Review of Frying Pan Farm

On what was perhaps the last gasp of summer, I took my daughter to Frying Pan Farm in Herndon, VA. I had noticed over the last month that she has developed a real fascination with animals. My father and step-mother were visiting from West Virginia and I was struggling to come up with how to entertain them. Our apartment is a bit too small to handle 5 adults and a baby all day long and my Mountain Man Father isn't too big on boutique shopping in Old Town. So, although it was a long drive (45 minutes) from Alexandria, it ended up being totally worth it. Plus, it meant the baby had two built in nap-times.

The farm seemed to be a very popular destination for the under 7 set, but I think most elementary students would find it an engaging place. The high-light of the trip for my 6 month-old was the animals. Lots of squeals, waving of the arms and wiggles. Overall, the animals seemed well-taken care of, although the free roaming chickens looked a little rough and the peacocks seemed depressed in their small enclosure. We caught the piglets during play-time. Pure cuteness. We also checked out the ducks, turkeys, goats, sheep, draft horses, calves and rabbits. Total heaven for a kid who adores "Old MacDonald Had a Farm."

At $1.75 for a ticket, it was well worth the photo-op to go on the wooden carousal. Lina was too tiny to really get into the experience, but everyone else on the ride had a blast. We saved the wagon-ride for next time. There were two playgrounds that seemed popular but my kiddo had more fun convincing her Nana to help her walk around the grass. My sister and her boyfriend checked out the Country Store and found some interesting books. There were plenty of picnic tables in the shade and we definitely weren't the only other family to pack a picnic lunch. Before we left, we couldn't resist a stop at the child-size tracters. All-in-all a success! My Farmer Dad felt at home and my Farmer Daughter was all smiles during the trip. Looking forward to returning a few times every year. Check out their website for more information...

http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/fpp/