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10 things to do in DC this fall before it freezes

Rachel Nania | rnania@wtop.com

November 2, 2018, 8:30 AM

WASHINGTON — The scorching heat is gone and so are the summer crowds. Here are the top 10 things to do this fall in D.C., before the frost and freeze set in.

A plane takes off from Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport as Julia Hurley of Washington relaxes on a picnic table at Gravelly Point Park in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, June 8, 2016, after bicycling to Mt. Vernon and back. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
Picnic at Gravelly Point  The sun is bright and the air is cool, and fall is the best time of year for a picnic. Any green space will do, but Gravelly Point is a favorite spot among Washingtonians. Nestled between the Potomac River and the George Washington Parkway, the park is an ideal place to watch the planes take off and land at Reagan National Airport. Gravelly Point is accessible by the Mount Vernon Trail for those who prefer to bike. There are picnic tables, and there’s usually a pick-up soccer game on the lawn. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
MountVernon.jpg
Visit the home of the first president  With the beautiful fall foliage around the estate, autumn is a great time of year to visit George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Tour the four separate gardens or the forest trail while taking in the breezy fall weather or explore the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin
Take advantage of the area’s trails for hiking and biking  D.C. is one of the “greenest” cities in the U.S. — so take advantage of its trails and paths before they’re covered in frost and snow. The C&O Canal is a great place to walk or bike — it winds more than 180 miles from Georgetown to Cumberland, Maryland. The Billy Goat Trail is a popular hiking trail off the C&O Trail; Rock Creek Park also has plenty of paths perfect for strolling. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, Va., is seen on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007. Wines from vintners in Virginia are drawing favorable attention and holding their own against products from more established regions, which has led the state to focus on growing wine tourism. (AP Photo/Michael Felberbaum)
Visit a local vineyard Fall is harvest time at the Virginia and Maryland vineyards. Throughout the season, many of the local wineries host festivals, food events and live music — along with tastings. Not sure where to start? Virginia Wine has a map of the closest Virginia-based vineyards; Maryland Wine contains similar information. (AP Photo/Michael Felberbaum)
AP Photo/Michael Felberbaum
(Thinkstock)
Tour D.C. by foot Learn more about your favorite D.C. neighborhoods with free and name-your-own-price tours provided by DC by Foot. Walk around Georgetown, the National Mall or Capitol Hill and take in the fall feel as you tour around with a group or on your own GPS-enabled audio tour. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/peterspiro)
Getty Images/iStockphoto/peterspiro
The grave of J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is seen at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
Get in the spirit: Tour a historic cemetery  The leaves are crunchy and the air is crisp — and there’s no better time of year to tour a local cemetery. Through Nov. 24, Congressional Cemetery offers Introductory Tours of the grounds. Alexandria Colonial Tours hosts Ghost and Graveyard tours. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
AP Photo/Charles Dharapak
MUNICH, GERMANY - MAY 28: Visitors of the Augustiner beergarden cheer during a warm summer afternoon on May 28, 2008 in Munich, Germany. Visiting beergardens is very popular in Munich during the warm weather period. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Soak up the sun with a saison  Beer gardens are most enjoyable when the humidity is low and there’s a breeze in the air — and there’s no shortage of destinations to visit in D.C. In Northwest D.C., there’s Dacha, Garden District and Sauf Haus Bier Hall; in Northeast there’s Biergarten Haus. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images
ApplePicking.jpg
Pick your own seasonal produce D.C. is surrounded by a number of orchards and pumpkin patches that offer pick-your-own options throughout fall. For the best pumpkin and apple destinations, browse our fall fun guide. (Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Village Market, a weekly farmers market that runs all summer and through Oct. 30, is the latest project from The Inn at Little Washington. Pictured: Chef and Proprietor Patrick O'Connell with Joneve Murphy. (Courtesy Rachel Hayden/Inn at Little Washington)
Farmers market  Can’t make it out to a pick-your-own orchard? Visit your local farmers market for an abundance of fresh greens, apples, cheeses and more. FRESHFARM is one of the largest organizations of farmers markets in the D.C. area — visit its website for locations, dates and times. (Courtesy Rachel Hayden/Inn at Little Washington)
Courtesy Rachel Hayden/Inn at Little Washington
FILE - In this April 15, 2014 file photo, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors as they enter the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. . A record number of U.S. tourists visited Washington last year. The city’s tourism bureau, Destination DC, announced Tuesday, May 3, 2016, that the nation’s capital welcomed 19.3 million domestic visitors in 2015. That’s up one million from the 2014 total, and it shows the continuing strength of Washington’s tourism industry after the Great Recession. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
Breeze through the museums  Summer is long-gone and school is back in session, meaning the crowds at the city’s Smithsonian museums and the city’s landmarks have scaled back. You’ll likely run into a field trip here and there, but for the most part, the coast is clear — except for the new National Museum of African American History and Culture. You still need a pass to get into that one. The usuals along the National Mall are all wonderful, but don’t forget about The Renwick, The Botanic Gardens and even the National Arboretum.   (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File
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A plane takes off from Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport as Julia Hurley of Washington relaxes on a picnic table at Gravelly Point Park in Arlington, Va., Wednesday, June 8, 2016, after bicycling to Mt. Vernon and back. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
MountVernon.jpg
Barboursville Vineyards in Barboursville, Va., is seen on Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007. Wines from vintners in Virginia are drawing favorable attention and holding their own against products from more established regions, which has led the state to focus on growing wine tourism. (AP Photo/Michael Felberbaum)
(Thinkstock)
The grave of J. Edgar Hoover, the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is seen at Congressional Cemetery in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 7, 2013. (AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)
MUNICH, GERMANY - MAY 28: Visitors of the Augustiner beergarden cheer during a warm summer afternoon on May 28, 2008 in Munich, Germany. Visiting beergardens is very popular in Munich during the warm weather period. (Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images)
ApplePicking.jpg
The Village Market, a weekly farmers market that runs all summer and through Oct. 30, is the latest project from The Inn at Little Washington. Pictured: Chef and Proprietor Patrick O'Connell with Joneve Murphy. (Courtesy Rachel Hayden/Inn at Little Washington)
FILE - In this April 15, 2014 file photo, a cast of a Tyrannosaurus rex discovered in Montana greets visitors as they enter the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History in Washington. . A record number of U.S. tourists visited Washington last year. The city’s tourism bureau, Destination DC, announced Tuesday, May 3, 2016, that the nation’s capital welcomed 19.3 million domestic visitors in 2015. That’s up one million from the 2014 total, and it shows the continuing strength of Washington’s tourism industry after the Great Recession. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

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