11 YEARS AND OVER 60 FIELD TRIPS in the Baltimore – Annapolis – DC Area

Curious to see all the places we’ve been and things we’ve learned?

Scroll down to see a full listing!

2021

Due to COVID, we focused on our family field trips this year (hoping that it might be possible to run a few small Summer Field Trip Club trips! *fingers crossed*) including…

Smithsonian American Art Museum and Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, May 29

Smithsonian Gardens and Eisenhower Memorial in Washington DC, April 5
We enjoyed the beautiful spring weather by visiting the Smithsonian Gardens with its tulips, magnolias, and more. We then visited the new Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial that was just dedicated in the fall of 2020 and got the cancellation stamp for our National Parks Passports book. We loved this new memorial and would encourage anyone to visit, just don’t accidentally miss the statue of a young Ike sitting and looking towards the men he is going to become!

Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park in Virginia, March 22
We drove about 1/3 of the northern part of Skyline Drive ending in Front Royal, VA stopping at overlooks, hiking through the woods and climbing rocks, and the kids seeing for themselves why they’re called the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Theodore Roosevelt Island in Washington, DC, March 14
We explored the island and learned about how it was once the home of a Civil War training camp for African American Union soldiers. We worked on its Junior Ranger booklet and my kids discovered a pile of climbing rocks that they now refer to as “the mini Devil’s Den”. (Easy, flat, paved hike.)

Sunken Road Walking Tour in Fredericksburg, VA, February 15
I grew up in this area and always loved the story of the Angel of Marye’s Heights, so finally took my children there. We saw bullet holes in buildings, cannons, and walked through the Fredericksburg National Cemetery. We learned about the Battle of Fredericksburg and how one soldier showed bravery and compassion for the soldiers from the opposing army.

2020

Due to my work schedule and COVID, we focused on our family field trips this year including…

Assateague State Park in Berlin, MD in July

Daniel Town’s ruins in Maryland – We went in search of an abandoned town that is being overtaken by nature since the mill company left in the mid-1960s and a hurricane destroyed what remained. We found old rusty cars, church ruins, home foundations, arches, and more. It was absolutely gorgeous and my kids loved it! (Super easy, flat hike as well.)

2019

Due to my work schedule, we focused on our family field trips this year including…

National Christmas Tree in Washington, DC

National Zoo because it had just been too long since going there! We were surprised to see the big pizza playground had been replaced by an entirely new bee-themed playground. My kids loved it!

Devil’s Den and Little Round Top at Gettysburg Battlefield is now a favorite family memory and the kids are all begging to go back! Devil’s Den is a ridge of large bolders where one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War occurred. After discussing the events of that day, the kids loved scrambling over the boulders and ducking through “caves” to try and get away from each other. We were absolutely delighted to meet Civil War reenactors when we went up to Little Round Top where the kids climbed the “castle” and then again started scaling the large bolders.

National Arboretum to see their Cherry Blossom exhibit since the Tidal Basin was too crowded the day we went down, and my kids discovered they loved looking at bonsai trees and felt like explorers while checking out the National Capitol Columns.

White House Easter Egg Roll! – We were lucky enough to win the lottery to attend the White House Easter Egg Roll! It was so fun and definitely worth the effort to enter the lottery each year!

Renwick Gallery to see the amazing David’s Best Temple exhibit, this may be one of my kids’ favorite art museums now.

Albert Einstein Memorial where my kids learned he is the only statue in Washington, DC you can climb! They all rubbed his nose for good luck.

Lincoln Memorial where my kids beta tested our scavenger hunt and found the typo for the first time!

2018

Due to adjusting to life as a FT working-outside-the-home mom, I only planned one field trip for the club this year…

Bureau of Printing and Engraving Tour, Washington, DC, January 29
*watched millions of dollars be printed, cut, and prepared to be official US currency

2017

Children’s Tour of the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, November 20
*A Field Trip Club original tour filled with fun, interactive activities for families exploring the Sculpture Garden, East Building, and West Building while solving a mystery!

