D.C.
more than museums, tours
By Jill Thomsen
On-line Forty-Niner
 Our
nation’s capital is more than monuments,
museums and politics. In fact, it is a vacation
perfect for students who want to experience
a variety of things to do from nightlife
activities to relaxation in the great outdoors
on the East Coast.
Although most students likely remember D.C.
as the destination of choice for high school
trips that involve seeing Smithsonian museum
after Smithsonian museum, the District is
an ideal place for enjoying Mother Nature
at her best.
The capital and its outlying areas are a
wonderful place for hiking and camping.
The Capital Crescent Trail runs from Georgetown
to Bethesda and is a gorgeous hiker-biker
trail running for about 11 miles along the
right-of-way, formerly used by the Georgetown
Branch rail line of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad.
Most of the trail crosses through parks
and other wooded areas. It also passes over
four historic bridges, through two historic
tunnels and provides beautiful vistas over
the Potomac River.
Rock Creek Park offers another chance for
visitors to relax and enjoy the natural
beauty of D.C. Nestled in the heart of D.C.,
Rock Creek is run by the National Park Service
and offers horseback riding, soccer fields,
gorgeous picnic spots and many jogging and
rollerblading trails.
The Potomac River is the wildest river running
through a metropolitan area anywhere in
the world. The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
runs parallel to the Potomac starting in
Georgetown and offers a wonderful walk through
history as well as chances for canoeing,
Civil War reenactments and boat trips down
the canal.
Arlington National Cemetery, across from
the Lincoln Memorial in Virginia, is also
a wonderful place for walking and includes
terrific vistas of D.C. Although trips to
John F. Kennedy’s gravesite and the Tomb
of the Unknown Soldier are naturally part
of most cemetery visits, take the time to
walk around the lesser visited sections
of the hallowed grounds where the true heroes
lie.
After a relaxing day enjoying the outdoors
and easily forgetting you are even in a
metropolitan city, take advantage of the
fact that D.C. has become “hip” and enjoy
a great night on the town.
The part of D.C. known as Adams Morgan has
a great strip of bars, clubs and singles
on the prowl. The 9:30 club on V Street
has a great music venue with an intimate
atmosphere featuring headlining acts. Remember,
however, that smoking inside is still legal
in D.C. so your clothing will also become
familiar with the aroma of Marlboros. The
D.C. suburbs of Rosslyn and Clarendon in
Virginia also offer a nightlife scene, though
it is slightly lower key.
As you are traveling in D.C. bear in mind
that there is no need to rent a car, as
the city’s metro system will take you virtually
anywhere for under $2. In fact, you can
even get to D.C. nonstop on getable Airways
for under $200 roundtrip.
Once you are there, you can enjoy all the
Smithsonian museums and eat for free.
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