Inside The St. James, Northern Virginia's Massive New Sports & Recreation Complex for Families

By Kim Humphrey
Posted Dec 12, 2018 Things to Do Just For Fun DC/MD/VA

450,000 square feet. 10 acres. Equivalent in expanse to 8 football fields or 8 White Houses or 2 U.S. Capitol Buildings - plus another 150,000 square feet! 

That's how massive The St. James is, Northern Virginia's new sports, recreation and wellness megaplex that opened a few months ago just outside of Washington, D.C. in Springfield, Virginia.

Available Now:

If you live in the D.C. area, or any hard-charging, over-achieving metropolis where youth competitive and travel sports are ubiquitous, you know how far parents will go - literally, driving all over town - to get their young athletes to the myriad of practices, tournaments, lessons, and training sessions to catapult them to the top of their game in their sport of choice.

Enter The St. James.

The vision of co-founders and co-chief executives, Kendrick Ashton and Craig Dixon, both raised in the D.C. area, The St. James aims to turn this model on its head and bring some much-needed sanity to area families. How? By aggregating everything a family could possibly want and need in the realm of recreation, sports, and wellness under one (very large) roof -- allowing families to drive less and play more, together. 

 

Whether you want to rock climb, ice skate, work on your golf swing, perfect your jump shot, scale a ropes course, take some batting practice, swim laps, work out in a premium health club, find your zen in a yoga class, practice your foot work on the region's only FIFA-regulation sized indoor turf field, relax with a massage (I can personally recommend this one), or dine on Spike Mendelsohn-designed eats - you can do all of this and more at The St. James. 

If co-founders Ashton and Dixon are operating under the "If we build it, they will come" mantra, it seems to be working for them so far. On the day we visited, only a few short months after opening, the place was buzzing with activity. The Field House was hosting a lacrosse tournament, a couple of softball and baseball teams had taken over the Hitting House, some pick-up hoops and private training (complete with automatic shooting machine) were going down in the Court House, and both ice rinks - yes, there are two! - were occupied by practicing figure skaters and hockey players, respectively.

The St. James recently invited us to experience their newest attraction, the aptly-named Super, Awesome & Amazing active entertainment complex for kids. Part climbing structure, part obstacle course, part trampoline park, part Virtual Reality and eSports gaming center, this is 30,000-square feet of pure kid fun.

While my daughter is generally apprehensive on high ropes courses, The St. James' version is great for younger kids (and scaredy-cat adults, like me!) with easier to navigate obstacles.

The VR gaming area was also very popular with kids and adults alike. 

Did we mention Super, Awesome & Amazing also encompasses an indoor interactive waterpark? AMAZING, right?!

Unlike some of The St. James' other facilities which are accessible only to members, Super, Awesome & Amazing is available for use by members and non-members alike for a separate fee. Members receive complimentary admission to both the active entertainment area and the waterpark before 3 p.m. Monday - Thursday, but must pay in the evenings and on weekends. Fees start at $15 for members and $23 for non-members. Super, Awesome & Amazing also offers party rooms and packages. What kid wouldn't want to have their next birthday party here, are we right?!

While my daughter was occupied climbing, jumping, and gaming, I sneaked off to Courted, The Saint James' spa, to indulge in a mini reflexology and massage sesh. They had me at the heated, reclining massage table. One word: Heavenly. 

Before departing for the day, we took a quick peek at The St. James' Health Club, a three-floor, state-of-the-art high performance training center with cardio equipment and squat racks for days. Members also have access to over 100 group fitness classes per week, steam room and sauna, and childcare, as well as use of the basketball courts, ice rinks and field house.

Of course, all of these premium facilities come with a premium price tag. Individual Complex Memberships will set you back anywhere from $100 - $169/month. Some facilities are accessible to non-members at an hourly rate, such as the batting cages, ice skating, and golf bays, while others require a Complex or Sports Membership to use.

Check out CertifiKID's sports, recreation and adventure deals and coupons for even more family-friendly fun in the Washington, D.C. area.

Tags: The St. James recreation sports wellness families kids Northern Virginia Washington, D.C.

---

 

CertifiKID was founded by a mom with a passion for helping parents provide the best experiences for their children on a budget. From outings to adventures, classes to camps, theater to sporting events, amusement parks to getaways, CertifiKID provides the best family-friendly experiences at unbeatable prices. Sign up for family-friendly deals in your area and start saving!