Playseum Upstairs, Bethesda

As her fourth child neared the end of his first year, Miss Gina decided to be a home-based mom full time. She loved being closer to her kids, but it had its challenges: life was busy, but there weren't many kid-friendly public places where she and her tots could relax together. Sure, she could sign them up for classes or for the toddler-only division of the UN, but if she wanted to spend time with them, the options were limited.

One night, inspiration struck, and Gina stayed up all night jotting down ideas that seemed to flow faster than her own thoughts. She wanted to create a warm and welcoming place where parents, nannies, and children could come, create, and relate with one another.

Three years from when her pen hit paper, Playseum opened its doors. Attractions that welcome kids and caretakers include the imagined village of CityShops, where little ones can make pretend Domino's pizza and pop their heads into Safeways and pet shops. Likewise, Playseum Upstairs at the Bethesda location hosts activities such as billiards, baking, art, and music for tweens and teens. An on-site bookstore caters to both kids and adults, with cookbooks, fiction and non-fiction offerings, and school books.