D.C. is on the move.
In 2014, the city celebrated its fifth consecutive record-breaking year for domestic tourism, with 18.34 million visitors contributing $6.8 billion to the local economy. Meetings and events are also surging ahead. Last month saw the Foo Fighters celebrate their 20th anniversary by headlining a rocking July 4th show at iconic RFK Stadium, while Nationals Park was recently awarded the 2018 MLB All-Star Game.
Next year, D.C. will welcome 15 citywide conventions, including the American Academy of Dermatology and Society for Human Resource Management. The pace continues in 2017 and beyond, with Playlist Live (2015-2018) and American Chemical Society (2025 and 2028) among the multiyear bookings.
As tourists and delegates are discovering, once stodgy D.C. has become a dynamic place to visit. Presently forested in construction cranes, the city is changing shape, with $9-plus billion in development projects such as CityCenterDC and The Wharf adding significant hotel, restaurant, retail and entertainment inventory to an already rich mix.
The District and its neighbors are also hard to beat for outdoor activities. With two rivers and some 250,000 acres of parkland in the Greater Washington Metropolitan area, groups have no end of agenda-strengthening options.
Tour Time
As the national seat of monuments, memorials and museums, D.C. is ready-made for guided excursions. Kate Gibbs, Destination D.C.’s eminently knowledgeable media relations manager, calls The Guild of Professional Tour Guides of Washington, D.C., “the Marvel superheroes of walking tour experts.”
Established in 1985, the membership-based Guild and its affiliates offer a dazzling array of experiences. By foot or by bus, in the morning, afternoon or night, and in multiple languages and areas of expertise, certified “master guides” lead programs ranging from D.C.’s war memorials to the city’s Italian-influenced architecture.
For attendees looking to exercise their bodies along with their minds, City Running Tours takes solo runners and groups on runs such as Chinatown/1968 Riots, White House/Monuments and Right Proper Beer, which ends with a pint in a craft brewery.
With hundreds of miles of scenic bike trails throughout the metro area, groups have numerous options for two-wheeled excursions. Offering some 2,500 bicycles at more than 350 rental stations metro-wide, Capital Bikeshare is a ready self-service option, while Bike and Roll is a reliable resource for group rentals and tours. Along with convenient locations outside Union Station and downtown, the company offers guided and private bike and Segway tours from its National Mall location. Fun, too, is the roundtrip tour of George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate by bike and boat from its Alexandria, Va., waterfront outpost.
Founded in 1971, Big Wheel Bikes is another rental resource with five locations, including its Georgetown flagship and outposts in Arlington and Old Town Alexandria, Va., and Bethesda and Potomac, Md.
For information on D.C.’s network of bike trails, the Washington Area Bicyclist Association provides maps on its resource-rich website. Highlights include the national landmark Chesapeake & Ohio Towpath. Running 184 miles along the Potomac from Georgetown to Cumberland, Md., the path traces the history of the historic C&O canal and includes sights such as magnificent Great Falls Park in Virginia, just 15 miles from the city.
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In the wine country of Virginia’s Loudoun County, Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park features a 45-mile paved multiuse recreational trail built on a former railroad bed.
For a thrilling experience, the bike path along the George Washington Parkway connects with Gravelly Point, a public park located at the north end of Reagan National Airport’s main runway. Depending on the day, planes either take off or land directly overhead, roaring as low as 100 feet above.
By Saddle or Paddle
The National Park Service (NPS) controls some 70 percent of the land in D.C., including beautiful Rock Creek Park.Celebrating its 125th anniversary this year, this 1,800-acre urban oasis, created in 1890, features 32 miles of hiking trails plus roads and paved paths for bicycling. Along with educational programs and ranger-led tours, groups can also visit the Planetarium, Nature Center and Carter Barron Amphitheatre for summertime concerts.
Home to the Rock Creek Park Horse Center, the park is also an unexpected destination for equestrian lovers.
“The Center is a treasure that’s tucked away in one of the country’s most beautiful national parks,” says Kristin Rohr, director of marketing and communications for Fairfax, Va.-based Guest Services, which runs the park for the NPS. “Trail rides are a great way for small groups to enjoy the beauty of nature without leaving the city.”
Riding lessons are also available, along with evening and summer camps.
At heart a sleepy Southern town, D.C. is home to two meandering rivers, the Potomac and the Anacostia. Groups seeking active excursions on the water can rent kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards from Boating in DC, which also offers guided tours, classes and teambuilding programs. Convenient locations include the Key Bridge Boathouse in Georgetown, National Harbor and new Ballpark Boathouse near Nationals Park, where groups can hear the roar of the crowd and catch Friday night summertime concerts from the river.
Launched in 2014, Nauti Foods is an “aquatic food truck” serving local food and beer to boaters, paddlers and swimmers on the Potomac.
Back on land, fitness-focused groups can take advantage of the Georgetown Business Improvement District’s Healthy Days of Summer program, a free series of outdoor fitness classes and other activities promoting health and wellness hotbed Georgetown. In the heart of downtown D.C’.s business district, the Golden Triangle BID hosts free Pilates and Yogalates classes every Tuesday and Thursday evening from May through September in Farragut Park.
Located near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, District CrossFit is the city’s largest gym dedicated to CrossFit training, offering individual, group and specialty programs. For CrossFit devotees who also subscribe to a Paleo diet, Power Supply is a D.C.-based Paleo meal delivery.
Longtime Meetings Focus contributor JEFF HEILMAN always enjoys powering up in the nation's capital.
