Prince William County is just 30 miles west of Washington DC.  It’s an easy drive into DC for the day OR you could even metro or take the train.  In addition to providing more affordable hotel options, Prince William offers its own host of amazing experiences like historic sites and awesome outdoor activities, plus a large amount of unique food and drink options.

 

Essentially, don’t forget to spend some time in this area before or after you explore DC OR just take a day trip there.   Next time we drive past this area on I95, I’m skipping our usual fast food stops and trying one of Prince William’s unique, hometown feeling restaurants.

 

I also know my kids would LOVE to see one of the historical sites they’ve been studying in school and PWC is full of them.

 

 

Sometimes I long for that feeling of the simple life and small-town charm:  look no further than Occoquan.

 

What a great stop this would be on the way home from Washington DC or even on its own as a fun get-away.  This quaint, darling, walkable small town is perched on the Occoquan River and boasts so many cute restaurants and shops.

 

 

 

 

We stopped at the very family-friendly coffee shop called Grind N Crepe.  Grind N Crepe serves lovely crepes that my kids would devour.

 

They also have a picnic table seating outside on a darling patio.  Everything was delicious and the adults loved the Nitrobrew that fueled for a day of exploring.

 

 

You don’t have to go to Maryland to experience crab picking!  Tim’s Rivershore we came to learn, is truly a Prince William County “institution.”  It has such a beachy feel with tables and umbrellas on the sand overlooking the Potomac River.

 

We saw many young families and there’s even a spot where families can sit outside and kids can play in the adjacent sand.

 

 

 

 

We picked delicious crabs on a warm August day with live music on a pier in the background.  If you aren’t on vacation but want to feel like you are, head to Tim’s!

 

 

I imagine a pub in Ireland is the type of place where everyone feels welcomed.  It’s full of friendly and cheerful Irishmen and women.  MurLarkey Distilled Spirits must be the closest Virginia has to a real Irish pub.

 

However, this “pub” is actually a distillery and makes their own delicious and natural craft spirits including Vodka and Whiskey.

 

 

We received a tour from Kevin who makes the spirits:  his enthusiasm was contagious and his pride apparent.  They take real delight in using natural flavors to enhance their spirits (ie, dried bananas or cinnamon sticks instead of bottled flavoring).  The tour was fascinating, along with the tasting where they provide ideas of very simple mixers to enhance the liquors.

 

 

Well, believe it or not, they do have a small area with coloring books and they serve kids pretzels so parents can enjoy one of their INCREDIBLE specialty cocktails before moving onto dinner elsewhere. 

We chatted with the other owner, James, and his daughter as they served up amazing cocktails at the bar and never seemed too busy to engage.  What a gem MurLarkey is!

 

 

 

 UPTOWN ALLEY in Manassas Mall Families are always looking for a place where EVERYONE in the family can have fun.  Uptown Alley in the Manassas Mall definitely has that recipe perfected.  The place is huge as it resides in a former Macy’s department store.

 

 

They serve food that is NOT your typical bowling alley fare.  I enjoyed a delicious steak salad while my friends had a gourmet burger with out-of-this-world fries.  They had so many craft beers and if you’re worried whether your kids can make it through dinner, just have them start on the bowling while you finish dinner or have it in your lane!

 

Also, my kids would have LOVED the huge arcade and laser tag area.  As we were leaving, an 80’s cover band was starting to play in a beautiful, enormous venue.  All of this takes place in ONE spot:  Uptown Alley Manassas.

 

 

Rockwood Sports Bar & Grill has built quite a reputation for their elaborate brunch that will please the whole family.  It truly had EVERYTHING you could think of at their famous Sunday buffet.

 

 

 

The food was very high quality though and not your standard kid buffet foods:  there were tomato and mozzarella salad, amazing ribs, a taco bar, salmon and steak along with your typical brunch food like waffles and biscuits n gravy.

 

My kids would have been in heaven with their fondue and dessert bar.  They also have mimosa flights and a Bloody Mary bar.  There were so many families there enjoying all Rockwood had to offer!

 

 

 

I have never seen anything like the new Farm Brew LIVE “campus.”  I’m not even sure what to call this amazing place!

 

What started out as a craft brewery has morphed into a park slash small concert venue slash upscale food court.  And when I say it’s THE perfect place for families to gather, I mean it.

 

 

The owners quickly picked up on the need for young families to socialize with their kids in tow.  So there is a playground on the campus with an ice cream truck adjacent (“boozy” flavors included).

 

 

 

There were food trucks and bars all over the place.  Inside the brewery, there is a tasting and tour room with wood-fired pizzas in their restaurant.  This place was packed with hipsters pushing strollers!