Activities with teen boys (Washington: renting, amusement parks, houses)

[cortona5]

I've lived here for 10 years, and my oldest just turned 13. I"m transitioning to more teen activities in the DC area, especially if my son has friend over. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[neighborhoodfind]

Water parks, Amusement parks, the Spy Museum to start. The Smithsonian has lots of events for his age group. It really depends what your son is interested in.

[Oogax3Girl]

Don't do the spy museum! It's a waste of your money!

I went there when I was 13... I had always wanted to go since I heard about it on TV, and then it was a total let down. It might bee fun for like an 8 year old, because you get to climb in a duct... but other than that... don't do it.

What about just letting your son hang out at a mall or go see a movie with his friends? At that age... those are the most fun 'teen' things to do. And they're very cheap and easy.

[claremarie]

The best things to do with teenage boys are to exhaust them. Here are some ideas:

Skateboard parks. There are several in northern Virginia, and probably some in Maryland as well, though I'm not certain about that.

Cycling on the bike paths. Depending upon where you live, you can head into DC, and ride along the Potomac to Mount Vernon, or head out of town to a suburban center for ice cream and burgers. If you have mountain bikes, you can also ride along the C&O Canal towpath.

Paintball or Air-soft. Or if you're sufficiently adventurous, find a gun club open to the public and let them learn to shoot real guns.

Kayaking or sailing on the Potomac. If you're renting kayaks, you will probably need an adult for each boy, as they will not be allowed in a single under age 16.

[TSXmom]

LaserTag

[cortona5]

Thanks for the great suggestions!

[smakawhat]

biking the mt Vernon trail and into DC for the win!

[Mtwll]

I know exactly how you feel. My son is 15 and we just moved here from GA a while ago. He struggles with things to do as well. We lived in a neighborhood in GA where the kids were all very active in sports. Every day they were at one anothers house playing football, basketball, baseball, or something. They also roller skated a lot. But unfortunately he hasn't found that here. Many of the kids his age from school just want to hang out at shopping malls and that is not his thing. So it has been quite an adjustment. I'm really hoping that we can find a baptist church in the chevy chase area that has an active youth group or something that he can get involved in.

[Mrs. 14th & You]

Does you son enjoy outdoor activities? If so, this is a great area for them.

There are a bunch of climbing gyms in the area. I recommend Earth Treks and Sport Rock. Both have indoor and outdoor classes for kids and teens. I can not, however particularly recommend any of the instructional groups not affiliated with those gyms.

For boating, try renting from Jack's or Fletcher's boathouses. Both have canoes and Kayaks. At Fletcher's, you can choose to boat on the canal in a kayak, canoe, or rowboat or you can take the to Potomac in a canoe or kayak.

This is a great area for biking. If you're looking for tails other than the Capital Crescent, Mount Vernon, and Beech Drive, go to any REI store to get some inexpensive guidebooks for the local area.

Hiking opportunities are also plentiful. Again, I would recommend REI as a good place to get set up with guidebooks. In some cases, you have to drive an hour or two to get to the trailhead, but if your son will tolerate it, that time is a good way to get caught up with each other.

This is a great time of year for corn mazes and harvest festivals. Some are geared toward younger kids, but the Leesburg maze at Temple Hall Farm (Welcome to The MAiZE at Temple Hall Farm Regional Park (http://www.nvrpa.org/parks/themaize/ - broken link)) is a blast for all ages. (My husband and I try to go every year.) For other seasonal ideas, check out the Washington Post. Either grab the Weekend section from the Friday paper or go to the Going Out Guide online (Restaurants, Bars, Events in DC, MD and VA on washingtonpost.com) and search "kid friendly." The search term does include activities designed for small children, but also includes all-ages activities during the day that don't involve alcohol or adult themes.

Your son is also at a good age to get involved in community service. I know that the Capitol Area Food Bank, along with a lot of other organizations always need volunteers. Often food banks do not require a regular commitment.

Lastly, I've always loved the Spy Museum. Not everyone's the museum type, though. I hear that the Newseum also has a lot of interactive displays that hold the interest of children and adults alike.

[DCnative1990]

-Lasertag (closest ones are located in Arlington, VA and Gaithersburg, MD)
-Dave and Busters (White Flint Mall in North Bethesda, MD)
-ESPN zone (Downtown D.C. at metro center)