You probably found this page because you’re travelling to Chantilly VA and you’re trying to figure out what kind of activities you can do there. If you’re like most travellers out there, then you probably do this research for most of the places you visit. Not only does it help you be prepared, but it can also give you more excited about your trip. With that said, keep reading to see 7 things you can do in Chantilly!
1. Sully Historic Site
The Sully Historic Site, AKA Sully Plantation, is not only a landmark of Virginia, but it’s also a historic place that has been nationally registered. The Lee family bought the land in 1725 and actually built the house in 1794. Over the years, it’s been both a working farm and a home. It was then bought by the government so they could use part of the land to build the Dulles Airport.
Not only can you take a tour of this historic site, but you can also attend one of the many events that happen there!
2. Monster Mini Golf
If you’re looking for something cool to do with your kids, then Monster Mini Golf is a great choice. They have 30 locations all across the United States and Canada. Each one is in a state of the art facility and have many fun things to do. The entire building is under blacklights and some of the things they have are: 18-hole miniature golf course and unique adventure, a video game arcade with a prize center, mini bowling, monster themed laser tag and a concession stand that sells light snacks. You could even host your child’s birthday party and let all the kids have a fantastic time!
3. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center might not sound too exciting, but it’s actually an air and space museum! It’s also the sister museum of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in Washington. Admission is free and if you go before 4PM, you only have to pay the parking fee. The museum has 2 large hangars that have countless different air and space artifacts. Other things that you can do at this museum are: catch a short show at the Airbus IMAX Theater, check out the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower, take a look at the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar or learn about some history by checking out the archives in the reading room.
4. Ox Hill Battlefield Park
The Ox Hill Battlefield Park is where the Battle of Ox Hill (AKA Battle of Chantilly) took place during the Civil War. In this battle, 2 Union generals and thousands of soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides lost their lives. The government of Virginia did a $700,000 project that made it possible to make new trails and improve old ones, kiosks and signs that tell about the history, improvements to the landscape and improvements to the parking area. In addition, this 4.8 acre park is part of the Virginia Civil War Trails Program. The great thing is that you can check out the park at your own pace and really take iin all the history that’s there.
5. NRA National Firearms Museum
The NRA National Firearms Museum has 85 different cases with 15 different galleries and 85 different display cases. Each display case has 3,000 firearms. You’ll also learn about the 700 year old history of firearms and be able to get a real understanding. Each of the galleries is set in times that really brought out the feelings in people. This means that each gallery has different types and years of firearms. You can also check out several dioramas that are life-sized and set up the way it would’ve been in that time period. Some of these are: a riflemaker’s shop from the 19th century, a trench like the ones on the Western Front in WW1 and a Normandy town square that was destroyed in WW2. There is also a gallery that is full of firearms that were used in movies, such as: Dirty Harry, Lethal Weapon and Hurt Locker.
6. SplashDown Park
If you’re looking for a place that’s fun and helps you cool off, then SplashDown Waterpark is a great choice! This is especially true for those with kids! It has so many fun things to do including: 6 different water slides, a lap pool, an activity pool, a children’s area, sand volleyball and tennis courts. The great thing about the children’s area is that it has things like bubblers, fountains and water slides that are just their size! You can also grab a snack or bite to eat at one of the restaurants. The ones at this park are: Coney Island Cafe, Beach Break, Dippin Dots, Paradise Pizza and Snack Shack. Since the hours for most days is 11am-6pm, you can make a whole day out of it!
7. Children’s Science Center Lab
The Children’s Science Center Lab is great for those that want to take their children somewhere where they can learn and still have fun. This museum was created by science and museum experts, so you know it’s going to be a fun learning experience. It has something for every child age 2 and up. They have quite a few different areas where kids can get hands-on and really learn some great stuff. Some of these are: the Experiment Bar, the Tinker Shop and the Discovery Zone. In addition to the things that are on display everyday, they also have many different events. Some events that you can look forward to are: Budding Bookworms, Fish Feeding Frenzy and Budding Scientists. These programs usually happen every week, but they also have other programs that only happen once or twice a year.
These things are only a small portion of the activities that are available in Chantilly and you don’t have to only go to one of these. Regardless, this article should give you some pretty good ideas for planning your trip and making fantastic memories!
