Theatre & Events
Date NightWolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
FreeCatch a summer concert at the open-air Filene Center or a children's show in the woods at the only national park for the performing arts.
Photo: Cfschris, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.
Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily FavoriteHistory Buff
Great Falls Park
9200 Old Dominion Dr · McLean, VA
Why you should go…
At Great Falls Park the Potomac River drops 76 feet over a series of rocky cascades on the Virginia side of the river. Three falls overlooks sit a five to ten minute walk from the visitor center, and about 15 miles of trails follow the cliffs of Mather Gorge. You can also trace the ruins of the Patowmack Canal, a bypass canal backed by George Washington that began operating in 1785.
- #waterfall
- #national park
- #hiking
- #rock climbing
- #potomac river
Good to know
General sport & outdoor guidance
Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.
Weather calls the shots
Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.
Shoes, water, sun cover
The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.
Parking and launches fill early
On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.
Daylight shrinks in shoulder season
Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.
What's around here?
The closest stops to Great Falls Park, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.
4.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events
- MuseumsDate Night
Glenstone
FreeSee postwar and contemporary art in quiet pavilions and outdoor sculptures set across meadows, woods and a water garden.
4.4 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums
- SightseeingHistory Buff
Embassy Row
FreeStroll Massachusetts Avenue past Gilded Age mansions turned embassies, with flags and statues of world figures on the way.
11 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing
- Sport & OutdoorOutdoor Adventure
Rock Creek Park
FreeHike, bike or ride wooded trails along Rock Creek through the city and stop at historic Peirce Mill.
12 mi awayMore like this
- Sport & OutdoorOutdoor Adventure
Key Bridge Boathouse
Under $25A Georgetown boathouse on the Potomac renting kayaks, canoes and paddleboards with guided tours available.
12 mi awayMore like this
- Sport & OutdoorFamily Favorite
Smithsonian's National Zoo
FreeGiant pandas, elephants, and 2,000 animal residents in Rock Creek Park, one of America's best zoos, and it's free.
12 mi awayMore like this
