Kids to Parks Day is a national day of outdoor play, connecting kids and families with their local, state, and national parks and public lands. Join the C&O Canal Trust for fun and educational activities at Fletchers Cove. The C&O Canal Trust will be on hand with family-friendly activities, challenges and tools to help visitors of all ages enjoy the park's history and have a day of outdoor fun. The Canal Trust is also offering tours of the Abner Cloud House, one of the oldest existing structures on the canal, built in 1801. Please pre-register for the Abner Cloud House tours. May 21, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Fletchers Cove, Washington, DC. More information. 

Pocahontas State Parks has a full day of activities planned, from a 10 a.m. bird-friendly walk to the 6 p.m. campfire. Other programs include fish fundamentals, radical reptiles, and a tour of the Civilian Conservation Corp museum. Reservations required for all programs. May 21, Pocahontas State Park, Chesterfield, VA. All activities free with regular admission/parking fees. More information and registration.

Early heads up on this one, which will fill up quickly. Explore the banks of Turkey Point Peninsula by paddling the Elk River with guides. Along the way, learn to identify some of the animals that call this watery habitat home. Meet next to the boat launch facilities in the Rogues Harbor Area. $20 per canoe; $15 per single kayak. Bring your own canoe or kayak for just $5 per person. June 18, 9 a.m.; Elk Neck State Park, North East, MD. Registration and more info.

The Center, a future state park, has 894 acres of diverse habitat consisting of vernal pools, meadows, ponds, streams, and a rich oak-hickory forest in northwestern Loudoun. Not only does it border the Appalachian Trail, it is only a couple of miles from the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. It is a wonderful sanctuary for Loudoun wildlife, with numerous bird species utilizing its richness. Read more about the new park, Sweet Run State Park. May 28, 8 a.m., Blue Ridge Center, Purcellville, VA. Registration and more information.

The Susquehanna Greenway Partnership is hosting an expo for all things outdoor. There will be exhibitors for disc golf, snow sports, climbing, outdoor cooking, fishing, nature photography, hiking and of course paddling of all sorts. You can also sign up for clinics on fly fishing, fishyaking, disc golf, climbing and paddling. The education tent will offer presentations of live birds of prey, American Indian culture, native plants, climbing advocacy and more. Admission is free. June 4, Shikellamy State Park, PA. More information.

The Lancaster Conservancy is hosting the 6th annual Lancaster Water Week with over 20 events created to help you learn more about their work as you paddle, stomp, explore, volunteer, and take action to protect local streams and rivers for the future. Join the Conestoga River Club on a kayaking adventure down the Conestoga River. Cost is $15 per person and includes equipment and a shuttle back to the launch location. S. Conestoga Drive to Lancaster County Park paddles will be offered June 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 12. Registration. Rock Hill to Safe Harbor paddles will be offered June 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 12. Registration.

Step back in time to enjoy Revolutionary War reenactments, a colonial market faire, encampments, hearth cooking, crafts and demos and tours of Mount Harmon. There will be a food court and tavern for your enjoyment while you enjoy the proceedings. Admission for nonmembers is $10. May 21,22, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Mount Harmon Plantation, Earleville, MD. More information.

Join nutritional therapy practitioner Shane Brill for a guided tree walk of Adkins Arboretum exploring historical foodways and future food resources, including fruits, nuts, leaves, sap, and roots. Learn about cooking techniques to optimize nutrition and reduce toxins in common foods, and discover how a permaculture approach toward plant functions supports ecological stewardship, food security, and human health and vitality. $25 for nonmembers. May 29, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.(Shane will also lead walks on July 24 and September 18); Adkins Arboretum, Ridgely, MD. Registration and more information.

Deep Roots, Many Voices is a project of the Blue Ridge Music Center exploring diversity and inclusion in roots-based music. In the online videos musicians talk about issues related to race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation, how these issues have been part of their personal stories, and the importance of celebrating diversity in the music world.

You can enjoy American roots-based music in person all summer long at the Blue Ridge Music Center. Music schedule from May 14 to October 30. The Blue Ridge Music Center’s Visitor Center, which houses the Roots of American Music Museum exhibit and a gift shop, will be open seven days a week beginning Memorial Day weekend.

If you love learning about all creatures great and small in the Chesapeake Watershed, we highly recommend following well-known local naturalist and environmental educator Alonso Abugattas. Alonso recently put together a fun homage to the ubiquitous and incredibly clever American crow, a constant source of entertainment for those who take the time to observe bird behavior. In his article, Crows - Of Mobbing and Murder, Alonso discusses what crows eat (anything), and the lengths they go to procure food, like using tools, stealing fish from ice fishermen, cracking nuts under car tires, raiding pet bowls, dining on perfectly macerated road kill, etc. He also shares a video of crows at a plant nursery, systematically pulling the shiny plastic plant tags out of the pots – pretty much for the fun of it. Alonso’s blog is called Capital Naturalist, and you can also join his very active Facebook group.

Head out on the water and learn firsthand the experiences of Captain John Smith's Voyage on NOAA's Chesapeake Bay interpretive Buoy System. CBIBS provides real time weather and environmental information, as well as a glimpse into living Chesapeake Bay History. You can also download the app for your Android or iPhone from the website. Note: some buoys may be offline with no data currently available.

Take a virtual tour of the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail from your computer or mobile device! To help you plan your trip before you go, the Chesapeake Conservancy partnered with Terrain360 to bring you virtual tours of the trail’s great rivers. Sit back and virtually explore the Elk, James (sponsored by the James River Association), Nanticoke, Northeast, Patapsco, Patuxent, Potomac, Rappahannock, Sassafras, Susquehanna, and York rivers. Check out some of the Chesapeake’s special places like Werowocomoco, Fones Cliffs, Baltimore’s Inner Harbor and Mallows Bay. We hope to eventually bring you a virtual tour of the entire Chesapeake Trail! Explore the Chesapeake's great rivers on our website.