The National Harbor, the Perfect Prescription for a Country Mouse in Need of a Bit of City!
Now that I live in the country, in a brick house deep in the woods where my nearest neighbors are a family of white tailed deer and the tiny red fox who lives beneath the hollowed out maple, I definitely delight in regular field trips to bustling places.
It's nice to retreat and be a country mouse, but I still have my city mouse sensibilities.
It's all about balance!
Luckily, we've got a ton of options:
D.C. is 30 minutes away
Alexandria 20
Baltimore 45
Annapolis an hour...
but the National Harbor, that shinning aquatic gem, is a quick 15-20 minutes.
The National Harbor, in Maryland, is one of my favorite quick weekend, I need to be around people excursions.
In addition to cute shops, great restaurants and public park space with scenic nautical views, the National Harbor offers a variety of rotating events from outdoor yoga to movie nights and live music.
Sidewalk cafe's and benches are ubiquitous. It's a fabulous neighbor meet neighbor, coming together of people place.
On Saturday and Sunday, you'll find a farmer's market with local seasonal goodies.
The Harbor is a great place to bring kids as there are plenty of activities for them to enjoy, from this man made beach to a carousel, paddle boats and a toddler playground.
Sail boats, water taxis and mini cruises leave from the harbor.
The Harbor is also home to a giant Ferris Wheel.
Relatively new, we went up for the first time. The line was long but moved quicker than expected. The view was okay, nothing particularly astounding, but it was a nice little adventure.
The boys had a good time and I got to sip coffee outside and mingle. It was a good day!