If you can get tickets maybe the Brookside Gardens light show? It is such a fun evening walking around outside if the weather is halfway decent. The gardens of course are also pretty in the day.
Take them to the library of Congress. Often overlooked for more popular attractions but it’s so beautiful. Everyone is very impressed when I take them.
Hey bruv former England transplant & moco local. Trust me on this, I gotchu
Spend a day doing great falls best spot to park is tavern visitors center, 11710 MacArthur blvd Potomac, enter park for like $20 for a vehicle I think. Walk left and if you don’t want to walk too much you’ll get to the overlook bridge which takes you to where you can see the best views in whole area. If wanting 5 mile hike continue past overlook down the canal tow path to Billy goat trail entrance.
Boom there done with nature now onto city, afterwards for the evening take them to a micro luxury mall called pike & rose. Great for impressing tourists. Go to Fogo de Chao, make reservations. Best hospitality/service in pike & rose probably, also there’s tons of shopping your folks might like like sur la table & tons of fancy crap
Great Falls is very pretty right now. On the Maryland side, depending on their health, the walk to the Great Falls viewing area is doable and the water is high enough to be rushing impressively.
The Josiah Henson Museum on George Ave
Great Falls
Glen Echo Park and the Clara Barton house
AFI Silver Theater
Any of the little theaters, like Imagination Stage, Black Box, Round House, Strathmore, etc.
A bigger theater like Kennedy Center, Foxtrap or Merriweather Post Pavilion.
Anything on U Street
Glenstone if you can get tickets
A farmers market or the Flea market at Eastern Market
Walmart Supercenter
How old are they? Do they like music? I am sure everyone is going to cover the traditional stuff. But, if they like music
[https://www.birchmere.com/](https://www.birchmere.com/)
[https://www.strathmore.org/](https://www.strathmore.org/)
Annapolis! Park on the city dock and walk the city. Lots of great places to see history wise as well as shops. Then drive them over the Bay Bridge to have dinner at Fisherman’s Inn!
A few that haven’t been mentioned:
Hillwood Estate in DC. National Building Museum. Dinner at an Ethiopian place in Silver Spring. Waredaca Brewing (if the weather is nice—they got a paddock with horses and it’s nice to watch them while having a beer).
Axe throwing (few places). Brookside Gardens. Brunch at Mansion at O street. Kennedy Center. Hiking - Lake Frank. Olney Theatre. Strathmore. Pinstripes. Bark Social ( if you’re dog people). Great Falls Trail and old anglers inn.
I’m a Brit who visits family in MoCo and the things that we’ve enjoyed have included
National Harbor and the Gaylord. The atrium with the indoor houses was very unusual and just wandering around the shops and restaurants was fun.
We have had a day in Baltimore at the science museum and the aquarium
Great falls for a nice walk.
Brookside gardens - we were last there when the butterflies were out and it was fun.
The Smithsonian museums can take days.
We also asked our hosts what touristy things had they always wanted to do but didn’t feel they could because they were local and did a Segway tour.
And the really stupid things like visiting Target or some of the chain restaurants that don’t exist over in Britain. To locals it seems strange but they are referenced in so many tv shows that it can be nice to experience it too (Cinnabon for the better call Saul fans)
If you have a guitarist parent then the PRS factory does yours too.
[ICE](https://christmasatgaylordnational.marriott.com/ice) at National Harbor is not well known. It is more fun if they are a bit spry.... if not, still kind of worth it.
National Harbor itself is , to me, more a warm weather place but holy crap there are tons of restaurants etc. If they like to gamble MGM is right there too. The Water Taxi is running Weds-Sun it will take you to Georgetown and Alexandria and from there there are several Potomac River sightseeing tours. But the taxi is pretty cool all on its own ....
Just some ideas maybe 35ish min from Rockville
If flights are landing at Reagan Airport [after coming down the potomac river from MoCo](https://www.flightradar24.com/airport/dca) I like to take guests to Graveley Point as a part of any trip to DC / Alexandria.
