Places to Go - Cox Farm's Fall Festival (Centreville, VA)

First of all, my children didn't shrink (thank god), these are last year's pictures. While we have been to Cox Farms this year, the day was really hot and sunny - making me too tired to get the camera out. Plus the baby was walking/running/attacking everything in site. Luckily, Cox doesn't change very much year after year (why mess with perfection?).

For those of you that live in the DC region, Cox Farms is the best of the best when it comes to fall festivals. It's quite large - we've never managed to see the whole thing in one visit. They have rides and activities for every age group, especially slides. So so many slides. That range from super small to quite large (as pictured, the castle slide was quite the thrill for grandma and the dinosaur slide requires a "sack" to sit on and is almost like a mini-roller coaster, I could have ridden it all day long. over and over again). They also have tons of animals and a petting zoo with goats. Haystacks to climb. Lots of free apple cider and apples (along with food you can buy). Decorations as far as the eye can see. And on weekends they have a stage with live music (watching F "groove" to bluegrass was one of the highlights of my month). Seriously, this place is beyond belief.

As great as all of the above is, I think anyone who has visited Cox will agree that the absolute highlight is the hayride. The pictures below do not do it justice (last year T was only four months old when we went and it's hard to carry a baby and take pictures on a hayride). The hayride has every common children's character you can imagine - the Cat in the Hat, Beauty and the Beast, rugrats, etc. Plus, a haunted barn, alien attackers, and other live action fun. I literally spend the whole year looking forward to this (yes, I'm that dorky).

Has anyone else been this year? Any other "favorites" you'd like to share? I'm sure I'm leaving tons of stuff out.

Click here for all the details - http://www.coxfarms.com/