I took a walk along the capital crescent trail recently and it was so beautiful. It's situated in…read moreGeorgetown along the water, and the views were calming and beautiful to observe while walking. I did find the bikers on the path to be entitled and a bit aggressive, so if you're walking, keep that in mind, but this does not reflect on the trail itself at all. There are numerous places to get a bite to eat or drink after your walk, so make sure you check around.

Beautiful trail! I love to run from Bethesda to Georgetown and to a metro. Trail is clean and safe…read more Only two crosswalks.

A favorite spot for a nice walk…read more If you don't like dogs, be prepared that some people will often bring their dogs unleashed to the park (although not allowed). The green boats program (which offers hour long kayaking sessions where you also pick up trash from Kingman lake,via water) is one of my favorite activities on the program, in addition to enjoying all of the lovely trails. It's a great (less traffic filled) short cut to get from Benning road to Oklahoma avenue, if you are on foot or bike. The trail can be bumpy and rocky in places so I don't recommend for road bikes or scooters and absolutely no motorized vehicles.

A little known fact is that Washington, DC has several islands throughout the city where you can…read moreescape from the hustle & bustle of city life and commune with nature right within the city limits. I used to visit the Kingman and Heritage Islands Park quite often when I lived in the DMV. They tend to have a lot less foot traffic due to their NE DC environs.

I have been coming to this park for awhile. It is a grassy oasis away from the city and the masses…read more It is mainly inhabited by the locals of the area who bring their kids here for the playground, tennis players, and to toss the ball around for the dog. You have a couple of well educated homeless people who stay here too, but unfortunately they fell on hard times and find it to be safer here than the shelters. If you run into Kathleen, she'll tell you about her Irish heritage and her performing arts degree from Catholic U and GW. Nice lady... she just talks and talks and talks. You're going to have a couple of trails around here that are good for an easy to moderate work out depending on your level. Wear comfortable shoes since they have some off a beaten bath off the main paved road. As far as the kids park, it is quaint and simple. It is gated so the youngsters won't make their great escape while you're typing away at your phone. This seemed to be the case every time I go over there. They have swings for both toddlers and older kids. Indoor handicap accessible bathrooms are on-site next to the entrance of the park next to Oak Hill Cemetery. This is what I'd consider a Victorian era park. It was established about that time and still reflects a beauty of that era that will never escape it.

In the north end of Georgetown is a large park that was once the estate of a ropemaker. He let…read moreneighbors picnic on his property and that legacy remains. The park became a public park in 1911. Today, it's a large park with grassy areas with picnic tables, a playground, tennis courts and trails. One trail connects to those found in nearby Dumbarton Oaks Park, a public park behind Dumbarton Oaks Gardens.

Blockhouse Point Park is a large park in Potomac, Maryland. There's a small parking lot with signs…read morethat explain its connection to the Civil War. Nearby are trails through the forest, some that lead to hills. There's also a wide dirt path that leads straight to the C&O Canal (without a place to cross to the actual trail).

*disclaimer* Address…read morelisted for this park is not the "parking lot" I used for my review. Additional info below." *end dislclaimer* While I have been to Blockhouse Point Park previously, it had been a number of years. This past weekend I decide to take the trip with my gf and our dog. The actual place in which we parked was about half a mile further (than the address listed for this park) on the left. There is space for about 6 cars, and the large lot, about 25 cars. The trail which we took was the Blockhouse Trail. It was quite easy with only a little bit of incline/decline throughout. Signs clearly mark the trail, which is about 2.5-3 miles round trip. Various other trails intersect and a short detour can be taken. The blockhouse trail leads to two awesome Potomac river overlooks. It was summer, so obviously there are lots of leaves on the trees. Even so, the views were spectacular. You are right above the Canal and have a nice view of VA and the river. If you are looking for something fun for a few hours that is off the beaten track and has great scenic views, this is the place for you.

Was a peaceful park. Had a nice quiet trail you can go…read morerunning or walking. Definitely worth checking out .

Nestled in the neighborhood of Fort Totten is Fort Totten Park, a spacious park run by the National…read morePark Service on the grounds of an old Civil War fort that once defended the city. The fort itself is long gone, but the earthworks are still there. What's also there are picnic tables, trails, green space, and a sign honoring the fort's history. The Metropolitan Branch Trail runs by it. Note: There are no restrooms at the park.

This is a small circle park. Part of the Worthy Ambition heritage trail. They have nice benches to…read moresit in the shade and it's well landscaped. It brings a tranquil beauty to an already beautiful neighborhood.

This is one of our favorite hiking trails in the area. There is plenty of parking and its free…read more Also it has always had the right amount of people (not too many to make it crowded and not too few to make you feel you are alone in the wilderness). There are a variety of paths of varying difficulty levels (some are flat and some you might have to put a little effort into). Another nice thing is that there is lots of coverage so even on warm days the tree cover keeps it cool. I would recommend sneakers or hiking shoes (hiking shoes would be best post rainy days as the train can get muddy). It's a great place for a family adventure in nature.

What a fun trail! it has some easy parts and some challenging…read more There were many scenic resting/stopping points along the trail..perfect for resting or photo ops. A couple porta potties are available at the start of the trail, along with some picknic tables and an amazing rocky/cliff like view. We saw a guy doing handstands...a little too bold! There were an abundance of stink bugs, but that comes with nature. I can't promise this is kid-friendly with all the challenging parts, although there were a few there! There is enough parking, first come first server deal....with HIking it's always best to get there early enough to avoid crowds and enjoy nature better. A $20 parking fee is required at the entrance.

Pershing Square Park is another fine example of repurposing federal land in the nation's capital to…read morecommemorate U.S. wars and doubling the space for leisure and recreation. Pershing Square Park has seen a few renovations over the years. In typical downtown DC fashion, this park highlights design elements embracing stone and water displays. Pershing Square Park is home to both the WWI and General John Pershing memorials. The space is part plaza, amphitheater, and park. The plaza, incorporating designs from developer M. Paul Friedberg, highlights an amphitheater-style seating, green space on the exterior of the park, and a central sunken pool basin. Erected is a life-size portrait status of General Pershing. The park's transformations over the years is a part of a long-term plan to renovate the NW Pennsylvania Avenue corridor, which aside from a few landmarks, federal buildings, and commercial businesses closing when downtown DC commuters leave work for the day, is a relatively uneventful thoroughfare in the heart of downtown DC. And much of which is due to the better developed and tourist-attracting Constitution and Independence avenues along The National Mall. Pershing Park is conveniently located and adjacent to Freedom Plaza and within short walking distance to the White House, Ford's Theater, fine restaurants and hotels, and of course The National Mall. During the day, the park is beautiful, however, at night the park is a spectacle. The water displays, memorial lighting, and backdrop of the well-lit Willard Center, Washington Monument, and Washington Hotel are the perfect setting for a date night itinerary, evening stroll, or a destination to simply relax after an eventual day on The Mall. If you're visiting DC or are a local looking for a no-cost destination to add to your itinerary, certainly Pershing Park is a must-visit.

The new Pershing Park looks snazzy, but I'm not really convinced of its use. It is billed as a WWI…read morememorial, and the Great War is a strangely forgotten piece of our history, but this spot which most people have always walked by isn't likely to change that. It has a few general sentiments, but compared to our other numerous memorials I didn't really get a sense of who fought the war. On a more practical level, the square at the center was partly overflowing with water in a way that didn't appear to be an intentional part of the overall waterworks, the seating was limited, and there are no facilities in sight. I wish we had a great WWI memorial. But this little square of theoretically very important real estate right near the White House still doesn't seem to be a destination.