This is the Anacostia river just outside the city line. It is a substantial built-up place with…read moreboating and picnic facilities, paved paths, and a footprint across the river. I think the river gets better as you go downstream, but those looking for a quiet walk or to use some of the amble facilities here will be well served.

We stumbled upon this wonderful PG county park while biking on the Anacostia River Trail. 100% -…read moreAdd it to your to do list: Join a short cruise down the Anacostia River to see the wildlife such as turtles, eagles, herons, and egrets; Rent kayaks from the friendly and professional Park Manager Quinn Mathewson; and interact with his experienced staff such as Brittany. Well done.

Hyatt Park is a small, yet mighty park in Hyattsville's Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood. The park…read moreitself has a community garden, picnic tables with lights hanging from the trees, and a large playground with slides, swings, etc. There's an area to get some shade. Across the street is Bestway Supermarket.

Seems a chill, quiet park. Plenty of parking. Gazebos present for hosting cookouts, etc. Check it…read moreout!

University Hills Park is a neighborhood park in Hyattsville, Maryland. Here's why it's worth a…read morevisit: 1) Space: It's a large park with trails, including one that goes around a small pond full of ducks, turtles and beavers. There are two playgrounds and picnic areas. 2) Parking: You can always find a space in the lot. However, note that no parking spots are in the shade so plan accordingly. 3) Free mulch: They have an area with free mulch for Hyattsville residents. Bring your own shovel, bags and truck and have at it!

Heurich Community Park is a large park in Hyattesville's Queens Chapel Manor neighborhood. There's…read morefree street parking near the playground. The playground itself has a massive rope course for older kids leading up to a treehouse. There's a wider area for younger kids. My toddler loved this park. The only disadvantage is the lack of shade.

We came across the Mount Rainier Nature Center. They were open on Sunday. They have plenty of…read moreparking and a bathroom inside. The nature center is small. I think it would be best for toddlers up to age 6 or even 7. They have some cool small critter we have never seen including large cockroaches, snakes, geckos, and a rabbit at the end. They have a small courtyard where there are fish in a small pond and turtles. The staff we encountered were very kind and helped explain to kids about some of their wildlife. They also have a small play area inside with some toys and a small table. Overall I'd say it was great. We probably spent no more than an hour there but we were engaged. I'm unsure if they have a feeding time but that would be cool to watch.

Small, but perfect for younger kids is how I describe the Mount Rainier Nature Center. With a…read moreparking lot our front and a nearby gazebo in a field, the small nature center comes with several animals for kids to see, including turtles, a snake, a rabbit, and goldfish. The animals have names, the staff are friendly, and there are activities and play spaces for smaller children. Entrance is free and they do lots of kid programming.

Nestled in the neighborhood of Fort Totten is Fort Totten Park, a spacious park run by the National…read morePark Service on the grounds of an old Civil War fort that once defended the city. The fort itself is long gone, but the earthworks are still there. What's also there are picnic tables, trails, green space, and a sign honoring the fort's history. The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs by it. Note: There are no restrooms at the park.

A park with a lot of history. Fort Totten Park was an important fort before it became a park. It…read morewas a fort that protected DC during the Civil War. Cool place even though it never saw any battle action. The fort has mostly been overtaken by vegetation. Fort Totten was one of many forts surrounding DC. It doesn't have much left of it. There's the moat that's dry now of course, and there's some left still of the walls. It doesn't take long to look at. There just isn't that much here to see. As for the park, there's a circular open area. This is surrounded by woods. In these woods are lots of deer. They aren't afraid to get close, and you can see a lot at once. It only is a few minutes from the Fort Totten Metro. It's located on the street that goes from the west of the station. This is interesting if you like deer or if you're into Civil War kind of stuff.

The park next door: This is SUCH a cool park! So few parks…read morehave swings and this one has baby swings and normal swings and the back support swings! In addition to the swings, there's a baby park, and a big kid park, AND a splash park. What more could you ask for?!

Wonderful community center. I go for the tennis courts but there is basketball, baseball, and…read moreplaygrounds. A wonderful green space in the middle of the city. The tennis courts are good fun. Lots of community spirit, music, and local flavor. Usually can be a waiting line but the courts are decent and also well lit

Turkey Thicket is a great place to exercise. There are programs for kids and adults. They have…read moreparking. The pool has classes and lap swimming. DC residents can use the facility for free.

My rating for Turkey Thicket continues to drop because of their lack of mechanical maintenance…read more Only one of the two drinking fountains in the pool area works, and just barely. Only one of the men's showers works and has a soap dispenser. The middle one has been broken as long as I have been going there, with a big HOLE in the wall covered with see-through plastic where you can see the (nonfunctional) pipes. The third is missing its handle and its soap dispenser and they can't even put even hooks on the shower curtain. And now the swimsuit spinner is simply MISSING from the wall, with connections still hanging out where it used to. DC LOVES to built NEW facilities but apparently has zero interest in maintaining the ones it already has. I note that users are "required" to use the shower before getting in the pool. Good luck with that. Is the women's locker room this crappy or is just the men's locker room nobody cares about?

An extremely well kept green space at the corner of Georgia and Wayne that also borders the Green…read moreTrail, I've walked past it a couple of times between my hotel and my customer's office. The garden is surrounded by an imposing steel fence but the sign clearly notes that this is open to the public during daylight hours. Stone borders keep the dirt tidy for the trees and provide a shady spot to sit and enjoy the greenery. There's also a small playground area in the shade. Neat spot. Maybe I'll bring my lunch here this week...