Stop That Train: Wheaton Regional Park

Whenever tourist season hits full force, which it is starting to do, we begin to get in the mood to get out of town a little bit.  Stretch our legs out into Virginia and Maryland.  Neither of us ever really got into trains -- although I love my train station, it regularly functions as a Batcave or pirate hideout.  But we really liked Cabin John Regional Park last spring and thought we'd check out Wheaton Regional Park this time.  We LOVED it.  In addition to the miniature train, which is very, very similar to the one at Cabin John, there is an awesome carousel and a really different park.

We hit up the train first and after a little hiccup (we didn't get up quite enough speed to make it up one hill the first time around), we had a nice ride through the woods (although mom thought the Cabin John ride was actually more scenic).  Even though the train ride was fairly short, on top of the car ride out there, we both really needed to stretch our leg.  So we skipped over the carousel and headed toward the park.  Cam and I took off with mom screaming behind us to "be careful" running.  Sure enough, no sooner were the words out of mom's mouth and Cam went down (I had already had my turn with scraped knees last week).  And it didn't look like she'd recover, but then we spotted the park.  The big kids park.  And both of us went nutso.

Ever see a water park built on the side of a ski slope (you know, to stay afloat in the off season)?  That's what these slides were like, but they weren't water slides.  We went to check out the biggest one first.  I said I was too scared and when mom told Cami that she couldn't fit in there to go after her if Cam needed help, she declined too.  But after watching other kids fly down it, I had to try.  And I did it!  And again and again and again and again and again.  And then Cam wanted to, too.  Mom was leaning heavily toward no, but she let her.  OMG.  She shot out of there like a bat out of H.  And she didn't go again.  By that point I had hooked up with a band of six year-olds and was off wreaking havoc of a different nature.

In addition to the big kids park, there is a sandbox and a more tame playground for younger kids.  And there is a giant king of the hill mountain that I loved to run up and down.  We eventually made our way over to the carousel and Cam got her first pick of a "zebra horsey."  Big fans.  And while Cabin John has a nice, shaded park (and Porky the Litter Eater), we think we might actually favor Wheaton.  Either way, we'll be back!