The DC Traveler

The National Aquarium at Baltimore’s Inner Harbor is one of the best aquariums I’ve ever visited.  It’s up there with some of the world’s best.
And as I mentioned couple days ago, I visited Baltimore with my niece and nephew recently and while there, we also toured the aquarium.
The 2 million gallon aquarium is home to over 600 species of fish, rays, sharks, and other marine life, including birds, penguins, amphibians and reptiles.
The aquarium is split into several major sections and levels. Some of the more interesting include:

Atlantic Coral Reef -  This area is most children’s favorite stop, as they get …read more

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Now that the weather is warm (or perhaps hot), it’s time to enjoy a casual and relaxing cocktail outside, overlooking the Potomac River.
One of my favorite places to do just that in Washington, DC is Cantina Marina.

Okay, the above photo was taken in early April, on a Sunday morning, so the place looks dead, but it really does get a big crowd most evenings in warmer weather.
Situated in the Southwest Waterfront District, at the Gangplank Marina, the ultra casual and laid-back Cantina Marina offers 2,400 square feet of outdoor patio overlooking the Potomac, along with a small stage that has …read more

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Love a chilly Pilsner?  Enjoy the creaminess of a Heffenwiesen? Can you differentiate a Dry Stout from an Imperial Stout? 
If so, then the Northern Virginia Summer Brewfest in Leesburg, Virginia is for you. 
And with beer being the world’s oldest alcoholic beverage, and possibly, the most popular, in parts of the world it was drank more often than fresh water, back when water supplies were not all that safe.
But don’t expect polka music and waitresses carrying 15 huge mugs of beer at once at the festival.  Just enjoy the outdoor booths and sample up to 40 different U.S. microbrewers.  With …read more

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National Memorial Park is one of the more interesting and newer cemeteries in the Washington, DC area. And it’s worth visiting. 
The parks many acres of mostly open a rolling hills, in nearby Falls Church, Virginia are tranquil and relaxing. And with all the sculptures, if you aren’t paying attention, you might think you were transported to the National Gallery of Art sculpture garden or the Hirshorne sculpture garden.
There are numerous benches where you can sit and reflect, and I assume no one would mind if you brought a blanket to relax on the grass.
I recently took a …read more

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The Spirit Cruise Line is a Washington, DC floating landmark that offers lunch, dinner, moonlight and Sunday brunch cruises aboard the Spirit of Washington. Cruise around the Potomac and Old Town Alexandria while enjoying the sites, or take the Spirit of Mount Vernon on a half-day round trip cruise to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate. 

The 3 indoor decks of the ship are surrounded by windows, and provide room for over 500 dining guests.  Each level also has a dance floor and popular dance music spun by the ship’s DJ.  Lunch and dinner cruises usually have live music reviews, that get …read more

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Hop aboard the Ferris wheel, the carousel or the Dizzy Dragon and enjoy the Alexandria Waterfront Festival at Oronoco Bay State Park in suburban Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
The festival includes historic tall ship tours, live entertainment from bands such as on Saturday.
Take the kids to the free Children’s Harbor Tent for great crafts and activities, and then visit the Ocean in Motion interactive traveling aquarium and learn about the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
 
Toad the Wet Sprocket video – Walk on the Ocean
Your admission price also includes a tour of the tall ship Schooner Sultana, a replica of …read more

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Lafayette Park, directly north of the White House, was originally part of a larger “President’s Park,” which makes up much of the grounds surrounding the White House. It was until 1804, originally part of the White House grounds, but when President Thomas Jefferson ordered that Pennsylvania Avenue be connected between 15th and 17th Streets, the plot of land was cut off from White House grounds.
Twenty years later, the 7-acre President’s Park was renamed Lafayette Park, after the French General who participated in the Revolutionary War.  He was one of the six foreigners that were ever granted Honorary Citizenship of the …read more

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One of my favorite spots in Washington, DC has always been the Library of Congress.  However, I had not visited in several years.
Luckily, I was recently invited to a press conference hosted by Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, where the new Library of Congress Experience was being debuted.
The library’s new visitor experience located in the stunning Thomas Jefferson Building, take visitors on a tour of some of the library’s most treasured pieces, including a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg Bible, and Thomas Jefferson’s original book collection. 
Besides the collections, there’s the building itself, which should …read more

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Just 30 years ago, visiting the six wineries operating in Virginia was fairly easy.   Today, with over 130 wineries in the Commonwealth, it could take months to visit them all. 
The great thing about the many local summer and fall wine festivals, is that the wineries come to you.
At the Vintage Virginia Wine Festival, in suburban Centreville, Virginia, you can taste wines from over 35 Virginia wineries. After sampling some of the 250 wines offered, attend one of the hourly seminars at the Seminar Tents, and learn about paring, wine making and its history, and the learn about the many …read more

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From this….

To this…

With all the rain that we have had recently, Great Falls literally disappeared.
Visiting now will give you a rare perspective on the falls, that you only see after massive rain storms.
Here’s a quick clip of the falls from Tuesday afternoon (May 13, 2008)
 
Great Falls Park
9200 Old Dominion Drive at Georgetown Pike (Route 193)
McLean, VA 22102 (map it)
Days and Hours – Open daily, 7:00 a.m. until sunset.
Entrance Fee- $5.00 per vehicle, individual passes (on foot, horseback, bicycle or motorcycle) – $3.00, annual pass – $20.00
Nearest Metro subway station– West Falls Church or Dunn Loring – Orange line. Then a …read more

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