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Old 04-24-2012, 01:07 PM
 
Location: Springfield, VA
20 posts, read 57,096 times
Reputation: 13

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We just moved here...

We live in W. Springfield and this is the first year my daughter can have a birthday party (she'll be 6). I'd love to have it outdoors and try to avoid having it at my house. We tried reserving Burke Lake shelter but $350 to reserve it is too much for me.

Ideally i'd like to keep it close so parents dont have to drive too far. I also thought about having it on Fort Belvoir. If you lived in W. Springfield, would driving to Belvoir be too far for you?

Any ideas for a newbie?
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Old 04-24-2012, 01:25 PM
 
Location: Springfield VA
4,036 posts, read 9,242,348 times
Reputation: 1522
Fort Belvoir is only 20 minutes so I don't think its too far. My question would be if the parents are non-military how are they going to get on post to Fort Belvoir? Sounds like a lot of trouble. Is Burke Lake the only option? There's other parks.
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Old 04-24-2012, 01:29 PM
 
30 posts, read 111,454 times
Reputation: 17
There are areas of Burke Lake that you can reserve for about $100. Picnic areas and such - they don't have a shelter so you're out of luck if it rains, but I do believe they give you a refund for inclement weather.

Also - you can watch their calendar and if the shelter is not reserved, it's first come first serve. Might be a little risky for planning a birthday party though.
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Old 04-24-2012, 01:42 PM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
4,489 posts, read 10,944,195 times
Reputation: 3699
There are picnic places at just about every park in the area. Lake Accotink has covered areas too--have you checked out their prices?
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Old 04-24-2012, 01:53 PM
 
Location: Springfield
2,765 posts, read 8,327,430 times
Reputation: 1114
Quote:
Originally Posted by terrence81 View Post
Fort Belvoir is only 20 minutes so I don't think its too far. My question would be if the parents are non-military how are they going to get on post to Fort Belvoir? Sounds like a lot of trouble. Is Burke Lake the only option? There's other parks.

Anyone can go on Base.
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Old 04-24-2012, 01:56 PM
 
Location: Springfield VA
4,036 posts, read 9,242,348 times
Reputation: 1522
Quote:
Originally Posted by VRE332 View Post
Anyone can go on Base.
Really? Wow. I'm used to Fort Benning GA where you have to register and get a visitors pass to go on post.

Well then Fort Belvoir is fine.
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Old 04-24-2012, 02:10 PM
 
Location: Suburbia
8,826 posts, read 15,316,001 times
Reputation: 4533
Do you belong to a pool? We are in W.Springfield and the past few years we have just reserved (at no extra cost) our pool's pavilion.
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Old 04-24-2012, 02:44 PM
 
5,121 posts, read 6,801,955 times
Reputation: 5833
Last year I used J Art Studio for my daughter's birthday and it was great. I think it was about $300, but that included an art activity and clean up. I just needed to provide the cake. It's an indoor party though so I am not sure if you are interested. Plus, it's in Annandale, so it's a little bit of a drive (I live in W. Springfield too--it's not like it's around the corner).

One warning though. My daughter has a summer birthday and I found it very hard to get people to come to her party in the summer--seems like everyone is traveling. I am not sure if it's this area, my luck, or what. Last year, for the first time, I held her birthday early, in June before school got out and it's the first time she had a decent showing of kids (as in 12 showed up as opposed to just 1 the year before and 2 the year before that).
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Old 04-24-2012, 05:28 PM
 
Location: Chapel Hill, NC, formerly NoVA and Phila
9,777 posts, read 15,785,332 times
Reputation: 10886
Quote:
Originally Posted by jillabean View Post
One warning though. My daughter has a summer birthday and I found it very hard to get people to come to her party in the summer--seems like everyone is traveling. I am not sure if it's this area, my luck, or what. Last year, for the first time, I held her birthday early, in June before school got out and it's the first time she had a decent showing of kids (as in 12 showed up as opposed to just 1 the year before and 2 the year before that).
My son has a July birthday and we have to beg, plead, and cajole people to come. My other daughter has one in November and I wish we'd get more "no's" No one goes away her birthday weekend in November because everyone goes away over Thanksgiving or the 2-day break for Fairfax County.

I grew up in Philly and have an August birthday, and it was the same way there. I once had 3 people come to my party, and I cried.
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Old 04-24-2012, 05:53 PM
 
Location: Springfield, VA
20 posts, read 57,096 times
Reputation: 13
Wow! Thank you all for the replies. I think I may look into the neighborhood pool. We're thinking about signing up. I looked around at other park birthday packages but I think I want to aim more for the let the kids run around type of thing instead of a structured type. Plus the cut off seemed to be 10 kids...trying to get RSVPs is a nightmare. I may try again next year for the parks.

Thanks everyone!
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