The Mount Vernon Trail is located just across the river from Downtown Washington, DC and is a great multi-use recreation trail. The recreational trail is nearly 18 miles long and it follows the Potomac's Virginia shoreline from Theodore Roosevelt Island to George Washington's Estate located at Mount Vernon. The excellent scenery and consistently well-maintained condition of this paved surface makes the Mount Vernon Trail a favorite of cyclists, hikers and runners.
The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts can be considered the headquarters of stage performances in Washington, or even the whole country for that matter! The entertainment facility is immense as it sprawls out over 17 acres, overlooks the Potomac River and features six theaters that are always staging various productions like plays, operas, ballets and lots more. There are tours of the facility itself, as well as several exhibits and even an excellent concession area.
One of the city's most stunning attractions is the Washington National Cathedral that began construction in 1907 and was not completed until 1990. Theodore Roosevelt was just one of the Presidents who oversaw the cathedral's construction, and every US President has attended services there. The structure is approximately one-tenth of a mile long and it contains more than 200 stained-glass windows that create a mesmerizing effect when the sun shines through. The observation gallery within the cathedral offers still more unbelievable vantage points, and there are regular tours that explain the architecture, history and the church's mission in further detail.
Great Falls Park offers an excellent chance for nature lovers to not only experience the allure of the Potomac River, but to also get away from all the stress of the everyday grind and enjoy some truly serene moments in the great outdoors. The park is open from dawn until dusk and offers amazing views with plenty of chances to see wildlife like waterfowl. The park is situated 14 miles northwest of Washington, DC along the Potomac River in suburban Fairfax County, Virginia. The river's beauty winds through several types of natural scenery that makes for something truly captivating nearly everywhere you look.