As residents of Severna Park with kids, we’ve come up with some of our favorite things to do in and around Severna Park (in no particular order), whether it be the heart of summer vacation, the dead of winter, or anything in between!
- Kinder Farm Park – Few communities can boast a public resource for kids as great as this! While residents of Chartwell and Brittingham will surely be walking or riding their bikes here, parents and kids come from all over to experience this unique park. A typical day here can involve taking the kids to play at the massive multi-tiered playground (Big Kinder), complete with restrooms and even vending machines, and then taking a few steps over to see all the great farm animals which usually include goats, sheep, pigs, cows, chickens and more! A paved 2.8 mile perimeter trail is great for biking, jogging or walking, and many more miles of natural trails are available for a hike. Admission to the main part of the park is $6/car, but you can buy an annual pass for $30 that will also get you access to Downs Park and Ft Smallwood Park and many parts of the park can be accessed for no charge. Check out some great pics at our Kinder Park Page or get more info from the Friends of Kinder Park or AA County.
- B&A Trail – The Baltimore and Annapolis Trail is a 13.3 mile paved trail starting in Glen Burnie and passing through Pasadena, Severna Park and Arnold, ending in Annapolis. The trail follows a former rail line that terminated service in 1968 and is full of joggers, walkers and bikers on nice days throughout the year. While out you can stop by for a coffee, fruit smoothie or dog treat at The Big Bean, which has tables and chairs set up along the trail and a rear entrance for those stopping in from the trail. For a bit longer break you can head a few doors down to Froyo House for the ultimate in kid-friendly!
- Eco Adventures – Have you ever wondered who has hosted the most wildlife documentaries for National Geographic Television? Ok, probably not, but the answer is Dr. Brady Barr, and along with his wife Mei Len, they run Eco Adventures, a completely interactive, hands-on and family-friendly wildlife facility. Daily programs on- and off-site allow kids to learn about and interact with various animals including giant snakes, alligators, crocodiles and countless other reptiles, amphibians and mammals. They even offer daily and weekly drop-off camps and after-school care with transportation provided!
- Greater Severna Park Mom’s Club – A must for any new resident of Severna Park with young kids, whether you already know a lot of people in the area or not. The Mom’s club puts on a ton of events throughout the year, from playgroups to adult social events.
- Severna Park Community Center – A former YMCA that is now a non-membership facility, there are way too many activities at SPCC for us to even begin to list, so check out their website. The campus includes 36,000 sf of meeting/rec space for public use, two pools, three dance studios and a large gym with volleyball and basketball setups.
- North Arundel Aquatic Center – A particular favorite in the winter, but great anytime of year! Less than 10 minutes north of Severna Park, NAAC features a zero depth entry pool including a 134 foot water slide, splash down area, water buckets, preschool water slide, vortex area and poolside spa for adults. Admission price is unbelievably cheap for AA Co residents at $6/adult and $4/child, but children do need to be at least 3 and potty-trained. No swim diapers allowed:(
- Rolly Pollies/Ultimate Playzone – Both are great destinations for kids’ parties or to get some energy out during one of their open play times. While Ultimate Playzone features many different types of bounce houses, Rolly Pollies has a much greater variety of activities and offers structured classes in gym and art and even has its own pre-school program. They also offer a monthly Parent’s Night Out!
- The Donut Shack – Okay, this is not going to take up a lot of time, and certainly not as active as some of the other options, but The Donut Shack is a Severna Park institution, and while the donuts are top-notch, there is just something so cool for the kids walking into the shop that feels like it could be out of the 1950’s and grabbing seats at the counter to order a donut and a coffee (or milk!). Cash only, although they do have an ATM in-store. Definitely a worthwhile trip, and open 24 hours!
- Severna Park Library – The library offers several organized events every week for kids and parents, and features a dedicated children’s section with books easy for the kids to access, computers to play educational games, and other various activities.
- Downs Park – Located 15 mins east of Severna Park in Pasadena, Downs Park is notable because of its dog beach on the Chesapeake. Tons of fun for your dog as well as watching fun for your kids, and the park also has a great playground, public canoe/kayak/SUP launch, fishing pier and miles of trails for hiking! If you want to do something else fun with the kids and the dog without getting your dog wet, try Broadneck Park (10 mins from SP), Quiet Waters Park (20 mins from SP) or Bell Branch Park (20 mins from SP). Quiet Waters offers outdoor ice skating in the winter, and in the summer Downs and Quiet Waters host a Concert Series, Sunday evenings in June and July at Downs and Saturday evenings in July and August at Quiet Waters, which is great fun for the whole family!
- Pools – Severna Park is a water-oriented community and residents in neighborhoods that provide access to the Severn or Magothy Rivers tend to spend a lot of time in the summer doing activities that revolve around the water. Luckily for those that do not have a neighborhood with water access or a pool, there are several pools you can join. St Andrew’s and the Severn River Swim Club feature multiple-year waiting lists for good reason, and other pools that are likely to be open for membership are Evergreen Estates, Oakleigh Forest, North Cape Arthur and North Severna Park. Additionally, several local gyms including the Severna Park Racquetball and Fitness Club, Arnold YMCA and Big Vanilla in Pasadena offer pools (Big Vanilla is by far the best for kids, but is a further drive), and the Chartwell Golf & Country Club also has an outdoor pool available to members. Another good option for lessons or parties is the Kids First Swim School.
- Movies Under the Stars – Park Plaza shopping center offers this great free night out with the kids on the first Friday of each month from June-November! The first movie usually starts around 8:30 and they get earlier each month as the days get shorter.
- Sun Valley Movies – While we’re on the topic of movies, this is a favorite 5 minutes from Severna Park, both for its kid-friendly atmosphere and its budget prices. The movies they show tend to be a few months behind the major theaters, but at about 1/3 of the cost ($3.50/ticket and adults are $1 more after 4pm), that’s fine with us!
- Westfield Annapolis Mall PlaySpace – A trip to the mall with the kids can actually be fun! The ocean-themed play area has some great activities for younger kids and the mall also boasts the most family-friendly family bathroom I’ve ever seen, multiple fish tanks and a bounce house center (that last one is not free). You can also drop your kids ages 3-9 off at their KidCare Center for up to 3 hours for only $5/hr!
- Severna Park Lanes and Severna Park Golf Center – Bumper Bowling and Mini Golf, need we say more?
- Annapolis Waterfront – The perfect place to be on a nice summer day. Stroll along the waterfront, check out the shops, and get some energy out at the Downtown Annapolis Playground!
- Port Discovery/National Aquarium/Maryland Science Center – All of these great Baltimore attractions are less than 25 minutes from Severna Park!
- Washington DC – Heart of the Nation’s Capital is less than 45 minutes from Severna Park!
Of course, this list is not all-inclusive, so if we’ve missed anything you love to do with your kids in Severna Park, please leave a comment and we’ll add to the list!
– The Severna Park Team of Cummings & Co Realtors
