Go Skiing or Ice Skating

One of the good things about DC is that it is close to a lot of other cities/stuff. This includes (and will be future posts) Annapolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, NYC, and...

Skiing!

Well, I am no ski buff.  I did try snowboarding once, and if I could give any advice it is this: when deciding between snowboarding or skiing for the first time, choose skiing.  Looking down the hill you'll always see snowboarders sitting, but you'll hardly see any skiers.  I henceforth conclude that skiing is much easier.

(Whitetail Ski Resort)

Anyway, here are some ski resorts within driving distance from DC.

~1.5 hours: Ski Liberty, Whitetail

2 hours: Ski Roundtop, Bryce Mountain Resort

3.5 hours: Canaan Valley Resort, Seven Springs, Wintergreen Resort

Not into skiing? How about ice skating?

There are a couple indoor ice rinks in the area, but several outdoor ones as well!

• During the summer it's Jazz in the Garden, but during the winter the pond in the sculpture garden is transformed into an ice rink.  Skate just a few blocks from the Capitol!
• In Northern Virginia? Go ice skating outside at Pentagon Row (by the mall).  Looking for classes, year round skating or just a bigger rink?  The Capitals (DC's hockey team) practice at Kettler Ice Plex, but there are public skating sessions too.
• In MD? Try Silver Spring Outdoor Ice Skating, Herbert Wells Ice Rink in College Park, Wheaton Ice Rink,  or outdoor skating in Rockville Town Square.

{Sculpture Garden}                          {Silver Spring}

Mansion on O St

Looking for somewhere to warm up during the chilly DC winter?

Looking for an extremely unique experience?

Try the Mansion on O St. 

Activities here can run from very, very high end to relatively affordable.

To start, it is a hotel with an extremely strict privacy policy.  Literally, your guests will have to know the "password" to get through to you.  Otherwise they will be told "there is no one here by that name".  This is one reason (I think I heard) that some celebrities choose to stay here should they be in town.  Rooms start at $350 a night.

Next, you can have tea here.  There are different levels of tea service, from Sunday High Tea ($75) to Sunday Dessert Tea ($30) to Monday happy hour tea ($10).  Tea service is usually accompanied with lots and lots of finger food and desserts.

Finally, the Mansion on O St is a museum.  Now, when I say museum you should think of it like this: imagine walking through rooms of a house and in and on every possible empty space is a painting.  Or a bobblehead.  Or a decorative serving platter.  Or an antique mini coke dispenser.  Or a wooden mockingbird.  In short, a minimalist's nightmare.  Also, everything is for sale, so everything has a price sticker on it.

But if you're looking for visual stimulation and love to look at nick-knacks and such, this is the place for you.  You can take a self guided tour for $5, and the prices go up from there.  You can also do a "hunt", in which they basically give you clues on a check list and you walk around trying to find everything.

The Mansion on O St is located just off of Dupont Circle in Northwest DC (Metro: Red line).

{via}

ICE!

This one is a little bit of a splurge, so if you see a coupon or deal for it- get it. 

It's called ICE! and it is basically a winter wonderland of... ice.  Before you walk in they give you a giant parka.  "I don't need this," you may think.  "I have my very thick winter coat."  Take the parka.

 Everything is made of ice.  Walls of ice. Carved ice.  Colored ice.  And you can touch it all. But because you can touch it they have to make sure it won't melt.  And that is why it is not only very, very cold inside but there are fans blowing as well.  It is cold.  It took me about 1/2 hour to walk through the whole thing, but I ready to get out at that point.

Inside, though, is amazing.  There is a slide! made of... ice! I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.  This year is is a Madagascar theme.

ICE! is located in a series of tents at National Harbor.  It is $25 for an adult, less for military and kids, and runs though January 8th.

You will most likely have to drive to National Harbor, right across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.  You can also walk or bike over the WWB, but it's kind of a hike.  There is no free parking at National Harbor (so don't bother looking for it), but there are several parking garages and a few metered spaces (that take credit cards).