What a great space for the scenery, fresh air and spacious atmosphere. I came here for the annual…read more"Unwine Festival" and I had a blast. A great space for large events and family gatherings. I can't wait to see whatever festive events will come in the future.

An underrated, hidden gem in Upper Marlboro - Croom area in PG County. I would go here way before…read moreRosaryville State Park in Upper Marlboro or Cedarville State Forest in Brandywine. This park has a beautiful, long drive way with nice trees especially during fall time with fall leaves and foilage going towards the entrance which is tucked away and far off from 301 main road. The park has a nice elevator/stair wooden lift that can take you to the top to see the Patuxent river. I would not recommend though if afraid of heights, but it is a nice view. The park is peaceful. Pretty trails with forests and boardwalks with water on each side. I would not advise coming here after a storm/rain, but it is scenic and nice for walking and can definitely test your balance, just make sure not to slip and fall from boardwalk into the water. My only gripe is the volunteer at the visitor center was not particularly nice, welcoming, and did not want to help/guide us. She was a bit standoffish and unapproachable, but that did not stop us from having fun and enjoying the trails and scenery.

Watkins Regional Park is truly a hidden gem! I recently took my 4-year-old niece, and she…read moreabsolutely loved every minute of it. The Wizard of Oz-themed playground made such an impression on her that we've been watching The Wizard of Oz on repeat ever since our visit. It was so much fun seeing her imagination come to life as she explored all the themed play areas. One thing I really appreciated was that there's something for kids of all ages. There are plenty of play structures and activities to keep everyone entertained. The park is also very family-friendly, with lots of shaded benches and picnic shelters where I could comfortably sit, relax, and keep an eye on her while she played. After the playground, we walked across the street to ride the carousel, which she absolutely adored. They also have a train ride, but unfortunately it wasn't operating during our visit. That just gives us another reason to come back! Next time, we're planning to visit the farm and meet all the animals. I can't believe such a special place is just a few miles from home. If you're looking for a fun, affordable outing with children, Watkins Regional Park is definitely worth the visit. We can't wait to go back!

The playground was packed with kids having the absolute best time, and there seemed to be at least…read moretwo parties happening in the nearby pavilions. But despite all of that, the park is so expansive that it never really felt crowded. One thing to keep in mind is the weather when you visit. On hot days, a lot of the playground equipment gets extremely hot and can become difficult to touch, so timing your visit definitely matters. We happened to pick an ideal day and were able to really explore and enjoy the park. I also wish we had been there when the train and golf course were open because both looked like they would have been so much fun! Overall, a great expansive park with plenty to explore and lots for kids to enjoy. We had a wonderful time!

The Chesapeake Bay Critical Area Driving Tour is a must see if you live in and/or visit Maryland…read more Located in Prince Georges County, the driving tour is a four mile tour along the Patuxent River. The one-way only tour begins in the Patuxent River Park (Jug Bay Natural Area) and ends in the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary giving you a two-for-one access. There is an observation deck as you cross Mataponi Creek. Once you cross the wooden bridge, you leave the Patuxent River Park managed by the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission and begin to enter the Merkle Wildlife Sanctuary managed by the Maryland Park Service. If you love nature, enjoy birding, spotting wildlife, looking for local floral and fauna, enjoy cycling or hiking do not miss this. Note: since the Covid-19 pandemic started, the driiving tour is closed to vehicles. You can access by hiking or bicycling only.

Exploring areas around the DMV and finally made it to this gem in Maryland. Great Visitor Center…read morewith friendly & informative Staff. She went over map of area, described the trails, what was closed for repair or Eagle nesting. She also gave us a bird check-list which upon reviewing will definitely be back in Spring in hopes of getting a couple Lifers. Clean restrooms and plenty of displays of local wildlife. We visited 09 Feb 2024 (mid-day) so bird activity was somewhat quiet, but did spot several types of Woodpeckers to include a few Red-Heads. We also saw some sparrows, tufted titmouses, robins, crows and seagulls. Trails were nicely marked and not too strenuous. Plenty of boardwalks and viewing blinds to view wildlife. Plenty of parking and entrance fee of $6 is reasonable to support the upkeep of such a nice Sanctuary. They also have memberships which we would do if a little closer to home. Will be back for sure.

