Looking for things to do during the long weekend? From waterfall hikes and drive-in movies to dog-friendly day trips, add these activities to your Memorial Day Weekend itinerary.
Start Your Summer Bucket List
Memorial Day is the unofficial kick off of summer, making it an ideal start date for checking off your seasonal to-do list. Outdoor movie series are in full swing, showing classic films and new releases. This weekend you can bring a chair to National Harbor for a waterfront screening of Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, drive a car to old-fashioned theater Bengie’s for Lilo & Stitch, or see Timothée Chalamet channel Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown at the REACH. Strawberry season has commenced, and farms around the region are offering opportunities to pick your own. It’s opening weekend for berries at Larriland Farm in Howard County, and Baugher’s in Westminster, Maryland, plants over 20 acres of the fruit for plucking. Summer is also the season for frozen treats. Consult our guide to decadent ice cream, from the South Asian-inspired flavors at Malai off 14th Street to nostalgic sundaes and splits at Southwest Soda Pop Shop at the Wharf.
Take a Day Trip
You don’t need to spend a night away to access fun activities. In Ellicott City, transport to a fairytale at Clark’s Elioak Farm, where you can walk through the Three Bears’ house and other storybook structures at the Enchanted Forest. The farm also has a petting zoo. Ladew Topiary Gardens in Baltimore County is a destination for funky ornamental bushes trimmed into different shapes. Stroll charming streets, enjoy nautical pursuits, and dine on seafood in Eastern Shore enclaves such as St. Michaels, Oxford, and Cambridge, pretty waterfront towns an hour and 45 minutes away from DC. Taking your dog along for the ride? Check out our list of dog-friendly day trips, including dog beach Quiet Waters Park near Annapolis and winery Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery, which has libations for humans and a large grassy area and creek for dogs.
Go on an Outdoor Adventure
Spend the extra day of weekend exploring nature. The DC area has easy access to great hiking destinations, including over 500 miles of trails in Shenandoah National Park. For a hike that ends with a magnificent view, consider trekking to a waterfall. Some recreation is easily paired with a great meal or drink, such as the Rhode Island Avenue Trolley Trail, a bike path that runs along the train tracks from Northeast DC to College Park. The trail moves through Riverdale Park, so you can stop for a lunch of Texas-style brisket and ribs at 2Fifty BBQ. In Dickerson, Maryland, reward a hike up Sugarloaf Mountain with frozen cocktails at nearby Comus Restaurant & Beer Garden. For an exploration on the water, rent kayaks, canoes and paddleboards from Boating in DC boathouses across DC, or grab a paddle at Belle Haven Marina in Alexandria and set off in the direction of Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve.
Hang with Animals
Pandas are the National Zoo’s claim to fame, but the Metro Richmond Zoo has their own drive-worthy residents: orangutans Patrick and Lucu, who have recently become viral celebrities. You can book a private tour to learn all about the duo, getting to greet them in an area that is typically not open to visitors. The zoo also has an adorable baby pygmy hippo named Poppy, so you can get the Moo Deng experience without booking a trip to Thailand. Cozy up with cows at Brandywine Cow Cuddles, where you can kick it with Maple, Petey, Brody, Moxie, Chester, and Rox. For an additional price, you can expand that snuggle session to goats and donkeys. At Butler’s Orchard in Germantown, pair a visit to the farm animals with pick-your-own strawberries.
Stay Cool
The region is full of pools, splash parks, and water parks that are ideal for beating the heat. It’s the last summer to enjoy Six Flags in Bowie before the amusement park shuts down, though you can also check out the slides, wave pools, and dumping buckets at NOVA Park’s four waterparks. Take advantage of a hotel amenity without booking an overnight stay and get a day pass to a hotel pool in the area, from the rooftop pool at Hotel Zena in Logan Circle to the pool, hot tub, and kiddie pool at Omni Shoreham in Woodley Park. For a more rugged aquatic experience, swimming holes combine great hikes—many with scenic waterfalls—and cooling, natural pools. Kilgore Falls, about a two hour drive away from DC, is a favorite, though you need to reserve a pass in advance before trekking to the Maryland falls.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Takoma.
