Fall in Washington, DC. Some activities and events.
What to do during Fall in Washington, DC. If your new to the area, take heed.
Yes, the crisp, clean feeling of Fall in Washington, DC is already upon us as I’m writing this in mid September. The nights are getting colder, and that signature smell of Autumn is blowing into The District. Whether or not your a fan of Fall, it’s hard to downplay all the fun you can have around Washington, DC while the area slowly transitions from hot to pleasantly chilly, and from unbearable humidity to “I-just-stepped-into-Maine-cool.” (My own coined phrase.) Between the beautiful Appalachian Mountains to the west, apple orchards and pumpkin patches to the south, and all the things DC has to offer.
Whether it’s your first Fall in Washington, DC or your a seasoned veteran of our crazy weather, there is something for you. I’ll briefly go over some of my favorites with a link to their websites (not all would be exactly “Fall in Washington, DC” proper, but their close enough!):
The Maryland Renaissance Festival!- Every year, this amazing thing happens…and it’s called the Maryland Renaissance Festival. About 45 minutes outside the heart of Washington, DC, this sprawling festival is nothing but a good time. With costumes of lady and lord alike with period garb from the Renaissance age. Sometimes you’ll even get to see the confused warlock (fantasy buff like me, I’m sure) or that ruggedly dirty Scotsman in his battle kilt. Drinking mead, making merry, eating a gigantic turkey leg while sipping on an ale. Whatever your fancy, you might find something fun to do there, even if it is just people watching. It’s a good day out and it lasts from late August to mid October. Grab your tights and head on out. Here’s their website.
Applepicking!- If you love the outdoors, and you love “that country feel” of walking through an orchard, grabbing a delicious granny smith from a low-hanging branch, polishing it on your shirt and biting right into that juicy, sweet, heavenly fruit, then you should probably check out Stribling Apple Orchard. Mind you, you probably should be paying for the apple, but that’s all part of the gig. You go, you pick your own apples (pumpkins too!) and you pay for ’em. That’s not all though…you see, when you go into the tiny store to pay for your apples, my oh my, are you in for a surprise. The little shop there at Stribling is full of pies, tarts, apple butter, and a whole list of other country goods. Check it out, apples are ripening.
Taste of DC!- Coming up in October, on the 12th and 13th, is the extremely popular Taste of DC food festival. The festival encompasses five blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue with that areas restaurants, there’s drinks, entertainment, and quite a bit more. It’s a pretty huge deal here in DC. You can find all the info, and buy your tickets here.
Touring Skyline Drive during peak Fall colors!- This is one of my favorite things about living in DC. You have gorgeous countryside and the Appalachian Mountains within an hour from here. Part of that “beautiful countryside” is the nationally acclaimed Skyline Drive. It’s been declared one of the top 10 scenic driving routes in the area and it is especially so during Fall. Peak color for this Fall is predicted between mid October and early November. The other amazing thing about Skyline Drive is, since it goes right through Shenandoah National Park, there are spots along Skyline Drive that allow you to park and hike. There are also a lot of lookouts which are all beautifully scenic. Here’s their website.
I just wanted to give a small selection, some of my favorites. There is assuredly, much more things to do during Fall in Washington, DC. Hiking on the C&O canal, kayaking down the Potomac, or Octoberfest-ing it up here in DC, there’s just so much to choose from! I hope I gave you some good ideas of some of the fun things to do for Fall in Washington, DC. There’s plenty more!
You could literally search “Fall in Washington, DC” in your browser and it will give you hundreds of great things to do, and all of it really is IN or right around DC.
I hope you found something you liked! Also, just as we are a dental office, I also have to say…brush after eating your Halloween candy!
Stay healthy my friends…