# Weekend getaways from Washington, DC with kids

Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/washington-dc/weekend-getaways/

> The best trip within about five hours of Washington, DC for each of the next 6 weekends, chosen for kids under 6. Every event links to the official page we checked it on.

Last checked: 2026-10-29.

## Weekend of Oct 30–Nov 1: Pittsburgh (about 5 hr)

The last weekend for both the Alice flower show at Phipps, which is warm and indoors, and the zoo's Jack O'Lantern Extravaganza, which starts at 6 if you want one late night.

- **Fall Flower Show: Alice's Adventures in Autumn**, Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31, Sun Nov 1, Conservatory hours, Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens. Included with admission. Chrysanthemum displays inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Ends Nov. 1. Official page: https://www.phipps.conservatory.org/calendar
- **Jack O'Lantern Extravaganza**, Fri Oct 30, Sat Oct 31, Sun Nov 1, 6–11 p.m., Pittsburgh Zoo & Aquarium. See the zoo's ticket page. Runs nightly through Nov. 1. Official page: https://www.pittsburghzoo.org/experiences/events/

## Weekend of Nov 6–8

Stay close to home: nothing within a few hours beats what's on in Washington, DC. Santa at Tysons Corner Center (Fri Nov 6, Mon–Fri 11am–7pm to start; see the schedule, Tysons Corner Center, Level 1 near Wasabi; https://www.tysonscornercenter.com/SantaPhotos)

## Weekend of Nov 13–15: New York City (about 4 hr 45 min)

The Holiday Train Show opens Saturday at the New York Botanical Garden, with model trains running past New York landmarks built from bark, leaves and other plant parts.

- **Holiday Train Show at NYBG**, Sat Nov 14, Garden hours; evening hours on select nights, New York Botanical Garden. Timed tickets; see the event page. Opens 11/14; runs through 01/10. Model trains run past New York landmarks built from bark, leaves and other plant parts. Evening hours run 5–8pm on Nov 27–29 and select December dates. Official page: https://www.nybg.org/event/holiday-train-show-2026/

## Weekend of Nov 20–22: Philadelphia (about 3 hr)

Christmas Village is free at LOVE Park and City Hall, and Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo runs 5 to 9pm with Santa's Workshop inside.

- **Santa’s Workshop at Wild Lights**, Fri Nov 20, 5–9pm, Elmwood Park Zoo. With Wild Lights admission (adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online). Opens 11/20; runs through 12/23. Official page: https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/wildlights/
- **Wild Lights at Elmwood Park Zoo**, Fri Nov 20, 5–9pm; last entry 8:30pm, Elmwood Park Zoo. Adults $27.95 online, kids 3–12 $24.95 online, 0–2 free; $18.95 after 7:30pm. Opens 11/20; runs through 12/30. Closed Nov 26 and Dec 24–25. Cookie decorating is $10 on select dates. Official page: https://elmwoodparkzoo.org/wildlights/
- **A Longwood Christmas**, Fri Nov 20, Daily 10am–11pm, Longwood Gardens. Adults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under free. Opens 11/20; runs through 01/10. Official page: https://longwoodgardens.org/visit
- **Christmas Village in Philadelphia**, Sat Nov 21, Sun–Thu noon–8pm, Fri–Sat noon–9pm, LOVE Park and City Hall. No admission. Opens 11/21; runs through 12/27. Open 9am–5pm on Thanksgiving and noon–5pm on Christmas Eve. Kids under 12 ride SEPTA free. Official page: https://www.philachristmas.com/

## Weekend of Nov 27–29: Philadelphia (about 3 hr)

Jingle and Mingle with Santa in Franklin Square on Friday, 5 to 7pm, and Christmas Village at LOVE Park is open all weekend.

- **Jingle & Mingle with Santa in Franklin Square**, Fri Nov 27, 5–7pm, Franklin Square. See the event page. Opens 11/27; runs through 12/19. Santa photos on select evenings during Holidays in Franklin Square. Official page: https://historicphiladelphia.org/events/holidays-in-franklin-square/

Also within reach: Pittsburgh (about 5 hr): The zoo's drive-thru lights open Friday at $45 a car, and Phipps Holiday Magic is warm and indoors. Richmond (about 2 hr 15 min): GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter.

## Weekend of Dec 4–6: Philadelphia (about 3 hr)

A Longwood Christmas is open daily 10 a.m.–11 p.m., and kids 4 and under are free.

- **A Longwood Christmas**, Fri Dec 4, Sat Dec 5, Sun Dec 6, Daily 10am–11pm, Longwood Gardens. Adults $45–$52, youth 5–15 $25–$32 by date; 4 and under free. Opens 11/20; runs through 01/10. Official page: https://longwoodgardens.org/visit

Also within reach: Virginia Beach–Norfolk (about 4 hr): Norfolk Botanical Garden's Dominion Energy Garden of Lights is open every evening, and kids under 3 are free.

## Other family getaways within 5 hours

We don't post event listings for these places. Check the official page for hours and what's on.

- **Shenandoah National Park**, Front Royal, VA (about 1 hr 30 min from Washington, DC). Over 200,000 acres of waterfalls and wooded hollows shelter deer and black bears, just 75 miles from Washington, DC. Official page: https://www.nps.gov/shen/index.htm
- **Luray Caverns**, Luray, VA (about 2 hr from Washington, DC). Luray Caverns are the largest caverns in the eastern United States. Official page: https://luraycaverns.com/
- **Colonial Williamsburg**, Williamsburg, VA (about 3 hr from Washington, DC). Kids can meet 18th-century people across 301 acres of Colonial Williamsburg, once the capital of Virginia. Official page: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/
- **Cape May County Park & Zoo**, Cape May Court House, NJ (about 4 hr from Washington, DC). A county zoo with free admission and free parking, open every day except Christmas. Official page: https://www.capemaycountynj.gov/352/Cape-May-County-Park-Zoo
- **Ocean City**, Ocean City, NJ (about 4 hr from Washington, DC). Billed as America's Favorite Family Vacation, with a boardwalk along the beach. Official page: https://www.oceancityvacation.com/
- **Ohiopyle State Park**, Ohiopyle, PA (about 4 hr from Washington, DC). Kids can sit in the creek bed and ride the water down two natural waterslides in Meadow Run. Official page: https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/OhiopyleStatePark/Pages/default.aspx

## FAQ

**Where can we go for a weekend from Washington, DC with little kids?**
Over the next 6 weekends our picks from Washington, DC are Pittsburgh, New York City, Philadelphia. Each one is chosen for what's on that weekend, with the dates, times and prices checked on the official pages.

**Which cities are within an easy drive of Washington, DC?**
Baltimore (about 1 hr), Richmond (about 2 hr 15 min), Lancaster–Harrisburg–Hershey (about 2 hr 45 min), Philadelphia (about 3 hr), Virginia Beach–Norfolk (about 4 hr), Lehigh Valley (about 4 hr). Times are normal driving times without traffic.

**What other family getaways are within 5 hours of Washington, DC?**
Shenandoah National Park (about 1 hr 30 min), Luray Caverns (about 2 hr), Colonial Williamsburg (about 3 hr), Cape May County Park & Zoo (about 4 hr), Ocean City (about 4 hr), Ohiopyle State Park (about 4 hr). We don't post event listings for these, so check the official page for what's open before you go.

**Why is the same city picked more than once?**
Sometimes one city really does have the most going on two weekends in a row, like a holiday lights opening followed by a show. We don't rotate cities just for variety.

**Are the times and prices current?**
They're what each official page showed on Oct 29, 2026. Tap through to the official page before you go.