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary is a perfect day trip from Washington, D.C. A 30-minute drive from the…read morecity, it's 1,500 acres of boardwalk wetlands and wooded hiking trails. Here are a few things to note: 1) Parking: The park opens at 9am and parking is free during the week. If you go on a weekend, it's $6 per vehicle. 2) Classes: Once you park and walk to the education center, you'll notice the array of classes and events they host from kayaking to birdwatching to gardening. The center is closed due to the pandemic, but they do lay out helpful maps outside to guide your visit. 3) Exploration: There are many trails throughout the sanctuary with signs that guide you. There's a boardwalk out into the wetlands with beautiful views of the Patuxent River. As you walk along the boardwalk, look for wildlife like frogs and heron. Most of the trails are wooded with fun things to find along the way like a blue tic-tac-toe board made from shells. There are observation decks along the trails as well. 4) Points of interest: Nearby the actual sanctuary are a few other fun things to visit like the Glendening Butterfly Garden and Nature Preserve and the Mount Calvert Archeological Park. Jug Bay Wetlands is a great place for a day trip for adults and kids! It gives you a little bit of everything from nature to wildlife to history.

Beautiful. I love the Art & the sculptures. Koi fish are my favorite and I love Koi ponds. The…read morescenery is absolutely stunning!

This is such a cute little park!…read more There is a decently sized pond with koi fish and goldfish. There are walk paths that wind throughout the park with a couple of cute bridges. What really makes this park unique is the fact that it has so much local art. A few of the sculptures are permanent, but a number of them are planned to be rotated over time. My favorite sculptures were the ones made out of driftwood - they are both beach-y and very neat to look at. It's a nice place to stop by if you're visiting the area, and it it right off of the North Beach boardwalk.

My grandkids are 10 & 12, so I didn't expect them to like most of the playground equipment. They…read moreliked the swings for 5 minutes, then tossed a frisbee a little, but were ready to go - total of 15 minutes. However, I wanted to post a review because nobody has for a long time and maybe it will help others with younger kids. First, getting there. The address is Davidsonville Rd but it's actually a side street called Ed Dokes (I think). There is a signal light that doesn't appear in Google maps (I reported all this to Google). Just look for the Crofton High School marquee, and turn there! The equipment looked fairly new to me, and definitely well maintained, with plenty of climbing opportunities as well as the swings. There are two adaptive swings There are several picnic tables here and there, and lots of lovely trees. We didn't go check out the trails, but I will probably go back alone to do that sometime.

Great small park. It has a couple of playground areas, a pond with fish and turtles, and a small…read morewalking trail. Great for younger children (under 10).

I've been going to Dunkirk District Park since I was a kid, so this place definitely holds a lot of…read morememories for me. There's always something going on here. A lot of youth sports, adult league baseball and softball, it's just one of those parks that stays active. You can pull up on any given day and see games, practices, or people just out enjoying the space. The park has a lot to offer too. Baseball fields, basketball courts, tennis and pickleball courts, open sports fields, walking paths, and even a dog park. There's a nice skate section, solid playgrounds, and plenty of space to just hang out. Growing up, we used to run around the playground area with family and have small cookouts. Just simple times, but those are the kind of memories that stick with you. Now it's cool getting to come back and watch the youth in my family play sports in the same places people once watched me, and being able to share those memories together. That part really hits different. Everything is kept up well, and there's enough space where it doesn't feel overcrowded even when it's busy. Overall, it's more than just a park to me. It's one of those places that's always been there, and still delivers. Great for sports, family time, or just getting outside. The good old days type of spot for sure.

Great place for kids of all ages! Zip line a hit with 2 1/2 & 6 1/2 year old granddaughters. Play…read morestructures have features that help with children's development.

It's a pretty good park. Good for exercising, basketball, it has a play ground. You can barbecue…read moreit's a good spot for taking photos too. And it's a nice relaxing spot too

This review is for the splash pad and playground. The incredibly awesome and very, very free splash…read morepad and playground. This new splash pad and playground serves as a reminder that damn Loudon County has some money. We got here at noon with our toddler and only planned to spend a couple of hours and ended up basically being here until they closed in the middle of summer at 8 PM. I think it's an amazing design to have three playground design for different ages right near the splash pad. Luckily it was like 5000° out so kids dried off the minute they left the waterpark to go to playgrounds. So being a wet mess really wasn't a concern. There are a few rules to the waterpark that includes no toys and no dogs and the standard diaper requirements for the incontinent , but otherwise it's pretty open and people were really really well behaved. The bathrooms are amazingly clean for a public bathrooms and offer wide enough stalls to change in. It's highly recommended because of temperatures and the fact that most of the place is concrete to wear water shoes. The only issue we had was that a baby kept putting wet banana peels like this was Mario kart in the splash pad and people kept tripping on them. Most of the water features are well functioning and a lot of fun. The playground themselves range from ages 5 to 12, and have a lot of hills with Astroturf, which is kind of fun to just roll down and they have slides built into them. There are a lot of climbing activities. The slides do get hot on a sunny day, but since the kids are already wet from the waterpark, they seem fine. And the park is very clean. We went on a weekday and it wasn't really that crowded, but I can see how weekends could be pretty full. They also have lots of tables for our families to sit down and enjoy some picnic items.

My kids love it. It's clean and lots of parking space and well maintained. It's worth visiting.read more