Alert:
Due to forecasted weather, the Water Mine will be closed for the remainder of the day.
Welcome to the Family Recreation Area at Franconia Park, home to Our Special Harbor and Chessie’s Big Backyard, a fully accessible recreation area for EVERYONE to enjoy!
If you like running through the sprinkler, you’ll love Our Special Harbor. This fully accessible Chesapeake-Bay themed sprayground has fun features including a spraying osprey nest, Chessie the sea serpent, misting sunflowers and a lighthouse. The beach area is quieter with softer bubblers and interactive water tables. The computerized water maze and dumping crab basket provide more lively activity.
For safety, children (15 years and younger) enjoying the spray park, MUST wear aquatic shoes or sandals with a manufactured back strap at all times; non-standing, non-mobile, babies are exempt; adults may wear flip-flops instead of aquatic shoes or sandals with a manufactured back strap. Street shoes are NOT PERMITTED in the sprayground.
General Admission is free for families; however there is a daily fee for each participant and chaperone for commercial or nonprofit groups. $5 for Fairfax County residents, $10 for Non-County residents. Space is limited for commercial/nonprofit groups.
Closed for the season. Check back in the spring 2025 for updated hours.
This 2,160-foot trail is designed for children of all abilities with features that appeal to the senses. Visit the sound garden, play with spinning rocks, stroll the boardwalk or rest in the unique nest seating area. Along the way, encounter all kinds of wildlife figures representing animals indigenous to the Chesapeake Bay region.
Explore the treetop canopy like never before and observe nature from a totally different perspective as you make your way up the ramps winding around the tree trunks until you arrive at the tree house!
The playground at Chessie’s Big Backyard is fully accessible to all children with padded rubber floor surface and lots of features to crawl through, climb over and ramps wide enough for wheelchair access as well. Children can enjoy slides, swings, and other specially designed equipment with access for all.
The carousel has a Chesapeake Bay theme with animals such as a turtle, frog, hummingbird and swan, in addition to traditional horses. Get ready to take a ride on the carousel that allows children of all abilities to go ‘round and ‘round, side by side, because children who use wheelchairs are able to transfer to a bench and move vertically, rather than riding in a fixed position.
$4 per person, Monday - Friday; $5 per person, Saturday, Sunday & holidays
After-Hour/Season Rental Fee (Per Hour)2 $ 100
2The after-hour/season hourly rental fee is applied in addition to the established per person ride fee for rentals occurring during non-operating hours/season.
Please note that amusements may close early.
Aug. 19 - Oct. 27 |
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays |
11 a.m. - 6 p.m. |