Fall is officially upon us, and those nice cool days seem to scream “get outside!”
If you needed some inspiration, check out these ideas for enjoying the great outdoors in the Washington, DC area (and beyond)–from casual afternoon activities to events that will get your blood pumping.
Running Races
There are few more thorough resources for finding a race in our area than the Washington Running Report’s online event calendar. You’ll find pages of links for all distances and types of events– everything from the Boo! Run for Life 10K right here in DC on Oct 14 to the Annapolis Half Marathon on December 1–as well as a few triathlons and organized bike events. Pick any weekend and you’ll find pages of options.
Adventure Races
Like the Amazing Race? Urban Dare claims it’s a one-day version–an adventure race that combines trivia, photo hunts, and dares–and the race series comes to DC on October 27.
If you want something a bit more rigorous, check out the Tough Mudder series–with a race coming up later this month in the Carolinas.
Also coming up this month in Maryland–your chance to jump over fire, scale walls and crawl through mud in the Rebel Race. If you didn’t already register, this year’s Maryland race is already sold out–but you could always go cheer on the athletes and get inspired for next year!
Bike Rides
The fall is a great time to check out the C&O Canal towpath–in my mind, one of the greatest outdoor resources in the DC area. You can go for an easy day trip out to Great Falls and add a hike on the Billy Goat Trail to make it a multisport afternoon, take it out to Harper’s Ferry just over 60 miles away and spend the night in a B&B, or even plot a multi-day 184-mile trip out to Cumberland, Maryland. Check out BikeWashington.org’s fantastic C&O Canal Bicycling Guide, which breaks down all 180+ miles with suggested places to sleep, eat, camp, and even find a bike shop along the way.
Looking for an organized event right here in the city? Try the Best Buddies Challenge on Oct 20–with optional 20 or 62 mile rides (or a 5K run/walk).
The Washington Area Bike Association (WABA) also has a great events page–including an upcoming fall foliage ride and Ride4Red, an event here in DC to raise support for HIV/AIDS initiatives.
Or–why not make a fall vacation of it and find an organized event in another part of the country? BikeRide.com has an events page organized by state or region.
Apple Picking
If you’re looking for a mellower activity with the added bonus of a healthy treat at the end, the Washington Post has rounded up all the great places to go apple picking in the area. Check out their list here.
Take a Hike!
Fall is a great time to enjoy the local foliage. For an adventure close to home, try Great Falls. I’m partial to the Billy Goat Trail.
Got a car and ready to make a day of it? Shenandoah National Park offers an array of options–many detailed on Trails.com.
Horseback Riding
Did you know that you can go horseback riding right here in the city? Check out the Rock Creek Park Horse Center just off of Beach Drive for beautiful trail rides, riding lessons, and more. You won’t believe you’re still in the city. No experience is necessary for the trail rides–and an hour is just $40.
If you’re looking to get out of the city, About.com has also compiled a long list of local stables here.
Whatever you do, get out there and enjoy this great fall weather while you can, because Accuweather is predicting big snow for the DC area this winter!
