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).

See more fun holiday things to do with kids >>

Trick or treat!

Ah, Halloween weekend is finally here! Enjoy the last weekend of many Fall Festivals and the start of endless holiday sweets.

Do you prefer to stay close to home and go trick-or-treating with your kids in your neighborhood? Or do you take your kids somewhere else for trick-or-treating?

If you’re in the latter group, there’s always the mall, of course. It’s convenient, especially when the weather gets cold. If you don’t want to go to the mall, but you have no idea where else to go, check out these 6 fun trick-or-treating places this Halloween weekend in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

Read full article for trick-or-treating places in DC metro >>

I don’t think my family can ever get sick of fun Halloween events and Fall Festivals! I posted a list of Top 13 Halloween Events and Fall Festivals in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland before, and here are 13 more. Enjoy this Fall season!

Corn maze at Summers Farm, Frederick, MD. Photo from SummersFarm.com.

Summers Farm Adventure – Frederick, MD
Open daily until November 2nd
Monday – Thursday: 1pm – 7pm
Friday: 1 pm – 5 pm
Saturday – Sunday: 10 am – 7 pm

Bounce on a jumping pillow, slide down giant slides, watch a pig race, go on a hayride, get lost in a corn maze, play in a corn crib, crawl in farm tunnels, say hello to farm animals, ride a pumpkin train, eat delicious farm food and more! Admission fees: $9.50 for weekends, $6.50 for Monday – Thursday (1 pm – 7 pm) and Friday (1 pm – 5 pm).

Summers Farm is located at 5614 Butterfly Lane, Frederick, Maryland (map it).

Leesburg Animal Park’s Pumpkinville – Leesburg, VA
Daily until November 7: 9 am – 6 pm

Hay wagon rides, kids’ hay maze, giant hill slides, moon bounces, scarecrow decorating, pumpkin patch, straw tunnels, rope swings and more at Pumpkinville! They also have special activities on weekends only, such as mini tractor rides, camel rides and kids’ zip line. Costume contest and trick-or-treating on Halloween weekends and Pumpkin Olympic during the last weekend of Pumpkinville. Admission fees: $13 per person for weekends, $8.50 per person for weekdays and free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online. Get a coupon online for weekday admissions. Fees include free admissions to Leesburg Animal Park so you can say hello and hand feed animals.

Leesburg Animal Park is located at 19270 James Monroe Highway, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

Hayride at Ticonderoga Farms, Chantilly, VA. Photo from Ticonderoga.com.

Ticonderoga Farms Fall Festival – Chantilly, VA
Daily until November 10: 9 am – 6 pm

Bamboo maze, hay rides, hillside slides, log cabin and hay forts, face painting, antique tractors, fire pits, petting zoo and more. Admission fees: $8.95 per person on weekdays, $14.95 per person on weekends and free for kids under 2.

Ticonderoga Farms Fall Festival is located at 26469 Ticonderoga Road, Chantilly, Virginia (map it).

Historic Halloween Spooktacular at Tudor Place – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 23: 10 am – 12 pm

Enjoy early American children’s games and crafts at the historic Tudor Place in Washington, DC. Create your own delicious Halloween treats, listen to spooky Halloween tales, paint some pumpkins and more. Get your kids to wear their Halloween costumes so they can participate in the Spooktacular Halloween Costume Parade! Admissions: free for members, all others are $3 for adults and $10 for kids. Get your tickets online.

Tudor Place is located at 1644 31st St NW, Washington, DC (map it).

FREE: Annandale Fall Festival and Parade – Annandale, VA
Saturday, October 23: 10 am – 5 pm

Check out more than 70 craft, business and food vendors at Annandale Fall Festival. Kids’ activities include games, music, treasure hunt, moon bounce, face painting and a reading tent. They also have a riding bull and a NASCAR simulator! Both festival and parade start at 10 am and parade ends at noon. Free admissions.

Annandale Fall Festival is held in Little River Shopping Center located at 7414 Little River Turnpike, Annandale, Virginia (map it).

Pumpkins at Homestead Farm, Poolesville, MD. Image from Homestead-Farm.net.

Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins at Homestead Farm – Poolesville, MD
Daily in October: 9 am – 6 pm

Hayrides are available on weekends! During the week, you can still walk to the pumpkin patches. Say hello to farm animals and check out their farm market, where you’ll find apple cider, local honey, various preservers and already-picked pumpkins. Hayrides are $3 per person and pumpkins are sold separately.

Homestead Farm is located at 15604 Sugarland Rd, Poolesville, Maryland (map it).