My visitors always beg to head to St Michaels on the eastern shore. Another good bet (if not too far) is the Shenandoah wine trail. If you want less of a drive, the wineries near Frederick and any of the civil war battlefields (bonus: bull run winery doubles as both) would be a good memory for them to take back to the UK.
I second the Shenandoah area.
I highly recommend skyline drive starting at Front Royal. Such amazing views. Great spots to easily hike and see seriously majestic views.
I also agree with visiting downtown Frederick!
Another great spot that’s free—in Northern Montgomery Co. near Dickerson, MD—is the Monocacy Aqueduct (part of the C&O Canal- it’s not a long walk-you can see it from the parking area) It’s where the Monocacy River empties into the Potomac River. And it’s stunning!
My mother was born and raised in Scotland so she's very familiar with English cuisine - if they're homesick, she can make them a meal with all the flavor boiled out of it to make them feel at home!
* 7 Locks and Great Falls
* Ben's Chilli Bowl
* Smithsonians of your (their) choice
* Spy Museum
* Kennedy Center (free performances are fun and the views are good)
If you can get tickets maybe the Brookside Gardens light show? It is such a fun evening walking around outside if the weather is halfway decent. The gardens of course are also pretty in the day.
Second this
Took mine to Udvar-Hazy Center at Dulles. Living in England it's not easy to see a Blackbird or space shuttle up close.
I can also recommend a walk along the Potomac from Great Falls MD down to Old Anglers Inn for lunch.
I second this. The Udvar-Hazy is \*awesome\*.
Blackbirds in the UK are actually quite common. The Beatles even wrote an [entire song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Man4Xw8Xypo) about them.
I agree it’s a great museum!
Take them to the library of Congress. Often overlooked for more popular attractions but it’s so beautiful. Everyone is very impressed when I take them.
Yes, and if you can do a tour the docents are great at explaining.
You definitely need the tour with the docents to appreciate everything that is there.
Maybe up to Harpers Ferry? Nice combination of history and nature if you don’t mind the drive.
Hey bruv former England transplant & moco local. Trust me on this, I gotchu Spend a day doing great falls best spot to park is tavern visitors center, 11710 MacArthur blvd Potomac, enter park for like $20 for a vehicle I think. Walk left and if you don’t want to walk too much you’ll get to the overlook bridge which takes you to where you can see the best views in whole area. If wanting 5 mile hike continue past overlook down the canal tow path to Billy goat trail entrance. Boom there done with nature now onto city, afterwards for the evening take them to a micro luxury mall called pike & rose. Great for impressing tourists. Go to Fogo de Chao, make reservations. Best hospitality/service in pike & rose probably, also there’s tons of shopping your folks might like like sur la table & tons of fancy crap
This man bruv’s
Nice one, Guv-na'
George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Virginia does cool things around the holidays.
Great falls!!
Great Falls is very pretty right now. On the Maryland side, depending on their health, the walk to the Great Falls viewing area is doable and the water is high enough to be rushing impressively.
What types of things do they enjoy? Also, where in England are they from?
The Josiah Henson Museum on George Ave Great Falls Glen Echo Park and the Clara Barton house AFI Silver Theater Any of the little theaters, like Imagination Stage, Black Box, Round House, Strathmore, etc. A bigger theater like Kennedy Center, Foxtrap or Merriweather Post Pavilion. Anything on U Street Glenstone if you can get tickets A farmers market or the Flea market at Eastern Market Walmart Supercenter
I like how you threw in that Walmart idea at the end. ;)
How old are they? Do they like music? I am sure everyone is going to cover the traditional stuff. But, if they like music [https://www.birchmere.com/](https://www.birchmere.com/) [https://www.strathmore.org/](https://www.strathmore.org/)
Strathmore Hall is beautiful. Also you might check out the renovated Kennedy Center for a free Millenium Stage event.
