Washington, DC & the Capital Region - Eastern USA - page 506

Frederick Douglass National Historic Site HISTORIC SITE
( 877-444-6777; www.nps.gov/frdo ; 1411 W St SE; 9am-5pm Apr-Oct, to 4:30pm Nov-Mar;
B2, B4 from Anacostia Metro) Freedom fighter, author and statesman Frederick Dou-
glass occupied this beautifully sited hilltop house from 1878 until his death in 1895. Ori-
ginal furnishings, books, photographs and other personal belongings paint a compelling
portrait of both the private and public life of this great man. Visits into the home are by
organized tour only.

Anacostia Museum MUSEUM
( 202-633-4820; www.anacostia.si.edu ; 1901 Fort Pl SE; 10am-5pm; W2, W3 from
Anacostia Metro) This Smithsonian museum is surrounded by the community that is
the subject of its educational mission, and houses good rotating exhibits on the African
American experience in the USA. Call ahead, as the museum closes for about a month
between installations.

Activities
Under the auspices of the National Park Service (NPS), the 1754 acres of Rock Creek
Park ( www.nps.gov/rocr ; sunrise-sunset; Cleveland Park, Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morga)
follow Rock Creek as it winds through the northwest of the city. There are miles of bi-
cycling, hiking and horseback-riding trails, and even a few coyotes. The C&O Canal of-
fers cycling and hiking trails in canalside parks, and the lovely 11-mile Capital Crescent
Trail ( www.cctrail.org ; Water St) connects Georgetown north to Silver Spring, MD, via
splendid Potomac River views. Fifteen miles north of DC, Great Falls National Park
( Click here ) is an outstanding slice of wilderness, great for rafting or rock climbing onthe
beautiful cliffs that hang over the Potomac.
The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail ( www.nps.gov/pohe ) connects Ches-
apeake Bay to the Allegheny Highlands along an 830-mile network that includes DC's
C&O Canal Towpath (adult/child $8/5; Apr-mid-Aug) , the 17-mile Mt Vernon Trail
(Virginia) and the 75-mile Laurel Highlands Trail (Pennsylvania).
Paddleboat rentals ( 202-479-2426; www.tidalbasinpaddleboats.com /; 1501 Maine Ave SW;
2-person boat per hr $12) are available at the boathouse at Tidal Basin. At the Potomac
River end of Rock Creek Park, Thompson Boat Center MAP GOOGLE MAP
( www.thompsonboatcenter.com ; 2900 Virginia Ave NW; per hr/day water craft from $10/24, bikes
from $7/28; 8am-5pm Mar-Oct) rents canoes, kayaks and bikes.