Hardly Haunted Hayrides and Boo at the Farm – Herndon, VA
Hardly Haunted Hayrides: Friday, October 22; Tuesday, October 26; Thursday, October 28; Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm, 6 pm and 6:30 pm
Boo at the Farm: Thursday, October 28 – Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm and 7 pm

Hardly Haunted Hayrides: go on Halloween-themed wagon ride at Frying Pan Farm Park in Herndon, Virginia. Boo at the Farm: Get dressed in your favorite Halloween costume and go trick-or-treating for goodies! Meet farm animals and listen to Halloween tales in the barn. Admission fees for Hardly Haunted Rides: $5 for Fairfax County residents and $7 for non-residents. Admission fees for Boo at the Farm: $8 for Fairfax County residents and $10 for non-residents.

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

Maryland Renaissance Festival, Annapolis, MD. Image from RennFest.com.

Maryland Renaissance Festival Chivalry Weekend – Annapolis, MD
Saturday, October 23 – Sunday, October 24: 10 am – 5 pm

Visit this 25-acre English Tudor village to bring you and your family back to an era of chivalry. Check out more than 130 craft shops showcasing hand-made arts and crafts and pick from over 40 food outlets. Plenty of entertainment for the family,including a strolling magician, a mime, a dog show, a swordswallower and a kids’ knighting ceremony. See their full entertainment schedule. Stop by the Customer Service Pavilion to get more information on their children’s program. Admission fees: $18 for adults (16 – 61), $15 for seniors (62+), $8 for kids (7 – 15) and free for kids and under.

Maryland Renaissance Festival is held at 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, Maryland (map it).

Halloween Slime Spectacular Family Event at Curiosity Zone – Ashburn, VA
Wednesday, October 27: 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm
Friday, October 29: 5:30 pm – 6:15 pm and 6:30 pm – 7:15 pm

Get ready to be all slimy! Make spider slime, bouncing eyeballs and swamp muck with your kids at Curiosity Zone’s Halloween Slime Spectacular Family Event. Halloween costumes are highly encouraged. Recommended for kids ages 2 and older. Admission fees: $7.50 per person, free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online.

Curiosity Zone is located at 43135 Broadlands Center Plaza, Ashburn, Virginia (map it).

Fall Festival and Halloween Party at musiKids – Bethesda, MD
Thursday, October 28: 4 pm – 5:30 pm

Costume parade, scarecrow show, “corn” maze, Fall craft, trick or treat walk, pumpkin bowling, bat catching, apple bobbing and more. Recommended for kids ages 18 months to 5 years. Admission fees: $10 for Fall 2010 students, $15 for non-students and $5 for all siblings. RSVP to info@musikids.com or 301-215-7946.

musiKids Bethesda is located at 4900 Auburn Ave, Bethesda, Maryland (map it).

Halloween event at Port Discovery, Baltimore, MD. Image from PortDiscovery.org.

Port Discovery’s Family FALLoween Festival – Baltimore, MD
Saturday, October 30: 10 am – 5 pm

This special event at Port Discovery Children’s Museum in Baltimore combines visual art programs and musical performances. Fun activities for kids include dance performances, sing along songs, making your own fuzzy skeletons, moonbounce, circus games and more. Admissions: $12.95 per person, free for kids under 2 years old. Get your tickets online.

Port Discovery Children’s Museum is located at 35 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

Wolf Trap 5K and Fun Run, Vienna, VA. Photo from WolfTrap.org.

Wolf Trap’s Run for the Arts – Vienna, VA
Saturday, October 30: 8 am – 12 pm

Participate in a fun 1-mile run/walk or 5k run at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia. After the race, enjoy family activities, such as kids’ Halloween costume contest, face painting, pumpkin painting, trick-or-treat stations and live music by the Junkyard Saints. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for kids. Register online.

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

Twilight Tales – Accokeek, MD
Saturday, October 30: 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Go on a quarter mile journey led by lantern in the National Colonial Farm in Accokeek, Maryland. Recommended for kids ages 8 and up. If you have younger kids, take them to the Education Center instead, where they can participate in Halloween-themed activities. Admission fees: $10 for non-members and $7 for members. Save 50% on tickets by purchasing them online by October 23rd.

The National Colonial Farm at Accokeek Foundation is located at 3400 Bryan Point Rd, Accokeek, Maryland (map it).

Oktoberfests, Fall Festivals, pumpkin patches, oh my! Fall is definitely here. Enjoy apple picking, hay rides, Halloween events and more this weekend. Check out this weekend’s top 10 fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia. As always, many of the events listed are free. Enjoy!

