One thing is for sure. You can never get bored in Washington D.C. The city is a central hub for so many activities and supports countless recreational facilities. It offers a little something to suit all your interests, from sporting and adventure to roaming the museums and walking down memory lane. 

Washington provides plenty of opportunities to reflect on the history of the United States. The Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Washington is a national center for arts, history, and culture. 

There are some significant Smithsonian institutions, roughly 20 museums and galleries, each an architectural wonder of its own. The National Museum of Natural History on the National Mall,  the National Air and Space Museum; the National Museum of African Art; the National Museum of American History; the National Museum of the American Indian; the Sackler and Freer galleries, which both focus on Asian art and culture- are just a few from the long list of museums to visit in the city. 

Smithsonian museums mostly reside along the National Mall, a parkway between the U.S. Capitol building and the Washington monument. All are some of the most popular destinations in the world, with the Air and Space Museum particularly holding records for visitorship. Sometimes jokingly called "the nation's attic," the Smithsonian collectively is a place where you can see dinosaurs, Dorothy's ruby slippers, the Wright Brother's first airplane near the lunar lander, and artifacts from all of the major conflicts the country has been involved in.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is home to the National Symphony Orchestra, the Washington National Opera, the Washington Ballet, and hosts Broadway shows. The Marine Barracks, the country's oldest professional musical organization, can also be found in D.C. The Lincoln Theatre, the Atlas Performing Arts Center, the Shakespeare Theatre Company, and Studio Theatre are also among other notable venues.

The only United States National Zoo is located in D.C. Spanning 163 acres of land and forming a part of the Rock Creek Park,  the Smithsonian’s National Zoological Park is home to roughly 2,700 animals of more than 390 species. This includes Giant and Red pandas; Asian elephants; Ref-Fronted, Red-Ruffed, and Ring-Tailed lemurs; alpacas; all manners of reptiles, insects, and fishes. The annual ZooLights light up in the winters and brighten the park with 500,000 LED lights.

The music scene does not disappoint either. While being the home of “Godfather of Go-Go” Chuck Brown and “Prince of Motown” Marvin Gaye, D.C. also has several live-music venues, from the Black Cat and the 9:30 Club to the Anthem and Capital One Arena. The city hosts its annual Jazz Festival, which brings together tens of thousands of visitors.

While those remain permanent homes for music, the region's arenas and stadiums ensure a regular schedule of major concerts throughtout the year.

According to a study from the Trust for Public Land named D.C. No. 1 among the urban park systems in the U.S., 98 percent of the city’s residents live within a 10-minute walk of one or the other park. Almost a fifth of the District area has been dedicated to park space, and the average park size is about 1.4 acres. Most of these are managed by the National Park Service. Rock Creek Park is probably the most remarkable of them all, being more than twice the size of New York City’s Central Park and the oldest urban park in the country. 

In a city full of excitement, how could the food scene fall pale in comparison? Well, it can’t! Washington D.C could as well be food the capital of the United States, offering all sorts of cuisines and concepts from all across the world. 

If you are a fan of professional sports, the Washington D.C. metro area is a paradise. The area boasts major league franchises in football, basketball, hockey, baseball, and soccer. 

In the NFL, the metro area hosts the Washington Commanders, one of the leagues oldest running franchises. The team plays at Fed Ex Field in Prince Georges County Maryland (as of this writing).

Downtown D.C. hosts three big league teams.

The Washington Capitals won the National Hockey League Stanley Cup in 2018 and play downtown at the Capital One Arena.

They share that arena with the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association. Both teams are affordable nights out in a part of town that has been revitalized and reenergized by  the relatively recent development of the arena complex. The arena sits on a major Metro subway transit station, providing easy access from around the region.

Not far away, in the city, the Washington Nationals play major league baseball at the stunning Nationals Park, built in 2019 near the Anacostia River. The Nationals are the former Montreal Expos and play in the NL East division.