National Postal Museum, Washington, DC, October 12
*2 separate classes where preschoolers learned about the postal system and helped “deliver the mail” while 1st-3rd graders figured out how to mail a single potato chip without it breaking! We ended up a picnic lunch across the street at the Lower Senate Park, such a beautiful day and so much fun spent with new and old friends.

Flower Farm and Bouquet Making, Pikesville, MD, October 19
We toured an organic flower farm learning about local and sustainable farming methods. Then we each made our own flower bouquets to take home with us!

National Capital Radio & Television Museum Tour, Bowie, MD, October 19
Toured this wonderful little museum that is choke-full of old radios and televisions. We tried our hand at morse code and experiments that taught about how sound travels.

Fire Museum of Maryland Children’s Programs, Lutherville-Timonium, MD, July 27
*2 hands-on programs ran concurrently for preschoolers (Bucket Brigade Tour and Fire Rescue Game) and older elementary/middle school kids (The Great Baltimore Fire Program). Although, I think their favorite part was playing in the Discovery Room with all the dress up fireman clothes and climbing on an real old-time fire engine!

Human Body Experience and the Forensics Workshop, National Museum of Health and Medicine, Silver Spring, MD, July 19
The younger group in the Human Body Experience learned about our organs and held real plastinated anatomical specimens (human organs such as brain, heart, etc.)! The older children in the Forensics Workshop learned the science behind human identification of fallen unidentified service members, then worked to gather information about a set of bones, estimating age, sex, height, and evaluating trauma, dental profile, material evidence, and DNA. They then used the evidence and profiles of missing service members to determine whose remains they may have been examining. 

2016

Frog, Shark, and Owl Pellet Dissection Classes, Odenton, MD, July 15
*3 separate classes for 3 age groups put on and run by the Field Trip Club

Oriole Park at Camden Yards Tour, Baltimore, MD, July 21
*sat in the dugout, walked out to the field, sat in the press box, toured the behind-the-scenes area

National Cryptologic Museum Children’s Program, Fort Meade, MD, August 4
*created a secret code, cracked a code, science demonstration of how magic works (invisible ink), analyzed our fingerprints, and used a real WWII Enigma machine

Critter Cruise, Annapolis, MD, August 12
*a private cruise just for the Field Trip Club where we say osprey nests, a variety of birds, and iconic Chesapeake Bay landmarks while touching specimens provided by the staff of the Annapolis Maritime Museum

2015

Behind-the-Scenes Restaurant Tour, Pizza Hut, Crofton, MD, July 27
Toured the kitchen, freezer (kids LOVED this part!), and made their own personal pan pizzas!

My House, My Home and City By Design Children’s Programs, National Building Museum, Washington, DC, February 9
*2 children’s programs run concurrently with hands-on presentation for 2 different age groups, admission to museum exhibits included

Behind-the-Scenes Workshop and Museum Tour, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum, Washington, DC, February 20
We learned the process of making a wax statue and even held a wax head!

Television Studio Tour, Washington, DC, February 27

College Park Aviation Museum, College Park, MD, March 11
*2 children’s programs run with hands-on activities for 2 age groups

Lemonade Day Mentoring Program, Washington, DC, March 20, 27, & April 3
*entrepreneur class taught by the MBA students at George Washington University

Don’t Be an Ostrich Assembly, Odenton, MD, April 17
*”Don’t Be an Ostrich; How You Can Change the World Every Day” interactive presentation

Animal Adaptations Program, Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge, Laurel, MD, May 22

Rat and Owl Pellet Dissection Class, Odenton, MD, October 30

2014

Baltimore Ravens M&T Stadium Tour, Baltimore, MD, July 16
Toured the entire stadium including luxury suites, press box, team locker room, and even went out onto the field!

Horse Riding Facility Tour, Crownsville, MD, July 23
Saw a baby horse, helped brush a horse, and toured the entire facility.