Oktoberfest - Reston Town Center. Photo from RestonChamber.org.

FREE: Oktoberfest – Reston, VA
Friday, October 8: 3 pm – 11 pm
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 11 pm
Sunday, October 10: 12 pm – 7 pm

Yummy Oktoberfest fare and other cuisines from local restaurants, live music and entertainment, carnival rides for kids, horse carriage rides and more. Free admissions, carnival rides, food and beverages are extra. Get your tickets online.

Apple Picking at Homestead Farm – Poolesville, MD
Friday, October 8 – Monday, October 11: 9 am – 6 pm

Homestead Farm now has pink lady apples, yum! In addition to apple picking, you can also go on a hayride to the pumpkin patches on weekends and visit their adorable farm animals. Hayrides are $3 per person; pumpkins and apples are sold separately. Call 301-977-3761 before you leave to check on availabilities.

Homestead Farm is located at 15604 Sugarland Rd, Poolesville, Maryland (map it).

Kids' Pumpkin Dash in Reston Town Center, Virginia. Photo from TheGreatPumpkin5K.com.

FREE: Kids’ Pumpkin Dash – Reston, VA
Saturday, October 9: 9:30 am – 10:30 am

Get your kids all dressed up in their Halloween costumes and dash to the finish line at Reston Town Center! Kids will race in their age group, which are 4 years and younger, 5 and 6 years, 7 and 8 years and 9 and 10 years. Your kids can also participate in a pumpkin decorating contest. This popular event has reached capacity, but they’ll have a limited number of entries at the Reston YMCA on Thursday and Friday from 12 pm to 7 pm to register.

Reston Town Center is located at 11900 Market St, Reston, Virginia (map it).

FREE: SterlingFest – Sterling, VA
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 5 pm

Check out crafts and booths of local companies, kids’ rides and live entertainment at SterlingFest. Free admissions.

SterlingFest is held at Sterling Park, on Commerce Street and Enterprise Street, Sterling, Virginia (map it).

National Children's Museum - Jump Off. Photo from NCM.Museum.

FREE: National Children’s Museum Presents Jump Off! – National Harbor, MD
Saturday, October 9: 11 am – 4 pm

Check out nationally renowned Double Dutch jump rope teams and enjoy family-friendly activities at National Harbor this Saturday. The National Children’s Museum will also highlight community stars, such as Prince George’s County Police and Fire Departments, including members of the bomb squad, hazmat and SWAT teams. See a real fire truck and fire boat, an ambulance, a policy car and motorycle and command center vehicles. Munch on regional foods, enjoy local crafts and fashion as well as discounts from local retailers.

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

FREE: Festival of the Building Arts – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 9: 10 am – 4:30 pm

See architects, builders, designers and artisans demonstrate their skills at the National Building Museum this Saturday. Your kids can try out surveying, roof thatching, woodworking and more. Recommended for kids ages 5 to 13. Free admissions, $5 donations suggested.

The National Building Museum is located at 401 F St NW, #334, Washington, DC (map it).

Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center. Photo from Kennedy-Center.org.

Rumplestiltskin at the Kennedy Center – Washington, DC
Saturday, October 9: 11 am, 1:30 pm and 5 pm
Sunday, October 10: 1:30 pm and 4 pm

Enjoy a family-friendly performance at the Kennedy Center this weekend as German Master Puppeteer Matthias Kuchta presents the classic fairy tale Rumplestiltskin with hand-made, life-sized puppets. Show lasts approximately one hour. Recommended for kids ages 5 and up. Tickets are $18 per person. Get your tickets online.

The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F St., NW, Washington, DC (map it).

Hallowings and Things at Baltimore Aquarium – Baltimore, MD
Saturdays, October 8 – Monday, October 11: 12 pm

Check out Baltimore Aquarium’s creepiest and crawliest creatures in October! Every Saturday and Sunday at Noon, the Aquarium features special Halloween animal encounters. Visit warty toads, hissing cockroaches, slithering snakes and more. Admission fees: $24.95 for adults, $23.95 for seniors (60+), $19.95 for kids (3 – 11) and free for kids under 3. Get your tickets online.

