Whoa, it’s the last weekend February! Did you remember to take down your Christmas lights? Please, please, do, if you haven’t already done so. I can still see one of my neighbors’ blue and red lights. Seriously? Please take those lights down. Thanks for letting me rant about that … here are this weekend’s top ten things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland.

George Washington Mount Vernon's Estate. Image from MountVernon.org.

Black History Month – Mount Vernon, VA
Friday, February 25 – Sunday, February 27: 9 am – 4 pm

Learn about the lives and contributions of the slaves who built the plantation home of George Washington in observance of Black History Month. Daily highlights by Mount Vernon interpreters begin at 10 am, daily wreathlaying occurs at 12 pm, daily tour starts at 1 pm. Admission fees: $15 for adults, $7 for kids ages 6 to 11 and free for kids 5 and under.

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

More fun things to do with kids>>

Alright, it’s a three-day weekend! Check out fun things to do with kids in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland this Martin Luther King Jr. weekend.

Odyssey’s SHIPWRECK! Pirates & Treasure at Maryland Science Center – Baltimore, MD
Friday, January 14: 10 am – 8 pm
Saturday, January 15: 10 am – 6 pm
Sunday, January 16: 11 am – 5 pm
Monday, January 17: 10 am – 5 pm

Get a close-up encounter with the artifacts recovered by Odyssey Marine Exploration, including coins, bottles, personal effects, on-board items, and pieces of the vessel. General admissions to Maryland Science Center (admissions include exhibit halls, planetarium, demo stage and shipwreck exhibit): $20.95 for adults, $15.95 for kids ages 3 to 12, $19.95 for seniors (60+) and free for kids under 3. Get your tickets online.

Maryland Science Center is located at 601 Light St, Baltimore, Maryland (map it).

See more fun things to do with kids >>

I received a request from one of our readers to list things to do with kids on Christmas day in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland. There aren’t many places open on Christmas Day, so I included events for the day before Christmas, too. Have a wonderful Christmas weekend!

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.

Open Play Time at JW Tumbles Playzone – Arlington, VA
Friday, December 24: 9:30 am – 3 pm

Bounce, climb and play at JW Tumbles in Arlington, Virginia! Admission fees: $6 for currently enrolled members, $8 for members who are not enrolled in any classes and $10 for non-members. Siblings get 50% off.

JW Tumbles of Arlington is located at Lee Harrison Shopping Center, 2499 N. Harrison St, Arlington, Virginia (map it).

Gaithersburg Winter Lights Festival – Gaithersburg, MD
Friday, December 24: 6 pm – 10 pm

See more than 380 illuminated vignettes and 65 animated displays this Christmas eve! This drive is 3.5 miles long, through beautiful Seneca Creek State Park. Check out various themes throughout the drive, including North Pole, Toyland and Penguin Cove. Admission fees: $15 per car, $20 for 15 – 19 passenger limos and vans, $30 for 20-passenger vans and $70 for buses. They accept cash only, so don’t forget to stop by the ATM before you go!

Seneca Creek State Park is located at 11950 Clopper Rd, Gaithersburg, Maryland (map it).

ICE! Exhibit at Gaylord National, National Harbor, MD

ICE! featuring How the Grinch Stole Christmas – National Harbor, MD
Friday, December 24: 10 am – 10 pm
Saturday, December 25: 9 am – 10 pm

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).

Bull Run Festival of Lights – Centreville, VA
Friday, December 24 – Saturday, December 25: 5:30 pm – 10 pm

Check out Christmas lights from the comfort of your car. New this year is Santa’s Enchanted Lights, where you’ll see over 40,000 animated lights set to music. See the video below for a preview! Admission fees: $20 per car or van (1 – 14 people), $30 per van (15 – 34 people) and $55 per bus (35 or more people).

Bull Run Regional Park is located at 7700 Bull Run Dr, Centreville, Virginia (map it).

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 >>