Fairfax County, VA - June 22, 2009 - As summer kicks into high gear, we're all looking for activities to occupy the dog days, but there's only so much pool time a body can take! Consider the following 15 fun-filled activities available in Fairfax County for a fiscally-friendly $15 or less per person:
1. Take in one of this summer's blockbusters at the Airbus IMAX Theater at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Musuem's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. "Transformers 2," filmed on location at the museum, begins its run on June 24. Parking is free after 4 pm.
2. If you enjoy being entertained under the stars, take in a performance during the Arts in the Parks Entertainment Series at various locations throughout the County, as well as the Cox Movies under the Moon at Van Dyck Park in Fairfax (suggested $5 donation for INOVA Fairfax Hospital).
3. Stake out your space on the lawn at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts - select performances start at a mere $8.
4. Spend a perfect (cash-free) day at Great Falls National Park hiking or even rock climbing for the adventurous.
5. Go back in time to reconnect with the Father or our Country at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens (he didn't want his face on the currency, so keep it in your pocket).
6. Enrich yourself with a stroll through the Greater Reston Arts Center or the McLean Project for the Arts which both exhibit art by emergin & established artists from the area.
7. For the aspiring artist in all of us, stop in at Paint Your Own Pottery in Fairfax or Color Me Mine in Fairfax Corner to create your own masterpiece on clay. Studio fees start at $7 - what you create depends on you.
8. Animal lovers will enjoy the opportunity to get up close & personal with the "wild side" of the 'burbs during an afternoonat the Reston Zoo. Entrance fees range from $8 to $10 with free admission for kids under two.
9. For those who prefer the water, soak in the sun & chlorine at the Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole with its acre of slides, flumes, sprays, showers, floatables & interactive play features, circled by Rattlesnake River with a 2.5 mile per hour current that gently nudges tubes along. Prices drop to $8.25 after 5 pm, and kids 2 years and under are fee.
10. Stay on the shore & get a worm wet with a bit of ishing at Lake Accotink Park. Licensed fisherman aged 16-59 pay $12 for a one day fishing pass; Ages 6-15 & 60+ are only $10.
11. Paddles around Lake Fairfax in a rented canoe - boats are only $5 per hour at the park.
12. Forget the water hazards and save a on greens fees with a round of Mini Golf at Top Golf in Alexandria for $7.
13. Swing away for the long balls at Oak Marr Golf's driving range. A jumbo bucket of balls only costs $14.
14. For non-traditional golf, flip your Frisbees throughthe disk course at Burke Lake Park. There is a nominal $8 entrance fee per vehicle for non-Fairfax County residents on weekends & holidays.
15. An if this list has made ytou hungry just thinking about all those calories you could burn this summer, create your own multi-course food feast at one of Annandale's Korean restaurants or the Vietnamese eateries at Eden Center in Falls Church.