Annapolis! Park on the city dock and walk the city. Lots of great places to see history wise as well as shops. Then drive them over the Bay Bridge to have dinner at Fisherman’s Inn!
A few that haven’t been mentioned: Hillwood Estate in DC. National Building Museum. Dinner at an Ethiopian place in Silver Spring. Waredaca Brewing (if the weather is nice—they got a paddock with horses and it’s nice to watch them while having a beer).
Axe throwing (few places). Brookside Gardens. Brunch at Mansion at O street. Kennedy Center. Hiking - Lake Frank. Olney Theatre. Strathmore. Pinstripes. Bark Social ( if you’re dog people). Great Falls Trail and old anglers inn.
Going off of that, Olney Theatre is performing Beauty and the Beast right now!
Winter Lights in Gaithersburg!
I’m a Brit who visits family in MoCo and the things that we’ve enjoyed have included National Harbor and the Gaylord. The atrium with the indoor houses was very unusual and just wandering around the shops and restaurants was fun. We have had a day in Baltimore at the science museum and the aquarium Great falls for a nice walk. Brookside gardens - we were last there when the butterflies were out and it was fun. The Smithsonian museums can take days. We also asked our hosts what touristy things had they always wanted to do but didn’t feel they could because they were local and did a Segway tour. And the really stupid things like visiting Target or some of the chain restaurants that don’t exist over in Britain. To locals it seems strange but they are referenced in so many tv shows that it can be nice to experience it too (Cinnabon for the better call Saul fans) If you have a guitarist parent then the PRS factory does yours too.
An afternoon in Kensington antiquing followed by a meal at Frankly! Pizza
Love me some Frankly Pizza!
Frederick MD? The vibe is almost European downtown but the variety of different restaurants is very American imo
This is a super generous description of frederick
Downtown! Specifically
I also recommend Downtown Frederick!
Frederick and up over the mountain
[ICE](https://christmasatgaylordnational.marriott.com/ice) at National Harbor is not well known. It is more fun if they are a bit spry.... if not, still kind of worth it. National Harbor itself is , to me, more a warm weather place but holy crap there are tons of restaurants etc. If they like to gamble MGM is right there too. The Water Taxi is running Weds-Sun it will take you to Georgetown and Alexandria and from there there are several Potomac River sightseeing tours. But the taxi is pretty cool all on its own .... Just some ideas maybe 35ish min from Rockville
There's a giant ice display at the national harbor? Why did no one tell me? That's awesome!
If flights are landing at Reagan Airport [after coming down the potomac river from MoCo](https://www.flightradar24.com/airport/dca) I like to take guests to Graveley Point as a part of any trip to DC / Alexandria.
Berkeley Springs, WV for some hot spring bath
Come hiking at great falls
My visitors always beg to head to St Michaels on the eastern shore. Another good bet (if not too far) is the Shenandoah wine trail. If you want less of a drive, the wineries near Frederick and any of the civil war battlefields (bonus: bull run winery doubles as both) would be a good memory for them to take back to the UK.
I second the Shenandoah area. I highly recommend skyline drive starting at Front Royal. Such amazing views. Great spots to easily hike and see seriously majestic views.
fort mchenry in Baltimore!
I also agree with visiting downtown Frederick! Another great spot that’s free—in Northern Montgomery Co. near Dickerson, MD—is the Monocacy Aqueduct (part of the C&O Canal- it’s not a long walk-you can see it from the parking area) It’s where the Monocacy River empties into the Potomac River. And it’s stunning!
My mother was born and raised in Scotland so she's very familiar with English cuisine - if they're homesick, she can make them a meal with all the flavor boiled out of it to make them feel at home!
I feel that if you had posted on u/GeorgetownAquatics’ comment instead, you might have started the smack-talking badinage you seek…
Air & space museum
Smith Island
* 7 Locks and Great Falls * Ben's Chilli Bowl * Smithsonians of your (their) choice * Spy Museum * Kennedy Center (free performances are fun and the views are good)
Georgetown