Fairfax County, VA - June 9, 2011 - As summer kicks into high gear, there are a number of fun activities in Fairfax County to fill the dog days, without emptying your wallet - from fireworks displays and carnivals to live music and movies under the stars. Here are our top picks for family-friendly activities in Fairfax County that ring in at $15 or less per person:
1. 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 (http://1.usa.gov/lLwOkr).
2. Stake out your space on the lawn at Wolf Trap (www.wolftrap.org) - select performances start at a mere $8 - or introduce the kids to live theater at a Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods performance.
3. Spend a perfect day at Great Falls National Park hiking or even rock climbing for the adventurous (nominal parking fees may apply).
4. Go back in time to reconnect with the Father of our Country at George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens (http://mountvernon.org).
5. Visit the serenity of the newly dedicated Korean Bell Garden at Meadowlark Gardens - the only one of its kind in North America!(www.nvrpa.org/park/meadowlark_botanical_gardens).
6. Animal lovers will enjoy the opportunity to get up close & personal with the "wild side" of the ‘burbs during an afternoon at the Reston Zoo (www.restonzoo.com). Entrance fees range from $9 to $12 with free admission for kids under two.
7. For those who prefer the water, soak in the sun & chlorine at the Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole (http://1.usa.gov/igAu9c) 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 on weeknights, and kids two years and under are free.
8. Paddle around Lake Fairfax in a rented canoe - boats are only $6 per hour at the park.
9. Forget the water hazards and save on greens fees with a round of Golf at Top Golf in Alexandria for $7 or less (http://topgolf.com/alexandria); or swing away with the long balls or play some mini-golf at Oak Marr Golf's driving range. A jumbo bucket of balls (approx. 120) only costs $14.
10. Explore the stars and the history of flight at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center near Dulles Airport. (www.nasm.si.edu/udvarhazy)
More information on all that Fairfax County has to offer during the dog days of summer, including museums, festivals, upcoming events and special offers from our partners, can be found on our website at http://www.fxva.com/summerbest/. There's also a link on the site for those searching for the best July 4th fireworks in the area. Our partners at Virginia Tourism Corporation have a cool tool online that allows visitors to plug in their zip code and search for fireworks displays nearby.
Visit Fairfax is the official tourism organization for Fairfax County, Virginia. Charged with destination marketing and tourism promotion, it is directed by many of the County's top tourism and hospitality leaders. For more information, please visit www.fxva.com.
Sarah Maciejewski Melissa Gold
Dir of Communications, Visit Fairfax White+Partners PR for Visit Fairfax
sarahm@fxva.com melissag@whiteandpartnerspr.com
Ph: 703-752-9502 Ph: 703-599-1643