Adventures, Entertainment, Fun & Games, History, Life in the Capital, The Features, Tourism

Tourism: Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens

Nestled in Northeast, you’ll find a time capsule from the past, where the remnants of Washington’s natural history of wetlands and rivers flourish. Kenilworth Park and Aquatic Gardens is the hidden gem of the DC area National Park System and a excellent spot for DCers to escape to for a serene and educational respite.

In the late 1800s, Walter Spondhaw bought a piece of land along the marshland flats of the Anacostia River. Shaw, a Maine native, planted a few wild water lilies in a pond of this strip of land. The lilies took on like gangbusters and Shaw planted other lilies and varieties of flowers. When Shaw died in 1921, his daughter, Helen Shaw Fowler, expanded the gardens and made the location where U.S. presidents, their families, and neighbors would take day trips to. Continue reading

All Politics is Local, Business and Money, History, Life in the Capital, News, The Daily Feed, The District

America The Beautiful Quarters To Feature Local Sites

Photo courtesy of
‘two hundred two-bits’
courtesy of ‘philliefan99’

Starting in 2010, the United States Mint will issue 56 quarter-dollar coins featuring designs depicting national parks and other national sites as part of the United States Mint America the Beautiful Quarters Program.

The first regional quarter will be for Fort McHenry National Monument representing Maryland in 2013.  Followed by Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in 2014, Delaware’s Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge in 2015 and West Virginia’s Harpers Ferry National Historic Park in 2016.  DC rounds out the pack with Frederick Douglas National Historic Site located in SE in 2017.

Each year, the public will see five new designs depicted on the tails side of America the Beautiful Quarters.  The quarters will be issued in the order in which the honored site was first established as a national site. This year the quarters will feature Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, Yosemite National Park in California, Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona and Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon.

The Daily Feed, We Green DC

Guns at Great Falls and Other National Parks

Photo courtesy of
‘Limberger’s Victory (cinema 1915)’
courtesy of ‘New York Public Library’

Today, a new law goes into effect that allows firearms in many national parks.

Previously, guns were generally prohibited in national parks, except for some in Alaska and in parks that allow hunting.

Now, the national parks — there are nearly 60 in this area — follow local gun laws. Anyone who can legally possess firearms under federal and state law can now possess those firearms in the national parks in that state, except in federal facilities such as visitor centers and ranger stations.

In fact, some folks suggested driving their guns out to Great Falls this afternoon, just because they can.

So what does this mean for, say, the Jefferson Memorial? Or the Mall?
Continue reading

Adventures, The Features, Tourism

Tourism: Catoctin Mountain Park

Photo courtesy of
‘Catoctin Mountain Park-5’
courtesy of ‘TrailVoice’

Nestled an approximate 90 minute, northwesterly drive from DC,  Catoctin Mountain Park located just outside of Thurmont, MD, is a great spot for a day trip or the perfect location for a weekend getaway from the district’s hubbub.

I’ve long had Catoctin on my radar since moving the DC, in fact visiting the national park is one of my New Year’s resolutions. And while I wouldn’t consider now the perfect time to visit the park, I’m of the spring/summertime hiking ilk, the park is definitely still opened to hikers, drivers and visitors, although you should check the park’s website prior heading out for closure updates, and is well worth the effort. Continue reading

The Daily Feed

Park For Free

Shenandoah N.P. by numbphoto

You have to agree that as much as we love DC, it’s always nice to get out of the city.  Luckily for us there are a lot of national parks in the area that make for great road trip destinations with family and friends (or by yourself if you’re the loner type).  I know one of my favorites to visit in the fall will always be Shenandoah National Park, that is when it’s not swarming with people.

But what about those pesky park entrance fees?  Well, the National Park Service is waiving them for certain parks for three weekends this summer, so dust off those hiking boots, load up your car full of beer and weenies, and get your nature on! Continue reading