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Photo: Quadell, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
A collection of 400 species, including 2,000 animals. Get a map at the entrance, take your time, and be prepared to walk a great deal. Bring water—the concessions here are insultingly expensive. The most crowded exhibits are nearly always the Pandas and the Ape House. The pandas are perhaps the zoo's shyest residents. The Ape House is fun no matter the crowds. Other hits include the Seals & Sea Lions Exhibit, the Reptile House, the remarkable Aviary, and the irresistibly cute prairie dogs.
The Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, commonly known as the National Zoological Park or simply the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States. The zoo is part of the Smithsonian Institution and does not charge admission. Founded in 1889, its mission is to "provide engaging experiences with animals and create and share knowledge to save wildlife and habitats".
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A historic water-powered mill in the park and a national historic site built by Isaac Peirce in 1829.
A hidden gem of magnificent proportions. Marjorie Merriweather Post, prominent businesswoman and heiress to the Post Cereal fortune, fashioned her estate next to Rock Creek Park to be an extraordinarily stately and luxurious site for entertaining guests, housing her impressive art collections, and with the intention of leaving it behind for the world to enjoy. The mansion is a treasure trove of French and Russian decorative arts, much of which she obtained from the USSR, whose government under Stalin was then auctioning off a good portion of its cultural heritage to finance its war efforts. Second in grandeur only to the art collection itself are the French and Japanese-style gardens—great places to linger long after the tour.
Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul
The impression of walking up to the world's 6th-largest cathedral, a hulking mass cut over a period of 83 years of 150,000 tons of stone, is alone worth the trip. Tours are a must if you really want to see the cathedral, and the towers and the crypt are off limits without a guide during the busy season. The organ demonstrations are spectacular and loud. Check the website for events, as there is often children's programming as well as major concerts.
If you wish you had opted for a country vacation instead of a trip to D.C., it's not too hard to make believe in Rock Creek Park. The horse center offers trail rides, horseback riding lessons (group and private), and pony rides throughout the summer months. The trail rides are very popular, and reservations often are booked more than a month in advance. The pony rides and lessons also require reservations, but are much easier to get. For those visiting on a whim, and not interested in paying for a ride, you can just stop by and pet and feed the horses for free. If you traveled to the city on horseback, they offer full-service public stables for $600/month.
Fort Reno was one of the bedrocks of the legendary and celebrated D.C. punk/hardcore/straight-edge scene, and evolved to encompass later post-hardcore and other local indie rock. The concert series was founded in 1968 as a sort of government-sponsored hippie fest to try to bring some love, joy, and sense of community back to the district post-1968 riots. Having run annually since, this is one of the truest local traditions, is beloved by the community, and a great way to delve further into that elusive city beyond the federal government and neoclassical memorials. No alcohol, no glass bottles, but plastic bottles are allowed.
Deep inside the park, the Nature Center offers hands-on exhibits, guided nature walks, an "observation beehive," and a full planetarium. Especially good for kids.