Glen Echo Park

Glen Echo Park is one of those magical places that feels like it belongs in a different era — because it does. This former Chautauqua community and early 20th-century amusement park sits along the Potomac River in Montgomery County, Maryland, about 15 minutes northwest of DC. Today, the National Park Service maintains the grounds while a constellation of arts organizations, a historic carousel, and a children's theater bring the old park buildings to life for a new generation of families.

The Dentzel carousel is the park's centerpiece and one of the finest antique carousels in America. Built in 1921 by the Dentzel Carousel Company in Philadelphia, the hand-carved and hand-painted animals include not just horses but lions, ostriches, rabbits, deer, and other creatures. The artistry is museum-quality — each animal has individual expression and detailing.

And rides cost $1. 25. In a world where a single spin on a generic amusement park ride costs $5-$8, putting your child on a century-old hand-carved carousel for barely more than a dollar feels like a time-travel bargain.

The carousel operates weekends and select weekdays from May through September.

Adventure Theatre MTC is the resident children's theater company and one of the oldest continuously operating children's theaters in the country. Productions include adaptations of popular children's books, original plays, and puppet shows, all designed for young audiences with appropriate length (usually 60-75 minutes) and energy. The theater is small and intimate, meaning every seat is close to the stage.

Ticket prices are reasonable ($12-$18), and the quality of the performances consistently surprises parents who expect a thrown-together school-play vibe.

The art studios throughout the park are what elevate Glen Echo from a pleasant park to a genuinely special experience. Real working artists maintain studios in the park's historic buildings, offering classes in pottery, painting, glass art, photography, silversmithing, and more. Many studios offer drop-in workshops that visiting families can join — a single-session pottery wheel experience or a painting class that produces a take-home creation.

These are not simplified craft activities; they are real artistic experiences taught by working artists in real studios.

The park grounds are free to explore. A playground with a seasonal splash pad area provides unstructured play time. The buildings themselves — remnants of the Chautauqua era and the amusement park years — have a worn, atmospheric quality that older kids find interesting. The C&O Canal runs along the park's edge, and the towpath provides a flat, scenic walking and biking path.

Glen Echo Park requires a car from DC (there is no practical Metro access), but the 15-minute drive along MacArthur Boulevard is scenic and easy. Free parking is available on-site. For families spending multiple days in DC, Glen Echo makes an excellent half-day excursion when you need a break from the museums.