A visit to the nation's capital in January is a great way to explore the city during the tourist off-season. While the weather is usually cold with the occasional snow storm, there are plenty of activities that don't involve long days outside in the elements. Washington, D.C. offers many historical and educational activities, farmers' markets and ways to exercise around the city.
Ice Skating
Embrace the cold weather by going ice skating at the National Gallery's Sculpture Garden rink. The outdoor rink is open from mid-November to mid-March. Skaters of all abilities can enjoy views of the Sculpture Garden that surrounds the rink while getting in a good exercise. After an afternoon of skating, stop by the Pavilion Cafe for hot chocolate, coffee, sandwiches or gourmet pizza. You can rent ice skates and lockers and take private or group lessons.
Farmer's Market
While exploring the city, stop at one of Washington's local year-round farmers' markets for fresh produce, flowers and baked goods. Located in Washington's vibrant Dupont Circle neighborhood is the Fresh Farm Market. Open year-round on Sundays with winter hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., the market has nutritious produce, including meat, fish, fresh pasta, fruit pies and vegetables. Visitors can also pick up fresh cut flowers, soap and herbal products.
History
Located within a 20-minute drive of D.C. is George Washington's Mount Vernon Estate. In January, the estate is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. If it's not too cold, get outside and take a tour of the estate's gardens. The Upper Gardens have been restored to their original size, according to Mount Vernon, and feature flowers, trees, boxwood and vegetables. After seeing the gardens, take a tour of the Mt. Vernon mansion. Visitors can see original furnishings and 18th-century antiques.
Museums
Washington D.C. has an endless amount of museums to explore. If you're in the mood for art, the National Gallery has a diverse collection that you can spend an entire exploring. The National Gallery's West Building features American, British, Dutch, French and Italian paintings from the 13th to 18th centuries, including works of Claude Monet, Leonardo da Vinci and and Edgar Degas. Visitors can also view and learn about European sculpture, photography and decorative arts such as furniture and tapestries. The museum's East Building, connected to the West Building through an underground tunnel, features more contemporary art, including works by Mark Rothko and Jasper Johns.
For those interested in journalism, visit the Newseum. The exhibit "The Story of the News" tells a history of the news, including the people and technology that make spreading information possible. There is also a Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery and a Berlin Wall Gallery. At the interactive "Sitting in the Hot Seat" exhibit, visitors can play the role of a reporter or photographer as news breaks.
Health and Fitness Expo
Every January, local news station NBC4 holds the Health and Fitness Expo at the Washington Convention Center. According to Network Events, Inc., the D.C. expo is the largest in the country. Every year the event draws tens of thousands of people and is a great way to escape the cold and learn about a healthy lifestyle. The two-day, free expo features health tests and screenings, medical and health information, healthy cooking demonstrations and rock climbing.
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