Outdoors /Scenic Drives near D.C.?

I think Mount Vernon is well worth the money. I would think $22 was expensive only if (1) everything else WASN'T free and (2) it was actually $22. The Mount Vernon website says

2010 Admission Rates
Adults $15.00
Seniors ages 62+ $14.00
Youth ages 6-11 $7.00
Children under 6 FREE

Where did you see $22?

Maybe a trip to Great Falls would be nice. You can see them from VA or MD.

Thanks, vj, for the correction! Maybe I got it mixed up with Monticello. Thanks! Is the Great Falls part of P&O Canal?

JC,
It's the C&O Canal (Chesapeake & Ohio); yes, it does run through the Great Falls National Park (on the Maryland side of the Potomac). There is also a Great Falls Park on the Virginia side of the river. If this is your first trip to the Washington area, I suggest that you concentrate on the city itself with, perhaps, a side trip to Mt. Vernon.

If you're into history, I would also suggest a day trip to Gettysburg or Antietam battlefield. They're both about 75 minutes out of town.

US Botanic Garden! http://www.usbg.gov/

The National Museum of the American Indian is near the Botanic Garden, you'll recognise the round shape - there are no right angles in the building. The Cafe is a 'required' stop for lunch or dinner. All five stations of the food court showcase a different region's native foods and all are marked w/dietary restrictions i.e. vegetarian, gluten-free, etc.
http://www.nmai.si.edu/subpage.cfm?subpage=visitor&second=dc

Don't know if you have children in tow, but there is so much to do - free!- time in a car can be a waste. Actually, I don't know why you would be renting a car since there is excellent train service to Union Station, DC Circulator in town; http://www.dccirculator.com/cms/ and metro bus and subway in town & the suburbs while parking is expensive and/or nonexistent. Join ZipCar before you leave if you just want a day trip.

Old Town Alexandria, especially the lower end of King Street on the water is a great evening spot. The Torpedo Factory is an Arts Center w/working artists studios in, yes! a former torpedo factory; http://www.torpedofactory.org/

Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive is nearby, lovely and there are some beautiful back roads to and from. We rode abt 300 miles this weekend in that loop west of the city & the trees are budding, grass greening and spring flowers awakening. Middleburg, in the horse country, is a great 'quaint' town for good food and cool shops.

Let me second Antietam, which I went to with my family in October. Taking Skyline Drive towards Charlottesville to see Monticello is a good idea.

I wholeheartedly recommend Mt. Vernon - worth the price. I live in the area, and every year we take our visitors there and have been amazed at the beauty of the both the grounds and the house. It gives you a feel for history, and you can enjoy the gardens and kids can run around. It has been updated and the museum part has some cool interactive museums that is well worth it. We live out west a bit, where it is beautiful but it depends on what you want. In april there are trees blooming, and the drives are nice on skyline drive. curvy though and really lots of scenery to look at. If you like that type of travel. I think the drive to Harpers Ferry is pretty, and Harpers ferry itself is nice to look at with kids, but again, depends on how much excitement you want. good luck and have fun.

Another idea is to rent bikes at Fletcher's http://www.fletchersboathouse.com/ and ride along the C&O canal -- that would give you a nice break from museums. However, Mt. Vernon really is a must see in this area.

If you'd like to spend part of a day in the "wilderness" only 30 miles from D.C., I can recommend Prince William Forest Park, a park administered by the National Park Service. It's not really a place for scenic driving although there is a circuit drive through the park. It's really more of a place to go walking/hiking to enjoy the beauty and solitude of the place. (Even though the park is right off I-95, you would never know it!) For more info, see: http://www.nps.gov/prwi/index.htm
A good side trip to make either before or after your visit to Prince William Forest Park is the National Marine Corps Museum. They are almost literally across I-95 from each other (exit 150). This is an EXCELLENT museum!

If you want some great scenery without renting a car, you can take the MARC train from Union Station DC to Harper's Ferry WV. Once in Harper's Ferry, you can get a great view of both the Potomac and Shenandoah River (a view asserted to be "worth the trip across the Atlantic") by walking a short ways up the hill from town along the Appalachian Trail; you can also take a hike up the mtn for more spectacular views or hike along the river in town or on the C and O canal. In town there are several museums run by the National Park Service about local mostly civil war era history. All of this is easily accessible from the train station. Trains only run there/back during the commuting hours, so check the schedule--makes a great day trip. The MARC train also goes to Shepardstown, (with more history, upscale restaurants, galleries) the next town up the line, though I'm not sure how close to town that train stop is.

If you have a car, Harper's Ferry in the morning and for lunch, Shepardstown for dinner and the nearby Antietam battlefields in the afternoon can be a very nice day trip--although you could spend a whole day at any of them.

oops! that MARC train line to Harper's Ferry is accessed through the Rockville Metro Station on the red line, not Union Station.

Thanks for so many great suggestions! Wish I have more time to check out everything.

Sounds like many folks here recommend Mt Vernon. Has anyone done the boat trip to Mt Vernon? Does the boat leave from D.C.? Is it a scenic ride on the river?

Harper's Ferry sounds quite charming too! So many things to consider.

Thanks all!