Staycation: Wolf Trap & Great Falls National Park
Summer Staycation:
Visiting Wolf Trap Theater in the Woods & Great Falls National Park
By: Piper S.
We took advantage of the beautiful weather and made plans for a staycation to explore two venues that we had not yet visited. We headed out to Vienna, Virginia to catch Jambo at Wolf Trap Children’s Theater in the Woods. There was ample (FREE) parking and just a short walk to the amphitheater. We arrived a bit early because we weren’t sure how crowded it would be and were able to get seats right in front, but even with several large camp groups in attendance, there was still plenty of room for families, and lots of space to dance along! Jambo, and LA based children’s group, presented upbeat songs about trying your best, being true to yourself, and making animal noises! The 40 minute show was perfect for young audiences and the price was right at $8-$10/ticket (children under 2 are free). Afterwards, many children enjoyed exploring the creek and picnicking at tables along the banks.
An important note–there is no food allowed in the amphitheater, which the park rangers strictly enforced. There were also no bathrooms near the amphitheater, so be sure to make a pit stop up near the parking area before heading back into the woods.
There are six children’s shows left this season–from Indian dance to African dance, a theater production of Alice in Wonderland and several children’s musical groups. More information and tickets can be found at http://www.wolftrap.org/tickets/ctitw.aspx
We would absolutely return–we loved the quaint atmosphere and the fun, positive songs. If we can’t make it to another performance this summer, we will certainly be back next summer!
We decided to take our picnic lunch to Great Falls National Park–just a 10 minute drive from Wolf Trap Performing Arts Center. We began our visit in the visitor’s center where our daughter enjoyed the small children’s area, offering puzzles, coloring pages, and a touch table with animals bones, skins, and antlers. After lunch we took a short hike to the three scenic overlook areas. Great Falls has 15 miles of hiking trails, as well as a Junior Ranger program for children ages 5 and up. Cost of admission is $10/car. For more information visit http://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm
