Things to do with kids in Rockville
Rockville is the center of Montgomery County and this site's default starting point: Rock Creek Regional Park to the east has a lake, boats and a raptor aviary; the big Cabin John playground and miniature train hide in the woods to the south; Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg to the north pairs a playground with a water park; Town Square has a library and a fountain; and the Red Line goes straight downtown.
A perfect toddler day: herons and a rented boat at Lake Needwood in the morning with a stop at Meadowside for the owls, then the Cabin John playground or storytime at the Town Square library and a splash in the plaza fountain. Big kids go to KID Museum on the Bethesda line for woodworking, pick strawberries at Butler's Orchard in May, and see fall color around the lake at Seneca Creek. When it rains, ride the Red Line to Union Station to watch trains.
- 16 places
- 9 free
- 15 stroller-friendly
- closest is 5 min away
16 places
Drive times from Rockville
Rockville Memorial Library
5.0Rockville · 5 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Rockville Town Square garage, 2 hours free with library validation; 5-minute walk from Rockville station on the Metro Red Line
Ride the Metro Red Line downtown (Rockville to Union Station)
5.0Rockville · 5 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free weekend parking at Rockville and Shady Grove stations; fares $2–6 per person, kids under 5 ride free with an adult (two per adult)
Lake Needwood (Rock Creek Regional Park)
5.0Rockville · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Several free lots at the dock and picnic areas, fairly full on fall weekend afternoons
Cabin John Regional Park playground and train
5.0Bethesda · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot by the playground off Westlake Dr, plenty of room on weekend mornings
Hadley's Playground (Falls Road Local Park)
5.0Potomac · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the Falls Rd park
Bohrer Park at Summit Hall Farm
5.0Gaithersburg · 10 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the S Frederick Ave entrance
Meadowside Nature Center raptor aviary
5.0Rockville · 10 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free nature center lot
KID Museum
2.0Bethesda · 10 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly · reservation needed
$ · Parking: Free lot shared with the Davis Library; admission about $10–15 per person (check the website)
Bethesda Library
5.0Bethesda · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Small free lot behind the library and metered street parking on Arlington Rd
Germantown Library
5.0Germantown · 15 min drive
1.5 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot shared with the BlackRock arts center
Wheaton Regional Park train and carousel
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
2.5 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot at the Shorefield Rd entrance, by the train and playground
Glen Echo Park carousel and puppet theater
5.0Glen Echo · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot inside the park
National Capital Trolley Museum
5.0Colesville · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Free lot
Brookside Gardens
5.0Wheaton · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
Free · Parking: Free lot at the Glenallan Ave visitor center; if full, park at Wheaton Regional Park and walk over
Butler's Orchard u-pick and Pumpkin Festival
5.0Germantown · 15 min drive
3 h · carrier recommended
$$ · Parking: Free field parking; u-pick by the pound, fall Pumpkin Festival weekend admission about $15–20 per person (check the website)
Seneca Creek State Park (Clopper Lake)
4.0Gaithersburg · 15 min drive
2 h · stroller-friendly
$ · Parking: Clopper Rd entrance, about $3 per person (MD residents) on weekends and holidays April through October, parking itself free
💡 Good to know
- The Town Square garage is validated free for the library; weekend parking at the Rockville and Shady Grove Metro stations is free, and far easier than driving downtown.
- The Cabin John train and the Wheaton carousel run on weekends from April to October; check the Montgomery Parks schedule before you go.