Review of Barrel Oak Winery (BOW) Guest Review by "Adventure Kid"

Location: Grove Lane, Delaplane, VA  20144

May   27, 2013

website:  http://www.barreloak.com/

What’s there: Vineyards and open barn-like structures with places for adults to wine taste and buy food and other beverages. There are lots of picnic tables and doggy stations. You can go and see how they make the wine with your family for free.

Price:  Free entrance   How we got there: Route 66 West to exit 23 for US-17 N/VA-55 W toward Delaplane/Paris. Go .4 mile. Turn right onto State Rd. 713 / Maidestone Rd. Go 115 Feet and take first right onto County Rd. F185 (Grove Lane). BOW on left. Best For: Dogs and kids of all ages. Parents and grownups only can drink wine.
Rating:   5 stars   It was very interesting because of the dogs. I think it would be more fun going with another family.

Most Interesting Thing I Learned: BOW makes 24,000 gallons of wine right there.

Place: Barrel Oak Winery

  

What I did there: Check their website to see if they are having a special event.  Today, my family ate very good quality pizza. It was baked in a wood fired oven and mine was prosciutto and pineapple. I got to see what a husky and a beagle mix looked like. They had live  music for Memorial day.  It was very interesting because it was a live band. It was the 5^th anniversary of the winery. Saw funny things (little girl throwing a soccer ball at a trashcan using a badminton racquet). Spigots in the restrooms were cool because they looked like the ones on rustic barrels. P.S You can arrange a private tour at info@barreloak.com.                                             

Review of National Zoo

Location:  3001 Connecticut Ave. Washington D.C.

May 26, 2013

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/

Exhibits:  It's a zoo, they have animals from all around the world, and they have Pandas

Price:   Free

How we got there:  Metro. Get off at Cleveland Park stop, and walk to the zoo.  When you leave, walk down hill to the Woodley Park-Zoo stop.  All the tourists get off at the Zoo stop, and walk up hill pushing strollers, and they get tired before they start.

Best For:  all ages

Rating: 4 stars -worth a trip but not amazing (If I compared it to the San Diego Zoo - 5 stars, it is a 3 star place.)

Most Interesting Thing I learned: I weigh as much as a Thompson Gazelle.

National Zoo

They have a lot of birds. There is even a Bird Resource Center where you can find out everything you want to know about birds.  For the little kids they have a very small playground of tubes and tunnels, where they can pretend they are Prairie Dogs.  There is also a carousel with wild animals to ride.  If the zoo is crowded, walk down the hill and eat at the Mane Cafe past the lions and tigers, do not eat at the places by the Pandas (longest lines ever!) The small mammal house has the cutest animals but the monkey house stinks. In the Think Tank you can learn about Orangutans.  There is a place to play tug of war with them, but they weren't interested when we were there.  The sign says you should be 50 pounds or more to do this - because they can really pull.  The zoo has most of the exhibits on either side of a steep hill, so at the end of your tour you will have to walk back up.

You can get even closer at the bottom of the hill if they are in the mood to come look at the people 

The Cheetahs are near the front of the zoo on the left past the gift shop

One of the Orangutan's wanted to look at everyone taking his picture

This is the cutest small mammal in the world - a Sand Cat

Bird Feet in the resource center, the webbed one is fake

Review of Washington D.C. Library of Congress

Location: on the mall, Washington D.C.

May 19, 2013

http://www.loc.gov/index.html

Exhibits:  It's not a library where you look at books.  They have maps and globes in one exhibit, In the Civil War exibit they have the stuff Lincoln had in his pockets when he died.  There is a display about Bob Hope, that includes lots of his jokes.

Price:   Free

How we got there:  Metro.  Take the Capital South metro stop on the blue/orange line.  Walk up the hill, look for the Jefferson Building on your right.

Best For:  Kids in middle school on up, kids who like history.

Rating: 4 Stars - worth a trip but not amazing

Most Interesting Thing I learned: Linclon had 2 pairs of glasses in his pockets when he died, and a Confederate $5 bill.

Library of Congress

We took a tour, a lady showed us around the building, the tour was very nice.   I'd recommed the tour because it helps you understand the building and the artwork. They used to give people passports that you could put in computer exhibits to get more information or play games, they still have the computers by exhibits.  This would have been fun for kids younger than 12.  Without the passports, it was not as much fun as I hoped.  Mom heard they stopped them because of budget cuts. They have lots of pretty art work. If you do go please do not take photos of things behinde the glass. Also, the Children's reading room is closed on the weekends.  That makes no sense.

They have a Veterans History Project, where people can interview a veteran and send it in to the Library of Congress.  I'd like to interview my Grandpa and send it in.  You can get more information on how to do this on their website www.loc.gov/vets

Review of Washington D.C. Eastern Market

Location: Washington D.C.

May 19, 2013

http://www.easternmarket-dc.org/

Exhibits:  Booths selling crafts, food, flowers - there are a lot of different things for sale

Price:   Free

How we got there:  Metro, it's about 2 blocks from the Eastern Market metro stop on the orange line.

Best For: any age, kids who like crafts, kids who like to take pictures.  There is an open area at one end of the building where toddlers can run around.

