Long Branch Nature Center

Does the Long Branch Nature Center count as a "museum"?  There are interpretive signs and live animal exhibits, so I'm going to say, wholeheartedly, "Yes!"  I've driven past the entrance to the Long Branch Nature Center, operated by Arlington County and located just off of South Carlin Springs Road, on numerous occasions, and this week I decided to take a probably-too-quick-to-be-altogether-safe and somewhat spontaneous turn into the park.  It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the leaves on the trees are really starting to turn into all sorts of beautiful colors, and I just couldn't resist the opportunity to finally check out a place that had sparked my curiosity for so long.  So, after a leisurely drive down the long and narrow driveway, we arrived at the smallish parking lot at the end of the road.  Just up the hill is the nature center's main building, and we were pleasantly surprised to encounter several species of snakes and turtles native to the area  who have found their homes in the live animal displays.  Pick up a brochure about the center, which includes an excellent map of the surrounding 17 acre park.  You'll want to continue your visit outside.  But, before you venture out of doors, walk past the restrooms (changing table equipped) and check out the kid-friendly Discovery Room, stocked with coloring pages of local wildlife, an easel and chalk, and a play house filled with stuffed animals and bean bags.  Too cute.  Also, grab a calendar of events before you leave.  We signed up for a Tiny Tots program in mid-November.  (There's a $5.00 fee and reservations can be made online, and you do not have to be an Arlington resident to participate.)  

Diggory checking out the snakes.

Another snake.  This was a lively one, hence the blurry snake head!

Heading outside, we first checked out the bird feeding area and saw a few species of our little feathered friends.  Then we walked back down the path (paved, I might add, for those of you who bring your stroller) and walked through several special gardens - butterfly, fern, rose, etc.  There are some non-paved paths around a small pond and crisscrossing between some of the smaller gardens, but you can certainly stay on the paved trails and have an equally enthralling exploratory experience.  (Nice alliteration there, Lindsay!)  The main trail further into the park generally follows Long Branch Creek until you reach Glencarlyn Park and Four Mile Run.  There are two playgrounds within the larger park area - Tyroll Hills Park is located adjacent to South Seventh Road and South Dinwiddie Street, or up the hill and to the southeast from the nature center building, and the other is just across Four Mile Run from the parking area on South Harrison Street, which is also accessible off of South Columbus Street on the east side of Four Mile Run.  Have I thoroughly confused you?  Check it out online, and I'm sure it will make more sense.   

Hanging out in the backpack carrier and hiking with momma.

We should have ventured further into the park, as we were really only a few moments from reaching the George Washington (who once owned this land) survey monument positioned where Long Branch Creek meets with Four Mile Run, but, alas, we were already encroaching upon nap time, and I didn't want to deny my poor babe (or his mother!) of some much needed beauty sleep.  On our way back to the car, we did take a moment to check out the Domes Homes, three structures made from branches designed by area middle school students in conjunction with the Arlington Arts Center.  This public art installation will be on view indefinitely.   

As we always do, we had a wonderful time, and we'll be back again for some more outdoor explorations!

Fort Ward Museum

Diggory and I visited the Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site yesterday morning.  The weather was beautiful, and I wanted to take full advantage of an outdoor museum-going activity.  Plus, I've driven past Fort Ward and signs pointing to Fort Ward more times than I can count.  It was time to take a gander and see the site for ourselves.  After making three turns...yes, only three from my house to Fort Ward, including one out of our driveway and one into the parking lot...we arrived on the grounds of Fort Ward.  It's a museum and historic site, but it's also a park with several picnic areas, a very nice and well-shaded playground, and an amphitheater.  There are two parking lots near the site's entrance, one immediately to the right and one to the left behind the museum building.  Park your car behind the museum for the best access to the building, the Fort Ward ceremonial entrance gate, the reconstructed Officer's Hut, and the restroom facility (a separate building) with the only changing tables in the park.  There is a ramp into the museum building immediately adjacent to the parking lot.  If you don't have your stroller, go around the building to the front entrance.  The displays inside the museum are very well done and provide a great overview of the Union Defenses of Washington during the Civil War.  Fort Ward is the best preserved of the ring of 164 forts and batteries constructed to protect the capitol against Confederate attacks.  You will also learn about daily life in the fort, how the fort was built, specific military campaigns in Northern Virginia, and the ongoing archaeological projects at the site.  Pick up a self-guided walking tour brochure before leaving the museum building and continue your visit outside.  

Momma and Diggory at the Fort Ward ceremonial entrance gate.

Diggory posing for the camera outside the museum's front entrance.

The original earthwork walls of the fort and the restored northwest bastion have been partially reconstructed to provide visitors a view of what the original fort would have looked like.  Follow the paved driving loop past the restrooms and enter the interior of the earthen fort from several bridges over the moat.  The loop is .6 miles and definitely walkable (or strollerable), but there are several parking areas around the loop near each of the picnic areas if you prefer to drive.  Just opposite the parking for Picnic Area 1, there is a handicap accessible path into the fort and the northwest bastion.  Once you cross the bridge, you'll go through a grassy area before reaching the pea gravel surrounding the canons.  The pea gravel is nice but impossibly deep for successfully pushing (or pulling) a stroller around.  Letting Diggory walk around resulted in lots of throwing of rocks, and he was only mildly interested in posing for the camera.  I read the interpretive panels (of course) while he climbed the stairs for a better view of the fort's layout.

Diggory climbed the stairs to reach the top of the hill over the storage magazine.

After thoroughly investigating the northwest bastion, we crossed the driving loop and rolled down the hill to the playground.  I couldn't pass it up or deny Diggory the pleasure of swings, slides, and various climbing apparatus.  In fact, he was none to pleased with me when I said it was time to go.  We traveled back up the hill, easier said than done with the stroller...there's not a path and lots of tree roots impeding our chosen route, and finished our walking loop around the park.  I stopped to read the rest of the interpretive signs and even took Diggory's picture next to the historic marker near the fort's entrance off of Braddock Road.  There's an amphitheater about two thirds the way around the loop with a more modern and handicap/stroller-friendly restroom in the rear.  Once we were back at the museum, we took our picture near the ceremonial entrance gate and loaded up the car.  Diggory fell asleep on the way home, despite my best efforts to keep him awake with several rounds of Old MacDonald's Farm, and as a result he didn't eat lunch until way past the usual time.  But, it was all worth it for a wonderful morning spent in wonderful weather with wonderful company.