Went to Harper's ferry for the first time today! It was Memorial Day so pretty packed with limited…read moreto no parking (so I would recommend making reservations ahead of time if you can). Lots of beautiful stores and a nice 1 mile trail that's dog friendly. Mind you, I recommend hiking shoes and not just sneakers since a lot of it is uphill. Would love to visit again and maybe stay in town just for a weekend getaway. People were very friendly and it's a good break from city life.

This place is must visit. Beautiful historical town. Beautiful nature. A lot of free parking spaces.read more

Cyndy's Bottom Line: A great park for a walk…read more *Parking available *No restrooms *Map of the trails posted A great park with beautiful views of the pristine landscape. Walk near the Potomac river or up the hills of trees and rock formations. There are (3) trails which are marked and easy to follow. Quite and tranquil

Beautiful , shaded park that is a bit of a hidden gem since it's not very often talk of around the…read morearea. They have hiking trails that are for beginner and also for ones that are a bit more advanced.

Smaller yet very informative home of the Roman and Webb space telescope. The exhibits are great!…read morePerfect for your little scientists and young astronauts! There's a small souvi shop for NASA. FREE ENTRANCE! Took us 1 hour to explore. Excellent Outdoor exhibits!

Had an astronomically amazing time here on a field trip with a group of forty third graders. Due to…read morestaff shortages, the amount of students is limited to forty per day, and we had booked two classroom for two days. Some students were not able to go due to this restriction. We arrived at 9:30 and had to walked around outside and observe the outside exhibits until they opened at 10:00AM. Once inside, we sat for a presentation by a very engaging employee. NASA sent the teachers a video to watched prior to our visit, so the students had some interesting questions for our host. After that, that had about an hour to explore the exhibits. Many were hands-on. Our students loved it, and had a blast. It was nice that we had the whole museum to ourselves. The cost for admission is free for everyone, not just for field trips. They are closed Sundays and Mondays. I plan to come again on my own. The first Saturday of each month they do a rocket launching. Kids can bring their own, or buy one from the gift shop which I would have liked to visit. Next ti

The reflecting pool is still undergoing repairs was empty and completely fenced off. I thought the…read moresign posted was an *interesting* one.

The Reflecting Pool was kind of an "it is what it is" experience for us. I was interested in seeing…read morewhat all the hype was about, but unfortunately, it had been vandalized about a week before our visit. Much to our surprise, the entire area was gated off when we arrived, so we really didn't get to see much of anything. I'm sure it'll look nice once everything is finished and opened back up, but it was definitely a bummer not getting to see it all completed and pretty--as we'd been told it was, lol. I know there's been some controversy surrounding it, but since we couldn't really experience it ourselves, there's not much more I can say. Maybe next time!

The NOMA (North of Massachusetts Ave) bid is on 3rd St NE, in the old Uline Arena Building (where…read morethe Beatles first performed in the US). It helps improve the neighborhood in that area.

Oh NoMa...NoMa...NoMa...where shall I begin? You used to be so much greater in the 2010s. You had…read moregreen space, cool events, friendly neighbors, decent living options...you were a NICE spot to settle down at, and a cool spot to grab a drink or two. Now, in the 2020s, you're gloomy, congested, with barely ANY green space left, uncomfortably wedged between abject poverty and affluence. Trailers block your roadways, and potholes line your roads. Everyone here is in a hurry, though nothing much is going on in this side of town besides construction. Food options are limited unless you plan to go to Union Market (NoMa's saving grace) since many businesses have shut down/condensed following the pandemic. Good luck.

The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial is one of the most impressive memorials in DC for location-specific…read morereasons. It sits between the Capitol Reflecting Pool and the U.S. Capitol building, making it a photography dream - great DC shots. This statue of Grant is the largest equestrian statue in the U.S. and the fifth largest in the world. If you're visiting DC for the first time or the 10th, it's a great memorial to include on an itinerary, because its location makes it a special one - even among all the great memorials in the city. Worth a visit for sure!

Ulysses S. Grant Memorial - This memorial pleasantly surprised me with its grandeur and remarkable…read moreattention to detail. Even from a distance, it looks monumental, and as I got closer, I noticed the many finely crafted details on the equestrian statues as well as on General Grant himself. I also appreciate its location near the National Mall with a view of the Capitol, which gives the entire area a unique and impressive atmosphere. During my visit, it was not overly crowded, so I was able to take my time exploring the different parts of the memorial and capturing some great photos. It is a fascinating place that I believe is well worth visiting for anyone interested in American history or who appreciates high-quality historical monuments.

This is a fantastic place to spend a night or 2 and get a real taste of what life was like on the…read morecanal in the 1830's. No power or water at the lockhouse, so bring plenty of water and flashlights/lanterns. I spent my final night on the towpath here while bicycling from Cumberland to DC, and probably had the best night of sleep on the whole trip. The beds are wood frame, with rope to support the mattress. It's a lot more comfortable than you might think. Please note-there are no linens provided, and the mattresses are covered with vinyl sheets, so you'll either want a sleeping bag, or bring your own linens. There is a table in the sitting room with a guestbook that you can sign, as well as several books on the history of the lockhouse and the C&O Canal. There are cooking utensils and plates/glasses available, but the nearest water is 3 miles away at Swain's Lock, so I didn't use anything, just used the mess kit that I had been using the whole trip. But if you need to use them, they're there. There are also some games and toys from the time period. Jacks, checkers, and some others. This is a really peaceful place in a beautiful setting. I wish I'd had the time to spend another night here. Maybe another time...

Nice spot to start a walk along the towpath away from the crowds of DC. Along with an old…read morelockhouse, there's a gravel parking lot and an outhouse.

We came across this interesting and unique outdoor experience as we walked around downtown…read moreAnnapolis. It is a fairly sizeable sculpture group honoring Haley as well as the accompanying story wall nearby. Allow time to take it all in, including the beautiful views of the nearby water.

The Kunta Kinte-Alex Haley Memorial is a memorial to both Alex Haley (the author of Roots) and…read moreKunta Kinte, Alex Haley's African ancestor. The memorial is in Annapolis, because it commemorates the places of arrival of Kunta Kinte as an enslaved person on America's shores. The memorial claims to be the only memorial in the United States that commemorates the actual name and place of arrival of an enslaved African (I'm not sure when this was written or whether it's still true, but I wouldn't be surprised if it is). The memorial consists of three parts: a sculpture group that includes a seated Alex Haley reading to three children, a compass rose, and a Story Wall with 10 bronze engraved plaques. If you are in Annapolis and walking around this area, definitely stop and check out the memorial. It's a special spot in downtown historic Annapolis.