Rating: 3 stars - good but not a must see.

Most Interesting Thing I learned: People will buy pigs feet and pig ears

Eastern Market

The Eastern Market is very cool.  There are a lot of people with dogs, and most of them are friendly so I could pet them. The booths sell every thing from purses that look like animals, to fresh fruit and jewlery.  It's not worth a trip downtown just for the market, but if you are there already it's worth a look.  There are lots of places to eat near the market and the metro stop.  You could eat lunch here and then go to another place downtown.  We ate at Belga for brunch.

We bought the pink purse that looks like a cat

Here are the Pigs feet and ears.  They had crabs in the display case too,

they were still alive and moving their feet.

Review of National Museum of the Marine Corps

Location: Quantico, VA

May 11, 2013

Website: http://www.usmcmuseum.org/  

 
Exhibits: Revolutionary War, World War 2, World War 2, Korea, Vietnam

Price:   Free

How we got there: Drove

Best For: kids 7 and up, kids who like pretending to be soldiers, or not easily scared kids, some of the exhibits are pretty realistic. 

Rating: 5 Stars - Don't Miss

Most Interesting Thing I learned:  Bugs Bunny sold Bonds in World War 2


National Museum of the Marine Corps

 
The museum is best for kids 7 and up. They do have some activities for little kids such as coloring, fishing for wooden fish and trying on costumes.  There is a place where one parent can color or read with a little kid while the other parent looks around.  This museum is awesome! You don't just look at pictures and exhibits in cases, you walk through a scene that tries to make it like you are really there. There are light and sound effects too.  In the Korea area it is cold.  For $5.00 you can shoot a laser gun and if you get all 10 shots in the center you get a medal!!!!!

Review of Washington D.C. Cinco de Mayo Festival

Location: on the mall, Washington D.C.

May 5, 2013

Exhibits: Bands, dancers, craft booths

Price:   Free

How we got there:  Metro

Best For: any age (toddlers would like the bands and dancers)

Rating: 3 stars - good but not a "must see"

Most Interesting Thing I learned: A lot of people think Cinco de Mayo celebrates Mexican Independence Day, but it really celebrates the Mexican Army beating the French in a big battle. My Dad told me this, I didn't learn it at the festival.

 

Cinco de Mayo Festival

This festival is about Mexican and Latin culture. They had lots of live music with dancers in colorful costumes. There was a long line for food, they needed more vendors, and a number of booths with crafts for sale. The festival  was much smaller then I expected.  It would be good to see if you were already downtown, and had a blanket to sit on and watch the bands.

Review of Smithsonian Natural History Museum

Location: Washington D.C.

May 5, 2013

Website: http://www.mnh.si.edu/

Exhibits: Gems, butterflies, bugs, mammals, neanderthals - this place has it all

Price:   Free

How we got there:  Metro

Best For:  Kids 5 and up, or any age kids who like science.  Little kids can get lost here very quickly.

Rating: 5 Stars - Don't Miss

Most Interesting Thing I learned: The world population doubled between 1959 and 1999.

 

Museum of Natural History

This museum has lots of hands on and interactive experiences such as: hold a giant bug, feel how cold it is in the arctic, touch an amethyst, rule your own civilization, and turn into a neanderthal (tip: do not get in line behind a mom with a lot of kids, kids heads are too small and too hard to get lined up so they do not always work very easily with the program.  If you don't get to do it at the museum, you can get the free app "MEanderthal" and play with it at home). I got to hold a caterpillar, it felt like it had sucker feet. They have a beautiful jewelry and gem collection. Also for an extra fee you can get the ultimate butterfly experience in their beautiful green house. They have many different 3D movies so check ahead for times (some movies might be scarey or too boring for small kids.)  It would be hard to see everything in a day, this is my favorite museum in the Smithsonian.

The cafeteria and the best gift shop are on the bottom floor. This is what $42.50 worth of food looks like : (The chicken noodle soup was really good, but still, you might want to eat before you go.

Review of Real Pirates - Visit to the National Geographic Museum

Location: Washington D.C.

April 28, 2013

Website:  http://events.nationalgeographic.com/events/national-geographic-museum/

Exhibit:  Real Pirates

Price:    $9.00 for kids
$11.00  for adults

How we got there:  Metro, but it is a longer walk than we thought as one of the Metro exits was closed on weekends.

Best For:  Kids 11 and up, who like history

Rating: 3 stars - good but not a "must see"

Most Interesting Thing I learned: There were African-American, American-Indian and white pirates.  They all voted for their leaders.

National Geographic Museum

This is a way cool exhibit with a movie and lots of interesting things to read. Parents please do not take forever reading the placards, when you do, it can get really boring for kids. In this exhibit you can learn how to tie a knot like a pirate.  They could use many more hands on exhibits especially for kids under 11. I won't give away all the secrets, but part of the exhibit looks and sounds like a real pirate ship (that was my favorite part.) You can also see and touch the real treasure from the the true story of the sunken pirate ship.  Even my Mom and Dad learned something new in this exhibit.  I hope you get a chance to visit the National Geographic Museum.  You can't take pictures inside the exhibit.