River Legacy Science Center and Park in Arlington

We took a little day trip with a group of friends last week down to Arlington for the River Legacy Science Center.

I had two of my boys with me ages 3 and 5. We arrived after the 45 minute car ride in which my navigation system got a little pushed out of shape. It seems that my idea of how to get there differed from hers. But we made it and found a beautiful tree covered parking lot with trails that lead to the Science Center.

The center is nestled in the trees between ponds and creeks and trails. It’s architecture was inspired from children’s drawings. It is a special place that feels a bit whimsical. There is no admission. All the attractions there are free.

Inside there are several learning areas. Each has interactive exhibits geared to grade school age children. The kids ran around pushing buttons, finding animals and exploring the center.

This photogenic snapping turtle was my favorite. He was fine with posing for multiple pictures unlike the boys.

The boys were partial to a fuzzy tarantula they found nestled in the tree exhibit pictured above.

Outside is a really pretty observation deck to the pond. I loved the building architecture here. We were able to observe some snapping turtles in their natural habitat from a bit of a distance.

All around the Science Center and through River Legacy Park are trails. Our group consisted of quite a few small children so we concentrated on the ones around the center. It would be fun to go back and do some more exploring. River Legacy Park is incredible. It is huge. There is a play area, multiple picnic areas – both covered and uncovered, and wide open space.

The kids played on the playground for awhile and then we enjoyed a picnic on a nearby table. We spent a total of 3 hours. We could have spent more if we had the time and energy. It was worth the drive and we will return.