Pick-Your-Path Itineraries
Follow your passion throughout the entire Capital Region with these themed journeys linking Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia.
Urban Waterfronts
Easily visit three riverfront locations by jumping aboard the Potomac Riverboat Company’s water taxis.
- Board a boat at The Wharf in Washington, DC, a destination in itself for amazing restaurants, shops and activities.
- Take a 45-minute ride to Alexandria, Virginia, where you’ll dock in Old Town near the Torpedo Factory Art Center. Stroll the cobblestone streets and pop into upscale boutiques on King Street.
- Following a 35-minute trip to National Harbor, Maryland, ride the Capital Wheel or rent a kayak, paddleboard or pedal boat. Tanger Outlets and MGM National Harbor’s casino are also nearby.
- Head back to The Wharf in time to catch an event like themed dance nights on summer Saturdays.
Discover more ways to explore the region's waterfronts.
Pedal Power
Bike enthusiasts can embark on a scenic cycling circuit covering roughly 25 miles, utilising several designated bike paths.
- Rent your ride at the C&O Canal & Wisconsin Ave NW location of Capital Bikeshare in the Georgetown neighbourhood of DC.
- Head east on the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal Towpath about five blocks, until you reach the Rock Creek Park Trail.
- Follow the trail south along the Potomac River, passing the Watergate complex, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the back side of the Lincoln Memorial, to the Arlington Memorial Bridge.
- Cross over the bridge into Arlington, Virginia, where you can make a detour to Arlington National Cemetery, then pick up the Mount Vernon Trail heading north.
- At Key Bridge, cross back over the Potomac into Washington, DC and take the Rock Creek Park Trail again to Capital Crescent Trail. This route follows a former railbed and has an asphalt surface for the seven miles to Bethesda, Maryland.
- Once in Bethesda, cut east using Bradley Boulevard to Pinehurst Parkway Park and the Pinehurst Trail, which connects with the Rock Creek Park Trails to travel south through Rock Creek Park all the way back to Georgetown.
Beach & Bay
Discover the beauty of the Capital Region’s coastal side.
- Start in Virginia Beach, where dolphins and whales are regular visitors in the waters as the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Spend time on sandy beaches, at the three-mile-long boardwalk or kayaking various tributaries.
- Cross the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel to move northward to Chincoteague Island in Virginia, and Assateague Island — spanning Maryland and Virginia — home to bands of wild ponies that roam the shores.
- Drive up Maryland’s Eastern Shore, making stops at charming towns like Crisfield and Easton that border Chesapeake Bay. Don’t miss a stunning sunset from Kent Island.
- Wrap up your journey with an overnight stay in DC. The Key Bridge Boathouse on the Potomac River in Georgetown is a great place for on-the-water adventures like stand-up paddleboarding and canoeing.
Culture Trip
Take a lap around some of the Capital Region’s top stops for art and culture.
- Frederick, Maryland’s downtown historic district is prime for a self-guided walking tour of the intriguing architecture. While there, tour or attend an event at the Weinberg Center for the Arts.
- View the collection of more than 6,500 works of art at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts, shop local art galleries and take in a performance by the Maryland Symphony Orchestra in Hagerstown.
- Venture south to Vienna, Virginia, site of Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts.
- Continue south to Richmond, Virginia’s capital city, to tour the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and the Institute for Contemporary Art.
- In Washington, DC, visit The Phillips Collection in Dupont Circle for superb works of modern art. The neighbourhood is also home to First Friday Dupont, a monthly gallery walk.
Beyond the District
Farther afield, two other major US cities are also within easy reach of Washington, DC:
Philadelphia
- Driving: 140 miles, 225 km
- Via Amtrak to 30th Street Station: Acela Express (1 hour, 30 min); Northeast Regional (2 hours)
New York City
- Driving: 230 miles, 370 km
- Via Amtrak to Penn Station: Acela Express (3 hours); Northeast Regional (3 hours, 30 min)
Related:
Attractions & Family Fun
History & Culture
Outdoors & Nature
Scenic Drives
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