Play at a Fair
County fairs are a nostalgic end-of-summer tradition for all ages, with carnival attractions, pony rides, and indulgent funnel cake and cheesesteaks. View prize-winning baked goods and pigs at the Howard County Fair, August 2 through 9, or meet scaly creatures at the Charles County Fair’s Reptile World in La Plata, September 11 through 14. Thrill-seekers can head to the Prince William County Fair—the largest fair in Virginia—for dirt-flying monster trucks and demolition derbies in Manassas, August 8 through 16.
Go Camping
For a getaway that’s an escape into nature, pitch a tent in campgrounds around the region. Journey along Skyline Drive to one of four camping areas in Shenandoah National Park. (Big Meadows, the most popular, requires a reservation.) Set up camp before exploring 500-plus miles of hiking trails with waterfalls and scenic vistas. Limited light pollution means gorgeous starry nights. Assateague Island has beachy shores for car or tent camping, plus you might see the wild horses that roam the sand. Prefer to glamp? Cherry Hill Park, just outside DC in College Park, has wooden pods that look rustic but don’t require roughing it. (Think A/C, electricity, and wi-fi.)
Watch an Outdoor Movie
For an old-fashioned drive-in ripped from Grease, take your car to Bengies in Baltimore County, where the massive screen often shows double features. Snack-bar offerings include popcorn as well as retro treats like sno-balls and caramel apples. At Wolf Trap, the National Symphony Orchestra will perform live scores alongside upcoming screenings of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Back to the Future. In DC, check off a night swim and outdoor movie in a single splash at Hotel Zena’s weekly “Dive In Movies,” where your seat for a screening can be a float or a pool chair.
Hit the Sand
Even if you can’t make it to the ocean this summer, there are easy places to dip your toes in the water within 90 minutes of the city. Drive an hour and a half to Maryland’s Gunpowder Falls State Park, offering 1,500 feet of beach and river swimming in the Hammerman Area, plus canoe and kayak rentals. For sandy shores that are sprinkled with sharks’ teeth, Flag Ponds Nature Park in Calvert County, Maryland, is a destination for fossil treasure hunts. Cap the hunt with soft-serve at no-frills Dairy Freeze on the way back.
Pair Wine With Flowers
Raise a glass of wine (or two) outdoors and toast summer blooms you can take home. An hour out of DC in Loudoun County, Hope Flower Farm and Winery has cut-your-own fields where you can gather seasonal blossoms such as zinnias and sunflowers, then enjoy a bottle of wine on the patio. Or, on weekends through August 15, take a wagon ride to Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia, to pluck sunflowers. Neighboring winery Bluemont Vineyard brings a wagon into the fields to pour glasses of rosé while you walk through the stalks.
Enjoy an Over-the-Top Cold Treat
Top off a summer of cones with a decadent dessert. Goodies Frozen Custard & Treats in Alexandria puts classic custard between doughnuts, while waffles are the vehicle of choice for scoops and toppings at Everyday Sundae in Petworth. Can’t decide on a flavor? Sarah’s Handmade Ice Cream in Bethesda and Rockville offers ice-cream flights with six scoops, including such flavors as Thai iced tea, lavender honey, and coffee Oreo.
Stroll a Garden
More hours of daylight means more time to explore floral oases, with some gardens offering extended summer hours. At Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in Vienna, you can see end-of-season blooms including lotuses, coneflowers, and vibrant joe-pye weed until 7 pm, and pups get to tag along on Wednesdays. Meanwhile, the Conservatory at the US Botanic Garden (a cooler, indoor option) is open until 6 through the end of August for a post-work stroll. Once a month, an after-hours program stretches closing to 8, with botanical-themed mocktails and live music from the trio District Strings.
Sing at a Free Concert
Summer is the season for free outdoor music. Every weekday, take lunch to Woodrow Wilson Plaza in downtown DC and catch performances that cross genres. The Wharf’s transit pier hosts R&B, rock, pop, and more every Wednesday. Fridays on the Reston Metro Plaza stage, cover bands and tribute groups belt throwback melodies from the Rolling Stones, Abba, Bruce Springsteen, and more. There are pop-up activities such as a photo booth and a silent dance party, too.
This article appears in the August 2025 issue of Washingtonian.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Takoma.
Briana A. Thomas is a local journalist, historian, and tour guide who specializes in the research of D.C. history and culture. She is the author of the Black history book, Black Broadway in Washington, D.C., a story that was first published in Washingtonian in 2016.
