbread house and decorate it with icing, candies, cookies and more edible materials. Recommended for kids ages 5 and up. Prepaid registration is required by December 1st to participate. Get your tickets online.

The National Building Museum is located at 401 F Street NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Hillwood Museum in Washington, DC. Photo from HillwoodMuseum.org.

Russian Winter Festival at Hillwood Museum – Washington, DC
Saturday, December 11: 10 am – 7 pm

Celebrate the holidays in Old Russian style! Enjoy dancing, storytelling, lively entertainment, meet Grandfater Frost and the Snow Maiden. Create a kokoshnik (lade’s head dress) and a gentleman’s hat. Admission fees: $18 for non-members, $12 for members, $7 for college students, $5 for kids ages 6 to 18 and free for kids 5 and under.

Hillwood Museum is located at 4155 Linnean Avenue NW, Washington DC (map it).

Family Christmas Concert: The Night Before Christmas at the Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Saturday, December 18: 4 pm – 5:15 pm

See a theatrical concert of the Night Before Christmas that the entire family will enjoy! Tickets are from $15 to $45, depending on your seating area. Get your tickets online.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is located at 2700 F Street NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Breakfast with Santa & Friends at the Maryland Zoo – Baltimore, Maryland
Sunday, December 19: 8 am – 10 am

Meet with Santa, enjoy a hot breakfast on the Maryland Zoo’s Mansion House Porch, take pictures with penguin ambassadors and make holiday crafts. Space is limited and activities are weather permitting. Ticket prices: $35 for non-member adults, $25 for zoo member adults, $15 for kids ages 2 to 12 (members and non-members) and free for kids under 2 years old. Tickets include admission to the zoo. Email events@marylandzoo.org or call 443-552-5276 for more information.

The Maryland Zoo is located at Druid Hill Park, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

The water-skiing Santa, National Harbor, Maryland. Photo from WaterskiingSanta.com.

FREE: The Water-Skiing Santa and His Kneeboarding Reindeer – National Harbor, MD
Friday, December 24: 1 pm

See Santa and his friends like you’ve never seen them before! Santa will be water skiing, his reindeer will be kneeboarding, the grinch will be jet skiing, Frosty the Snowman will be in a dinghy and more. Best viewing area is in National Harbor, Maryland, next to the Wilson Bridge.

See a map of National Harbor.