Tool Lending Library & Woodworking Project, Baltimore, MD, August 21
Each child made a geo-board using a drill press and hammer.

U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Program Tour, Washington, DC, October 10
We got to touch a REAL piece of the U.S. Capitol dome! 2 different programs were offered with hands-on activities for 2 age groups.

Government House Tour & MD State House Tour, Annapolis, MD, October 17

National Geographic Museum Tour, Washington, DC, October 24

Human Body Tour, National Museum of Health and Medicine, Silver Spring, MD, November 24
We saw skeletons, spinal cords, and even the bullet that killed Abraham Lincoln. We learned about our organs and held real plastinated anatomical specimens (human organs such as brain, heart, etc.)!

Frog Dissection Class, Odenton, MD, December 2

2013

We toured Architecture 101 Class, National Building Museum, Washington, DC, March 28

Annapolis Harbor & US Naval Academy Cruise, Annapolis, MD, June 20

Radio Station Tour, Halethorpe, MD, June 28
*full tour of the radio station, met radio personalities, and even recorded our voices!

Bank Tour, Crofton, MD, July 2
*toured a bank, they opened the heavy vault door so we could see inside, and heard stories about squirrels in the ATM tubes (eek!)

Dental Office Tour, Odenton, MD, July 11

Veterinarian Hospital Tour, Gambrills, MD, July 18

“Wings of Fancy” Live Butterfly and Caterpillar Exhibit, Wheaton, MD, August 1

Post Office Tour, Glen Burnie, MD, August 9
We toured the post office, helped sort real mail, and sat in a mail truck!

National Cryptologic Museum Children’s Program, Fort Meade, MD, August 13
*created a secret code, cracked a code, science demonstration of how magic works (invisible ink), analyzed our fingerprints, and used a real WWII Enigma machine

Fire Station Tour, Odenton, MD, August 14, 15, and 16
We toured the firefighter’s living quarters, met a firefighter in his full gear, and toured the inside of both a fire truck and an ambulance.

Bike Shop Tour, Gambrills, MD, August 23
Tour their bike shop area and learned how to change the tube in our bike tires!

2012

Bowie Baysox Stadium Tour, Bowie, MD, June 18
Toured the entire stadium and had a snack with Louie, their mascot!

Fire Station Tour, Odenton, MD, June 19
We toured the firefighter’s living quarters, met a firefighter in his full gear, and toured the inside of both a fire truck and an ambulance.

Behind-the-Scenes Restaurant Tour, Pizza Hut, Crofton, MD, June 25
Toured the kitchen, freezer (kids LOVED this part!), and made their own personal pan pizzas!

Bowling Alley Tour, Annapolis, MD, July 9
We toured the bowling, including the back area, and learned how all the machinery works to stand up the bowling pins! We ended with a bowling game.

Police Station Tour, Odenton, MD, July 16
We got locked in a jail cell! We toured the entire police station, got an up-close and personal look at a police car and the gear stored inside, and had an exclusive Q&A session with a police officer.

UTZ Factory Tour, Hanover, PA, July 24
Saw the entire process of potato chips being made, from potato to flavored chip, and then packaged and ready to be sold.

Snyder Factory Tour, Hanover, PA, July 24
Learned the process for making and packaging pretzels!

Harley Davidson Factory, York, PA, August 6
Although we could attend a “real” tour of the factory, we visited the inside lobby museum and learned about motorcycle history and manufacturing while also sitting on some pretty neat motorcycles!

Wolfgage Chocolate Factory Tour, York, PA, August 6 

2011

Strawberry Picking, Larriland Farm, June 16

National Zoo, Washington, DC, June 23

Watkins Regional Park, Upper Marlboro, MD, July 30
We went to the petting zoo, rode the train, and had a picnic after playing on their playground.

Montgomery County Recycling Center Tour, Montgomery, MD, July 21
Attended an educational presentation just for us about litter and recycling, then toured the facility (very loud and smelly!).

Little Hammond Park, Odenton, MD, July 28
Hike and exploration.