One of the most successful big league teams in the region is the D.C. United club in Major League Soccer. The team is tied as being the most successful club in U.S. soccer- having won four MLS Cup national championships in the 1990s and several international contests. The club has been rebuilding as of late and looks to recapture its glory days. D.C. United plays Audi Field in downtown near where the Anacostia and Potomac rivers intersect. 

The metro area is also just a short drive from Baltimore, Maryland - where the NFL franchise Ravens play - and Richmond, Virginia, which boasts a track on the NASCAR circuit- Richmond Raceway.

Montgomery County is by far the most populous county in Maryland, with an estimated 1,062,061 in 2020. It is conveniently located just north of Washington D.C. and one of only two bordering counties that you don't need a river crossing to access. 

Montgomery is one of the most affluent counties not just in the metropolitan area of Washington but across the United States. Naturally, this has attracted loads of people, and so the county has the highest percentage, almost 29.2%, of residents over 25 years of age with a post-graduate. The prominent educational institutes and well-paying jobs can also be contributing factors. In any case, this has made Montgomery county one of the wealthiest in the United States.

The area houses many significant U.S. government offices, scientific research and learning centers, and business campuses. It is also a major employer boasting the National Institutes of Health, the famous Walter Reed Hospital, and major corporate homes for Marriot International, Lockheed Martin, AstraZeneca, and Hughes network systems, among others. 

The Montgomery County school system is ranked high on the list of both state and national schools. It has four of the top five ranked high schools in the state of Maryland. It also has two of the top 100 high schools nationwide. 

The median home value in Montgomery is $484,900 (National $217,500) while the median home rent is $1,768 (National $1,062). This is managed by the higher median household income of $108,820 (National $62,843)

The county is divided into main cities and smaller towns and villages. The three major cities are Gaithersburg, Rockville, and Takoma Park. Some towns are Barnesville, Brookeville, Chevy Chase, Garrett Park, Glen Echo, and Kensington. The top places to live in Montgomery county are North Potomac, South Kensington, and North Bethesda.

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Prince George's County, or PG County, in short, is located in Maryland and borders the eastern portion of Washington, D.C. The population was recorded as 967,201 by the 2020 census, making it the second-most populous county in Maryland after Montgomery County. 

PG county is the largest and most affluent  African American-majority county in the United States. It is home to many federal government facilities, including Joint Base Andrews and the United States Census Bureau headquarters. 

Prince George’s County is situated in the Atlantic coastal plain. It neighbors Montgomery County, Adelphi, Calverton, and West Laure, while the Patuxent River forms the eastern border along with Howard, Anne Arundel, Charles, and Calvert counties. The county area encompasses 499 square miles, of which 483 square miles are land, and 16 square miles are made of water.

The county can be informally divided into its five key regions- North County, Central County, the Rural Tier, the Inner Beltway, and South County. In broader terms, the county is roughly separated into North County and South County by U.S. Route 50.

• North County: This includes Laurel, Beltsville, Adelphi, College Park, and Greenbelt. North County is anchored by the Capital Beltway and the Baltimore–Washington Parkway. The University of Maryland, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, and NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center are among the key employers.
   
• Central County: Located on the eastern outskirts of the Capital Beltway, the area includes Mitchellville, Woodmore, Greater Upper Marlboro, Springdale, Largo, and Bowie. Central County is the fastest-growing region of Prince Georges. Two major roadways are Central Avenue (the main exit off the I-95 beltway), which cuts through from east to west, and Old Crain Highway, which runs north to south along the county's eastern portion.
   
• Rural Tier: Rural Tier can be found well beyond the Beltway, lying to the east and south of the central county and enclosed by U.S. Route 50 in the north. Some communities like Accokeek and Fort Washington lie to its west while the Patuxent River flows to its east.
   
