Northwest Branch Hiking Trail
Lots of Activities Lately!

1. Local Hiking: since we returned from Comic-Con, we’ve been making it a point to do an activity together each weekend. At the end of July, we went to an area in Maryland with a trail that we’ve hiked before. This time, we tried a different trail. It’s not the most exciting hike ever, and we went for longer than I expected (5.5 miles!). But afterward we stopped at a nearby Starbucks so I could get a treat.  🙂

Northwest Branch Hiking Trail

2. Scott’s Run Trail: earlier this month we hiked a loop at Scott’s Run in Virginia, which took us to a small waterfall and then along the Potomac River for a bit. The river was high due to recent rainfall, and the trail was pretty muddy. Walking out onto the rocks by the river to take in the view made the muggy, muddy hike worth it.

Potomac River

3. Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens: we missed peak bloom for the lotus flowers, but there were still plenty in bloom when we went a couple weekends ago! We had only been to this place once before, and it’s fairly small but worth a visit. I could not believe how high these lotus blooms can grow—some were taller than me!

Keniworth Aquatic Gardens

4. Arlington National Cemetery: can you believe that my first visit here was after living in DC for five and a half years?! John had been before, but we finally went together last weekend. We saw many highlights, including Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s gravestone, JFK’s memorial stone and eternal flame (pictured below), the Challenger memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. We accidentally arrived at the tomb right in time for the changing of the guard—a truly fascinating and elaborate ritual to witness. I want to return and see more of ANC another time.

Arlington National Cemetery

5. Sunset over the Capitol Building: we did a date night last week and ended up at a hotel rooftop bar called Smoke & Mirrors after dinner. We arrived just in time for sunset! The view from the roof bar is not too shabby…if you ignore the highway and smoke stacks in the foreground.

Capitol Building view at sunset