Happy holidays! How are you going to keep the kids busy during their winter break? We have these suggestions for activities around Montgomery Parks in this special edition of Parks’ Picks for Friday, December 23, 2022, through Monday, January 2, 2023.
Per Montgomery Parks: Get the children outdoors. Burn off some energy at the playground. We have 276 playgrounds, so there is no shortage of something new to explore. Bring a ball and play a game of soccer, football, or basketball. Pack a lunch and snacks and go hiking! Montgomery Parks has 280 miles of both paved and natural surface trails.
Find a playground, field, court, or trail near you with our Parks and Trails Directory(opens in a new tab). Take everyone running, bike riding, walking, roller skating, roller blading, or scootering on our car-free streets. Visit our website for holiday hours for sections of roads closed in our Open Parkways(opens in a new tab)program.
Explore the grounds of our botanical gardens. McCrillis Gardens(opens in a new tab) and Brookside Gardens(opens in a new tab) are open daily from sunrise to sunset. At night, Brookside Gardens transforms into the glittering and glowing Garden of Lights(opens in a new tab). The winter light display is open nightly 5:30 pm to 9:30 pm but closed December 24 and 25. Purchase tickets(opens in a new tab)online.
Take the family ice skating at Cabin John Ice Rink(opens in a new tab)or Wheaton Ice Arena(opens in a new tab). Visit our website for daily public skating schedules at each facility.
Play tennis together! Book a court at our indoor tennis facilities.(opens in a new tab) Your children can challenge other young players at Wheaton Indoor Tennis’ Junior Tennis Winter Clinic(opens in a new tab) on Thursday, December 29, at 12 pm.
Our nature centers offer a variety of programs during winter break. Maydale Nature Classroom still has openings from Storytime at Maydale: “The Gingerbread Baby”(opens in a new tab) on Tuesday, December 27, 10 am, and Winter Scavenger Hunt and Campfire(opens in a new tab) on Thursday, December 30, 10 am.
Celebrate the start of 2023 together in the day on Saturday, December 31, so you can enjoy the evening festivities later. Register for Smokey Bear’s New Year’s Eve Countdown(opens in a new tab) at Maydale Nature Classroom or Happy Noon Year’s Eve(opens in a new tab) at Meadowside Nature Center.
Finally, begin the New Year with a hike at Brookside Nature Center’s New Year’s Day Hike(opens in a new tab) on Sunday, January 1, at 9:30 am. You also can schedule your own First Day Hike by hitting our trails at any time that day.
Remember to visit our website for leaving home and check holiday operating hours(opens in a new tab) for facilities for Friday, December 23, through Monday, January 2.
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