• Inner Beltway: The inner communities of Capitol Heights, District Heights, Fairmont Heights, Forestville, Suitland, and Seat Pleasant lie in this part and neighbor the District of Columbia's northeastern and southeastern quadrants. The Inner Beltway region is well-connected and provides easy access to the Metro's blue line, commercial centers, Maryland Route 214, and Interstate 95/Interstate 495 (Capital Beltway).
   
• South County: South County offers a balance between the greenery of the rural tier and the urbanized and modern concept of the central county. It includes the communities of Clinton, Oxon Hill, Temple Hills, and Fort Washington, which are also the largest areas of south county. South County is the only region of PG County to appreciate the Potomac River waterfront. This has given rise to the National Harbor project- a town center and riverside shopping and living development on the Potomac.

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Anne Arundel County, also known as AA or A.A. County, is Maryland’s fourth most populous county, with a population of 588,261. Situated to the south of Baltimore city, the county stretches over 588 sq mi (1,520 km2).

The county is nestled between the western shore of Chesapeake Bay to its east, and several tidal tributaries of the bay encroach the shoreline. 

Anne Arundel County is the home of Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, commonly referred to as BWI. BWI serves as the main airport for greater Baltimore. It is also an increasingly popular alternative airport for residents of the Washington, D.C., area.

Anne Arundel boasts a challenging and rewarding school system, successfully creating a unique experience for each student. The AACPS is the fourth largest school system in Maryland and ranks among the 40 largest school systems in the country. It has 18 National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, and 21 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence, demonstrating its educational excellence.

The county, with its expansive shoreline, offers countless fun activities and recreational facilities, including boating, fishing, crabbing, water skiing, sailing, and swimming. The two-state parks and over 120 county parks are the perfect places for nature lovers, offering a green escape. 

The home prices are still on the higher side when compared to the national average. However, Anne Arundel County is still affordable for people working in the D.C. metro area. The median home value is about $361,200, while the median rent is $1,663.

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Fairfax County has several well known local jurisdictions, including the City of Fairfax, also known as Old Town Fairfax. Fairfax forms a part of the  Washington metropolitan area as well as Northern Virginia. The city has seen a rise in population from 22,565 to 24,146 between 2010 and 2020. Fairfax lies 17 miles west of Washington D.C. and has a total area of  6.3 square miles.

In the past decade or so, Fairfax, Virginia, has become a people's favorite place to live, especially among the working population employed in the D.C. metro area. D.C. is one of the most beautiful cities in the United States, but the densely packed city toppled with high housing costs makes it slightly less desirable. This is why people have been turning to Fairfax instead. 

It is easy to move in and around the metropolitan area with the convenient public transportation system. The Washington Metro's Orange Line serves Fairfax via Vienna station, which lies just a mile northeast of the city limits. CUE Bus and Metrobus run in Fairfax as well. The Virginia Railway Express's Burke Centre station is less than three miles southeast of the city's outskirts.

Some of Virginia’s best educational institutes can be found in Fairfax County, and over 35,189 students are enrolled in the largest organization, George Mason University.

Business owners would know that Fairfax is the place to start a new venture in the country. The city combines the best in and out-of-city real estate while cultivating skilled professionals. The job opportunities are also as bright as the Washington D.C. 

The city offers a mixed suburban feel for raising a family and an urban and metro-air feel, so you don’t feel left behind either. Fairfax hosts several annual events and festivals to keep its residents entertained. Some of these are:

• Chocolate Lovers Festival: The annual festival is held in central Old Town Fairfax on the first full weekend in February. The events involve craft shows, historic building open houses, children's activities, collections of vendors selling various edible chocolate products, and even chocolate sculpture contests.
   
• Fairfax Civil War Day- Each year in spring, Fairfax hosts a Civil War re-enactment camp at the Blenheim estate. The encampment displays cultural information on the Civil War-era people and practices, military muster, drill, and a firing demonstration.
   
• Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts- In April, the city, along with George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, and City of Fairfax schools, funds the Fairfax Spotlight on the Arts Festival. This is held for three weeks and features music, dance, theater, art, and choral concerts.
   
• Irish Festival- Each September brings the Irish and Celtic song, dance, and music festival held in and around Old Town Fairfax.
   
• Fall for the Book Festival- For our quiet book lovers, Fairfax hosts its Book Festival, where people get together and read books, have discussions and lectures, and attend exhibits from nationally-recognized writers and professionals.

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Loudoun County is located in the northern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The 2020 census recorded a population of 420,959, making Loudoun the third-most populous county in the state. 

The county is divided between it's predominantly rural western and northern areas and heavily developed eastern rim bordering Fairfax County. Loudoun is known to have a high median household income. As of 2020, an average household earns $147,111. Since 2008, Loudoun has been listed first in the U.S. when it comes to median household income among jurisdictions with a population of 65,000 or more.

The county is spread over an area of 521 square miles, of which 6 square miles is water. Loudoun is nestled by the Potomac River in the north. Across the river lie the Maryland counties of Frederick, Washington, and Montgomery. Loudoun is bounded by Prince William and Fauquier to its south and the drainage of Blue Ridge Mountain to its west. The Bull Run Mountains and Catoctin Mountains divide the county. 

The county seat is the rapidly growing Leesburg, centrally located in the county. To the east of Leesburg lie corporate office parks, country clubs and Washington Dulles International Airport. The airport is a major hub for United Airlines, making the county a popular home for United employees. Dulles is the next largest international hub behind New York airports. 

Loudoun is an IT hub and home to the world headquarters of several internet-related high-tech companies, including Verizon Business, Telos Corporation, Orbital Sciences Corporation, and Paxfire. 

While the county has seen quite a bit of transition as the Washington metro area grows, it continues to have a strong and storied rural economy. In addition to typcial Virginia agriculture, the county is home to a large equine industry, which generates a revenue of $78 million annually- mostly in popular racing. It is home to the Morven Park International Equestrian Center. The wine industry has been steadily growing in the past few years and produces several internationally recognized wines. The real estate market has been growing strong and offers several options with a median listing home price of $715K.

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Arlington County is located in Northern Virginia, lying on the southwestern bank of the Potomac River directly across from the District of Columbia. It originally was a part of Alexandria County.

The 2020 census recorded a population of 238,643, making Arlington the sixth-largest county in Virginia by population. The county has a total land area of 26 square miles and is the smallest self-governing county in the U.S.

Arlington is the home base of the Pentagon and is home to Reagan National Airport and Arlington National Cemetery. The county also holdsMarymount University, George Mason University's Antonin Scalia Law School, the administrative office's buildings and graduate programs for the Schar School of Policy and Government and the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, and the satellite campuses of the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech. Soon, Arlington will also house Amazon HQ2, the co-headquarters of Amazon.

The residential turnover rates in the county have remained quite high in the past couple of years primarily because of the easy access it provides to the D.C. metro area, which is convenient for people working in the presidential administration. However, many residents also choose to settle down in Arlington because of the lower housing rates, better options to choose from, and the quieter and more suburban lifestyle all the while being near the capital.

Alexandria is an independent city situated in the northern region of Virginia. It is found on the banks of the Potomac River. Nearby Washington D.C. Alexandria is about 7 miles south of downtown Washington, giving it easy accessibility to the capital.

As of 2020, the population of Alexandria is recorded to be 159,467, experiencing a growth of 1% percent per annum since 2010 (on average).

Like most of the areas in the Washington D.C. metro area, including Northern Virginia and  Central Maryland, Alexandria’s residents and culture are heavily influenced by the capital. Most professionals housing in Alexandria work in the federal civil service and the U.S. military. The others are employed by one of the many private companies based in Alexandria.

The historic center of the county is known as Old Town and is aligned with many boutiques, restaurants, antique shops, and theaters.

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