Location, Location, Location! Things to Do and See in the Washington Metro Area and in the Region.

Sports and Outdoor Recreation

Sports fans can catch NFL, MLS, NBA, and NHL action by attending Redskins, Nationals, Wizards, Mystics, D.C. United, and Capitals games in D.C., as well as Ravens and Orioles games in Baltimore. For those who like the water, a variety of sailing, rowing and SCUBA clubs, as well as fishing hotspots, can be found in and around Washington, D.C. Nearby state and national parks offer opportunities for hiking, biking and camping. For skiing and snowboarding, Whitetail, Liberty, and Wisp Resort are 1.5 to 3 hour drives from the city.

Nightlife, Bars and Clubs

Downtown Washington, Dupont Circle, and the U Street District in (hust to name a very few!) host a wide variety of bars and clubs catering to many tastes in music, dancing and other interests. You can browse bar and club reviews on the Washington Post's D.C. City Guide or on Baltimore Citysearch.

Shopping

Everyone loves to shop. You can find high-end specialty stores and big bargain outlets in and around the area. There's even an IKEA in College Park. Head north for quirky shopping choices in Baltimore.

Festivals

How about a party on the street? Washington, D.C. is host to all kinds of festivals, including the National Book Festival, National Cherry Blossom Festival, the Duke Ellington Jazz Festival, Folklife Festival, the Green Festival, and the Capitol Barbecue Battle. Baltimore's festivals include Hon Fest, Artscape, the Kinetic Sculpture Race, and the Renaissance Festival. Both cities also feature numerous ethnic festivals, and events celebrating beer and wine, food, pets, crafts, music, charitable causes, and more.

Culture

If culture is what you crave, the Smithsonian Institution museums and National Zoo—all of which are free—will keep you busy over many, many visits! For something more interactive, try the International Spy Museum. A wide variety of theaters showcasing plays, dance and music, and comedy, from small and experimental to Broadway-style and national, can be found throughout D.C.. These include the Kennedy Center, historic Ford's Theater, and National Theater.

Baltimore is home to the National Aquarium, Baltimore Museum of Art, The Walters, the Contemporary Museum, and the eye-opening American Visionary Art Museum; as well as theaters such as the Hippodrome, Wolf Trap, Lyric Opera House and the Meyerhoff, which is also home to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.

History buffs can visit the Capitol, national monuments, Colonial Williamsburg (Va.), or Civil War battlefields.

Movies

Movie lovers see classic and world cinema at the AFI Silver in nearby Silver Spring or catch an independent production at the annual Filmfest D.C. (We've got plenty of places to see good old blockbusters too!)

Food

Are you a foodie? Do you like to cook? You've come to the right place. With people from all over the world visiting, living, working or attending school in the area, you'll find restaurants, specialty food stores and farmers' markets that reflect this cultural diversity.