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 When summer arrives, my girls are always so happy to be out of school, sleep in, watch television, play on the computer, go to the neighborhood pool, and enjoy the relaxing, carefree days of summer – all for about the first month. And then it begins – the whining, the fussing, the fighting, THE BOREDOM. Ugh. Just the thought of it makes me want to run from my computer screaming!
I always vow after each summer to plan better entertainment for the following summer but being the procrastinator I am, I never get around to it. So, when my editor assigned me an article on Kids’ Summer Destinations, I was excited to actually have to find out about entertainment options for the kids this summer. I hope all you parents out there will benefit from my findings too.
Pretend Town
What to do: 7500 square feet of imaginative indoor play space, as well as birthday party options, in the kid-friendly “town” of Kidlothian™, while parents relax or surf the internet in the parents’
lounge, within view of the play area.
Age Range: Under 6
10185 Hull Street ROad
804-745-8696 www.pretendtownva.com
Destination: Pocahontas State Park
What to do: located off Beach Road in Chesterfield, provides a variety of summertime activities, including camping, swimming, trails, fishing, boating, horseback riding (bring your own horse), picnic shelters, nature and history programs, and a visitor center and gift shop.
1-800-933-PARK
www.dcr.virginia.gov
Great Wolf Lodge
What to do: A first-class year-round resort, offers a 79,000 square-foot indoor entertainment area, featuring a water park (there’s also a spacious outdoor pool for the summer months), two-themed family restaurants, a 100+ game arcade, a gift emporium, and an animated Great Clock Tower in the Grand Lobby. 300,000 gallons of fun for the entire family.
1-800-551-WOLF
www.greatwolf.com
Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown & Yorktown
What to do: Virginia’s most popular historic destination. Colonial Williamsburg is the nation’s largest living history museum. The entire town stays in costume day and night. Jamestown Settlement features a re-created fort and Powhatan Indian village with characters in costume, and nearby, in Yorktown, you can visit where the last battle of the Revolutionary War was fought. September 19-21, visit Colonial Williamsburg’s Storytelling Festival.
1-800-447-8679
www.colonialwilliamsburg.com
Metro Richmond Zoo
What to do: Open year-round, Mon.-Sat. (Closed Sunday) from 9:30 until 5:00, is
a great summertime destination. Get up close and personal with the giraffes, gentle giants who will eat right out of your hand. See other animals from around the world, including lions, tigers, monkeys, chimpanzees, penguins, gazelles, and various barnyard animals, among many others. A gift shop, food, and ice cream are also available.
8300 Beaver Bridge Rd • Moseley, VA (804) 739-5666
www.metrorichmondzoo.com
Richmond Ice Zone
What to do: A cool place to beat the summer heat,
offers public skating (call or check the online schedule), birthday parties, group and private skating lessons, youth and adult hockey leagues and clinics, speed skating, Summer Mini Camps, Summer Freestyle Camps, and other fun programs. Food, beverages, and arcade games are also available. 636 Johnston Willis Dr.
804-378-7465
www.richmondicezone.com
Pump It Up
What to do: The inflatable party zone, with two Richmond area locations, allows your kids to jump around like crazy and work off all that summer energy. Drop by for Pop-in Playtime where kids can bounce, slide and play in a safe, clean and climate-controlled environment. If you’re planning a birthday party, school or daycare field trip, fundraiser, or team-building event, Pump It Up can also accommodate your needs.
11630 Hullow Village Loop • Midlothian (804) 739-7773
www.pumpitupparty.com
Itz Party Time
What to do: Your kids can jump, bounce and slide in an air-conditioned, indoor, inflatable arena. Come out for Open Jump, Monday-Friday from 10am-1pm and 3pm-6pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, and Sunday 11am-5pm for $6 per child (discount group rates are available). The Weekday Only Summer Pass is good June 1st–August 31st. The cost is $60 for the first child and only $15 for each additional child. Socks are required.
2916 Oak Lake Blvd. • Midlothian 804-639-5879
www.itzpartytime.com
BEN FRANKLIN CRAFTS
What to do: Ben Franklin Crafts will be holding one-hour kids’ craft classes this summer. The Midlothian Turnpike location will offer classes at 1pm and 3pm Monday-Thursday (contact other locations for schedules). Crafts include: felt animal puppets, t-shirt art, sky flier kites, photo frames, and a special 2-hour scrapbook class. Prices range from $5-$12 and include all supplies and instruction.
www.bf-crafts.com
Science Museum of Virginia
What to do: Kids can get up close and personal with science. Offering interactive exhibits, including Bioscape, where you’ll try your hand at crime solving, SMV offers fun, educational opportunities for all. At the IMAX Dome, catch Kung Fu Panda this summer, along with Grande Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, where you’ll take a trip down the Colorado River with a team of explorers who will teach you about riding the rapids and the importance of water conservation. Summer Science Explorers camps are also available.
2500 West Broad Street • Richmond 804-864-1400
www.smv.org
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