Baltimore Aquarium is located at 501 E Pratt St, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

Jump for St. Jude at JW Tumbles – Herndon, VA
Sunday, October 10: 9:15 am – 12:15 pm

This Sunday, Herndon JW Tumbles will donate half of your entrance fee to St. Jude’s Research Hospital. Pick from one the three open bounce times (each lasts for an hour): 9:15 am, 10:15 am or 11:15 am. For kids 1 to 5 years old; bounce area is recommended for kids 2.5 to 5 years old. To pre-register, call 703-481-2990 or email herndon@jwtumbles.com with your name, phone number, child’s name, child’s age and your desired open bounce time. Pre-payment is required with pre-registration. Admission fees for kids ages 2.5 to 10: $12 for members, $14 for non-members and siblings are half off. Admission fees for kids under 2.5: $8 for members, $12 for non-members and siblings are half off.

Herndon JW Tumbles is located at 12950 Highland Crossing Dr, Herndon, Virginia (map it).

Oktoberfest - Kentlands, Gaithersburg, MD. Photo from GaithersburgMD.gov.

FREE: Oktoberfest at the Kentlands – Gaithersburg, MD
Sunday, October 10: 12 pm – 4 pm

Pumpkin painting, horse-drawn hay rides, pony rides, moon bounce, face painting, arts and crafts, authentic Bavarian food and beer, live performances by Bavarian dancers and live entertainment by local dance and singing groups. Free admissions; some activities may require additional fees.

Kentlands Village Green is located at 320 Kent Square Road, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

Temple Hall Corn Maze and Fall Festival, Leesburg, Virginia

One Sunday afternoon, our family made an impromptu stop at Temple Hall Farm to check out their corn maze and Fall Festival in Leesburg, Virginia. We’re so glad we did!

We had not been to a Fall Festival this season and there are several that we want to go to, so we decided to skip nap time and went to the festival instead.

The first thing we did when we got there was the corn maze. We played follow the leader and let our daughter lead the way. After going through quite a few invalid paths, we finally made it to a bridge to check out the scenic view. Several wrong turns later, we made our way out of the maze. Phew!

Then off to the hay stack and bounce area. The hay stack is pretty tall, so my daughter wasn’t too interested in it. There are two bounce areas, one for smaller kids and another for bigger kids. We saw adults jumping on the giant pillow, too.

Close to the bounce area is a rubber duck race where kids can pump an old fashioned water pump and see whose rubber ducks float down the fastest!

Rubber duck race at Temple Hall Farm

There is a playground area with slides and swings by the snack area. There is also a corn box, which is a sand box filled with corn instead of sand.

They have a small snack shop, where they sell the usual festival food, such as hot dogs, corn dogs, burgers, nachos, fries and funnel cakes. They were out of funnel cakes already when we got there, so we munched on some nachos and corn dogs while walking slowly to the wagon ride waiting area. Some people brought their own food and had a picnic in the sheltered picnic area.

While waiting for the wagon ride, we rode on the cow train. There weren’t that many people waiting for the cow ride, so we each took a car to ride in. After a few minutes of bouncing on the cow train, we got off the train and watched a pig race. It was so funny as kids were really into it! They each picked a pig to cheer on and ran around the race track with their pigs.

Pig race at Temple Hall Farm

Next, wagon ride! Since we went on Sunday, they didn’t have the horse-drawn wagon ride ($2 extra per person), so a tractor pulled our wagon (included with admission fees). We rode the wagon to a pumpkin patch, where most people picked out a pumpkin to buy. Then the wagon dropped us back at the farmer’s market.

Pumpkin patch at Temple Hall Farm

We said hello to some chickens by the farmer’s market and checked out pumpkin blasters, where you can load and fire a pumpkin at long range targets using a big artillery. On the way out, we waved good bye to the farm animals.

Pumpkin blaster at Temple Hall

Check out more pictures from Temple Hall Farm on our Facebook page. Also check out other Fall Festivals in Washington DC Metro, Maryland and Northern Virginia.

More on Temple Hall Corn Maze and Fall Festival
Hours
10 am – 6 pm up to November 1st (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays). Friday and Saturday night maze admission: 6 pm – 10 pm. Tractor-pulled wagon rides are on Saturdays and Sundays only. Horse-drawn wagon rides are on Saturdays only.

Location
Temple Hall Farm is located at 15855 Limestone School Rd, Leesburg, Virginia (map it).

Admission Fees
$12 for adults (12 – 54), $10 for kids (3 – 11), $10 for seniors (55+) and free for kids 2 and under. Horse-drawn wagon rides are $2 per person and pumpkin blasters are $1 per pumpkin. Tractor-pulled wagon rides and cow train rides are included in the admission fees. Get a coupon online ($1 off).

More information
Website: http://www.nvrpa.org/park/temple_hall_farm
Phone: 703-779-9372